Professor Luis Rey, researcher at the CBGP (UPM-INIA/CSIC), awarded the Science and Technology for Society UPM Award

This award recognizes his large activity of scientific dissemination, his work aimed at bringing science closer to the public and the impact of the initiatives organized within the framework of the diffusion activities of the CBGP (UPM-INIA/CSIC).

This award recognizes his large activity of scientific dissemination, and his work aimed at bringing science closer to the society.

Professor Luis Rey Navarro received his doctorate in Biological Sciences in 1994 from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). In 1996 he spent a year at the Biology Department of the Johns Hopkins University in the USA. Since 2003 he has been a professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Plant Biology of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica, Alimentaria y de Biosistemas (ETSIAAB) at the UPM and teaches undergraduate and master's classes in the area of Microbiology.

His research work is carried out at the Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP) de la UPM-INIA/CSIC of the UPM-INIA/CSIC on the study of rhizobia and its symbiotic association with legumes, essential for crops and ecosystems.

Since his doctorate he has been involved in activities to bring science closer to society, mainly making this rhizobia-legume symbiosis known. In the last 10 years, it has carried out this dissemination work within the framework of the CBGP (UPM-INIA/CSIC) dissemination actions, coordinating activities such as the Science´s Week, the Day of Fascination with Plants, Sponsoring the science, the Researchers´ Night, etc., with great acceptance by the public.

This recognition “is a great joy” for Professor Luis Rey since “I have always liked to talk about what is done in our laboratory and at our CBGP (UPM-INIA/CSIC), how useful and important Science and Research are in the welfare and progress of society. It is also a recognition for the hundreds of people with whom I have collaborated in dissemination activities - students, researchers, volunteers, management, administration, IT, microscopy, greenhouse, scientific culture and even family teams -, without their collaboration I couldn't have done it. We have all participated with altruism and generosity and our visitors, from children to retirees and many students, have been mostly satisfied and have transmitted their interest and gratitude. This recognition also encourages to continue with enthusiasm transmitting to Society how Science is advancing, in particular the Biotechnology of plants and associated microorganisms, where it is going and, above all, who the researchers are and what they do”.