Winner. Scientist of the Year 2018. Natural Sciences

Luis A. Oro

Academic title, degree: Ph.D.
Fields of science: Chemical Sciences
Research interest: Coordination and organometallic chemistry of platinum group metals
Institution: University of Zaragoza
Position: Inorganic Chemistry Chair Professor
Country: Spain

Luis A. Oro studied chemistry at Zaragoza University, where he gained his doctorate in 1970. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Cambridge University under the supervision of Professor the Lord Lewis (1972-1973). It was during this time that he became interested in organometallic chemistry. He has served at the Universities of Zaragoza, Madrid Complutense, and Santander. He became full professor of Inorganic Chemistry in Zaragoza in 1982 and served as head and founder of the Homogeneous Catalysis Institute (2004-2013), being emeritus professor since 2015. He has co-authored well over 600 scientific papers, as well as several reviews and books on synthesis, reaction mechanisms and homogeneous catalysis. He has received numerous prizes, fellowships, and honorary degrees.

He has made significant contributions to the development of science policy, at Spanish and European level. He played a major role on the renaissance of Spanish science, as Director General of Scientific and Technical Research and Secretary General of the National Plan of Scientific R&D, of the Spanish Government (1987-1994). Since 2016 he is member of the Governing Council of the State Research Agency. He has been President of the European Association for Chemistry and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS) and Vice-President of the European Science Foundation. He is co-author of three books and several publications on Science Policy. He is member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, foreign member the French "Académie de Sciences", and member of the Academia Europaea, the European Academy of Sciences and honorary member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

Extensive contributions to organometallic chemistry and influence towards the development of science and funding policy Europe-wide.