The Malaspina Awards is an honour bestowed by the Spanish Embassy in Canberra and the Association of Spanish Researchers in Australia-Pacific (SRAP) to individuals and organisations who have made a significant contribution to the scientific and/or cultural relationship between Spain and Australia.
The award will be presented in two categories, an individual category and one for organisations. The name of the award acknowledges the Spanish scientific expedition led by Alejandro Malaspina, which arrived into the area that is today known as Sydney in 1793, this was the first foreign mission to visit the British colony just five years after the arrival of the First Fleet.
The 2024 Malaspina Awards have been conferred to
- Prof Alfredo Martínez-Expósito (Individual)
- Eat Spanish (Institution)
Prof Alfredo Martínez-Expósito is one of Australia’s most senior Hispanists. Since 1993, he has developed his academic career at the University of Queensland and, since 2011, at the University of Melbourne where he has been recently awarded the title of Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor, which recognises and rewards outstanding leaders within the university professoriate. His academic research on Spanish literature and cinema pioneered the fields of LGBT and cultural branding studies. Among his many achievements, in 2007, Prof Martínez-Expósito was elected to the Australian Academy of Humanities, being the first Fellow in the field of Spanish language.
Eat Spanish is a nonprofit culinary organisation that brings together chefs, local producers and lovers of Spanish food and wine in Australia. Since its founding in 2018, Eat Spanish members have showcased the diversity of Spanish cuisine, encouraging collaboration between Spanish professionals and local suppliers. Everyone at Eat Spanish firmly believes that Spanish gastronomy is much more than food; It reflects the culture, heritage, traditions and sense of community of the 17 regions of Spain. The organisation’s ultimate goal is to introduce the Spanish way of cooking to homes across Australia.
The 7th Malaspina Awards has been sponsored by Navantia Australia. The award is embodied by the statuette “Heart” designed by the internationally renowned Spanish artist Óscar Martín de Burgos.
The Malaspina Awards Ceremony will take place at the Australian Academy of Science in Canberra on Monday 9th December 2024 at 11am. The event will count with the participation of Ms Anna-Maria Arabia (Chief Executive of the Australian Academy of Science), HE Mrs Esther Monterrubio Villar (Ambassador of Spain in Australia), A/Prof Ángel R. López Sánchez (SRAP President – Macquarie University), Mr Israel Lozano Barragán (Managing Director of Navantia Australia), and Prof Sergio León-Saval (SRAP Honorary President – University of Sydney and Master of Ceremony), among others.
The Malaspina Award Ceremony is an invitation-only event. If you wish to attend, please contact us before COB Wed 4th December.