- Hevia, Professor at the University of Strathclyde, is more than a young talent; she is an inspiring example of the role of the Spanish women.
- SRUK/CERU, together with the Banco Santander Foundation, aims with this initiative to support a young talent and encourage the commitment of institutions and companies to establish bridges of knowledge between countries
London, 15th July 2016. The Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU) and Banco Santander Foundation have awarded Prof. Eva Hevia (Gijón, 1976) with the 1st Emerging Talent Award SRUK/CERU 2016 for her excellent academic progression and her commitment to promote science, train new researchers and to establish international scientific relationships between the UK and Spain, therefore fulfilling the target goals of SRUK/CERU.
The scientific panel, integrated by world leading experts and chaired by Prof. Ginés Morata, assessed more than 50 high level applications submitted to this award. According to Morata “Eva Hevia is one of the strongest and most promising researcher on her field in an international level”. In addition, Morata adds, “she has a breathtaking research career, unusual for her age.” Hevia got her degree and doctorate in Chemical Sciences from 1998 to 2002 at the University of Oviedo. She became Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland) with only 38 years old. She has published over one-hundred articles in the most important specialist journals in her field. In 2011, she won a prestigious grant from the European Research Council apart from other major awards – the Harrison-Memorial Medal and Prize (2009) awarded by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and the RSEQ-Sigma-Aldrich Prize to Young Researchers (2011) awarded by the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ).
According to Borja Baselga, CEO of Banco Santander Foundation, this award and recognition “contributes to make Dr Hevia a scientific and academic reference not only in the UK but also in Spain”. And hopefully, “this award will inspire the new generations of Spanish researchers.” In Hevia’s words, “SRUK/CERU is a constant source of support and inspiration for the increasing number of Spanish scientists working in the UK. It is an honour and a great privilege to receive this award. Although I have developed most of my research career in the UK, I maintain a close relationship with the Spanish scientific community. Receiving this award will contribute not only to strengthen these ties by facilitating new partnerships and exchanges with research groups in Spain, but also to maximize the visibility of our work in Organometallic Chemistry.”
Hevia will allocate part of the prize to reinforce the relations with the Spanish scientific community and give visibility to the Organometallic Chemistry of representative elements, as “the scientific representation of Spain in this field is very limited and yet has great potential benefits for humanity”. A great number of elements from these compounds are essential in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and perfume industry, so improvements to perform the required chemical transformations in a sustainable manner would have a strong impact on society and the environment. In addition, part of the prize will be used to support the short stay of two Spanish promising graduate students in her research group.
With the Emerging Talent Award, SRUK/CERU has reiterated its firm commitment to support and increase visibility to the Spanish researchers in the UK, and to promote the relations between the UK and Spain. Eduardo Oliver, president of this society until last 10th July, has concluded: “Eva is an illustrative example of the excellent work that Spanish researchers play in the UK. She is a perfect ambassador of the main values uphold our association, among which are the training of young researchers and strengthening of relations between the UK and Spain”.
About the SRUK/CERU Emerging Talent Award
The Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU) convened the first edition of “Emerging Talent Award” in March 2016. This award aims to recognize and support the promising career of a young Spanish researcher, who has done his/her activity in the UK for at least 3 years, as well as to increase the impact of their research. This award is sponsored by Banco Santander Foundation and is part of its area of Innovation. The award consists of a prize of 14,000 GBP to cover any aspect that helps the development of the award-winning research career. The ceremony will be held in October in the Embassy of Spain in the UK.
About the Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU)
The Society of Spanish Researchers in the UK (SRUK/CERU) became operational in June 2011 although it was formally established as a non-profit company in the Companies House of England and Wales in July 2012. Founded by researchers to promote
communication between the community of Spanish researchers working in the UK, the popularization of science and international relations between the two countries, it has made more than 200 activities since its inception. It has the support of the Ramon Areces Foundation, the Embassy of Spain in the United Kingdom, the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), the Banco Santander Foundation and the biotech company NIMGenetics. The association has among its founding objectives, the mission of serving as both Spanish scientists to public institutions and private consultants as British, offering the experience and knowledge treasured by its members in various systems of R&D for the development of proposals for improvements in science policy. Currently, SRUK/CERU has more than 600 members working in recognized universities and companies in the UK, whose purpose is to research, innovate and develop new advances in science and technology. The non-profit organization has offices formally established in London, Cambridge, Oxford, in the Southwest region (including Bristol and Bath among other cities), the Northwest region (consisting of Manchester and Liverpool), Yorkshire, the Midlands and Scotland.
About Banco Santander Foundation
Banco Santander Foundation, true to its commitment to society, develops an intense activity focused on the preservation, promotion and dissemination of art, care of the environment and the promotion of education as a driver of progress. In the nearly 25 years the Foundation has worked to contribute to the social and cultural improvement of the communities in which Banco Santander is present, its field has grown to encompass a wide range of areas: art, music, literature, science, education, environment, social assistance and the promotion of young talent. Its main objective is to continue working with responsibility and excellence in all these areas, both through its own initiatives such as the sponsorship of various public and private projects. This new Emerging Talent Award is part of its sphere of Education and Innovation and in our section of Science, where he also collaborated with the CNIO in various oncological research and business training for scientists with IE. Thus it encourages scientific and humanistic vocation which includes all activities.
