José Mariano Gago (1948 - 2015)#

Academia Europaea is saddened to announce the death of Professor José Mariano Gago, twice a Minister for Science and Technology of Portugal and most recently a Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education of Portugal.

Don Professor Mariano Gago was a distinguished scholar of international reputation, a resolute and active champion of European research and an active member of the Academia Europaea since his election in 2001.

Professor Gago served on the Council of the Academia Europaea from 2003 – 2005, only stepping down on his appointment as Minister for Research and Education of Portugal (for the second time).

Professor Gago was also active in the organising of the 2003 Annual Conference of the Academia, that took place in Lisbon and was a regular participant in many of our annual conferences following his election, including the 2014 Barcelona meeting – as a speaker.

During his two periods as a Minister, he was always a strong advocate in the European Council (and other fora) of the European Research Area (a policy championed under the EU Presidency of Portugal and under his watch); a staunch supporter of European research networking and collaboration and also, as a founding voice, for the promotion of funding at the European level of excellent individuals delivering ground breaking basic science, a support that ultimately resulted in the creation of the European Research Council.

Lately, Professor Gago had been an active member of the Advisory group of our Barcelona Knowledge Hub and was involved in the early stages of preparing a major event for 2016 in Lisbon, for the Hub and the Academia at large. The Board and Council of the Academia Europaea will miss his erudite counsels, his always light hearted interventions and his active engagement in the life of the AE. The Trustees will consider how best to mark his achievements.

Homage to Prof. José Mariano Gago
Obituary, EuroScience