The University of La Laguna held its annual awards ceremony today, March 14th. University Institute for Women's Studies which recognize the career achievements of outstanding researchers at the academic institution in various fields. The award winners have been Margarita Ramos Quintana, Professor of Labor Law and Social Security and member of the University Institute of Business; Verónica Pino Estévez, Professor of Analytical Chemistry attached to the University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands; and, finally, Miriam Candelaria Rodríguez González, a tenured lecturer in the Department of Chemistry who works at the Institute of Materials and Nanotechnology.
The event took place in the Aula Magna of the Central Building as part of the program of events for International Women's Day. The Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, emphasized at the opening ceremony the advocacy nature of these awards, which aim to highlight the research talent that many women at the institution demonstrate daily. He also noted that this commemoration has become a central event within the 8M activities at the ULL. The Canary Islands Institute for Equality, represented by its director, Ana Brito, participated in the event.
The first honoree was Margarita Ramos Quintana, introduced by her sponsor, Sarai Rodríguez, current Director of the Secretariat for the Recruitment of Teaching Staff, who emphasized above all her personal qualities. Ramos has dedicated more than three decades to research and teaching in her specialty, Labor Law and Social Security. Throughout her career, she has been involved not only in academia, but has also held public and institutional positions, such as Minister of Employment, Industry, and Commerce for the Government of the Canary Islands. Rodríguez highlighted Ramos's commitment to defending labor rights and equal opportunities for women and men, a commitment that has characterized her work; this commitment was recognized with the University of La Laguna Research Prize in 2019 and the Fifede Awards for Equality in Employment (Ellas) in 2022.
Margarita Ramos.
In her acceptance speech, Ramos emphasized the existence of women researchers with brilliant careers within the academic institution and confessed that the topic of gender equality was not part of her initial plans, but rather a product of her experience as a scientist. She also stressed the importance of women's representation in the justice system and at the highest levels of academia, especially at a time when some voices are questioning the rights achieved in recent decades.
Jacob Lorenzo, director of the University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands, was Verónica Pino Estévez's sponsor and summarized her extensive career. The researcher has a distinguished career in her field, Analytical Chemistry, supported by hundreds of scientific publications, leadership of numerous national and international projects, and several research stays at prestigious centers in the United States and France.
Verónica Pino.
Pino focused her speech on thanking all the people—faculty, loved ones, and institutions—who have influenced her scientific vocation. She made sure not to forget the Materials for Chemical Analysis (MAT4LL) research group, which she coordinates, and dedicated some very heartfelt words to them. Finally, she emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with a strong team and striving for inclusion and the future that new generations deserve.
Finally, Miriam Candelaria Rodríguez González was recognized. Carmen Arévalo, from the University Institute of Materials and Nanotechnology, detailed her career path and highlighted her scientific work in the field of advanced materials chemistry, with a special emphasis on cutting-edge nanoscience and nanotechnology technologies. Arévalo emphasized her brilliance and passion, both in research and teaching, and her involvement in experimental instruction. Although her career is just beginning, as her mentor noted, Rodríguez already has numerous scientific publications and spent several years in Belgium, where she gained experience with various advanced techniques.
Miriam Rodriguez
The award-winning researcher explained how being a woman has influenced her progress in her scientific career, particularly during her time in Belgium, where her research group was predominantly male, a stark contrast to the female presence in her Chemistry department at the University of La Laguna. She took the opportunity to express her gratitude to her grandmother, who taught her that success lies in influencing those closest to her, and to praise the group of highly qualified female scientists and colleagues working at the academic institution.
Spanish 
English 
French