The Basque Minister for Science, Universities and Innovation and President of Ikerbasque, Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, presided this morning, at the Miramar Palace in Donostia/San Sebastián, over the award ceremony recognising three women who carry out their research work in the Basque Country. The event was also attended by Amaia Esquisabel, Director of Scientific Policy at the Department of Science, Universities and Innovation, and Fernando Cossío, Scientific Director of Ikerbasque, as well as representatives of the Basque Government department and heads of the research centres where the recognised scientists work.
The aim of these awards is to give visibility to women researchers in the Basque Country and to their work, so that they can serve as examples and inspiration for new generations. Accordingly, the Executive Committee of the Ikerbasque Board of Trustees has recognised an entire scientific career, leadership in a field of research, and an outstanding contribution by a young researcher.
In the 2026 edition, the following researchers have been recognised:
- Role model among role models, recognising an entire research career: Elena Palomo, Ikerbasque Research Professor and Scientific Director of CIC energiGUNE.
- Scientific leadership, recognising a researcher who is a leader in her field of research: María Muñoz Caffarel, Ikerbasque Research Associate at Biogipuzkoa and head of the Breast Cancer Group at the Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute.
- Emerging talent, recognising an outstanding contribution by a young researcher: Danila Merino, Ikerbasque Fellow at EHU - Polymat.
In his speech, the Basque Minister for Science, Universities and Innovation stressed that the goal is not only to ensure that women researchers have the same rights and opportunities as their colleagues, but also to ensure that they achieve the same level of visibility and recognition for their contribution to science. “As long as this equality is not a reality,” he underlined, “Ikerbasque and all institutions in the scientific sphere must continue to promote specific recognition events such as this one, which highlight female talent and help to correct the historical imbalances that still persist in the system.”
To select the researchers to be recognised, Ikerbasque carried out a bibliometric analysis of scientific output data and identified the latest outstanding contributions by researchers in the Basque Country. The evaluation committee focused its discussion on a final selection of 21 researchers across the three levels mentioned above, and highlighted the high scientific level of the researchers in all three categories, which, in the committee’s words, reflects the great potential of the science carried out in the Basque Country by women researchers.
Annual awards
This initiative is part of Ikerbasque’s Equality and Diversity Plan, whose challenge is to become a benchmark for equality and diversity at social level. Among several actions, the plan includes granting annual awards to women researchers.
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