It is an honour for me and for the institution I represent that the city of Salamanca is hosting the European Union Contest of Young Scientists (EUCYS), the most relevant event of its kind in Europe. It is an interesting initiative promoted by the European Commission that unites young people like yourselves with the aim to exchange scientific knowledge.

The current pandemic has highlighted the importance of science as a key component in tackling the major challenges facing humanity. It is you, the young researchers, who must take the lead in the pursuit of new advances in research, as well as the design of innovative strategies for the future. In this sense, for the University of Salamanca, research is a strategic issue. We believe that universities should facilitate the development of the capacities of young people in the field of science.

I invite you to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to meet other young people with similar interests and skills, and to obtain advice and guidance from leading European scientists.

Welcome!

Ricardo Rivero
Rector of the University of Salamanca

Furthermore, science stands firm against ignorance, superstition, and the assault on reason so dominant in the fake news of the social media. So being, it is the best antidote we have against manipulation of minds by would be tyrants and demagogues. Advancement of science is crucial to foster the positive side of humanity against the demons of destruction that inhabit us. This is why science and ethics are necessary companions in the endless search for our enlightenment.

Youth is the age of discovery and creativity, it is the moment in the life cycle when we feel everything is possible, for us and for the world. And it is. It suffices to translate all this young energy in the betterment of our lives. Using, as a paramount tool our scientific capacity to understand and act upon this understanding. This is why, I truly believe, that there is nothing more exhilarating than being a young scientist precisely at a time when knowledge advances by a quantum leap and when pandemics, and human induced catastrophes loom in the horizon. Yet, the difficulties of the task are enormous and you will need all your enthusiasm and determination, but also patience to be learned, in the pursuit of this noble endeavour. Institutions in all countries usually speak high of science but do not follow up in terms of their budgetary priorities.

Dark forces of domination need to subdue science to keep people ignoring the true state of their lives. Bureaucracies, including scientific bureaucracies, often resist innovation, thus stalling the attempt by young scientists to shift the paradigm of knowledge in each field. In fact we know that the relentless critique of established beliefs is the very essence of science.

But you are young, and you are scientists, and if you really believe in what you do and want to do, nothing and no one can stop you. For the benefit of all of us. Wishing you good luck is wishing luck to all of us, humans, as a last hope to overcome our sorry state.

Professor Manuel Castells
Minister of Universities, Government of Spain

This year ́s contest comes in a particular difficult but challenging period. We are still suffering the havoc provoked by the pandemic, and we feel knocked out. But as in the boxing ring, we still have the strength to recover, to stand up and continue the fight, because we are resilient and we want to live surrounded by our family, friends and colleagues.

You are our most precious hope. In you we trust, because your youth, your hard work and your endeavours will help us win this race against disease. The future of the world is in your hands, in your brains and in your hearts. Science should constitute the beacon of society, and Europe is ready to launch a far reaching and shining beam. Your projects and ideas are the fuel that will feed the stream of light. You are a paradigm of strength, enthusiasm and hard work.

In Castilla y León we are privileged of having been selected as hosts of this event.

“Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together” reads the motto of this year ́s Olympic Games. “Better, wiser, tougher- all committed with humanity” can read the motto of this European Scientific Olympic Competition that will take place in the city of Salamanca. You represent your countries, and Europe has placed all her hopes in you, therefore, ready, steady, go.

Rocío Lucas Navas
Regional Minister of Education, Junta de Castilla y León.

Since the so called School of Salamanca, origin of Human Rights, source of people’s sovereignty and starting point of modern economic theory, to our University, eight centuries old and a worldly teaching reference, including our research centers, our city is a constant laboratory of thinking and analysis.

The Municipality of Salamanca is deeply concerned with science and research. In fact, we are the first Spanish local government which has a specific program aimed at the promotion, protection and fostering of talented young scientists.

Thanks to this program, we promote both secondary and university students with scholarships, as well as we allow promising researchers working abroad to be able to return to Salamanca so as to continue with their academic formation, fostering their own researching teams and develop highly innovative projects that may improve the city’s life quality.

I’m deeply convinced that this meeting will be greatly useful in order to give a higher visibility in Europe to our strong and deep bond with research that, no doubt, will be strongly reinforced.

Carlos García Carbayo
Mayor of Salamanca.

At Iberdrola, one of the largest utilities worldwide and the largest renewable player globally, we firmly believe that new generations are the driving force for transformation. For instance, your enthusiasm has been essential to convince the world of the relevance to fight climate change. Without your inspiration, the Paris Agreement would never have been reached and we would not have more and more movements calling for action and urgent solutions all around the globe and, very specially, in the European Union, which continues to lead the way to decarbonization.

For these reasons, it is an honor for Iberdrola to support this European Competition that over the years has become the best stage for the most promising research students to present their scientific achievements and share innovative ideas and proposals.

And we do it as part of our global university program ‘Iberdrola U’, which includes collaborations with prestigious centers such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University, in United States; the University of Strathclyde, in Scotland; the Technology Institute of Monterrey, in Mexico; the University of Pernambuco, in Brazil; the Hamad Bin Khalifa University, in Qatar; and, in Spain, Comillas Pontifical University and the University of Salamanca.

‘Iberdrola U’ connects close to 300,000 students in different fields related to the energy transition, and includes initiatives as University Chairs, R&D projects, scholarships or different schemes to support entrepreneurship in areas as renewable energy, sustainable development, electric mobility, biodiversity or smart grids.

I am sure the participants in this Congress will show once again that supporting young talent is the best way to promote employability in the jobs in the future, especially in STEM disciplines. Iberdrola is also doing it by developing initiatives for the promotion of gender equality in these studies, in which the presence of women has been traditionally lower. Examples of this are the creation of specific Schools of Electricians for women in Brazil; the “Impulso STEM” program, in Mexico; the POWERful Women initiative, in the United Kingdom; and WomENergy, in the United States; and the STEAM Alliance for female talent “Girls for science”, in Spain.

Dear Young Scientists, you are all called to a wonderful mission: to create, develop and implement projects to make this world, the world you will inherit, a better place. Let us start make a difference here and now.

I wish you all a great time during the competition and the very best of luck to all those participating in this wonderful learning experience.

Ignacio S. Galán
Chairman and CEO of Iberdrola.