The financial councillor and director of Monetary Affairs and Capital Markets of the International Monetary Fund, José Viñals; the full university professor of Cell Biology and Parasitology and coordinator of the R&D Group of Molecular Neurobiology of the Universitat de València, Isabel Fariñas; and the Colegio de Abogados de Valencia are three of the awarded people of this 20th edition of the Universitat-Societat Awards.
These awards, organised by the Board of Trustees of the Universitat de València, aim to recognise the work in favour of the universitat-societat cooperation from the university and the business world perspective.
A recognition to the professional trajectory
José Viñals Íñiguez, financial councillor and director of Monetary Affairs and Capital Markets of the International Monetary Fund, has been awarded in the modality Alumni Plus of these awards. Addressed to recognise the professional, academic or business excellence of alumni of the Universitat de València, with a confirmed trajectory proving an excellent contribution, and specially relevant to the society progress.
The jury valued the successful professional trajectory of José Viñals, as well as his relevant contribution to the research in terms of macroeconomic policy. The director of Monetary Affairs of the IMF studied Economic Sciences at the Universitat de València. After the university, he studied a master’s degree in Economics at the London School of Economics and became doctor in Economics by the Harvard University. In 2001 was awarded with the Rey Jaime I Prize in the Economy modality.
Research and Development Modality
The full university professor of Cell Biology and Parasitology and coordinator of the R&D Group of Molecular Neurobiology of the Universitat de València, Isabel Fariñas, has been awarded in the Research and Development Modality. Her researcher activity focuses on the development and analysis of genetic models in Parkinson disease and brain repair with modified mother cells.
The jury recognised the work of her multidisciplinary group to orient the basic knowledge of the search for solutions in the biomedicine and health field and the fact of having agreements with companies for the study and viability of the implementation of their researches results.
Among many publications of excellence, Isabel Fariñas if the inventor of the patent called “uso del factor pedf para inducir la auto-renovación de células madre” (use of the pedf factor to induce the self-renewal of mother cells). This pedf molecule (pigmented epithelium derived factor) promotes the self-renewal of neural mother cells and acts as a neuroprotector and antiangiogenic.
The Colegio de Abogados, award to the Research trajectory
The Colegio de Abogados de Valencia (ICAV) if the awarded entity in the modality Collaboration Trajectory. The jury pointed out the altruistic and constant nature of the collaboration of the Colegio de Abogados wit the Faculty of Law, that started more than 70 years ago. Likewise, highlighted the wide range of collaboration areas and the benefits of this collaboration, summed up in “a support to quality and excellence of the legal profession in benefit of the best legal advice for citizens”.
Students work placements of the Universitat de València in professional offices of all the legal branches as well as the collaboration in the direction, organisation and coordination of the master’s degree in Law Practice -enabling for the professional practice- and other postgraduate and specialisation courses are the pillars of the collaboration.
The Board of Trustees awards the talent of students and professors
These awards are also addressed to recognise the contribution of ideas and innovative projects of the students group of the Universitat de València in the area of collaboration Universitat-Societat.
In this edition have been recognised the proposals of Andrea Ortiz, Alberto Corbí, María Pilar Domínguez and Cristina Gaona.
Of all the presented projects, the one by Ángel Esparcia has been awarded with the Alumno Excelente Prize of the Universitat de València 2014-15, with an economic ward of € 1000, with his project named “Efecto de las TIC en la adherencia a un tratamiento de ejercicio físico: app vs papel como soporte para el usuario”.
On the other hand, in the Teaching Excellence modality, awards addressed to university professors and recognised by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports of the Valencian Government, the awarded professors have been: Pascual Medina, from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry; Amparo Oliver, from Psychology; Santiago Ibáñez, from the Faculty of Law; Carlos Peraita, from Economics, and Carlos Pérez, from the School of Engineering.
Ximo Puig at the Award Ceremony
The event will have the presence of the President of the Valencian Government, Ximo Puig; the Principal of the UV, Esteban Morcillo; and the President of the Board of Trustees and of ADEIT, Manuel Broseta; and will take place at the ADEIT Foundation seat on 28 December at 19:00.
