Natalia Díaz, awarded by the Royal Academy of Engineering for her contributions in Artificial Intelligence
5 February, 2025
The researcher Natalia Díaz Rodríguez, professor in the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Granada, has been awarded the ‘Juan López de Peñalver’ prize in the 2024 edition of the Young Researchers Awards of the Royal Academy of Engineering. This recognition highlights her contributions in the application of Artificial Intelligence to the recognition of environments, a work of great impact both in academia and in its transfer to industry.
A recognition of excellence in research and innovation
The Royal Academy of Engineering annually awards the Young Researchers Awards with the aim of recognising professionals under the age of 40 who have made notable contributions in development and innovation, outstanding professional achievements or significant advances in any field of engineering in Spain.
In this edition, Professor Natalia Díaz Rodríguez has been distinguished with the ‘Juan López de Peñalver’ award ex aequo, an award that highlights her outstanding scientific production in leading journals, as well as her ability to transfer the knowledge generated to industry through relevant contracts. Her career has been previously recognised in highly competitive calls such as the Juan de la Cierva and Marie Curie grants.
Rubén Tolosana Moranchel, professor at the Department of Electronic and Communications Technology at the Autonomous University of Madrid, has also been awarded the same prize for his contributions to the application of artificial intelligence to biometric recognition, the generation of synthetic images and videos, and the detection of digital manipulations such as deepfakes.
Other prizes awarded in this edition
The ‘Agustín de Betancourt y Molina’ prize has been awarded to Belén Riveiro Rodríguez, professor at the Department of Materials Engineering, Applied Mechanics and Construction of the University of Vigo. Her work in monitoring the structural health of civil infrastructures has led to important advances in the field, with numerous scientific publications, technology transfer to industry and the registration of seven patents, three of which have been licensed.
Likewise, runner-up medals for the ‘Agustín de Betancourt’ prize were awarded to Sergi Abadal Caballé (Computer Architecture Engineering), Raquel Lebrero Fernández (Chemical Engineering) and Mª Mirian Velay Lizancos (Civil Engineering), in recognition of their outstanding research careers.
In the case of the ‘Juan López de Peñalver’ award, in addition to the main winners, Elena del Corro García (Chemical Engineering), David García Soriano (Computer Engineering) and Pablo Garrido Martínez-Llop (Industrial Engineering) were recognised with runner-up medals for their contributions in their respective fields.
Celebrating talent and innovation in Spanish engineering
These awards reflect the Royal Academy of Engineering’s commitment to promoting excellence in research and innovation in Spain. The work of these young researchers and professionals not only contributes to the advancement of knowledge in their disciplines, but also has a direct impact on society and the technological development of the country.
From our centre, we congratulate Natalia Díaz Rodríguez on this well-deserved recognition and extend our congratulations to the other award winners. We are convinced that their work will continue to make a difference in engineering and innovation in the coming years.
Noticia en la web de la real academia – Premios Jóvenes Investigadores 2024