The Lehendakari highlights the fundamental contribution of researchers to the well-being of our society

• Iñigo Urkullu attended the ceremony of Recognition of Researchers: Science, Technology and Productive Economy, organised by the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA)
• For the second year in a row, the BRTA alliance awards three researchers for their trajectory and three promising young researchers for their projection in research
• These awards serve to recognise, value and stimulate the work of the people who dedicate their efforts to research and technology development in the BRTA alliance centres

The Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, together with the Minister for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, Arantxa Tapia, attended the ceremony of Recognition of Researchers: Science, Technology and Productive Economy, organised by the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA). 

The BRTA alliance has recognised the work of three researchers for their long and fruitful trajectory in the centres of the alliance, and three promising young people for their research projection. These awards serve to recognise, value and stimulate the work of the people who dedicate their efforts to research, development and technology transfer in the centres of the BRTA alliance.

Urkullu highlighted the fundamental contribution of researchers to the well-being of our society. “It is very clear to us: our progress is largely guaranteed by science. Our quality of life has improved thanks to research and its advances. For all these reasons, we owe you this recognition, which we hope will be a boost to your professional and personal careers”, he said.

Three awards were given in the Trajectory category. The winners were Elena Palomo Del Barrio (CIC energiGUNE), Artzai Picón Ruiz (Tecnalia) and Javier Del Ser Lorente (Tecnalia) for their long and fruitful trajectories at their respective BRTA alliance centres.

Likewise, in the Research Projection category, the winners for the work carried out to date and a promising future in the field of research were Amaia González Garrido (Tecnalia), Borja Pozo Larrocha (Tekniker) and Roberto Viola (Vicomtech).

During his speech, the Lehendakari expressed the need to support “our talent”. “We have it. It’s here, in the Basque Country. We must create the necessary conditions, including salary conditions, to retain and develop this talent. This is a shared challenge. It is a national objective”, he pointed out. 

In this regard, the Minister for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, Arantxa Tapia, stressed that having a suitable professional career plan is a key factor for the development of the BRTA Centres and, in the circumstances that Europe –and of course the Basque Country– is going through, “having a good professional career plan is a plus for attracting talent”.

Tapia also recalled that the Basque Country is not isolated, “Basque research and business are well aligned with international activity, and this has been repeatedly acknowledged by the European commission”, although the minister believed it was necessary to further strengthen this connection with the outside world by setting up an International Advisory Committee made up of experts at the end of the summer.