While the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia widely contributes to Spain’s research system, this year is extra special due to the recognition received by one of ICIQ’s Group Leaders.

Prof. Antonio M. Echavarren, one of the most senior group leaders at ICIQ and scientific director of the Severo Ochoa Program at the institute, has been awarded with the Enrique Moles National Research Award 2022 in the area of chemical science and technology.

This award recognizes the prolific scientific career of Professor Echavarren “for the quality and originality of his contributions to synthetic organic chemistry that have had a great impact on the field of catalysis.” The Professor, author of more than 300 scientific publications and supervisor of 60 PhD Thesis, states he was honored and humbled to receive this award, one of the most important in Spain in the field of chemical research.

“When I started my scientific career, my motivation was to invent new reactions in organic chemistry and, at the same time, to contribute to the training of new researchers. These are still my current goals,” he said.

The research carried out by Prof. Echavarren focuses on the development of new catalytic methods based on the organometallic chemistry of transition metals as well as the synthesis of natural products and polyarenes. Much of his recent work is focused on transformations using gold catalysis.

Internationally recognized, Prof. Echavarren has received, among others, the Janssen-Cylag Prize in Organic Chemistry (2004), the Golf Metal of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ) in 2010, the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award of the American Chemical Society (2015) and has obtained two ERC Adv. Grants. In addition, he is a member of the editorial board of prestigious scientific journals, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, member of the European Academy and President of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ).

Created in 1982, the National Research Awards are the most important recognition in Spain in scientific research, given by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Endowed with 30,000 € for each modality, the awards aim to distinguish those researchers from Spain who are carrying out outstanding professional work of international relevance in their respective scientific fields.