Recognising Excellence and Inspiration in Planetary Science across the Nordic-Baltic Region

The Europlanet Northern Europe Hub is pleased to announce the launch of the Liisi Oterma Medal, a new award created to recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions by women in planetary science and astronomy across the Nordic-Baltic region.

The medal is named after Liisi Oterma (1915–2001), the Finnish astronomer and pioneer in the study of comets and asteroids, and the first woman in Finland to obtain a PhD in astronomy. Through this award, the Europlanet Northern Europe Hub aims to honour scientific excellence, increase the visibility of women in planetary science, and provide inspiring role models for early-career researchers, students, schools, and the wider public.

The Liisi Oterma Medal is established with the ambition of becoming a continuing award for the Nordic-Baltic planetary science community. It is intended to be awarded biennially. The initiative welcomes future sponsorship, partnerships, and collaboration with institutions, scientific societies, associations, and organisations that share its commitment to visibility, diversity, and inclusion in science.