Dr. José Zagal, a professor at the University of Santiago de Chile and winner of the 2024 National Science Prize, has reached a new global milestone. In 2026, he will be honored in Kyoto, Japan, with the Linstead Career Award during the 14th International Conference on Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines (ICPP14).
Nomination letters describe Professor Zagal as Latin America’s most prominent electrochemist, celebrating his transformative experimental advances and his dedication to mentoring generations of scientists. Reflecting on the honor—which follows his recent accolade from the Global Energy Association.
Dr. Zagal noted that the award celebrates "original ideas that break the mold rather than simply following trends."
"The award recognizes scientists making global contributions, and we are moving in that direction," Dr. Zagal noted.
This latest honor marks his sixth international award, adding to a prolific career that includes over 258 published articles—191 dedicated to phthalocyanines and porphyrins—six books, and three patents on fuel cells.
The organizing committee described his work as being "of utmost importance to our scientific community," in a letter signed by Dr. Karl M. Kadish, President of the Society for Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines. Most notably, this marks the first time in the history of the prize that it has been awarded to a Latin American scientist.