The laureates of the Scientist of the Year SR 2019 award
This year, the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information SR, the Slovak Academy of Sciences and the Association of Slovak Scientific and Technological Societies announced the 23rd annual award for prominent Slovak scientists, technologists and young researchers from all fields of science and technology – Scientist of the Year SR 2019.
The award ceremony was attended by the Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic Branislav Gröhling and State Secretary Ľudovít Paulis, Head of the Office of the President of the Slovak Republic Štefan Rozkopál, event statutories – Prof. Ján Kyselovič of CSTI SR, Prof. Pavol Šajgalík of SAS and Prof. Dušan Petráš of ASSTS. Other representatives of important scientific-research institutions also attended the event.
In his speech, the Minister of Education emphasized the importance of our professional, scientific and technological teams in overcoming the corona crisis. “We probably do not doubt that the Slovak economy needs an injection, support or a kind of restart in these times. And it is exactly our research base that can help the economy to perform as well as possible. It depends on how we use the scientific knowledge and results, and how we put them into practice,” said Branislav Gröhling, head of the Ministry of Education.
The aim of the Scientist of the Year SR event is to professionally and socially highlight the most important personalities of scientific life, as well as the best-achieved results in science and research in Slovakia. “Today's awards are a signal that science, research and technology have their positive role models in Slovakia, which deserve recognition and follow-up. These awards are also a challenge for higher recognition of scientists and science in society as the crystallization core of its further development,” described the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic Ľudovít Paulis.
The event was sponsored by the President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Čaputová. The ceremonious announcement of the valuation results took place on 16. 6. 2020 in the Moyzes Hall of the Faculty of Arts of the Comenius University in Bratislava.
For the year 2019, the following personalities received awards in individual categories:
In the Scientist of the Year category
RNDr. Peter Skyba, DrSc.
Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Centre of Low Temperature Physics
For the scientific results achieved in the study of the properties of condensed matters at very low temperatures, especially superfluid helium-3 as a model system for cosmology, and for the development of physics of very low temperatures in Slovakia.
In the Young Scientist category
RNDr. Cyril Rajnák, PhD., PhD.
University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry
For exceptional contribution in the field of research of single-molecule, single-ion, and single-chain magnets, and their potential use in practice.
In the Innovator of the Year category
Prof. Ing. Ján Híveš, PhD.
Slovak University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology
For research and development of technology for the production of a strong "green" oxidizer - ferrate - capable of ecologically disposing of a wide range of micro-pollutants in the environment, especially in all types of water.
In the Technologist of the Year category
Prof. Ing. Emil Spišák, CSc.
Technical University of Košice, Institute of Technology and Materials Engineering
For the design and implementation of the Prototyping and Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Košice, as a technological basis for the implementation of the results of scientific research activities of employees and students of the Technical University of Košice, and their transfer to the industrial background of Slovakia.
In the category of Personality of International Cooperation
Prof. Ing. Dušan Galusek, DrSc.
Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín
For successful multiyear cooperation with top global and European materials research institutes, and obtaining support from the Horizon 2020 program for the construction of a glass research centre of European importance in the Slovak Republic.
All information about the event Scientist of the Year SR 2019 can be found on the website www.ncpvat.sk in the section Scientist of the Year SR. You can find the video medallions of the winners on YouTube CVTI SR (in the section Scientist of the Year of the Slovak Republic).
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Photo: TASR