The gardens of the Rector’s Office hosted the ceremony for the presentation of the UCM Alumni Awards 2022, in its six categories, as well as the appointment of new illustrious and honorary alumni, who on this occasion were proposed by the Faculties of Psychology and Veterinary Medicine. The event was attended by the rector, Joaquín Goyache, as well as the vice-rector for Institutional Relations, Juan Carlos Doadrio, who is responsible for this program which, as he himself recalled, aims to maintain and promote permanent and dynamic links between UCM and its alumni, promoting activities for their personal and professional development, contributing to the projection of the values, prestige and goals of our University and spreading the image of the University to the rest of the world.

The Alumni Awards 2022 were announced in six categories: best records in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the academic year 2020/21, entrepreneur, solidarity and researchers, both in the area of arts, humanities and social and legal sciences, as well as in sciences and engineering and health sciences. As indicated by the vice-rector, the call has been a success both for the high participation, as well as for the level of the curricula presented.

The winners were:

UCM Alumni Award for Excellence in undergraduate studies in the academic year 2020/2021: Lejing Chen.
She has been awarded for her record in the Degree in Optics and Optometry by the Faculty of Optics of the UCM, with an average grade of 9.6.

UCM Alumni Award of Excellence in the studies of the Master’s Degree in the academic year 2020/2021: María Sonsoles Ginestal Calvo.
Awarded for her record in the Master’s Degree in Spanish and Ibero-American Thought by the Faculty of Philosophy of the UCM, with an average grade of 10.

UCM Alumni Entrepreneur Award: Meriem El Yamri El Khatibi
Graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from the Complutense University, where she is also pursuing her doctoral studies. She is co-founder of the company CROWTEC, where she develops and manages various software and hardware technology projects and solutions.

UCM Alumni Solidarity Award: Carmen Miguel Vicente
She is a teacher and researcher at the Faculty of Social Work, president of the Association of Relatives and Friends of the Disabled AFADIS-UCM and member of numerous innovation and research projects.

UCM Alumni Award Researcher in the fields of Arts and Humanities and Social and Legal Sciences: Daniel Valtueña Martínez
Researcher and PhD in Cultural Studies from The City University of New York, he currently works at the Madrid City Council as coordinator of Young Europe Madrid and as head of Artistic Residencies at Rey Juan Carlos University and New York University.

UCM Alumni Researcher Award in the fields of Sciences and Engineering and Health Sciences: Beatriz Mingo Román
PhD in Advanced Chemistry, researcher and former lecturer at the Complutense University of Madrid, she is currently working as a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Materials of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Manchester. The award was collected by her father, Carlos Mingo.

Last year, the Faculty of Medicine was responsible for proposing the incorporation of new distinguished and honorary alumni to the program, and this year it was the turn of the Faculties of Psychology and Veterinary Medicine.

The Faculty of Psychology has proposed the appointment of Benjamín Ballesteros Barrado, Francisco Javier Cantera Herrero and Isaac Vitina Manso as Distinguished Alumni.

Benjamín Ballesteros holds a PhD in Psychology from the UCM. He currently holds the position of Program Director at the ANAR Foundation (a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and defense of the rights of children and adolescents in situations of risk and neglect. He collaborates with the Faculty of Psychology in external internships for undergraduate and master’s degrees.
Francisco Javier Cantera, PhD in Psychology from the UCM, is the president of AUREN Consultancy, of the Platform of Managers and Entrepreneurs of Palencia and of the People and Business Foundation. He collaborates with the Faculty of Psychology in undergraduate and master’s degree internships as well as in different research projects.
Isaac Vitini, who also holds a PhD in Psychology from the UCM, is Director of Human Resources at ING for Spain and Portugal. He collaborates with the Faculty of Psychology in external practices and in several research projects. The diploma was collected on his behalf by Professor Julio Lillo Jover.

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine proposed the appointment of Gonzalo Giner Rodríguez and José Manuel Bautista Santa Cruz as Distinguished Alumni, and as Honorary Alumni of the GREFA association.

Gonzalo Giner, in addition to holding a degree in Veterinary Science from the UCM, is a writer of recognized prestige. Among the awards for his literary production is the Fernando Lara Prize, which he won in 2020. He collaborates with the Faculty in different actions.
Professor José Manuel Bautista has been a promoter of multiple actions since the beginning of the pandemic, starting with the network of Covid diagnostic laboratories for nursing homes (LAB-UCM-COVID-19), Covid monitoring system for UCM staff and students (COVIDLOT), coordinator of research network getting the REACT Project of the CAM. The diploma was collected by Amalia Díez.
The association GREFA – Rehabilitación Fauna Autóctona is a non-governmental organization born as an association for the study and conservation of nature. It develops different conservation projects and has created a wildlife hospital. It collaborates constantly with the University in teaching, research and postgraduate courses. The diploma was collected by its veterinary director, Fernando González.