Sara García Alonso, first Spanish astronaut in history, will receive the "Passion for Science" Award at the VI edition of #LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival

The Science Museum of the University of Navarra has awarded the "Passion for Science" prize of the international science film festival #LabMeCrazy! to astronaut Sara García Alonso. This recognition will be awarded at the festival's awards gala to be held on Tuesday, February 25 at 7 p.m. in the Theater of the Museum of the University of Navarra.

Sara García Alonso (León, 1989) has a degree in Biotechnology (2012) and a master's degree in Biomedical Research (2013) from the University of León, and in 2018 she received her PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Salamanca. García Alonso has worked for the Spanish National Research Council ( CSIC) conducting research on oncological medicine and also at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center ( CNIO) leading a project on experimental oncology and drug discovery. In 2022 Sara is designated to enter as a member of the Astronaut Reserve of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The scientist from León has been awarded several prizes and distinctions, such as the Ada Byron Youth Award 2023, the Silver Medal of the Community of Madrid and Favorite Daughter of León, among others.

"Sara García Alonso has achieved her dream of becoming an astronaut. A dream that represents the most genuine passion for science. Undoubtedly, her example is going to encourage other girls and boys who want to dedicate themselves to research, in any scientific discipline," says Bienvenido León, director of #LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival.

With this recognition Sara García Alonso joins the list of scientists who have reaped a brilliant career, and who have been awarded in previous editions of this festival(Francisco J. Martínez Mojica in 2019, Margarita del Val in 2021, Luis Enjuanes, Vicente Larraga and Mariano Esteban in 2022, Clara Grima in 2023, Juan Luis Arsuaga in 2024).

On the occasion of this recognition, Dr. García Alonso will give a session on February 25 in the morning for students from schools in the Comunidad Foral. And one day later, on Wednesday 26th at 12 noon, he will give a lecture open to the public in the auditorium of the Science Building of the University of Navarra.  

Nearly 1,700 productions participating in the 6th edition of the festival

1,679 productions from 108 countries have participated in the different categories of the sixth edition of #LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival: documentary and reportage; television program; work produced by universities and research centers; production by students; video on the web or social networks; and production by students living in Navarra.

The Science Museum plans to organize, in the week prior to the film festival, various activities to popularize science, which can be consulted later on the Festival's website.

#LabMeCrazy! Science Film Festival is an international science film festival, promoted by the Science Museum of the University of Navarra, with the collaboration of Fundación Caja Navarra, Seguros de Salud ACUNSA-Clínica Universidad de Navarra, the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) / Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, the Government of Navarra, SACYR, Laboral Kutxa, and the Lilly Foundation.