The Basque Department of Education and Ikerbasque have recognized the researcher Marta Olazabal as “Starting – an outstanding contribution of a young researcher”
The Evaluation Commission responsible for deliberating on the recognition of women researchers has unanimously agreed on which women researchers will receive this recognition in 2022, at each of the three levels in which they are awarded. This morning, Councillor Jokin Bildarratz told Marta Olazabal, Ikerbasque Research Associate at BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change, along with Jasone Cenoz, professor of the Department of Research and Diagnostic Methods in Education, UPV/EHU and Amanda Sierra, researcher Ikerbasque Research Professor at Achucarro, Basque Center for Neurosciences awarded by the Department of Education and Ikerbasque.
This annual recognition given by the Basque Government’s Department of Education and Ikerbasque does not represent so much an award, but is about making visible women researchers in the Basque Country and their work, to serve as an example and inspiration to the new generations of women researchers. For this, women researchers are highlighted who are in three different stages of their scientific career: advanced, consolidation and promising.
In this fourth edition of the awards, Ikerbasque has carried out a bibliometric analysis of the scientific production data and latest contributions of the Basque researchers. The Evaluation Commission focused its discussion on a final selection of 25 female researchers at the three levels mentioned above. They highlighted the high scientific level of female researchers in all three categories, and the considerable increase in the number of female candidates compared to other years, which reflects, in the words of the commission, the great potential of science carried out in the Basque Country by women researchers.
The Evaluation Commission also notes its interest in seeking a balance in the different editions between the profiles of recognised researchers, both at the stage of his research career and in his area of knowledge and the scientific subsystem in which he carries out his activity. This Evaluation Commission is composed of three researchers of recognized prestige of the Board of Ikerbasque, in addition to the research director of the Basque Government, the Scientific Director of Ikerbasque and the Commissioner for Science, technology and innovation.
Annual recognition
The initiative is part of the Ikerbasque Strategic Plan, which establishes that one of its 12 challenges is the advancement of gender equality in the incorporation of people in the research community of Ikerbasque. In this regard, the Equality Plan drawn up by the Basque Foundation for Science includes this action aimed at awarding annual awards to women researchers.
The Department of Education and Ikerbasque will hold a recognition event in autumn 2022, which will be attended by recognized researchers, as well as representatives of research centers, universities and technological centers in the Basque Country.