Claudie Haigneré

MD, PhD, Astronaute CNES/ESA, Ancien ministre

Description

She began her scientific career as a rheumatologist at the Hôpital Cochin (Paris), and was selected by the CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) as a scientific astronaut in 1985. She then worked at the CNRS Neurosensory Physiology Laboratory, where she obtained her doctorate in Neuroscience. She became head of the physiology and space medicine programmes at CNES. She left for training in 1992 at Star City near Moscow. She went on to complete 2 space missions, first in 1996 aboard Mir, then with the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2001 aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Following her career as an active European astronaut, she was successively Minister for Research (2002-2004) and Minister for European Affairs (2004-2005). She was head of Universcience and its 2 science centres (Palais de la découverte and Cité des Sciences) for 6 years (2009-2015). At the ESA, as advisor to the DG, she is involved in European space policy and lunar exploration until 2020. She is very involved in foundations to promote science and technology, in particular to help young girls find careers (L'Oréal Foundation, CGénial Foundation, Airbus Foundation, Van Allen Foundation). She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Ecole de l'Air et de l'Espace (colonel in the Air Force and Space Corps citizen reserve). She is a member of the Académie des Technologies, and contributes to a number of working groups dedicated to innovation.