Véronique Dehant - Curriculum vitae#

Major area of interest

My major area of interest is geodesy and geophysics, with specific interest in Earth/Mars/Mercury rotation/libration and interior modeling. Gravity studies of Mars/Venus/Mercury. Present research: Influence of the Earth's internal structure, free oscillations, internal convection, rheology, and external fluids (atmosphere and oceans) on the Earth's rotation and deformation in order to improve the precession-nutation model and the realization of the terrestrial and celestial reference frames, and in order to better understand the physics of the Earth's interior. The same research is being applied to the planet Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the icy satellites.

Studies

• Degree in Mathematics 1981, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL);
• Master 1982, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL);
• Ph.D. 1986, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL);
• Tenure 1992, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL).

Employment history

• Graduate Research Assistant at UCL, 1981-1982
• Graduate Research Assistant at Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), 1982-1986
• Post-doctoral Researcher at FNRS, 1986-1990
• Senior Research Scientist at FNRS, 1990-1993
• Project Leader and Senior Research Scientist at ROB, 1993-present
• Head of Section at ROB, 1994-present
• Invited Lecturer at UCL, 1991-1998
• Part time Lecturer at UCL, 1998-2000; and Part time Professor at UCL, 2000-2009; and Extraordinary Professor at UCL, 2009-present
• Part time Lecturer at Université de Nantes, France, 2004-present

Awards and honours

• la Plus Grande Distinction (highest level) for graduation
• la Plus Grande Distinction (highest level) for master
• la Plus Grande Distinction (highest level) for PhD thesis
• Award Charles Lagrange, prix quadriennal de la Classe des Sciences de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts, 1988
• IAG Fellow, 1991
• Bomford Prize of IAG, 1999
• Member of the Academia Europaea, 1999
• Vening Meinesz Medal of the European Geophysical Society, 2003
• Descartes Prize of the European Union, 2003
• AGU Fellow, 2007
• "Membre Correspondant" of the BdL (Bureau des Longitudes), 2008. Bronze Medal (third place, 5000€ donated to the Annual Scholarship Programme of the International Space University (ISU)) for Apophis Mission Design from the Planetary Society, 2008

Present membership and office#

Present functions in international unions

• Member of the Selection Committee for the Vening Meinesz Medal of the European Geophysical Union, 2004-present
• Member of the Selection Committee for the Bowie Medal of the American Geophysical Union, 2006-2008
• Member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) (Commission 19: Earth Rotation and Commission 31: Time), of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), of the European Geophysical Society (EGS), of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), of the Belgian Astronomical Society (SBA)

Present functions in national committees

• Member ("membre titulaire") of the Belgian National Committee of Geodesy and Geophysics (+ IASPEI representative 1992-1999; IAG representative 2000-present), 1992-present;
• Member ("membre effectif") of the Belgian National Committee of Space Research, 2003-present;
• Member ("membre effectif") of the Belgian National Committee of Astronomy, 2002-present;

Scientific responsibilities

• PI (Principal Investigator) of the Lander Radioscience experiment (LaRa) in the frame of the AURORA/ExoMars mission to Mars, 2006-present;
• Co-I (co-Investigator) of the Seismology experiment (SEIS) in the frame of the AURORA/ExoMars mission to Mars, 2006-present;
• Co-I of Mercury Orbiter Radio-science Experiment (MORE) in the frame of the ESA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, 2005-present;
• Co-I of BepiColombo Laser Altimeter (BELA) in the frame of the ESA BepiColombo mission to Mercury, 2005-present;
• Co-I of the VenusExpress Radio science experiment (VeRa) in the frame of the ESA VenusExpress mission, 2004-present;
• Co-I of the MarsExpress Radio Science experiment (MaRS) in the frame of the ESA MarsExpress mission, 2003-present;
• Member of the ExoMars Science Working Team (ESWT) in the frame of the ESA MarsExpress mission, 2008-present;
• Member of "Special Bureau for the Core" (MGGF/IERS), 2002-present;
• Member of the Working Group MINT "Mars INTerior synergy", 2001-present;

