The works on mirror neurons, the tracks of Altos Hornos de Vizcaya and artificial intelligence have been the winners of the CAF-Elhuyar 2009 awards
2010/03/18 Kortabitarte Egiguren, Irati - Elhuyar Zientzia
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See Teknopolis report on the prize
Experts awarded in the Ferrokarrilla del Norte
The work "The neurons of the mirror put us in the skin of others" has received the prize to the general informative article. The Vitorian Leyre Echeazarra has written an article on mirror neurons. He is a researcher at the Faculty of Pharmacy of Vitoria-Gasteiz and works in the field of neurosciences. The capacity of imitation, visual learning and empathy is due to mirror neurons. The theme of mirror neurons has attracted from the beginning all the members of the jury. According to the jury, "the subject is treated in an attractive way, well explained and easily readable". The images used in this work have been praised as very appropriate and representative to illustrate the subject.
Although the prize is unique, the members of the jury have not wanted to fail to mention a second work of this category. In fact, the work entitled "The Ray to Kindle Life" has more than fulfilled the characteristics of dissemination and communication, and the jury has surprised its title with the desire to know where the ray will fall that will ignite life. For this reason, they have emphasized especially the work of the donostiarra Xabier Artaetxebarria. Artaetxebarria works at the Center for Applied Medicine Research (CIMA). This is not the first prize of Artaetxebarria in the CAF-Elhuyar awards. In fact, last year he won the Grand Prix and a couple of years ago he won the Special Youth Prize, with two very different themes.
This category of the general informative article is the one that has received the most works, with a total of 19. The jury has affirmed that the quality works have been interspersed with those of medium grade.
The prize for the divulgation article based on the author's thesis was for a work on the Altos Hornos de Vizcaya, symbol and distinctive of Bilbao. The prize went back to the work "The Traces of the Furnaces of Vizcaya in the beaches of Sopelana", written by the getxotarra Itziar Tueros. Itziar is a researcher at UPV and has completed her doctoral thesis at Azti-Tecnalia. In particular, the author has investigated in his doctoral thesis whether in the beaches of Sopelana remains of the spills of high furnaces. "He has done a great divulgative work and has endowed with spectacular images." In this edition, the members of the jury wanted to highlight the high level of requirement that this category has, especially due to the difficulty of disseminating specialized areas and topics. For this reason, they wanted to highlight the merit of the works presented.
In the section of new categories, the award for best scientific journalism has been awarded by Unai Brea in the weekly Argia. Will they reach our side? It has been for the report ". The jury has not been easy. In fact, although the number of works submitted has been reduced, the jury has highlighted that its level has been good. The three characteristics of the award-winning work have been the attractiveness of the article, the friendliness of the reading and the adequate scientific level of its content. This has been the first time that the journalistic works are awarded at the CAF-Elhuyar awards, but the suitability of the works received has made it clear that it is worth continuing to work on this path.
As for the scientific narratives aimed at young people, the works received have not met the minimum requirements, so the jury has decided to declare the prize desert. In any case, the next edition will be reconvened and the organizers want to encourage writers to participate.
Meritoria Mention
To finish, the meritorious Luis Mari Bandres has been awarded at the CAF-Elhuyar awards this year. To begin this new category of honor, it is difficult to imagine an engineering doctor, a driver of teaching and a precursor of the Basque language to a person more adequate than the founder and first president of Elhuyar. The president of the Elhuyar Foundation, Jose Mari Rodriguez Ibabe, has delivered a verse and sculpture in memory of Bandrés' family and has literally praised Bandrés' legacy.
Also, the young winner of the CAF-Elhuyar Awards 2007, Javier Navarro Los Arcos, presented the book "Physics and Metaphysics" at the awards ceremony, and the attendees were given a copy of it.
Jury of the Jury
CAF-Elhuyar has created in this edition two juries for the resolution of the new prizes. The jury on articles of dissemination and journalism has been composed of five experts: Itziar Alkorta (professor of civil law and bioethics), Txema Pitark (physicist and director of CIC NanoGUNE), Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias (biologist and vice-rector of the UPV), Rosa Diez Urrestarazu (journalist and director of Euskadi Irratia) euskadi Irratia and Foundation. The jury of the prize for scientific narration aimed at young people has been composed of three people: Teresa Irastorza (director of the Bergara School of Writers), Jesus Mari Olaizola "Txiliku" (writer, biology professor and Basque corrector) and Josu Waliño (project manager of the Elhuyar Foundation and writer of short stories for young people).
All the awarded works will be published in the May 2010 issue of the magazine Elhuyar Zientzia eta Teknologia, compiled in a special supplement.
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Elhuyarrek garatutako teknologia
