Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Finalist novels for the Hortensia Roig Prize to promote scientific and technical vocation among girls announced
ICN2 group leader Prof. Laura Lechuga is one of the members of the jury that met in Valencia to choose the finalists and the winner. The first and second place prizes will be awarded on 28 September.
The jury of the first edition of the Hortensia Roig Prize dedicated to children's literature met in Valencia on September 2 to select the winning short novel. The decision will be announced on September 28 at an awarding ceremony to be held at EDEM-Escuela de Empresarios (Valencia). For the time being, only the names of the five finalists, chosen from an impressive 219 applications, have been revealed.
Among the members of the jury was Prof. Laura Lechuga, leader of the NanoBiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications Group at the ICN2 and Juan de la Cierva National Research Awardee. Other prestigious professionals from the fields of medicine, journalism, publishing, and education have shared with Prof. Lechuga the difficult task of choosing the best novels: oncologist Ana Lluch, journalist Gloria Lomana, the founder of Plataforma Editorial, Jordi Nadal, and the President of EDEM and director of Mercadona, Hortensia Roig.
The works submitted were considered of "extraordinary literary quality and creativity”. All of them feature female characters who discover their interest in STEM careers, as required by the rules of the contest, which aims at generating and nurturing a scientific and technical vocation in pre-teen girls. The 1st ranked will receive a prize of 8.000€ and the publication and distribution of 3,000 copies of the novel. 2.000€ will be given to the second finalist work.
Photo: (from left to right) Laura Lechuga, Ana Lluch, Hortensia Roig, Gloria Lomana, Jordi Nadal.