The Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities recognised eight researchers of the Universitat de València (UV) for their scientific contribution after the dana in the first year since the catastrophe of 29 October 2024. The awards –an act where people and institutions from the scientific community were awarded and that took place yesterday, Wednesday 19 in Picanya– reinforced the management of the academic institution during the days of the catastrophe and the subsequent days.
The eight researchers that the UV recognised are Ana Camarasa –Physical Geography–, Javier Serrano –Human Geography–, Maria Dolores Pitarch –commissioner of the principal for relations with society and researcher in territorial resilience policies– and Olga Mayoral –didactics and deputy director of the Botanical Garden. Ester Roca –Shared Education and History of Education–, Juan M. Soria –Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology–, Joan Romero –Human Geography– and Santiago Mas-Coma – UV Sanitary Parasitology Unit– were also awarded.
The act was attended by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities –Diana Morant– who supported that science must be heard and applied. In addition, she highlighted that it cannot take a backseat, since knowledge protects, guides and saves.
Morant gave to the awarded people a brick elaborated with remains of the dana. It consists of an innovation developed by scientists from the CSIC. Therefore, urban furniture, paving stones, banks, and gardens are already being produced in order to reconstruct streets and buildings of the affected areas.
In the act, 73 people, institutions and entities recognised from the scientific community have been awarded. The decision was made with the criteria of all the ministries of the Government and the Oficina Nacional de Asesoramiento Científico (ONAC). To the awards ceremony, Eloísa del Pino –director of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas–, and José Ángel Núñez Mora –head of Climatology from the AEMET in the Valencian Community– also attended, among others.
