Both institutes of Lyon believe that the astronauts meet all the requirements for the prize in the promotion of science and innovation.
The University of León (ULE) and the León City Council have proposed young astronauts Pablo Álvarez Fernández and Sara García Alonso for the award of the Senate Prize for the Promotion of Science and Innovation, a joint candidacy in both proposers and candidates. Both Leoni institutions believe that both young people meet all the characteristics that are to be awarded with the recognition established by the Upper House.
The letter of candidacy, signed by rector Juan Francisco García Marín and the mayor, José Antonio Díaz, highlights “their professional career and their selection as astronauts for the European Space Agency, their contribution to the dissemination of science, training and public education, we propose that the names of Pablo Álvarez Fernández and Sara García Alonso be given importance and taken into account equally prior to the award of the Senate Prize to Civil Society in the Way of Promoting Science and Innovation.
The proposal underlines that when on 23 November, the European Space Agency (ESA) made public the names of the members of its new group of astronauts, five career astronauts and twelve reservists, a selection in which more than 22,500 European applicants participated, Two young Spaniards, both from León, were reviewed.
“His designation and selection among those thousands of candidates, after a very rigorous series of tests that took into account his individual curriculum, his training and his response to the tests carried out, has inspired, since then, Lyon and Spain as a benchmark for multidisciplinary academic training and also highlights their talent, work and dedication, their talent, work and dedication to the education they received in their hometown, their country. The public university also values the studies carried out at the University of Lyon (ULE), which is decisive in recognizing the value of these educational centers that are not large in size but yes of great academic value.
Pablo Álvarez Fernández, born in 1988, studied aeronautical engineering at the University of León (ULE), after completing his primary and secondary education in the city’s public centers. He completed his Master in Aerospace Engineering at the Warsaw Polytechnic University (Politechnica Warszawska) in 2011. Between 2011 and 2017, he worked as a structural engineer for various Airbus aircraft programs in both Spain, France and the United Kingdom. From 2017 to 2020 he worked as a mechanical architect for the European Space Agency’s ExoMars rover programme, stationed at Airbus Defense and Space in the United Kingdom. During the last years he has been working as Project Manager for Airbus in Spain.
Sara García Alonso, who was born in 1989, studied a degree and a master’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of León after studying academic levels also in educational centers of the city. After his university training, he received two awards for his academic excellence. Subsequently, he completed his doctoral thesis at the Salamanca Cancer Research Center (CICancer USAL – CSIC) with an award for research excellence from the University of Salamanca in 2019. Since that year, she has been working as a postdoctoral researcher at the National Cancer Research Institute. Center (CNIO), the largest public cancer research organization in Spain.
The Senate – according to the announcement of the awards – recognizes, with these awards, outstanding contributions to individuals or institutions through the annual grant of the Senate Awards to civil society, to the promotion of democratic values, especially the freedom and equality of the people and Exemplary way with his work and initiatives for social progress. And for the same, the spokesmen of the parliamentary groups of the Senate, the Legislative Assemblies of the Autonomous Communities, individuals and institutions of recognized prestige and any public institution, such as the Leoni Constituent and Educational Center, may present a candidacy. As per rules, the winners of this award will be announced tomorrow, Wednesday, within one month after the end of the nomination period.
