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.