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CAF-Elhuyar sariak 2023

Presentation of the CAF-Elhuyar Awards, under the motto “Look Further”

2023 | April 26
  • The winners are Judith Zubia Aranburu, Mattin Urbieta Galarraga, Iñaki Sanz Azkue and Aitor Garmendia Etxeberria.
  • In the case of the creation grant, two projects have received the grant, as the jury has decided to grant it ex aequo. One of the projects is “Semiosi-genesi” by Jon Sánchez Carrasco, and the other “Ia dena” by Xabier Gantzarain Etxaniz, Aitor Bengoetxea Odriozola and Garazi Lazkano Juaristi.
  • The CAF-Elhuyar al Mérito prize has been received by Jacinto Iturbe Barrenetxea, for his work in disseminating science and Euskera at the university level, as well as for his excellent contribution to scientific dissemination.

 

Today the CAF-Elhuyar Awards have been presented, under the slogan “Let’s look further” in the Sutegi Hall of Usurbil. This year’s motto message is associated with this phrase by Isaac Newton: “If I’ve seen further, it’s putting me on the shoulders of giants.” In fact, this is the key to scientific knowledge: forgetting the stereotype of genius that it creates from scratch, researchers look further from what their predecessors discovered in order to make new discoveries.

The event is organized by Elhuyar, in collaboration with the company CAF and with the sponsorship of NEIKER. The objective is to promote, reward and recognize the dissemination, journalism and dissemination in society of topics and research related to science and technology in Basque.

In this edition 41 works have been received, and the jury has decided to award the following works in each category:

The award for the general informative article has been for Judith Zubia Aranburu, a native of Mondragón, for the article entitled "Garena egiten gaituena, egiten duguna idazteko" (What makes us how we are to write what we do). The jury has pointed out that the author addresses a highly topical issue, digital data storage, and that, in addition to explaining the problem, he proposes a solution in a clear and understandable way. He also stresses that the images complement the text very well and has taken into account that the images have been made by the author himself.


For his part, the disclosure award based on the author’s doctoral dissertation was for Mattin Urbieta Galarraga, a native of Deba, for his work “Elektroiekin dantzan nanoeskala argitzeko” (Dancing with electrons to illuminate the nanoscale). Urbieta Debakoa da. The Jury has considered that the author has presented a very comprehensive and elaborate article that explains well what the thesis consists of and tells the conclusions he has reached in his investigation.


In the category of scientific journalism, the awarded work was "Dragoi txiki bat egongelako horman". The author of the work is Iñaki Sanz Azkue, and the jury has highlighted that Hernaniarra has addressed in his article an important issue: climate change. But, beyond the subject, the jury believes that the point of view from which it has dealt should be underlined. In fact, articles on climate change often have a catastrophistic air, but in this case the author has addressed the issue in a simple and clear way. The article was published in the weekly Gaur8 Naiz in July last year.


The NEIKER award, which aims to award the works of the primary sector, was this year for Aitor Garmendia Etxeberria, of Itsasondo, for the work "Aralar, balioen eta interested in aniztasuna parke natural batean" (Aralar, diversity of values and interests in a natural park). The jury members of this category have particularly appreciated the fact that the author has addressed a very topical issue and have taken into account that, being a controversial issue, the article includes all the actors involved.

All winners and winners received a prize of 2,000 euros and a sculpture by Imanol Andonegi Mendizabal.

In addition to the above awards, the CAF-Elhuyar event also provides a grant of EUR 5,000 to promote projects aimed at connecting science and society. This year two projects have received the creation grant, as the jury has decided to grant the ex aequo grant. One of the winners is the “Semiosi-genesi” project of Donostiarra Jon Sánchez Carrasco and the other is “Ia dena” by Kulturaz Azpeitiko Kultur Kooperatiba.


According to the jury, both projects explore artificial intelligence and address a topic of full actuality in which artistic, philosophical, social and technological aspects converge. Both projects are complementary and compatible in the opinion of the jury members, which is why the ex aequo grant has been granted.


Finally, the Board of the Elhuyar Foundation awards the CAF-Elhuyar Award for Merit, with the aim of paying tribute to the people who have stood out in the normalization of the Basque Country and in the dissemination of science and technology. This year, this recognition has been given to Jacinto Iturbe Barrenetxea, for his work in disseminating science and Euskera in the university environment, as well as for his excellent contribution to scientific dissemination.


The jury that evaluated the informative articles and the works of journalism has been composed of Arturo Elosegi Irurtia, ecologist and researcher of the UPV/EHU; Marian Iriarte Ormazabal, chemist and researcher of the UPV/EHU; Alberto Barandiaran Amillango, journalist and writer; and Iraitziber The Neiker Prize winner was selected by Arantza Madariaga Aberasturi, director of the Elika Foundation; Pilar Santamaría Martínez, head of the HAZI Foundation and Rikardo Bueno Zabalo, director of BRTA.


The papers presented for the Science in Society creation scholarship have been evaluated by Lorea Agirre Dorronsoro, director of the Jakin Foundation; Koldo Almandoz de La Cruz, film director; Josu Rekalde Izagirre, professor of Art and Technology at the UPV/EHU; and Irune Bengoetar de Communication.


Creation Scholarship 2022

In addition to meeting the winners, we have had the opportunity to see the project that won the creation grant of the previous edition.

The winner of the previous edition was the bilbain Arantzazu Luzarraga Iturrioz, for the Ostutako Paisaiak project. Antropozenoaren aztarnak euskal kostaldean (Stolen Landscapes. Anthropocene signs on the Basque coast). Thanks to the scholarship obtained, he has been able to draw up a map whose contents he has presented at the event through a presentation. All attendees have received a copy of the paper map.