The 37th edition of the Jury Meeting came to an end with the announcement of the seven winners of the Rei Jaume I Prizes on June 3. This event brings around a hundred talents from the fields of science, innovation, and business together in Valencia to deliberate on the best research and innovative careers in our country.

For almost three days, this jury of 20 Nobel laureates was engaged in intense activity. In addition to selecting the seven winners, the laureates participated in a busy program designed to extend their example and inspiration to Valencian civil society.

A live radio program was broadcast from Valencia.

It all began with the broadcast of the RNE program “No es un día cualquiera,” directed and presented by journalist Pepa Fernández. She arrived in Valencia with her entire team, and on May 31 and June 1, she hosted her program at the Bancaja Foundation in honor of the deliberations. On both days, the large audience was able to witness interviews with jury members such as Matilde Mas and Ignacio Conde, as well as with our executive president, Javier Quesada. On Saturday, the central interviews were with our 2018 awardee and first-time juror, María Vallet-Regí. On Sunday, Pepa Fernández interviewed the 2017 Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Barry Barish. Dr. Barish is an American experimental physicist and expert in gravitational waves. He delighted the listeners and received a standing ovation when he left the room.

Events on June 2 and 3

The official program began on the morning of June 2 with a press conference for journalists featuring the four Nobel laureates visiting Valencia for the first time: Dr. Guido Imbens, 2021 Nobel Laureate in Economics (Netherlands–USA); Dr. Duncan Haldane, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Physics (USA); and Dr. Douglas Diamond. , Nobel Prize in Economics 2022 (USA); and Dr. Charles Rice, Nobel Prize in Medicine 2020 (USA). The laureates met with the Valencian media and addressed hot topics such as the situation in the US with President Donald Trump’s new scientific and economic policies, vaccines and denialists, and the state of science in countries like Spain that have had the opportunity to serve as jurors for these awards.

That morning, the other Nobel laureates and jury members visited numerous universities, research centers, and companies in Castellón, Valencia, and Alicante. This was a unique opportunity for Valencian society to hear from individuals with impressive scientific careers, and to highlight the importance of investing in science, innovation, and collaboration with the business world.

This year, for the first time, Nobel Prize winner Jules Hoffmann, winners María Vallet and Ana Traveset, and jury members Susana García and Mariana Castells visited the IES María Carbonell in Benetússer. There, they saw firsthand the impact of the DANA catastrophe in the heart of the disaster zone. Additionally, the students in attendance were able to share their concerns, questions, and reflections with the visitors.

The first day’s lunch and afternoon were dedicated to the students, who had the opportunity to have lunch with the Nobel Laureates and engage in discussions with them. These close, informal meetings allow students to interact with their role models in a different way and ask questions.

After the colloquiums, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Príncipe Felipe Museum, the jurors visited the center, where they enjoyed a tour of the facilities and learned about the exhibitions and activities in depth. Finally, the City Council of Valencia offered a dinner there, which culminated in a fireworks display.

As usual, the following day, June 3, was dedicated to the work of deliberation, the pillar of this annual meeting. The day began at the High Availability Terrestrial Headquarters (CGTAD), also known as the Captaincy General or the former Convent of Santo Domingo, with the reading of the “Declaration of the Juries,” which focused on the US government’s scientific policy and its potential impact on the advancement of world science. Then, each jury deliberated on the seven winners of the 37th edition. The winners were then announced at the Palau de la Generalitat.

The Jury Meeting is the only event in Europe that brings together such a large number of Nobel laureates. The next meeting will take place during the last months of the year at the prize ceremony, where the laureates will receive their corresponding Rei Jaume I Prize medal from the Royal Household in person.

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