The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities has granted National Research Awards 2019 Valentín Fuster, Ángela Nieto, Susana Marcos, Manuel Carreiras and Mercedes García-Arenal.
The acting Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque, has informed the winners of the decision of the jury and congratulated them on behalf of the Government.
The National Research Awards, created in 1982, represent the most important recognition of Spain in the field of scientific research. They aim to distinguish the merit of those researchers and researchers of Spanish nationality who are doing outstanding work in scientific fields of international relevance and who contribute exceptionally to the advancement of science, the transfer of technology and the progress of humanity. These awards have a total amount of 150,000 euros, (30,000 euros each prize).
In the present edition a total of 66 candidatures were received, of which 22 were women (33.3%) and 44 men (66.7%). The different juries, formed by relevant personalities of science in the different areas of knowledge and balanced composition (52% women and 48% men), have failed the National Research Awards in five modalities.
The juries have drawn attention to the extraordinary quality of all the nominations. For the ruling, they have assessed the merits of each candidature in a competitive competition regime and applying the principles of publicity, transparency, equality and non-discrimination, issuing the following decisions unanimously:
- National Prize 'Gregorio Marañón' of Medicine. Awarded, Valentín Fuster Carulla. The jury deserves this distinction for its enormous contributions to research, prevention and diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
- National Award 'Santiago Ramón y Cajal' of Biology. Awarded, Ángela Nieto Toledano. It has been a pioneer in the study of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, a transcendent biological process in understanding the origin of cancer and the degenerative diseases of aging. Her outstanding scientific career and her great international recognition, makes her worthy of this distinction.
- National Award 'Leonardo Torres Quevedo', in the area of Engineering. Awarded, Susana Marcos Celestino. For its pioneering contributions to optical and photonic engineering, and to the industrial development of diagnostic and correction instruments in ophthalmology, which have benefited thousands of patients.
- National Award 'Pascual Madoz' of Law and Economic and Social Sciences. Awarded, Manuel Carreiras Valiña. It is an international reference in the field of language processing, in the field of experimental psychology. It highlights its capacity to create groups of excellence and knowledge transfer. His work has an extraordinary interest and social impact.
- National Award 'Ramón Menéndez Pidal' of Humanities. Awarded, Mercedes García-Arenal Rodríguez. The jury has valued his studies on religious minorities in the Modern Age of the Iberian Peninsula and the Mediterranean. His work is of great relevance to understand contemporary Europe, specifically the great religions, contact and cultural difference, fear of the stranger and the dangers of messianism.
Awarded in 2018
The last December 5, 2018 the other five categories of the National Research Awards were failed: National Prize 'Blas Cabrera' of Physical Sciences, Materials and Earth to Rafael Rebolo López; National Prize 'Julio Rey Pastor' of Mathematics and Information Technology and Communications to Ramón López de Mántaras; National Award 'Alejandro Malaspina' of Sciences and Technologies of Natural Resources to Pedro Jordano Barbudo; National Prize 'Enrique Moles' of Science and Chemical Technology to Luis Liz Marzán, and National Prize 'Juan de la Cierva' of Technology Transfer to Pablo Artal Soriano.