CIC biomaGUNE’s Ikerbasque Research Professor and AXA Professor Maurizio Prato has been awarded the prestigious “E-MRS 5-Year Materials Impact Prize” for his contributions to the field of materials science. This award, the highest of the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS), is given every five years to scientists who have made outstanding advances in the field. So Maurizio Prato is joining an exclusive group that has contributed significantly to the development of materials science.
The award ceremony took place in Strasbourg, France, within the framework of the 2023 Spring Conference, the main conference organized every year by the E-MRS, during which Prato was recognized for his research and its impact on materials science. The research professor expressed deep gratitude: “I believe that receiving important awards is the spur that drives us to multiply our research efforts. Our work is very important to us, and we carry it out very often at the expense of our personal lives; but when we receive an award of this significance, we feel that all the efforts we have made have been rewarded. It means it has been really worthwhile.”
Throughout his career, Prato has constantly pushed the boundaries of scientific research, driving it forward with his innovative ideas and dedication. Prato's work has revolutionized several aspects of materials science in the field of nanotechnology and carbon-based materials in particular. His contributions include the development of new carbon nanotubes and their applications: “Our research group has been working for many years on functionalizing carbon nanoforms to make them useful in practical applications. Recently, we have expanded our research and are also working with other types of materials, such as perylene bisimides (a set of organic pigments). Among the most important things we have contributed to, we can certainly highlight the attempt to reconnect a broken connection in an injured spinal cord, or the study of artificial photosynthesis, the result of which could help in the current energy crisis.”
During the ceremony Prato delivered a lecture on multifunctional hybrid interfaces for energy and medical applications, in which he described the progress made in two crucial fields: “Nerve reconnection in spinal cord injuries, where carbon nanotubes can act as active substrates for nerve growth, and the photoelectrocatalytic splitting of water for producing the so-called green hydrogen.” The organizers of the event highlighted Prato's leadership, among other things, and defined him as an “outstanding orator and exceptional speaker”. “The knowledge, perspective and leadership of the speakers” have been “one of the highlights of the week-long conference," they said.
About the E-MRS
The European Materials Research Society (E-MRS), founded in 1983, currently has more than 4,000 members from industry, government, academia and research laboratories, who meet regularly to discuss the latest technological advances in functional materials. The E-MRS fosters the exchange of information between the scientific community, engineers and research managers on an interdisciplinary platform, and recognizes professional and technical excellence by promoting awards for achievements from student to senior scientist level. As an organization affiliated to the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS), the E-MRS enjoys and benefits from very close relationships with other materials research organizations in Europe and across the world.