Prof María García-Parajo receives EPS Emmy Noether Distinction plaque and medal
Remittance of European Physical Society distinction takes place at ICFO
In February 2021, ICREA Professor at ICFO Dr. María García-Parajo, leader of the Single Molecule Biophotonics research group, was named the 2020 recipient of the European Physical Society’s (EPS) Emmy Noether Distinction. The honor was established to bring noteworthy women physicists to the wider attention of the scientific community, policy makers and the general public and to identify role models that will help to attract women to a career in physics. Prof Garcia-Parajo’s award cited “her outstanding contributions to nano-biophysics and to numerous programs to support women in physics”.
In “normal” years, laureates of the Emmy Noether Distinction receive their award in front of their peers at one of the many prestigious conferences organized in Europe by EPS. Complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic related to in-person conferences in turn made it difficult to remit this honor in the traditional manner. As such, Dr. Kees van der Beek (CNRS) member of the EPS Executive Board responsible for the EPS Equal Opportunities Committee travelled to ICFO to personally present the award on Monday, March 28.
Commenting on this honor, Prof García-Parajo remarked that “this award means a lot to me as a recognition for scientific achievements. Event more importantly however, it reinforces my firm commitment to continue supporting younger women in Science and to show by example that even though if it is hard, a career in science is possible.”
Congratulations Maria!