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The prestigious “Medalla de Álava”, the highest honour granted by the Basque Country, has been presented to Heriot-Watt Professor, Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Deputy Principal for Global Sustainability.
Professor Maroto-Valer accepted the Medal during a recent ceremony held at the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Basque Country in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Commenting on the achievement, Deputy General of Álava Ramiro González praised Professor Maroto-Valer on her “contribution to making sustainability and economic development compatible” and for being an inspiration as a woman in science.
Upon receiving her Medal, Professor Maroto-Valer said: “It is an honour to receive the Medalla de Álava and this recognition increases further my commitment and motivation to face new challenges. This award is also a testament to my team’s achievements, and I am very grateful to them for their outstanding dedication.”
She concluded: “The race towards climate neutrality is a team sport where we are all part of the solution, and ultimately, we will be remembered for our actions, not our words.”
Professor Maroto-Valer is Director of the UK Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) overseeing the transition to net zero of the UK’s largest industrial clusters.
Álava is a historical territory of the Basque Country in Spain and an area that is at the forefront of sustainability and industrial decarbonisation, making the award particularly pertinent to Prof Maroto-Valer’s dual role as Deputy Principal in Global Sustainability as well as Champion and Director of IDRIC
Professor Richard A. Williams, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University, congratulated Professor Maroto-Valer on her latest award, saying: “This honour recognises the remarkable impact Mercedes and her colleagues are making in the world.”
“It also speaks to the incredible talent we have at this University, working tirelessly to address some of the biggest challenges facing society, including, of course, climate change.”
More information about Heriot-Watt’s Research Centre for Carbon Solutions and IDRIC is available online.