Expertise

• Member of the Science Analysis Group (SAG) of MEPAG (Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group) of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), NetSAG (Network Science Analysis Group) subgroup, 2009-present; Member of the Comité des Programmes Scientifiques (CPS) of CNES (Centre National d'Etudes spatiales), 2009-present; Member of "Solar System Exploration Working Group (SSEWG)" of ESA, 2010-present;
• Member of "Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC)" of ESA, 2007-present
• Member of the Mars-NEXT Science Definition Team (MarsNEXT SDT) in the frame of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) preparatory mission of the AURORA program of ESA, 2007-present; Member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Helmholtz Alliance "Planetary Evolution and Life", 2008-present
• Member of "Groupe d'évaluation du GRGS", 2008-present
• Member of the Scientific and Technical Committee (Comité Scientifique et Technique, CST) of the Institut Géographique National de France (IGN France), 2008-present
• Member of the High Scientific Committee (Haut Comité Scientifique) of the Observatoire de Paris, 2005-present
• Member of the Scientific Council of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, 1999-present
• Member of the Management Commission of the Royal Observatory of Belgium, 2002-present

Past membership and office#

Past functions in international unions

• President of Commission 3 "Geodynamics and Earth Rotation" of IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 2003-2007;
• President of Commission 19 "Earth Rotation" of IAU (International Astronomical Union), 2003-2006
• President "Geodesy" Section of AGU (American Geophysical Union), 2002-2004
• Vice-President of IAU (International Astronomical Union) Commission 19 (Earth Rotation), 2000-2003
• Secretary of Section 5 "Geodynamics and Earth Rotation" of IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 1999-2003
• Member (as Past-President) of the Executive Committee of Commission 3 "Geodynamics and Earth Rotation" of IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 2007-2009
• Member (as Past-President) of the Executive Committee of Commission 19 "Earth Rotation" of IAU (International Astronomical Union), 2006-2009
• Member of the Selection Committee for the Macelwane Medal of the American Geophysical Union, 2004-2006
• Member of the SEDI (Study of the Earth Deep Interior) Committee of AGU (American Geophysical Union), 2000-2004
• Member of the "Commission d'Astronomie et de Géophysique du Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique", 1997-2006
• President-elect "Geodesy" Section of AGU (American Geophysical Union), 2000-2002
• Member of Organizing Committee of IAU (International Astronomical Union) Commission 19 (Earth Rotation), 1996-2000
• Member of Executive Committee of GGOS (Global Geodetic Observing System) of IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 2003- 2006
• Member of Planning Group for IGGOS (Integrated Global Geodetic Observing System) of IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 2002-2003
• Member of Planning Group for the ICT (Inter-Commission on Theory) of IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 2002-2003

Past functions in national committees

• President of the Belgian National Committee of Geodesy and Geophysics, 2006-2008
• Vice-President of the Belgian National Committee of Geodesy and Geophysics, 2004-2006

