Dr. Annick Pouquet, CISL Emerita, Honored as Knight of the National Order of Merit

"Keep on the good work, it is all essential." - Dr. Annick Pouquet

Dr. Annick Pouquet, a CISL emerita researcher, has been awarded the prestigious Knight of the National Order of Merit (Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite). The investiture ceremony was conducted by His Excellency Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States, at NSF NCAR in Colorado.
 

Dr. Pouquet, who holds a PhD in Astrophysics from the Université Côte d'Azur, France, is a renowned figure in geophysical fluid dynamics research. Her career includes significant positions at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), where she served as Director of the Cassini Laboratory at the Observatoire de Nice, and as Research Director at Paris-Meudon and Nice. 

She has also held leadership positions at NSF NCAR, including Director of the Geophysical Turbulence Program, Director of the Earth and Sun Laboratory (and later Deputy Director to Guy Brasseur), and Senior Scientist. From 2013 to 2024, she served as a Visiting Scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.

At NSF NCAR’s Computational and Information Systems Lab (CISL), Dr. Pouquet was a Senior Scientist within the former IMAGe division.

Dr. Pouquet's pioneering work on multi-scale interactions in geophysical fluid dynamics has transformed the understanding of atmospheric, oceanic, and solar phenomena. Her name is included in the Politano-Pouquet law, which explains diverse natural events from tornadoes and hurricanes to solar storms and ocean currents.

When asked about her research at NSF NCAR, Dr. Pouquet stated: "I enjoyed learning a lot about other fields of physics in the context of ESSL, and the similarities of underlying phenomena such as interactions between eddies and waves, or an evaluation of the amount of dissipation of energy."

She also spoke a bit about what the honor meant to her, saying: "It is of importance to be recognized by peers and society in general," and adding:

"In this particular case, I was really pleased because my aunt (Madeleine Le Calvez) got it before me, many years ago, for her work in the resistance which she joined as soon as 1939."

This honor adds to Dr. Pouquet's list of achievements, which includes: 
 

• The Hannes Alfvén Prize (2020) from the European Physical Society

  

• The Lewis Fry Richardson Prize (2024) from the European Geosciences Union (EGU)

• Fellow of the American Physical Society (2004)

• Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (2023)

Dr. Pouquet reflected on her time at NSF NCAR, saying, "NCAR has perhaps moved more in the direction of the climate, one could say the elephant in the room, but going back to basics, as some still do, might be of help." She also shared what she likes to do outside of research, "Skiing not so much any longer, but snow-shoeing and hiking; reading books to try to understand the world we live in (difficult these days), including looking at interpretations of history, and listening to classical music. Oh, I should not forget my three kids and my five grandchildren!"

Currently Emeritus Scientist at NSF NCAR, Dr. Annick Pouquet is recognized for her excellence in French scientific research and her contributions to Franco-American scientific cooperation. When asked if there was anything else she'd like NSF NCAR staff to know, she replied, "Keep on the good work, it is all essential."