Last Wednesday, the Assembly Hall of the Complutense University of Madrid hosted the presentation of the Research Awards granted by the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain (Real Academia de Doctores de España), which in its 42th edition has awarded the Once Foundation Award (ex aequo) to Dr. Mónica Bonilla del Río, professor of the degrees of Journalism, Audiovisual Communication, Advertising and Public Relations of the Universidad Europea del Atlántico (European University of the Atlantic, UNEATLANTICO).
Mónica Bonilla’s doctoral thesis, entitled “Inclusión y discapacidad en la era digital:Análisis del uso e impacto de las redes sociales desde la educación, la visibilidad y empoderamiento,” has received the Premio Fundación from the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain, which welcomed works on disability, universal accessibility, and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities. Isabel Martínez Lozano, ONCE’s Director of Universities and Talent Promotion, accompanied the winner to collect the diploma. Following the award, Bonilla commented on her impressions and explained the details of her investigation in this report.
The Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain distinguishes with these awards the best doctoral theses read by Spanish researchers among those who have obtained the qualification of outstanding cum laude or the highest qualification awarded by each University. The RADE Awards aim to promote research and, particularly, to reward the hard work involved in the completion of a doctoral thesis.
“In this call 2023 the awards have gone to fifteen brilliant researchers representing various Spanish and foreign universities”, among which the work of Professor Mónica Bonilla, who has shared the award with Marta Jiménez García and her thesis “Estimating keratoconus progression using biometric and biomechanical parameters to adjust treatment protocols for corneal cross-linking.”
The awards
As reported by the Royal Academy of Doctors of Spain (RADE) in a press release, the total number of candidates who have submitted their theses to the 2023 call has been 730, “which represents a considerable increase in applications over the previous year.” The institution also emphasized that “the respective juries have had the added difficulty of having to select among theses of great research quality.”
The awards were presented during the Solemn Opening Session of the 2024 Academic Year, an event presided over by Antonio Bascones, President of the Academy, who was accompanied at the presidential table by the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso; the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Carlos Marco; the Rector of the Complutense University of Madrid, Joaquín Goyache; and José Javier Etayo, Secretary General.