The Medal of Merit in Research and University Education was created for honorary purposes to distinguish the people and entities that have stood out in the development and promotion of university education and scientific and technical research. In this way, they receive public recognition as a fitting reward that encourages other people and organisations to follow their example.
The following have received this recognition:
- María José Alonso (July 2020). Professor of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), where since 1992, she has led a pioneering research group in Spain in the field of nanomedicine and drug and vaccine delivery systems. She was awarded the Silver Medal of Merit in Research and University Education.
- Luis Enjuanes (July 2020). Research Professor and head of the coronavirus laboratory at the National Biotechnology Centre (CNB) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). He received the silver medal.
- Mariano Esteban (July 2020). Honorary Associate Research Professor at the National Biotechnology Centre (CNB) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and leader of the Poxvirus and Vaccines group at the CNB. He was awarded the silver medal.
- María Dolores Cabezudo Ibáñez (March 2019). Recipient of the gold medal, she is an eminent researcher in the field of chemistry. She was a professor of Food Technology at the University of Castilla - La Mancha (UCLM) until her retirement and a research professor on leave at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
- Emilio Lledó Íñigo (March 2019). Professor of History of Philosophy in Germany and Spain and author of several works, including Filosofía y lenguaje (1971) and Lenguaje e historia (1978). He was awarded the gold medal.
- María Vallet Regí (March 2019). Professor of Inorganic Chemistry and head of the Department of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University of Madrid. She was awarded the gold medal for her contributions to the fields of biotechnology and medicine.
- Santos Juliá Díaz (November 2019). She was awarded the Gold Medal of Merit in Research and University Education posthumously in recognition of her outstanding and profound university research on the history of Spain.
- Margarita Salas Falgueras (November 2019). Considered the pioneer of molecular biology in Spain, she was posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Merit in Research and University Education.
- Santiago Grisuía García (November 2010). Creator and secretary of the Valencian Foundation for Advanced Studies and the main driving force behind the Rei Jaume I Awards, he received the gold medal for his dedication to research in several fields of biochemistry.
