Beatriz Roldán Cuenya, wins the “ACES – Margarita Salas” Award 2024

Professor Beatriz Roldán Cuenya, Director of the Department of Interfacial Science at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society has been awarded the “ACES – Margarita Salas” Award in Physics, Mathematics and Engineering. In this fourth edition, the verdict was reached after the telematic meeting of the jury, composed by Prof. Eva Lindroth (Professor in Theoretical Atomic Physics at the University of Stockholm and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences), Prof. Fredrik Viklund (Professor in Mathematics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and chair of the Mathematics panel at the Swedish Research Council) and Prof Carlos Pérez de los Heros (Professor in Particle Astrophysics at Uppsala University).

The jury recognized in their laudatio the research excellence of Prof. Roldán Cuenya “in the area of nanostructured materials and their effect on catalytic performance, where she integrates multidisciplinary approaches from physics, chemistry and materials engineering to reveal in situ and in operando the mechanisms of catalysis in surfaces”.

Her contributions have large impact for the development of environmentally and industrially relevant energy conversion processes mitigating climate change. The jury also highlighted “her mentoring activities for the development of scientific vocations in the area of physics”.

The candidacy of Prof. Beatriz Roldán Cuenya has been proposed by the Association of Spanish Researchers in Germany (CERFA), among the different candidacies of an “excellent level” presented from different parts of the globe by the associations of the Network of Associations of Spanish Scientists Abroad (RAICEX). Prof. Roldán Cuenya joins the illustrious list of previous awardees, which includes Prof. Mercedes Maroto-Valer in 2021 (Physics, Mathematics and Engineering), Prof. Francisco Mojica in 2022 (Chemical and Environmental Sciences) and Prof. Ana Fernández-Sesma in 2023 (Biomedical Sciences)

According to Professor Roldán Cuenya “it is a great honour and a very special pride to receive this award, which bears the name of an illustrious Spanish scientist who has served as an inspiration and role model for many women like me, within and outside our borders. Like Dr Salas, I also grew up in Asturias in northern Spain, and I fondly remember my university stay in Oviedo and the great support I received from my professors, which motivated me to expand my knowledge outside my country and embark on the journey for self-improvement and daily sacrifice that a scientific career entails. My greatest satisfaction is knowing that my knowledge can be useful in solving some of the challenges that our society faces, including how to develop a fair energy transition while fighting the consequences of climate change.”

The “ACES – Margarita Salas Awards” were created in 2021, promoted by the Association of Spanish Researchers in Sweden (ACES), with the objective of recognizing the excellent scientific work carried out by researchers of Spanish nationality with recognized impact at an international level. The awards take as a reference the figure of Margarita Salas, researcher at the Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Center (Madrid) and who is considered one of the most relevant Spanish scientists. The uniqueness of the “ACES – Margarita Salas Awards” lies in the fact that they are organized by Spanish researchers abroad, in order to recognize the excellence and universality of Spanish scientists and their contribution to society.

The “ACES – Margarita Salas Awards” are sponsored by the Margarita Salas Foundation, the Ramón Areces Foundation and the Spanish Embassy in Sweden. The “ACES – Margarita Salas Awards” ceremony will be held in early 2025 in Stockholm (Sweden).