During the Building Bridges 2021 conference, all new members elected in 2020 and in 2021 will be formally welcomed. The 2020 AE Erasmus Medal will be awarded to eminent mathematician Sir Roger Penrose, and the 2020 AE Gold Medal to Ole Petersen, made for his significant contributions to the AE since the academy first began in 1988. The Young Academy of Europe (YAE), for their part, will present the André Mischke YAE Prize 2020 for Science and Policy to Grant Hill-Cawthorne, Director of the UK Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST).

In addition to these delayed honours, at the Building Bridges 2021 conference, the third biennial International Adam Kondorosi AE Award for Advanced Research in Plant Sciences will be presented, as well as a further (2021) AE Erasmus Medal, following the close of the currently open call (closing date at the end of September 2020).

Preliminary schedule#

• Tuesday, 19 October (late afternoon), at the Institute for Catalan Studies (IEC), c/Carme, 47, Barcelona. Annual Business Meeting for AE Members.

• Wednesday, 20 October, at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, Barcelona. Morning: AE Class workshops. Afternoon: Lecture and Reception for new Members.
  In the evening, the President’s Dinner (optional, requiring a separate registration fee). Place to be determined.

• Thursday, 21 October, at the PRBB. c/Doctor Aiguader, 88, Barcelona. AE Erasmus Medal lecture by Roger Penrose, the André Mischke YAE Prize for Science and Policy, and the 2021 International Adam Kondorosi AE Award for Advanced Research in Plant Sciences, plus a varied programme of leading European scholars’ lectures.

• Friday, 22 October (all day). Traditional post-conference field trip (optional, requiring a separate registration fee). Includes guided tours, transportation and lunch. Place to be determined.

In addition, on Wednesday evening, the President’s Dinner for new and current members will take place, which, like the field trip, is optional and requires the payment of a separate registration fee.

Speakers include:#

2020 ERASMUS MEDAL and Lecture: Professor ROGER PENROSE, Laudation will be given by Martin Rees

Professor Eva KONDOROSI (Balzan Prize 2018 - Chemical Ecology)

Professor Quentin SKINNER (Balzan Prize 2006 - Political Thought, History and Theory)

2020 Andre Mischke Young Academy Prize to Grant Hill-Cawthorne

AE GOLD AWARD to Professor Ole PETERSEN

Distinguished lecture by Mara Dierssen, Barcelona