TOMSK, Feb 9 – RIA Tomsk. Pilar Catalan, a scientist at the Herbarium Research Laboratory of Tomsk State University (TSU), received the title of Corresponding Member of the prestigious Botanical Society of America (BSA); only 67 living scientists have this title, the university's press service said on Tuesday.
BSA Corresponding Members, the press service explains, are selected leading scientists who have made a great contribution to plant science, living and working outside the United States. This status is comparable in degree of honor to that of corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"My nomination for the award was suggested by one of the BSA members who knew about my career and scientific work. The Council elects five Corresponding Members a year, and this time I became one of these scientists... This title is a great honor, especially because it was awarded by fellow botanists who work at the forefront of plant science", - Catalan is quoted in the statement.
According to her, BSA corresponding members have lifetime privileges, including free access to full-text publications in the society's journals, preferential conference rates, and a wide range of connections with botanists around the world. However, for Pilar, the most precious thing about this award - is its prestige - only 67 living scientists have this title (out of 221 since the foundation of the society).
According to the press service, Catalan graduated from the Department of Biology of the University of Navarra (Spain) in 1980 and received her PhD in 1987 under the guidance of Professor Pedro. Since 1998 she has been the head of her research group Bioflora at the University of Zaragoza in Huesca (Spain), in 2008 she received the title of Professor of Botany. Since 2014, Pilar Catalan is a professor at TSU.
The scientist is engaged in research in the field of plant taxonomy and evolution, as well as research on comparative genomics and evolution of model cereals. Most of the research was carried out at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), of which Catalan is a professor, at the Higher Polytechnic School of Huesca (Spain) and at TSU.