Winners of the Research Pitches Contest of the Compostela Group of Universities

First prize

The jury awarded the first prize to researcher Hernán Cortez López from University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) for his pitch The protection of environmental interest using the tools of contract law. The research he is performing in his doctorate is about the tools that contract law offers to protect environmental interests. The jury recognized the working on the promotion of circular economy and ecological values by means of contract civil law. It is an up-to-date topic tackled from a novel perspective.

Second prize

The jury awarded the second prize to researcher Mathilde de Goër de Herve from Karlstad University (Sweden) for her pitch Incorporating justice in disaster risk management to enhance sustainable development. The planet is affected by more and more intensive disasters that are unevenly distributed across the world, and she has developed a theoretical framework and a tool that enables decision makers to consider fairness in risk management, including not only social and spatial aspects but also ecological and temporal ones. 

First prize

The jury awarded the first prize to researcher Rickard Emanuel Anders Nilsson from Karlstad University (Sweden) for his pitch Intra-language variability of path framing and manner encoding. His research work explores the intra-language variability of motion framing in three different languages: English, Spanish and Swedish. He examines how these three languages express motion and hopes to shed light on how language shapes our perception of the world, and how it may influence our cognitive and behavioural patterns. 

Second prize

The evaluation body bestowed the second prize to Zizilia Zamudio Beltrán, a member of the research group in Assistive and Collaborative Robotics at La Salle University Mexico (Mexico) for her pitch DORI: Development of Intelligent Robotic Orthosis to improve movement in children with Multiple Congenital Arthrogryposis. Their research project is working on the design and construction of an intelligent robotic orthosis, which will allow children with multiple congenital arthrogryposis to perform daily activities.

First prize

The pitch Magnetic Nanoparticles for Enhancing Cancer Immunotherapy submitted by the researcher Ángela Arnosa Prieto from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) obtained the first prize in the VI Research Pitches Contest. Her research work is centred on the use of magnetic nanoparticles to enhance cancer immunotherapy via the application of magnetic hyperthermia.

Second prize

The second prize was bestowed to the researcher Lucas Van der Hauwaert, who is enrolled in the PhD programme in Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). His research project, which is detailed in the video presentation Alquimia: A modeling framework for biorefinery design integrating predictive bioreactor models, focuses on finding refinery designs that incorporate bioreactors. 

First prize

The pitch Synthesis and characterization of novel targeted inhibitors for cancer treatment presented by the researcher Olívia Pontes from the University of Minho (Portugal) won the first prize in the V Research Pitches Contest. Her pitch focuses on newly synthesised compounds and their ability to treat and overcome resistance in aggressive types of cancer for which therapeutic options are extremely limited.

Second prize

The second prize was awarded to the researcher Henna Kapoor from the University of Regensburg (Germany) for her pitch The “teamwork” of various RNA polymerase transcription factors in Arabidopsis thaliana. The research group of which she is a member is targeting the interaction between two elongation factors in the Ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase. 

First prize

The pitch Investigate the genetic background of autoimmune diseases presented by the researcher Benjámin Farkas from the University of Pécs (Hungary) won the first prize of the IV Pitches contest. Watch the video to learn about his investigation on Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia.

Second prize

The second prize was awarded to the researcher Jorge Salgado from the University of A Coruña (Spain) for his pitch Solid state materials for ecologic refrigeration. He is conducting research to develop an eco-friendly alternative to polluting gases currently employed in cooling systems. Discover more on the video of this pitch. 

First prize

The pitch Media accessibility in Galicia presented by the researcher Mercedes Martínez Lorenzo from the University of Vigo (Spain) won the first prize of the III Research Pitches Contest. Watch the video to discover the topic of the research in her own words.

Second prize

The second prize was awarded to the researcher Claudia Margarita Fernández Rivera from the University of Guadalajara (Mexico) for her pitch Virtual reality as a tool for designing inclusive physical environments. Discover her research on this video.

First prize

The pitch Modelling the production of high added-value biobased products submitted by the researcher Alberte Regueira López of the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) obtained the first prize of the II Research Pitches Contest of the CGU. Discover the key aspects of his research.

Second prize

Researcher Ala’ Salem from the University of Pécs (Hungary) was awarded the second prize for her pitch Crystals: the path towards better drugs. Watch this video to learn more about her research.

First prize

The pitch A study of multilingual writing by researcher Maialen Urbieta of the University of the Basque Country (Spain) won the first prize of the I Research Pitches Contest. Watch the video to discover the topic of the research in her own words.

Second prize

The second prize was awarded to the researcher Lorena Bort of the University Jaume I (Spain) for her pitch Learning English for dyslexic students. Discover her research on this video.