Excellence in research has a price: Funcas recognizes the best doctoral theses

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With the aim of promoting talent, Funcas has rewarded the best academic work of the university since 2006. This year, more than a thousand theses were presented, for the first time in almost two decades. The delivery ceremony will take place this Friday, December 19

The Foundation of CECA Banks and Savings Banks (Funcas) awards this Friday the Enrique Fuentes Quintana Awards for the best doctoral theses corresponding to the 2023-2024 academic year. Since 2006, the initiative has been part of the institution’s plan to reward the effort, commitment and work of the authors of the best academic works of the year.

Candidates compete in five categories: Economy, Finance and Business; Political sciences, sociology and communication; Health and life sciences; Engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry and architecture, and humanities.

In this edition, Funcas received more than 1,000 doctoral theses, a historic record for the awards.Javier Valeiro

For the first time in almost two decades, this edition presented more than a thousand theses (1,030 in total), coming from 67 different universities. This represents 9% more than in the previous call. Since its creation, the Enrique Fuentes Quintana Awards have received a total of 7,381 theses which obtained 68 awards and five honorable mentions. The first prize is 6,000 euros, in addition to a diploma for the winner and another honorable mention in the five categories.

The winners card

Funcas made public the list of winners between the end of May and mid-July, which can be consulted in the following table:

Category	Price	honorable mention
Economy, Finance and Business	‘Essays in behavioral macroeconomics and finance’, by Dr. Josefina Cenzón, from Pompeu Fabra University Directors: Dr Alberto Martín and Dr Vladimir Asriyan	“Essays on Macroprudential Policy, Tail Risks, and Financial Stability,” by Dr. Álvaro Fernández-Gallardo Romero, from the University of Alicante Director: Dr Iván Payá Sastre
Political sciences, sociology and communication	“Civic participation as a promoter of the well-being of older people in Europe”, by Dr. Andrea Yadira Vega Tinoco, from the University of Zaragoza Directors: Dr Ana Isabel Gil Lacruz and Dr Marta Gil Lacruz	“Building trust between actors within regulatory regimes: the role of specialized agencies”, by Dr. Jana Gómez Díaz, from Pompeu Fabra University Directors: Dr Jacint Jordana and Dr Ixchel Pérez-Durán
Health and life sciences	“Adult hippocampal neurogenesis process in humans. Impaired integration of new granule neurons in pathological conditions’by Dr. Elena Moreno Jiménez, from the Autonomous University of Madrid Director: Dr María Llorens Martín	“Understanding and targeting mitochondria to counter cellular senescence. Elucidation of new senotherapies’,by Dr. Vanessa López Polo, from Pompeu Fabra University Director: Manuel Serrano Marugán
Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Architecture	‘Microclimatic resilience of the Mediterranean patio. Evaluation of thermal comfort and energy savings associated with the use of passive strategies in terrace designby Dr. Eduardo María Diz Mellado, from the University of Seville Directors: Dr. Carmen Galán and Dr. Carlos Rivera	“Supervised learning in time-dependent environments with performance guarantees”by Dr. Verónica Álvarez Castro, from the University of the Basque Country Directors: Dr. Santiago Mazuelas and Dr. José Antonio Lozano
Humanities	“Because I must be a snake with heads.” Feminine writing and public opinion in Hispanic Baroque theater”, by Dr. Marina Aguilar Salinas, from the University of Alcalá Director: Dr. Antonio Castillo Gómez	‘Art and politics in Hannah Höch: Dadaism, socialism and female emancipation under the Weimar Republic’, by Dr. Andrea Pérez Fernández, from the University of Barcelona Directors: Dr Lorena Fuster and Dr Maria-Josep Balsach

Tribute to a fundamentalist economist of the 20th century

The Enrique Fuentes Quintana Awards are named after an economist who played a decisive role in understanding the second half of the 20th century in Spain. His academic and social influence led Funcas, of which he was general director, to engage in the promotion of talent in Spanish universities.

Fuentes Quintana (Carrión de los Condes, Palencia, 1924- Madrid, 2007), whose centenary of his birth was commemorated last year, was a professor of economics and jurist. He specialized in public finance, a field of study to which he devoted his life. His work as general director of Funcas, between 1981 and 1995, certainly helped consolidate the fortunes of the institution. He also participated in the political field. First as senator of the Cortes Générales (1977-1979) and vice-president of Adolfo Suárez’s government for Economic Affairs (1977-1978), then as Minister of Economy. At this stage, he played a key role in promoting the Moncloa Pacts, thereby helping to support the economic foundations of the Transition.