Cougnet made important contributions to Argentine science and is considered a pioneer in her field of research, together with Estrella Mazzoli de Mathov, Juana M. Cardoso, Adulio Cichini, Horacio Ghielmetti, Emma V. Pérez Ferreira, Juan G. Roederer and Pedro Waloschek. She also served as thesis director for a local doctoral student researching nuclear reactions recorded at the Bevatron particle accelerator in Berkeley, California.