News

The ESET Foundation opened the sixth year of the ESET Science Award and launched the voting for the Public Prize 2024. The public can vote for one of the five outstanding Slovak scientists and participate in the competition for an exclusive stay on Lomnicky štít. Voting is possible until midnight on October 9, 2024, on the website cenaverejnosti.sk. The Slovak Academy of Sciences has two representatives among the finalists: Martin Venhart from the Institute of Physics SAS and Norbert Žilka from the Institute of Neuroimmunology SAS.

The finalists of the Outstanding Scientist category seek through their scientific research answers to the challenges facing our society and planet. The public can participate in voting for the Public Prize and choose the scientific personality whose work most interested them and appreciate their lifelong scientific efforts. Voting is possible until midnight on October 9, 2024, on the website cenaverejnosti.sk. Voters will participate in a competition for a stay on Lomnicky štít, combined with a gastronomic experience at the top of the High Tatras and a tour of the astronomical observatory of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

The name of the winner of the Public Prize will be announced at the gala evening, at which we will also learn the name of the winner in this category, who will be chosen from among the five finalists by an international commission. This year, the commission is chaired by the winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, Emmanuelle Charpentier. The gala evening will take place on October 10 at 8:10 p.m. The viewers can watch it live on Dvojka.

The public can vote for the following Outstanding Scientists:

Martin Venhart is a leading Slovak nuclear physicist working at the Institute of Physics SAS. He specializes in the experimental study of the structure of heavy atomic nuclei using the methodology of nuclear spectroscopy.

Norbert Žilka is a Slovak neuroimmunologist who heads the Institute of Neuroimmunology SAS. His research focuses on immunology and biological and non-pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, he is also involved in clinical research on multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Mária Bieliková is an internationally recognized expert on artificial intelligence. She also deals with the ethical aspects of artificial intelligence. She is the founder of the Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies (KInIT), which connects academy and business through excellent science, knowledge transfer and talent development.

Michal Mego is one of the top experts in the field of oncology and personalized medicine. As Chief of the II. Oncology Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University and National Cancer Institute in Bratislava, he stands behind important research projects that push the boundaries of cancer treatment. His work is particularly pioneering in research into circulating tumour cells in breast cancer and new treatment targets in testicular tumours.

Milan Sýkora is a leading Slovak chemist who, after working for many years at the prestigious Los Alamos National Laboratory, brought his research to Slovakia. He heads the Laboratory of Advanced Materials at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Comenius University and specializes in the development and study of nanomaterials and other modern materials with potential for use in new technologies.