Past scientific responsibilities

• PI (Principal Investigator) of Hermean Radio Science experiment (HeRS) in the frame of the Bepi Colombo mission to Mercury (not selected), 2004-2005
• PI (Principal Investigator) of the NEtlander Ionosphere and Geodesy Experiment (NEIGE) in the frame of NetLander (finished end Phase B ), 1997-2003
• Co-I (co-Investigator) of the NetLander SEISmic experiment (SEIS) in the frame of NetLander (finished end Phase B ), 1997-2003
• Member of the Working Group MINT "Mars INTerior synergy", 2001-2008
• Member of the WG on "Jovian Satellites" within the Initiative for a Future Mission to Europa and the Jovian System, 2006-2008
• Member of the WG on "Europa" within the Initiative for a Future Mission to Europa and the Jovian System, 2006-2008
• Member of the Steering Committee of MEMO "Mars Environment and Magnetic Orbiter" within the Initiative for a Future Mission to Mars, 2006-2007
• Member of the IAU WG on "Nomenclature for fundamental astronomy", 2003-2006
• Member of "Special Bureau for Loading" (MGGF/IERS), 2002-2003
• Head of "Special Bureau for the Core" (MGGF/IERS), 1998-2002
• Chairperson of the IAU Commission 19 WG "Non-Rigid Earth Nutation Theory", 2000-2003
• Chairperson of the joint IAU/IUGG WG "Non-Rigid Earth Nutation Theory", 1994-2000
• President of the Working Group "Theoretical Tidal Model", WG of the Earth Tide Permanent Commission of the IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 1991-1997
• Member of the Working Group "Planetary Lander Initiative", 2004-2005
• Member of the Working Group "ICRS International Celestial Reference Systems", WG of the International Astronomical Union, 2000-2003
• Member of the Working Group "Solid Earth Tides in Geodetic Space Techniques", WG 6 of the Earth Tide Commission of the International Association of Geodesy, 1997-2003
• Member of the Working Group "Geophysical Models for VLBI", WG of the IVS (International VLBI Service for geodesy and astrometry), 2000-2003
• Member of the Working Group "Dynamical theories of deformation and gravity fields", Special Study Group 4.189 of the IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 1999-2003
• Member of the Working Group "Reference Systems", WG of the International Astronomical Union, 1997-2000;
• Member of the Working Group "Interaction of the Atmosphere and Oceans with the Earth's Rotational Dynamics", Special Study Group 5.173 of the International Association of Geodesy, 1995-1999
• Member of the Working Group "Geodetic Effects of Non-tidal Oceanic Processes", IAG/IAPSO joint WG, 1999-2002
• Member of the Working Group "Models of temporal variations of the gravity field", Special Study Group 4.176 of the International Association of Geodesy, 1996-1999
• Member of the Working Group "High Precision Tidal Data Processing", WG of the Earth Tide Permanent Commission of the IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 1991-1997
• Member of the Working Group "Astronomical Constants", WG of the IAU (International Astronomical Union), 1994-1997
• Member of the Working Group "Pulsar Timing", WG of the IAU (International Astronomical Union), 1994-1997
• Member of the Working Group "Recherche en vue du développement d'un réseau GPS différentiel (DGPS) en Belgique pour la navigation et pour la réalisation d'applications géodésiques et géophysiques", 1995-2000
• Member of the Working Group "Détermination du géoïde belge par intégration de mesures gravimétriques et d'observations des satellites GPS", 1992-1996

Past Expertise

• Member of "Exploration, Science and Technology Advisory Group (ESTAG)" of ESA, 2006-2009
• Chair of ESAC Evaluation Panel for 'Biomass, CoReH2O and FLEX', 2008-2009
• President of the Panel 'Earth Science' for the evaluation of the Descartes Research Prize, 2005-2009
• Member of the Scientific Council of the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, 2004-2007
• Member of the ESA Review Panel for the Second Call of Ideas for the Earth Explorer Core Mission within our Living Planet, 2005-2006
• Member of the ESA Review Team for the Cassini-Huygens Archive, 2004-2006
• Member of the FNRS commission 'Astronomie, Géophysique et Climatologie', 1997-2006
• Member of the Audit Committee ('Comité d'évaluation') of the UMR 5562 at Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, 2005
• Member of the Audit Committee ('Comité d'évaluation') of the SYRTE at Observatoire de Paris, 2004
• Member of the "Comité Scientifique Intérieur de la Terre", Division Sciences de la Terre et de l'Univers du CNRS/INSU, in France, 1997-1999

Past editorial responsibilities

• Member of the Editorial Board of the "IERS Conventions 2000", 1998-2003;
• Editor of the Book "Core Dynamics, Structure and Rotation", AGU Geophysical Monograph, publication end 2002;
• Member of the Publication Committee of AGU (American Geophysical Union), 2000-2002;