Michele Dougherty

Professor Michele Dougherty is the Head of the Department of Physics at Imperial College London. Her research focuses on space physics, planetary science, and the exploration of extraterrestrial environments. She leads the team responsible for the magnetometer instrument on the JUICE mission to Jupiter's icy moons, scheduled to arrive in 2030. Her work includes analysis of data from the Cassini mission at Saturn, particularly studying Enceladus' potential for harboring life.

• Affiliations: Imperial College London's Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences.
• Key Projects: Cassini mission at Saturn, JUICE mission to Jupiter's moons.

Her research interests center on magnetic field interactions in planetary systems, subsurface ocean detection, and the conditions necessary for extraterrestrial life. Recent lectures include the 2019 Schrödinger Lecture on Cassini's discoveries and public talks on JUICE's objectives.

Notable contributions include advancing understanding of Saturn's rings and moons, as well as shaping future space exploration strategies. She actively promotes engineering roles in space missions through outreach initiatives.