Researcher Mar Carretero wins third prize in La Vanguardia Science Award

Mar Carretero-Castrillo, pre-doctoral researcher from the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) at the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB), has won third prize in this year’s edition of La Vanguardia Science Award. This competition, promoted since 2011 by the newspaper La Vanguardia and the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation, aims to reduce the gender gap, promote excellence in the field of research and give visibility to the most relevant contributions of women researchers.

The distinction highlights the role of the researcher as the first author of the discovery of a population of massive runaway stars in the Milky Way—in collaboration with Marc Ribó and Josep Maria Paredes, both IEEC experts at the ICCUB—, a scientific finding that provides a new perspective on the evolution of massive stars. Reflecting on this recognition, Carretero-Castrillo said that “this third prize is a demonstration of collective scientific effort and incredible support from my professional and personal environment.”

The selection committee of La Vanguard Science Award chose eight research projects led by women researchers as finalists for the 2024 edition. The readers of La Vanguardia chose the winners in a vote that was open until 20 October, online. The awards ceremony will take place on 27 November at 7pm at the headquarters of the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation in Barcelona.

The first prize was awarded to Marta Alonso and Iker Ausejo from the Clínica Universidad de Navarra for their innovative research in medical sciences. The second prize went to Ana Paredes and Mercedes Ricote of the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) for their contributions to cardiovascular research.