The 2024 National Research Award for Young Talent is awarded ex aequo to researchers Eva Maria Novoa (CRG) and Xavier Ros Oton (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, UB).

i2CAT and Sateliot receive the National Award for Public-Private Partnership in R&I.

Ecomemb SL, a spin-off from ICRA and UdG, receives the National Innovation Award for the Creation of a Science-Based Company.

The awards, announced on Friday, 21 March, by the Minister for Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat, recognise research excellence in Catalonia across various categories.

The 2024 National Research Award has been granted to Professor Núria Sebastián, an expert in Psychology who served as Vice President of CERCA from 2017 to 2022. Professor Sebastián has been recognised for her pioneering research in cognitive neuroscience. Holding a PhD in Psychology from the University of Barcelona (UB), she leads the Speech Acquisition and Processing (SAP) research group at the Center for Brain Cognition (CBC). Her work has positioned her as a global pioneer in the study of bilingualism from a cognitive and neural perspective.

Young Talent: Eva Maria Novoa (CRG), a Global Reference in Epitranscriptomics

The 2024 National Research Award for Young Talent has been granted ex aequo to Eva Maria Novoa, an ICREA researcher and leader of the Epitranscriptomics and RNA Dynamics Research Group at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). Novoa is an expert in biochemical modifications of RNA and has developed new algorithms to map and quantify these modifications, establishing herself as an international leader in nanopore sequencing technologies.

i2CAT and Sateliot: Positioning Catalonia in the Space Economy
The National Award for Public-Private Partnership in Research and Innovation has been given to the joint work between the i2CAT Foundation and the company Sateliot, which has placed Catalonia at the forefront of the new space economy. Their collaboration has led to milestones such as the launch of the nanosatellites Enxaneta, Menut, and Minairó, which have contributed to improving global Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity.

ICRA: Water Research with Business Impact
The National Innovation Award for the Creation of a Science-Based Company has been awarded to the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) and the University of Girona (UdG) for the founding of Ecomemb SL. This recognition highlights their ability to transform research into innovative solutions in water management and the circular economy.

Finally, the new Award for Promoting Knowledge Transfer has been granted to the paediatric innovation hub i4KIDS at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, led by Arnau Valls, principal investigator at the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute.

The Minister acknowledged the awards as a reaffirmation of Catalonia’s commitment to a diverse, open, and socially driven knowledge system: “This year’s awardees remind us that research and innovation are not the preserve of any single field, but the result of collective efforts between universities, research centres, businesses, social organisations, and citizens. And when this effort is recognised and projected, it becomes a driving force for the transformation of the entire country.”

The National Research Awards are granted by the Government and the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRI).

The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) is launching a call for applications for the position of Director. The initial appointment is for a four-year term, with the possibility of renewal upon approval by the Board of Trustees.

About the IEEC 

The IEEC focuses its research efforts on the study of the Cosmos and the Earth as a planet, through a powerful programme for research, development and technological innovation in the framework of scientific missions and projects.

Role and Responsibilities 

The Director will have the following general duties and responsibilities:

• Manage, organise, execute and monitor the activities of the IEEC.
• Define and implement the institute’s Strategic Plan in line with advisory recommendations.
• Develop the annual activity program for approval by the Board of Trustees.
• Direct, organize, manage, and execute actions aimed at obtaining the necessary resources and sources of income to achieve the objectives.
• Lead research, development, knowledge and technology transfer, innovation, and training activities, as well as the internal organization.
• Supervise the selection procedures for attracting talent and recruiting the scientific and technical personnel, or for accepting the affiliation of scientific and technical personnel from other institutions.
• Formalize the affiliation of scientific and technical personnel.
• Promote the professional development within the Institute.
• Execute Board of Trustees’ directives and oversee compliance.
• Represent the IEEC in academic, industrial, and public forums.
• Maintain regular communication with CERCA regarding institutional progress.
• Organise regular meetings of the SAB and implement the recommendations upon approval by the Board of Trustees.

The reception of applications ends on 30/04/2025

IDIBAPS is seeking applicants with a proven-track record in leadership, a distinguished record of scientific excellence and the innovative thinking necessary to lead a dynamic organisation.

Last September, a new call for selecting a new IDIBAPS director was opened. The institution’s Board of Trustees has agreed that the call was unsuccessful and it has now been reopened

The selected candidate will commit to the challenge of increasing the IDIBAPS scientific reputation and boosting the institute’s basic, translational and clinical research towards societal and health impact.

Calendar

• 3 March – Call opening.
• 31 March – Application deadline.