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20 personalities in scientific research and artistic creation who have achieved particularly significant advances are recognized
The ceremony of the XVII edition of the Fronteras del Conocimiento Awards held this afternoon at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao celebrated the universal value of scientific truth, rationality, and culture, in the face of the great challenges and expectations of today’s global society.
This was highlighted by the president of the BBVA Foundation, Carlos Torres Vila, during the event that honored 20 global pioneers at the forefront of scientific research and artistic creation.
Among the awardees are researchers who have enabled a pharmacological revolution against diabetes and obesity; the drivers of a more efficient and sustainable green chemistry; the creators of transformative technologies such as biometrics and generative artificial intelligence; and the ecologist who has shown the impact of climate change on the geographical displacement of species worldwide.
Contributions were also recognized to understand the key role of attitudes in understanding human behavior in various areas in both the public and private spheres; fundamental models to understand and guide the economy in times of crisis; the philosophical analysis of central issues in science and technology, democracy, and social life.
AWARDEES
The awardees of the XVII Fronteras Awards are: Avelino Corma, John F. Hartwig, and Helmut Schwarz in Basic Sciences; Daniel Joshua Drucker, Joel Habener, Jens Juul Holst, and Svetlana Mojsov in Biology and Biomedicine; Anil Jain and Michael I. Jordan in Information and Communication Technologies; Camille Parmesan in Climate Change and Environmental Sciences; Olivier Blanchard, Jordi Galí, and Michael Woodford in Economics, Finance, and Business Management; Philip Kitcher in Humanities; Icek Ajzen, Dolores Albarracín, Mahzarin R. Banaji, Anthony G. Greenwald, and Richard E. Petty in Social Sciences; and the Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa in Music and Opera.
«This ceremony represents an exceptional opportunity to highlight what truly unites and enriches us as a species: the ability to generate new knowledge to interpret physical, biological, and social reality, providing innovative conceptual perspectives based on evidence and projecting rational and sustainable solutions to the great challenges and expectations of our time,» said Torres Vila.
In the current context of high complexity and uncertainty, Torres Vila pointed out that the contributions of «highly innovative individuals» like those honored by the Fronteras del Conocimiento Awards «allow us to chart, from scientific rationality and artistic creativity, a roadmap to make the best decisions at the individual and collective levels, serving the general interests and the conservation of the diversity of life on Earth.»
The ceremony, presided over by the president of the BBVA Foundation and the president of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Eloísa del Pino, featured an opening speech by the mayor of Bilbao, Juan Mari Aburto, and was closed by the Lehendakari, Imanol Pradales.
The president of the CSIC highlighted the common aspiration shared by all the awardees this year: not only to «understand more deeply the behavior of the social and natural world, its causes and consequences,» but also to «identify possible paths to transform that behavior when it deviates from the desirable.»
The 20 awardees, she concluded, «show us that it is possible to reconcile the ideal of pure knowledge with the responsibility of contributing to the common good.»
LEHENDAKARI
For his part, the Lehendakari urged to deepen the commitment to the creation of knowledge and culture to place Euskadi at the forefront in order to face the challenges that condition its future. Additionally, he appealed to defend, «more strongly than ever,» the role of science and critical thinking, «not only as a driver of competitiveness» and quality of life, but also as «a pillar of coexistence and democracy,» against «populism, denialism, and anti-scientific movements.»
The head of the Basque government stated that «the moment we are living in demands that we defend, more strongly than ever, the role of science and critical thinking; not only as a driver of competitiveness, social cohesion, and quality of life, but as a pillar of coexistence and democracy.»
As he warned, «populism, denialism, and anti-scientific movements are intimately linked,» and promote «a way of acting in which the important thing is not to learn and discover the truth, but to reaffirm one’s own positions.»
«Information bubbles, fake news, or conspiracy theories are both symptom and cause of this evil. A society that undermines science and cultural creation undermines itself because knowledge and culture make us freer, and because the creation of advanced knowledge is a pillar and competitive advantage of advanced societies,» he claimed.
R&D&I
In this sense, he emphasized that in Euskadi there is «an R&D&I ecosystem resulting from sustained efforts over decades,» which allows «to face from a good position the transitions» in which it is immersed: digital, ecological, and demographic.
«Building on those capabilities, we aspire to continue projecting ourselves internationally, connecting with other innovation hubs, attracting talent and new opportunities. As Letta warns in his report, we have to incorporate the free circulation of knowledge into the classic scheme of people, services, goods, and capital,» he assured.
Therefore, he called for a deepening of the commitment to the creation of knowledge and culture. «Because we have the desire, ambition, and need to place Euskadi at the forefront, taking into account our size, but without complexes. We will face the challenges that will shape the future with enthusiasm, as the awardees today have done,» he concluded.
The ceremony also featured a large representation of the international juries of the eight award categories, coming from some of the leading universities in Europe and North America. Among the more than 1,200 attendees were prominent researchers, artists, university faculty, authorities in science policy, scientific societies, as well as executives from the business world and prominent representatives from the media.
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