Rosa Menéndez receives this year's Erna Hamburger Award

Born and educated in Spain, Professor Rosa Menéndez is internationally renowned for her research in chemistry, materials science and engineering, dedicated to the design and development of new carbon materials. Her research aims to respond to industrial and societal challenges, particularly in the areas of energy transition, biomedical technologies and environmental protection.

The scientist will be awarded the 2024 Erna Hamburger Prize from EPFL's WISH Foundation on November 11. “Being part of Erna Hamburger’s select group of influential scientists is a great honor for me,” says Professor Menéndez. “I especially value the recognition of the transformative impact of both scientific and management contributions, which may serve as a reference for future generations.”

This year’s laureate, who is a Research Professor at the Carbon Science and Technology Institute of the Spanish National Research Council, will present “Carbon Materials : An Exciting Journey” at the award ceremony on November 11th. It will take place at the Rolex Learning Center, with opening speeches by VP for Student Affairs and Outreach Kathryn Hess Bellwald and Wish Foundation President Aleksandra Radenovic.

“The WISH Foundation has selected the 2024 Laureate in recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to material science and energy”, explains Aleksandra Radenovic. “Her unwavering dedication to merging scientific discovery with societal benefits, mainly through her leadership at CSIC, has dramatically enhanced the impact of research on energy sustainability, public health, and environmental preservation.” Professor Menéndez ́s career is as rich scientifically as it is in science organization and management, displaying leadership in both arenas. She has been helping to shape the role of fossil fuels in society towards more efficient use, both in her research and her management roles.

After receiving her PhD from Oviedo University in 1986, Professor Menéndez worked as a tenure scientist at the INCAR-CSIC starting in 1988, where she set up the Composites Group. She was promoted to full professor in 2003. As a researcher scientist, she has developed high-efficiency energy storage systems for electrical cars, graphene-based composites from coal derivatives for electronics, has explored applications in biosensors among many others. She has participated in more than 30 research projects, leading 23 of them, many with the participation of industrial partners. She has published more than 220 papers in high impact international journals, is co-inventor of 10 patents and supervisor of 24 PhD theses and 22 MSc in the fields of Materials and Chemistry.

Professor Menéndez is also the first woman to chair the Spanish Council for Scientific Research, the largest public research body in Spain, from November 2017 to June 2022. In parallel, she has been actively involved in the design and assessment of different activities for the European Union and has held roles of leadership in associations and advisory boards on topics related to energy transition.

WISH's "Woman of the Year"

Since 2006, the Erna Hamburger Prize distinguishes influential, leading women scientists who are transforming their field and executing change. The prize is awarded by the EPFL-WISH Foundation (Women In Science and Humanities). This independent foundation was created through the initiative of EPFL women professors, with the aim of encouraging careers and the promotion of women in scientific and technical fields. The prize is named after Dr. Erna Hamburger, who was the first woman promoted to the rank of full professor at EPFL, and who continues to inspire students and researchers today.