Prof. José Mariano Gago, former Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education in Portugal and a Trustee of CREF and The Cyprus Institute, passed away on Friday, 17 April 2015, at his home in Lisbon at the age of 66.

Prof. José Mariano Gago officially served on the Board of CREF since January 2013. However, he made significant contributions towards the establishment and development of The Cyprus Institute from very early in its planning phase. He was involved from the very beginning in the planning of the Institute and he participated in the Convocation of Scholars in 2002, which examined and endorsed the vision and plans for the launching of The Cyprus Institute. He participated in meetings concerning the Institute with Presidents Clerides and Papadopoulos. He was steadfast supporter and promoter of CyI internationally.  We have deep respect and great appreciation for all he has offered to Cyprus, The Cyprus Institute family and European Science.

Prof. Gago served as Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education in Portugal between 1995 and 2002, and between 2005 and 2011. While Minister he set the foundations for the extraordinary development of Science and Technology in Portugal in the past two decades, and led the reform of the country’s Higher Education system. He was widely respected for his scientific work and contributions to Portugal and Europe.  During the Portuguese EU presidency (2000) he prepared, along with the European Commission, the Lisbon Strategy for the European Research Area and for the Information Society in Europe.

Prof. Mariano Gago will be remembered as an impassioned physicist and a committed European that placed science and technology at the top of the EU agenda. The Board of Trustees, the management and staff of The Cyprus Institute, deeply saddened by his sudden death, extend their condolences to the family of Prof. Mariano Gago.

See also:
http://www.euroscience.org/news/euroscience-mourns-the-death-of-jose-mariano-gago/

Government officials and international scholars at the Presidential Palace for the design and scope of The Cyprus Institute. Prof. Gago standing behind President Vassiliou