Fanny Brun

Fanny Brun is a 33-year-old research fellow at the French Institute of Research for Development (IRD) within the Institute of Environmental Geosciences (IGE), affiliated with the University of Grenoble-Alpes since 2020. Originally from Grenoble, she combines satellite Earth observation with field expeditions to study Himalayan and Alpine glaciers, driven by her passion for science, climate, and mountain adventure.

Her research employs multi-scale observations to document glacier evolution and underlying mechanisms, mapping Asian glacier thickness changes for water resource assessment and analyzing Tibetan Plateau lake dynamics. Notably, she demonstrated glacier mass loss plays a minor role in lake growth. As critical climate change indicators—with half the world's glaciers projected to vanish by 2100—her work provides vital insights into global warming impacts through innovative satellite and in situ measurement integration.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Collège de France prize for young researchers (2024)

Brun has cultivated a robust Asian research network through extensive field missions, actively strengthening partners' capabilities and conducting training at universities across the region, particularly in Nepal. This collaborative approach enhances regional expertise in glaciology and climate science while supporting capacity building in vulnerable ecosystems.

She conducts research within the Institute of Environmental Geosciences (IGE), a joint unit of the University of Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, and IRD, which enables interdisciplinary environmental studies through shared infrastructure and international partnerships.