Dr. Lidia Pittarello (AMGC) was awarded the Elise-Richter fund by the Austrian Science Foundation

FWF (Austrian Science Foundation) has a dedicated program for women in science, called Elise Richter, after the first woman who received the Habilitation at the University of Vienna and who eventually died after being deported during world war II.

FWF has selected the project proposed by Dr. Lidia Pittarello, post-doctoral research in the AMGC team to be funded in 2016. The average success rate is ca. 15% and this was the only project in Earth Science funded.

The project deals with shock metamorphic effects on plagioclase, a common mineral in the Solar System but little considered. In March 2016, an official ceremony in Vienna made the awarded projects made public. This means that, sadly, Lidia shall soon move to Vienna to start her new research position. However, this will further strengthen the cooperation between the University of Vienna and the VUB.