Professor Gilberto Artioli from the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padova has been awarded the fourteenth Max Perutz Prize by the European Crystallographic Association. This recognition celebrates his fundamental contributions to materials science, his pioneering role in applying crystallography in industry, art, archaeology, and cultural heritage, as well as his commitment to disseminating and promoting crystallographic knowledge in society.

Prof. Artioli's career is characterized by a long and distinguished experience in structural and mineralogical crystallography. His research spans from studying hydrogen bonding in microporous materials using neutron diffraction to developing software for full profile refinement of powder diffraction data. He initiated the organization of a series of Italian national schools on powder diffraction and served as vice-President of the European Powder Diffraction Conference (EPDiC).

He was among the founders of the Italian Society for Synchrotron Light (SILS). His activities aimed to expand and diffuse the crystallographic use of large-scale research facilities, with particular focus on simultaneous and combined experiments in diffraction, spectroscopy, and imaging. In 2008, he founded the Interdepartmental Center for the study of binders and concrete (CIRCe), which he directed for 15 years.

Prof. Artioli consistently emphasized the relevant role of crystallography in studying cultural heritage materials. His 2010 textbook "Scientific methods and cultural heritage" represents a unique introduction to the application of materials science (and crystallography) to archaeometry and conservation science. From 2014 to 2023, he chaired the IUCr Commission on "Crystallography in art and cultural heritage" (CrysAC), establishing and organizing the successful series of CrysAC workshops, designed to stimulate continuous scientific exchange between the crystallographic and cultural heritage communities.

He contributed to several editions of the IUCr textbook "Fundamentals of crystallography", to volume H of the International Tables for Crystallography-Powder Diffraction, and to numerous national and international schools and workshops, including several Open Labs in Africa and the Middle East. The Department of Geosciences congratulates Professor Gilberto Artioli on this prestigious recognition, which highlights his significant contributions to crystallography and its applications in various fields.