Graziella Branduardi-Raymont obituary

Graziella Branduardi-Raymont - Professor of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory of University College London, member of the Athena/X-IFU Science Advisory Team and co-chair of the Solar System Objects and Exoplanets Topical Panel - passed away unexpectedly last week. 

Her scientific interests encompassed the whole range of astronomical X-ray sources from AGN to solar system objects. In the later part of her career, she was particularly well-known internationally for her work on planets, particularly Jupiter. She participated in major X-ray observatory missions throughout her career, being Co-I of the XMM-Newton RGS, and co-leader of the Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer mission (SMILE), which will image the Earth’s magnetosphere in X-rays, following her X-ray studies on other planets.

Graziella was fascinated by astronomy and space research since she was a teenager, and considered herself very fortunate to be able to make a career out of her scientific passion. She was particularly keen on X-ray spectroscopy.

She will be sorely missed by the astronomical community. The Athena community expresses their profound condolences to her family and friends.