Alice Guionnet, a CNRS research director within the UMPA laboratory (ENS de Lyon, CNRS) has just been awarded the CNRS Silver Medal (as well as Patrick Flandrin, of the ENS physics laboratory).
There are few women researchers in mathematics. Fortunately, Alice Guionnet is here to remind us that research can also fascinate women: In France, a research career has much to attract a woman: it is recognized, quite stable and above all exciting. And women mathematicians are so rare that they are perhaps pampered. They are also more sought after, thanks to equality issues! More women should follow this path and they should be told so! *
The ENS has good reason to celebrate the excellence of its research: the physicist Patrick Flandrin has also just been awarded the CNRS Silver Medal (see article).
*Extract from the book by Yvan Schneiderlin, La science en personnes, which appeared at the end of 2007 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ENS de Lyon and which is illustrated by the magnificent photography of Vincent Moncorgé. Editions Vuibert/Ens Lyon.

Alice Guionnet's personal page