The Winter 2021 EPS Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics is awarded to María Pilar López Sancho, researcher at the Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM, CSIC) "for her contributions to the understanding of the electronic structure of low-dimensional materials and in recognition of her continuous, tireless, and successful actions for the empowerment of women in physics."

M. Pilar López Sancho graduated in Physics at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) in 1975 and received her PhD in 1979, also at the UCM. Throughout her career she has always worked in Solid State Physics. She is currently a Research Professor at the CSIC, in the Department of Condensed Matter Theory of the Institute of Materials Science of Madrid (ICMM). 

Her scientific career has always been in the field of Condensed Matter Physics: electronic properties of high critical temperature superconductors, carbon nanotubes and graphene and other systems with strong electronic correlation. Pilar López Sancho is co-author of more than eighty articles published in prestigious scientific journals, has made dozens of contributions to national and international congresses and has participated in some thirty national and international research projects.

Although her main activity continues to be scientific research, Pilar López has been involved in all kinds of activities (conferences, talks, round tables....) to highlight the situation of women scientists and technologists in Spain and to give visibility to their contributions. She is co-founder and has been a member and Secretary of the board of AMIT (Association of Women Researchers and Technologists) since 2001 and was its president between 2010 and 2013.

She was also co-founder of the 'Women in Physics' group of the Royal Spanish Society of Physics (RSEF). She chaired between 2008 and 2020 the CSIC Women and Science Committee, since 2011 is part of the CSIC Equality Commission and between 2014 and 2017 she was the CSIC representative in the Gender and Diversity Working Group of "Science Europe", apart from being member and participating in many more initiatives. 

We invited Pilar López after receiving the Gender Equality Distinction at ICMAB in the workshop we organized on Gender Equality in Research Centers “¿Y a mí, qué me aporta la igualdad?” in 2019.

About the Emmy Noether Distinction

The Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics was established in February 2013 to enhance the recognition of noteworthy women physicists with a strong connection to Europe through nationality or work.

The European Physical Society  established the Emmy Noether Distinction for Women in Physics to:

• bring noteworthy women physicists to the wider attention of the scientific community, policy makers and the general public;
• identify role models that will help to attract women to a career in physics.

The scope includes personal achievements in areas such as research, education, outreach and industry.

Congratulations, M. Pilar López Sancho, from all your friends and colleagues from ICMAB!