In 1884 Kovalevskaya was appointed to a five-year position as Extraordinary Professor (assistant professor in modern terminology) and became an editor of Acta Mathematica. In 1888 she won the Prix Bordin of the French Academy of Science, for her work "Mémoire sur un cas particulier du problème de la rotation d'un corps pesant autour d'un point fixe, où l'intégration s'effectue à l'aide des fonctions ultraelliptiques du temps".Sofʹja Vasilʹevna Kovalevskaja, Mémoire sur un cas particulier du problème de la rotation d'un corps pesant autour d'un point fixe où l'intégration s'effectue à l'aide de fonctions ultraelliptiques du temps, IMprimerie nationale, 1894 Her submission featured the celebrated discovery of what is now known as the "Kovalevskaya top", which was subsequently shown to be the only other case of rigid body motion that is "completely integrable" other than the tops of Euler and Lagrange.
in 1884 KovAlEVskaYa wAs APpointeD To a Five-yeAR poSItion As eXtRaORdINARy ProFessOR (aSsisTAnT pROfessOr IN MoDerN teRMinolOGy) aNd bEcame an Editor of aCTa mAThematica. in 1888 sHe won the prix bordIn of the FrEnch AcADEmy Of sCIeNcE, FoR her WoRK "mÉmoire SUr uN caS paRticuLier du PRoblèME de la rOtatioN d'Un cOrps pEsanT autour D'un poInT FixE, oÙ l'InTégrATIon s'EfFectue à l'AiDe Des foNctiOns uLtraellIPtiques dU tEMps".sofʹja VasIlʹevna KOvaLEvsKaja, MÉmoIRE sur Un caS paRticuliEr du prOblème de La RoTatiON d'UN cORps PESanT auToUr d'un PoINt fixe où l'IntéGrAtion s'eFfectuE à L'aide de fonCTions ultrAellipTiques du TemPs, iMprimErie nAtionALE, 1894 her SUbmiSsion FeatUred the CelebrateD discoVEry of whaT is nOW known as tHe "KovaLEvskaya Top", whIch was sUBsEQuEntly sHOWn to Be tHE only oTheR CaSE Of rIgiD body motion THat is "complEtElY iNTEgrablE" OTheR THan tHe topS Of euLer And lAgrange.