The Recognition of the Antarctic Spirit is an award aimed at scientists who have extensive experience in Antarctic scientific research, teaching and training of undergraduate and graduate students, with verifiable contributions to the knowledge of polar sciences. This Recognition is delivered at each version of the Chilean Antarctic Research Congress. This year, in version XI, the Recognition was awarded to Dr. León Bravo Ramírez, founder of our Antarctic Plant Ecophysiology group and a prominent scientist in the field of Plant Physiology and Ecophysiology.

Dr. Bravo has worked since 1995 on topics related to Antarctic science, continuously participating in INACH scientific expeditions, studying from ecological aspects and climate change to sophisticated molecular mechanisms that explain the existence of only two species of vascular plants in Antarctica. His excellent Antarctic work is supported by multiple scientific publications in high-impact journals, also training a large number of undergraduate and graduate students, who today also carry out Antarctic research. Dr. Bravo has also been President of the National Committee for Antarctic Research (CNIA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile and National Representative of the“Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR)”.

Upon receiving this Award, Dr. Bravo recognized and thanked the collaborative work around which he has developed his work: “Antarctic research work requires a lot of collaboration. This award is the result of the effort of many colleagues and students, as well as the personal and family sacrifice that it has meant all these years, when you leave your family during summer vacations. I also want to express my gratitude to them for their support and patience.”

We congratulate Dr. Bravo for this well-deserved Recognition, which embodies his spirit of Antarctic research and passion for science!