The 2012 National Research Award is conferred on the professor of Applied Mathematics Carles Simó
Last Mondayʼs evening, the National Theatre of Catalonia hosted the award ceremony of the 2012 National Research Awards. One of the awardees was Carles Simó, professor of Applied Mathematics from the Faculty of Mathematics of the UB, affiliated centre with the BKC, and industrial engineer from the School of Industrial Engineering of Barcelona (ETSEIB). The vice-rector for Science Policy, Dr Enric I. Canela, attended the event representing the University of Barcelona.
The other 2012 awardees are: Ben Lehner, ICREA research professor at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (National Research Award for Young Talent); Pere Balsells, Catalan entrepreneur who lives in the USA (National Award for Scientific Patronage); Henkel, Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (National Award for Public-Private Partnership), and La Vanguardia (National Award for Science Communication).
Artur Mas, president of the Government of Catalonia, chaired the event and, before the closing concert, performed by the pianist and composer Albert Guinovar, spoke to the audience. During his speech, the president remarked the quality of the research carried out in Catalonia and highlighted the need to protect it from the lack of resources. Mas also stressed the good situation of research in Catalonia and the spectacular progress made in twenty years.
Last Mondayʼs evening, the National Theatre of Catalonia hosted the award ceremony of the 2012 National Research Awards. One of the awardees was Carles Simó, professor of Applied Mathematics from the Faculty of Mathematics of the UB, affiliated centre with the BKC, and industrial engineer from the School of Industrial Engineering of Barcelona (ETSEIB). The vice-rector for Science Policy, Dr Enric I. Canela, attended the event representing the University of Barcelona.
The other 2012 awardees are: Ben Lehner, ICREA research professor at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (National Research Award for Young Talent); Pere Balsells, Catalan entrepreneur who lives in the USA (National Award for Scientific Patronage); Henkel, Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (National Award for Public-Private Partnership), and La Vanguardia (National Award for Science Communication).
Artur Mas, president of the Government of Catalonia, chaired the event and, before the closing concert, performed by the pianist and composer Albert Guinovar, spoke to the audience. During his speech, the president remarked the quality of the research carried out in Catalonia and highlighted the need to protect it from the lack of resources. Mas also stressed the good situation of research in Catalonia and the spectacular progress made in twenty years.
Carles Simóʼs research is linked to the study of dynamical systems, which he has applied to the design of space missions of the NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). In addition, he is the father of the dynamic systems thinking school. These are some of the reason for being awarded with the 2012 National Research Award.
According to Professor Simó, this award recognises “the collaborative work carried out and a special and different way to look at Mathematics”. “Nowadays, mathematicians —he continues—, are underused; every research group should have a mathematician among its members”. In his opinion, the main problem of Mathematics is the way in which they are taught at primary schools: “Education should not be so much theoretical, but much more practical; it should pose problems to solve. It is necessary to learn to reason out, deduce and have a critical turn of mind”. The professor thinks that, in general, there is neither mathematical nor scientific culture: “A person who does not know Shakespeare is as uncultured as the one who does not know Newton”. Simó considers that we know few Mathematical and other sciences questions, and concludes: “When we solve one problem or question, ten new ones appear. We are ignorant”.
Carles Simó holds a degree and a PhD in Mathematical Sciences from the UB. His research has been distinguished for applying mathematical advances to areas with a high socio-economic impact such as the design of space missions or celestial mechanics (the study of celestial objects' motions caused by the gravityʼs effects of other celestial objects).
His research has dealt with basic and applied questions. He has been internationally recognized for his contributions to the study of dynamical systems properties. One of the key aspects of his work is the combination of several methods (analytical, geometrical, algebraic, numerical, etc.) to study different mathematical models and their applications.
An example of his pioneer work on the application of dynamic systems, which began in Catalonia in 1971, is his leadership of groups which have developed several procedures for the ESA. To be exact, in 1985, he found some techniques to analyse the mission of SOHO solar observation satellite which are now a model for the design of space missions.