The ESET Science Award has entered its seventh year with a new feature. For the first time, the award is also open to scientists and scholars from the social sciences and humanities who help to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of how society works. At the same time, the ESET Foundation wants to emphasize that excellent research emerges across all disciplines.

This year's theme is "Science as a pillar of trust". It highlights the key role of science in fostering trust in facts and knowledge. At a time when facts are increasingly being questioned in society, science provides proven ways of approaching reality. Transparency, objectivity and rigorous fact-checking are among the fundamental principles of scientific work, which can also be an inspiration to the wider society.

"We are delighted that the finalists for the Award include representatives from both the 'hard' and 'soft' sciences. The dynamics of today's world show us how necessary it is to develop the whole spectrum of disciplines and scientific fields - from natural and technical sciences to social sciences and humanities. It is precisely their interconnection that brings new knowledge, innovative solutions and a more comprehensive understanding of thechallenges we face," explains Paulína Böhmerová, ESET's Science Liason.

The ESET Science Award laureates are recognised through a comprehensive evaluation process. Not only their scientific contribution and measurable scientometric data are evaluated, but also their participation in international research projects or their visibility of science from Slovakia and research abroad. In addition, university lecturers are monitored for their use of innovative approaches in teaching, pedagogical skills and feedback from their students.

The award ceremony will take place on 9 October.

Finalists in the category Outstanding Scientist in Slovakia (in alphabetical order)

Vladimíra Kurincová Čavojová is a psychologist who works on scientific thinking, cognitive fallacies and unsubstantiated beliefs. She is the head of the Institute of Experimental Psychology at the Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, v.v.i.

Zuzana Gdovinová is a neurologist specializing in cerebrovascular diseases. She is a professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice and Head of the Neurological Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Applied Sciences and the L. Pasteur University Hospital in Košice.

Martin Kahanec is an economist who focuses on labour market, migration and public policy research. He is a professor at the Central European University (CEU) in Vienna, at the Faculty of National Economy at the University of Economics in Bratislava and founder of the Central European Institute for Labour Researchin Bratislava , where he is the scientific director. He is Chief Scientific Adviser to the European Commission and President of the Economics, Business and Management Sciences Section of the Academia Europaea, the European Academy of Sciences.

Karol Marhold is a botanist specialising in plant systematics and taxonomy, polyploidy and informatics applications in biodiversity studies. He has a special interest in the Brassicaceae and the genus Cardamine. He works as a senior researcher at the Botanical Institute of the Centre of Plant Biology and Biodiversity of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, v.v.i. and as a professor of botany at Charles University in Prague.

Adam Tomashov is a palaeobiologist and geologist with a focus on macroecology and marine ecosystems. He is Head of the Department of Paleobiology and Evolution of Organisms at the Institute of Earth Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, v.v.i.

Finalists of the category Outstanding Scientist in Slovakia Under the Age of 35 (in alphabetical order)

Ivan Kontuľ is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University in Bratislava. He has scientifically contributed to the use of radiocarbon content analysis and measurement of low-level radioactivity in various scientific fields. He contributed significantly to the development of accelerator mass spectrometry and radiocarbon analysis at Comenius University.

Pavol Matlovič works at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University in Bratislava, where he is engaged in astrophysics of small bodies of the Solar System. he specializes in meteor spectroscopy, which he uses to study their chemical composition, origin and diversity. His research contributes to the understanding of the processes that have shaped our planetary system, as well as to a more efficient search for meteorites and to the assessment of the risks associated with meteoroid impacts.

Akansha Mehta is a materials chemistry researcher at the FunGlass Centre at the Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín. she specializes in the conversion of real industrial waste, such as medical glass and bauxite sludge, into advanced 3D printed photocatalytic membranes and conductive glass-ceramic electrodes for environmental, energy and glass technology applications.

Jakub Šrol is an independent researcher at the Institute of Experimental Psychology, Centre of Social and Psychological Sciences, Slovak Academy of Sciences, v.v.i, where he studies the social-psychological causes and consequences of belief in conspiracy theories. He is the author of dozens of scientific papers published in prestigious international journals and has received several awards from the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

Daniela Vacek is a philosopher with a focus on the ethics of artificial intelligence, analytic aesthetics and philosophical logic. She works as a researcher at the Department of Analytic Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy, Slovak Academy of Sciences, v.v.i. and at the Department of Logic and Methodology of Sciences, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University in Bratislava.

Finalists of the category Outstanding Academic in Slovakia (in alphabetical order)

Michaela Kostičová is the Head of the Department of Social Medicine and Medical Ethics at the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University in Bratislava. In her research and teaching activities, she works in the field of social determinants of health with a focus on the health of adolescents and people from excluded communities.

Pavel Segeč is Professor of Applied Informatics, Head of the Department of Information Networks and key researcher at the Faculty of Management and Informatics, University of Žilina. His professional and research focus is on computer networks, cloud computing and cyber security.

Ľubomír Švorc works at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. Together with students in the laboratory, he develops modern approaches for detection and determination of biologically active substances using advanced electroanalytical methods and prospective electrochemical sensors.

Juraj Tóth is a university lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University in Bratislava. As a renowned astronomer, he is devoted to the research of small bodies of the Solar System, education of students of astronomy and astrophysics, as well as popularization of astronomy among the general public. As the leader of the AMOS project, he and his collaborators and students have deployed their own astronomical sky-tracking instruments on almost every continent.

Adriana Zeleňáková works at the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice as Head of the Department of Condensed Matter Physics at the Institute of Physical Sciences. Her research focuses on nanoparticle magnetism with an emphasis on relaxation processes, focusing on applications of magneticnanoparticle systems in biomedicine, such as therapeutic and diagnostic platforms, as well as applications of nanoparticles in the energy industry.

For more information, please visit www.esetscienceaward.sk

About ESET Foundation

The ESET Foundation was established in 2011 and its primary activities include popularizing science and research; developing education in the field of information technology and internet security, as well as supporting projects related to civil society. In more than 13 years of its successful existence, ESET Foundation has established long-term partnerships with organizations whose goals and outputs contribute to the fulfillment of its direction. For more information, please visit www.nadaciaeset.sk

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