A seasoned Energy & Utilities expert whose experience spans research, industrial operations, consulting and corporate governance. She now supports companies in two practices. As an independent consultant, through her company Cowin, on energy strategy, the energy transition, nuclear power and governance; and as a non-executive director of listed and non-listed companies for more than 20 years, where she has chaired and chairs Audit and Risk, and Appointment, Remuneration and Governance committees.
Member of the European Union Advisory Group on Energy (2008–2012) and of the French Conseil Stratégique de la Recherche (2013–2017), appointed by the Prime Minister. In 2004, appointed to the CSTI (Conseil Supérieur des Technologies de l'Information), a think tank on communication and information technologies. In 2007, asked by the French energy regulator (CRE) to launch and chair a high-level working group on liquefied natural gas terminal regulation in Europe and France. Also served on the board of the École Normale Supérieure. Elected to the French Academy of Technologies in September 2002.
A former president of the European Nuclear Society and of NucNet, the first international communication agency on nuclear topics, created the WIN association (Women in Nuclear) in 1993, to give women in the nuclear industry a platform for exchanges and to encourage young women into the field — today a flourishing worldwide organisation.
In 2021, with the Télémaque association, founded the Judith and Maurice De Botton scholarship, in homage to her parents, to help young women from disadvantaged backgrounds pursue scientific studies.
For colleagues outside France: the Légion d'honneur (Legion of Honour) is France's highest order of merit, civil and military, founded by Napoleon in 1802; the Ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit) ranks just below it, recognising distinguished service to the nation. Both are conferred in ascending grades — Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer.
In 1968, passed the agrégation in physics for teachers in France, then began research with Professor Philippe Nozières while teaching at the Paris Faculty of Science (later Université Paris VII). Research in solid-state physics focused on electric and magnetic effects in semiconductors at microscopic scale. In March 1973, published a PhD thesis on the anomalous Hall effect in semi-magnetic semiconductors, continuing research on semi-magnetic semiconductors and hot electrons — theoretical work always linked to experiments at École Polytechnique and École Normale, and to exchanges with European, Soviet and American researchers.