The physicist who put science at the heart of a country
Pedro Miguel Etxenike is a physicist whose career combines research in condensed-matter physics with the creation of scientific institutions and a strong commitment to public service. His research focuses on how electrons and other particles behave in solids and at surfaces, contributing significantly to our understanding of the properties of materials at the microscopic level.
Over several decades, Etxenike has contributed to the international development of materials physics while helping to build a scientific ecosystem in the Basque Country. He sees science not only as a source of knowledge, but also as a driving force for cultural and social progress, capable of strengthening education, innovation and the long-term development of a country.
This vision is reflected in the institutions he helped create. He was involved in the founding of the Materials Physics Center and CIC nanoGUNE, and was the driving force behind the creation of Donostia International Physics Center, which opened in 2000. Since then, DIPC has become an internationally recognized center that brings together cutting-edge research, a diverse scientific community, training opportunities for new generations of researchers, and outreach activities that promote public engagement with science.
Career and recognitions
Born in Isaba, Navarre, Etxenike graduated in Physical Sciences from the University of Navarre in 1972. He obtained PhDs from the University of Cambridge and the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and later was awarded the title of Doctor of Science by the University of Cambridge. He has supervised 27 doctoral theses, published more than four hundred scientific papers, and delivered invited lectures at institutions and conferences across Europe, the Americas and Japan. He is Emeritus Professor at the University of the Basque Country (EHU).
He served as Minister of Education in the first Basque Government and later as Minister of Education and Culture and government spokesperson. From these positions, he promoted research, science and technology, and helped advance the Law for the Normalisation of the Use of the Basque Language. His honours include the Prince of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research and the Max Planck Physics Prize, as well as the Euskadi Prize for Science and the Blas Cabrera National Research Award. He is an honorary member of the European Physical Society, was the founding president of Jakiunde and remains its Honorary President. He has also received six honorary doctorates.
