Prof. Bernard Foing is a French scientist at the European Space Agency (ESA). He has a PhD in Astrophysics and Space Techniques. He worked for 3 years in Chile as an astronomer for the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the French embassy, and as Professor of Astrophysics. He has been a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) since 1986. Foing obtained the habitation for direction of research in 1990. At ESA since 1993, he has been Senior Research Coordinator at the Research and Scientific Support Department. He was president of ILEWG between 1998 and 2000 and is now their Executive Director. He has published over 400 articles, including 160 refereed papers, in lunar and planetary science and exploration, solar/stellar physics, and astrobiology. He has edited 16 books and organized over 50 international conferences and symposia.