Outstanding scientific careers, high-impact projects, and the contributions of hundreds of researchers have been recognized over the 50-year history of the Rómulo Garza Research and Innovation Award, presented by Tecnológico de Monterrey and the company Xignux.

Since its inception in 1974, this award has celebrated and honored the scientific and technological innovation efforts of Tec researchers, professors, and students as they work to find solutions to humanity’s greatest challenges.

The award was established in memory of businessman Rómulo Garza as a way to preserve his legacy as a champion of research and education in Mexico. He was a board member and founder of Xignux, and in 1943, alongside Eugenio Garza Sada, he co-founded Tec de Monterrey, where he also served as a board member. Together with his heirs, both institutions created the award.

Today, the prize is awarded in five categories: INSIGNIA Award, Research Leading to Entrepreneurship, Scientific Articles, and Student Projects at the PrepaTec, Undergraduate, and Graduate levels. Winners receive a commemorative sculpture and a financial incentive to encourage and support the continuation of their research.

Rómulo Garza Award: Showcasing Research Work

For five decades, the award has recognized more than 400 research projects and has served as a platform to elevate the work of Tec researchers.

Emanuele Giorgi, a distinguished professor at the School of Architecture, Art, and Design, and winner in the 2020 edition for his published book The Co-Housing Phenomenon: Environmental Alliance in Times of Change, says the award represents not only institutional recognition but also national and international validation of his work.

“It becomes a calling card; linking a project on the topic of cohousing to such a prestigious and meaningful award helps establish it as valuable research that contributes to knowledge and has a real impact on society,” Giorgi explains.

Winning the award, he adds, is a source of pride—but it also comes with the commitment and responsibility to continue doing high-quality work that benefits society.

Boosting Research Careers Within and Beyond Tec

In addition to celebrating the work carried out in scientific projects, the Rómulo Garza Award also promotes the professional growth of researchers and expands the reach of their projects.

“The Rómulo Garza Award propelled my career—to the point that today, I am the scientific director of the oriGen Project, where we aim to map the genomic profiles of the Mexican population,” says Víctor Manuel Treviño, a researcher at the School of Engineering and Sciences.

Treviño received the award in 2014 for his co-authorship of the article Landscape of Genomic Alterations in Cervical Carcinomas, published in Nature. In collaboration with colleagues from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, he developed a computational algorithm to detect the regions where the human papillomavirus (HPV) integrates into DNA.

For Bonnie Jo Palifka, a professor at the School of Social Sciences and Government and winner in 2017 for her published book Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform (second edition), the award enhances the international visibility of Tec researchers and supports them in forging collaborations.

“For me, it was recognition of the importance of studying corruption, and it motivated me to continue publishing in this field. In fact, two years later, I founded a conference called Academia Against Corruption in the Americas, where we bring together scholars focused on this issue,” Palifka shares.

INSIGNIA Award: Honoring Exemplary Scientific Careers

For over a decade, the INSIGNIA Award has been presented to Tec research professors with outstanding scientific careers, recognizing their contributions to the institution, their impact on the community, and the honors they have received throughout their trajectory.

Among the awardees are leading researchers such as Janet Gutiérrez, Alex Elías, Arturo Molina, Dora Elvira García, Mario Moisés Álvarez, Marco Antonio Rito, and Bryan William Husted, among others.

This category was first introduced in the 2012 edition of the award gala, with David Muñoz, a research professor in the Graduate Studies Department of what was then the School of Engineering and Information Technologies, being the first recipient.

Julio César Gutiérrez, a professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences, who won awards for his projects in 2008 and 2012 and received the INSIGNIA Award in 2014, highlights the significance of this distinction.

“As a Tec researcher, this is the highest honor you can aspire to. I am extremely proud to have received it because it represents the institution’s recognition of your research focus and the impact you have achieved,” he says.

The 50th edition of the Rómulo Garza Award gala will take place on February 27, as part of the Tec Science Summit 2025.

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