Quantum, artificial intelligence, math, enigmas and peppers, in the 30th edition of the CAF-Elhuyar Awards

Winners of the 2024 edition of the CAF-Elhuyar Awards. From left to right: Mikel Ojinaga Juárez, Miren Basaras Ibarzabal, Ander Tobalina Novo, Laura Martínez Martín, Alejandra Bueno de Santiago, Aiskoa Pér

The awards of the 30th edition of the CAF-Elhuyar Contest, under the slogan “Konta(kta)tu”, have been given in Tabakalera (Donostia). In particular, the event has a twofold objective: to encourage authors (scientists, scientists, agents) to disseminate their knowledge, research or projects, inviting them to count them, and, at the same time, to respond to the concerns, needs or interests of people, that is, to connect with society.

In the category of promotional items, the prize was awarded to the Gasteiztarra Ander Tobalina Novo, with an article entitled “New Standards, New Toys”. When it comes to rewarding the work, the jury has highlighted that the author has addressed a topic of maximum relevance and that shows that new techniques open new spaces. In addition, they have stressed that although quantum physics itself is difficult to explain, the article is read easily and tastefully.

The author’s doctoral thesis in the category of articles for counting society has been acquired by Irundarra Antton Babaze Aizpurua thanks to his work “Go with quantum”. In this case, the jury wished to highlight the passion that the author conveys. The article, in terms of wording, seemed clear and easy to read, and they have highlighted that it has used very attractive examples.

In this category, the jury also wanted to highlight another work, with a special mention, the “Cartography of the places where mathematics, education and gender cross” of vitorian Uzuri Albizu Mallea. They stress that it is a magnificent example of interdisciplinarity, that the thesis is well explained and that it offers another mathematical perspective.

In the category of scientific journalism, the awarded work has been “The Silfio Enigma”. The author is the follower Enekoitz Telleria Sarriegi, and the jury has considered that the author has aroused curiosity about an unknown subject. In fact, it comes out of the usual issues of scientific dissemination, and to get information about it, it has had to be a detective. So, it uses very different sources: science, poetry… In its natural style, it has managed to create a delicious piece. The article was published last June in the journal BERRIA.

The NEIKER award awards works on the first sector and this year’s winner was Mikel Ojinaga Juárez, from Bermeo, for his work “A smiling gudari against viruses”. The members of the jury in this category have highlighted the importance of the issue in the sector and that the author has explained very clearly what the problem is and how to deal with it. In addition, he has dressed the text with numerous and significant photographs, and has been assisted by EITB. In short, the jury has valued the informative work it has done.

All the winners received a prize in cash of 2,000 euros and a sculpture of Imanol Andonegi Mendizabal to the best valued.

Creation and merit awards

In addition to the awards, the CAF-Elhuyar event grants a grant of EUR 5,000 to promote projects that connect science and society. This year, the FemPRONT project has been presented by the FEMIAS KOLEKTIBOA group.

FemPRONT is the artistic project of digitization of an interactive guide for the generation of TEXT-TO-IMAGE gender-neutral artificial intelligence images, which, according to the jury, has a special appeal the fact of referring to a field in full purity and focusing on the gender perspective.

The FEMIAS KOLEKTIBOA group consists of: Alejandra Bueno de Santiago, Laura Martínez Martín and Aiskoa Pérez Alonso.

Finally, the Board of the Elhuyar Foundation awards the CAF-Elhuyar Award to pay tribute to the people who have stood out in the normalization of the Basque Country and in the dissemination of science and technology. In this thirtieth edition, Miren Basaras Ibarzabal has been recognized as a reference in the dissemination in Euskera, especially in the field of microbiology. The Board wished to acknowledge its work in understanding the disease and in taking preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, always in a comprehensible way, without scares and with an important social perspective. In addition, the Board wished to highlight the preferential treatment given to the Basque Country and the media in Basque.

In addition to getting to know the winners, the same event saw the winning projects of the creation grant of the previous year.

Last year, two projects received the creation grant, in equal shares. In fact, both had the same goal: to reflect on artificial intelligence. So in the “Semiosi-genesis” project, Jon Sánchez Carrasco has created the mythology of artificial intelligence and has developed a comic book using artificial intelligence tools. On the other hand, in the “Ia dena” project of the Azpeitia Culture Cooperative, Kulturaz, a few days have been held to analyze artificial intelligence from different perspectives. The conclusions of the day have been presented as a poem at the event.

As for the jury members, the dissemination articles and journalistic works have been judged by: Arturo Elosegi Irurtia, ecologist and researcher at the UPV/EHU; Marian Iriarte Ormazabal, chemist and researcher at the UPV/EHU; Alberto Barandiaran Amillango, journalist and writer; Idoia Torregarai Martija, coordinator of the UEU; and Irauziar de Ruiz The winner of the Neiker prize was the following: Arantza Madariaga Aberasturi, director of the Elika Foundation; Pilar Santamaría Martínez, head of the HAZI Foundation area; and Rikardo Bueno Zabalo, director of the BRTA.

The projects submitted to the Zientzia Soziala creation grant have been judged by: Lorea Agirre Dorronsoro, director of Jakin Fundazioa; Koldo Almandoz de La Cruz, film director; Josu Rekalde Izagirre, professor of Art and Technology at UPV/EHU; and Irune Bengoetxea Lanberri, communications officer at Elhuyar.