The King presides over the presentation ceremony for the 2024 National Research Awards
The Minister for Science, Innovation and Universities, Diana Morant, asserted at the ceremony of the National Research Awards 2024, the edition with the most women winners in history: "Your leadership and visibility are more important today than ever". The minister thus celebrated the fact that "there are more women award winners than ever before", after the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) established "the requirement for equal nominations from institutions and centres". She also thanked all the award winners for "their valuable contribution" to science.
Five women and five men were recognised in the 2024 National Research Awards. A total of 347 nominations were submitted, of which 148 were submitted by men and 199 by women. In the National Research Awards for Young People, seven women and three men received awards. 207 nominations were received, 78 from men and 129 from women.
At the ceremony, which was presided over by His Majesty the King at the Royal Palace of El Pardo, the minister emphasised that "this representation is in line with the reality of a scientific system where there is parity, although we are still working to overcome the under-representation of women in positions of responsibility".
"You are a benchmark for a fully democratic scientific culture, where young researchers can live off and for what they are passionate about: doing science to move towards a more prosperous, just, egalitarian, inclusive and sustainable tomorrow," Morant told the award winners.
The minister highlighted Spain's commitment to science: "In just seven years, our country has gone from cutting back to investing like never before in science and innovation: record R&D figures, more than 22.3 billion in 2023, with 50% growth since 2018." In this regard, she also highlighted that a few days ago "the largest stabilisation process in the history of Public Research Bodies, which has benefited 2,330 people" was completed. "It has been the result of social support and an unwavering political commitment to science," she insisted.
On the other hand, she stressed that "this commitment has contributed decisively to the fact that Spain is today a reference point for economic growth and democratic resistance in the world". "At a time when we are registering minimum figures for poverty and inequality, and record employment with almost 21.9 million contributors, as we learned yesterday, the R&D-related employment sector is the fastest growing in our country", added Morant.
For all these reasons, the minister highlighted Spain's progress "towards a new knowledge economy, where talent finds the conditions to develop, take risks, innovate and consolidate scientific advances". "Dear laureates, Spain needs you, celebrates you and defends you," concluded the minister.
National Research Awards 2024
The National Research Awards are the highest national recognition in the field of scientific research. They are awarded to researchers in Spain who stand out for their distinguished careers and international prestige in their areas of specialisation.
They also have a specific category for young people, aimed at those under 40 years of age who have made significant progress in the initial stages of their research career. There is a prize of 30,000 euros per award in both categories.
The winners of the ten categories of the National Research Awards 2024 , which recognise excellent research careers, are:
- Isabel Fariñas Gómez, "Santiago Ramón y Cajal" National Research Award, in the field of biology.
- Eugenio Oñate Ibáñez from Navarra, "Leonardo Torres Quevedo" National Research Award, in the field of engineering and architecture.
- Gloria Corpas Pastor, winner of the "Ramón Menéndez Pidal" National Research Award in the field of humanities.
- Carmen Ayuso García, winner of the "Gregorio Marañón" National Research Award in the field of medicine and health sciences.
- Miquel Canals Artigas, "Alejandro Malaspina" National Research Award, in the field of natural resource sciences.
- Carmen García García, winner of the "Blas Cabrera" National Research Award, in the field of physical, materials and earth sciences.
- Tomás Torres Cebada, "Enrique Moles" National Research Award, in the field of chemical science and technology.
- Ramón Martínez Máñez, "Juan de la Cierva" National Research Award, in the field of knowledge transfer.
- Xavier Tolsa Domènech, "Julio Rey Pastor" National Research Award in the field of mathematics and information and communication technologies.
- Núria Sebastián Gallés, "Pascual Madoz" National Research Award, in the field of law and economic and social sciences.
The following have been awarded the 2024 National Research Awards for Young People:
- Jerónimo Carlos Rodríguez Beltrán, winner of the Margarita Salas National Research Award in the field of biology.
- Víctor Vilarrasa Riaño, "Matilde Ucelay" National Research Award, in the field of engineering and architecture.
- Cristina Blanco Sió-López, winner of the "María Moliner" National Research Award in the field of humanities.
- Patricia Altea Manzano, "Gabriella Morreale" National Research Award in the field of medicine and health sciences.
- Rosa Mª Fernández García, "Ángeles Alvariño" National Research Award, in the field of natural resource sciences.
- Beatriz Pelaz García, "Felisa Martín Bravo" National Research Award in the field of physical, material and earth sciences.
- María Escudero Escribano, "María Teresa Toral" National Research Award, in the field of chemical science and technology.
- Aitor Villafranca Velasco, "Ángela Ruiz Robles" National Research Award, in the field of knowledge transfer.
- Verónica Bolón Canedo, "María Andresa Casamayor" National Research Award in the field of mathematics and information and communication technologies.
- Mar Reguant Rido, "Clara Campoamor" National Research Award in the field of law and economic and social sciences.
The jury for each category of the Awards was chaired by the Secretary General for Research, Eva Ortega-Paíno, and was made up of specialists in each area of knowledge, with a balanced participation of men and women.
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