Professor Kuljeet Kaur Marhas has scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman to be elected Fellow of The Meteoritical Society, one of the world’s most respected honours in meteoritics and planetary science.
The recognition places her among a distinguished group of global scientists whose work has shaped the understanding of planetary materials and the origins of the Solar System.
Founded in 1933, The Meteoritical Society has been electing Fellows for more than 90 years. It is an an international organization dedicated to the promotion of research and education in planetary science with emphasis on the studies of meteorites and other extraterrestrial materials that further our understanding of the origin of the solar system.
Prof. Marhas is globally recognised for her work on short-lived radionuclides and stable isotopes found in extraterrestrial materials. Her research includes pre-solar grains, Calcium-Aluminum-rich Inclusions (CAIs), chondrules and organic matter present in meteorites.
She has also studied samples returned from major space missions including Stardust, Hayabusa and the Apollo programme.
Using advanced Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and nanoSIMS techniques, she has examined isotopic signatures preserved in ancient space material. Her findings have helped scientists understand the formation and evolution of the Solar System in greater detail.
Apart from being elected Fellow of The Meteoritical Society, Prof. Marhas is also a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union. She has received the Devendra Lal Memorial Medal for her contributions to the field.
