Dr. Silvia Aparicio, Vice Rector of Academic Planning and Faculty of the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO), attended the ceremony of the XXVI Prize of the Association Plaza Porticada, which this year was awarded to the prominent Cantabrian physicist, Dr. Francisco Matorras. Matorras, whose career has positioned him as the Spanish scientist with more searches in Google Scholar, focusing his research work in the particle accelerator of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland.
The award was presented in a solemn ceremony by Elena García Botín, president of the Plaza Porticada Association, together with Antonio Tornel, secretary of the same, and Manuel Ángel Castañeda, president of the jury of the award, professor at the European University of the Atlantic and former director of El Diario Montañés for more than three decades. The choice of a scientist like Matorras for this recognition marks an important deviation from the tradition of awarding figures in the humanities and literature, underlining the relevance of scientific progress in contemporary society.
The Plaza Porticada Cultural Association, which actively collaborates with UNEATLANTICO, has as its mission to contribute to the cultural enrichment of Cantabria. It does this through a wide range of activities that include the promotion and dissemination of regional culture, as well as the organization of events that enhance local knowledge and values. In addition, within the framework of the current academic year, Elena García Botín, together with María Ángeles Osorio, executive director of the Chile-Spain Foundation, have offered scholarships to both teachers and students of the UNEATLANTICO community to participate in courses organized by these institutions.
The ceremony was also attended by prominent Spanish personalities, including José Luis Bonet, president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and renowned Freixenet executive, who stressed the importance of cooperation between academic and cultural institutions for the development of the region and the country.
Dr. Francisco Matorras receives the Plaza Porticada Honor Award.