by Ingrid Vaileanu-Paun

​On 21 June, the 13th edition of the Awards Gala of the Grand National Lodge of Romania took place at the Romanian Athenaeum in the capital Bucharest. The event was organised jointly with the Romanian Academy, the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Culture, the National Council of Rectors, and the 12 largest universities in Romania: Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, the University of Bucharest, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, the West University of Timișoara, the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Carol Davila University of Medicine in Bucharest, the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, the National University of Arts Constantin Brâncuși, Transilvania University of Brașov, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, and the University of Craiova.

​

"Every award presented is a testament to the core values upon which a prosperous society is built: truth, integrity, and benevolence. It is also a reaffirmation of our commitment to supporting and encouraging excellence across all areas of social, cultural, and scientific life. It is heartening to see how the contributions of the laureates help build a better world, through personal example and through their innovative and dedicated actions. These award recipients are a source of inspiration to us all, demonstrating that through diligent work, passion, and dedication, extraordinary things can be achieved. As we celebrate the remarkable merits of the Romanian societal elite, let us remember that each award represents not only individual recognition, but also a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to progress and the common good. May these prizes inspire all those present to continue striving for excellence and to remain devoted to the mission of making the world a better place." — Cătălin Tohăneanu, Grand Master of the Grand National Lodge of Romania.

​

At the Gala, 7 prizes named after representative figures in their respective fields were awarded: the Gheorghe Lazăr Prize for Exact Sciences — Dr. Valentin-Paul NICU; the Henri Coandă Prize for Applied Sciences — Dr. Eng. Florin Călin PĂUN; the Carol Davila Prize for Medicine — Prof. Dr. Ștefan CONSTANTINESCU; the Eugeniu Carada Prize for Economics — Prof. Dr. Emil DINGA; the Spiru Haret Prize for Education and the Environment — Prof. Dr. Georgeta ION; the Constantin Brâncuși Prize for Art and Culture — Silviu Purcărete; and the Grigore Moisil Prize for IT, Digitalisation, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence — Prof. Dr. Eng. Radu-Daniel VATAVU.

​

Now in its thirteenth edition, the G.N.L.R. Awards Gala aims to promote and reward the creative and innovative spirit of the Romanian people in fields vital to our collective destiny. The Gala seeks to stimulate and advance knowledge across all areas of research, including the social sciences and humanities, through both fundamental research and advanced inquiry aimed at developing solutions to complex problems, acquiring new understanding of phenomena and processes, and formulating and validating original hypotheses, conceptual models, and theories.

​

"The Awards Gala of the Grand National Lodge of Romania, now in its 13th edition, has become — by virtue of its scale, renown, and prestige — an event of national identity, not only for Freemasonry, but for Romanian society as a whole. It is an exceptional project, unique in its complexity and approach, bringing together all the value-creating forces of academia, scholarship, and culture. For this reason, twelve years ago I ventured to say that the Gala represented a true Romanian Nobel Prize. I hope that after this edition, we will all agree that this is indeed the case. Each year, we strive to reward excellence in 7 fields vital to our collective destiny — to recognise and honour original research, creative achievement, and devoted service to the nation, thereby paying tribute to those Romanians who create value, who inspire and motivate younger generations, and who shape destinies and lives. Through this Gala, we acknowledge and appreciate the sustained efforts that nominees and laureates have made throughout their professional journeys. They stand as true role models for us all in the shared endeavour to redefine the boundaries of knowledge. Each award recipient represents a unique success story, full of sacrifice, dedication, and perseverance. These individuals refused to settle for mediocrity and have demonstrated that research, study, and therefore knowledge, know no bounds. They had the courage to follow their dreams, fully aware that through their work, they are creating a better world for us all. Research knows no limits — but it also knows no borders. We take pride in finding, within the great universities, laboratories, and research institutes of the world, exceptional Romanians, and in reading about their achievements in specialist journals. Some of them are here today at the Romanian Athenaeum as nominees and laureates. They have never forgotten, not for a single moment, that they are Romanian, and that part of their success is owed to the Romanian school system. This is why we are all indebted — through a conscious effort at the political, social, and intellectual levels — to build a new Romania: a Romania of elites, of meritocracy, of shapers of conscience and national identity. An educated, European, and prosperous Romania." — Remus Borza, Honorary Grand Master Ad Vitam of the G.N.L.R.

​

At the Gala, in the presence of more than 800 distinguished guests, addresses were delivered by Cătălin Tohăneanu — Grand Master of the G.N.L.R.; Academician Marius Andruh — President of the Romanian Academy; Prof. Dr. Mihai Dinian — Minister of Education and Research; Academician Dorel Banabic — President of the Technical Sciences Section of the Romanian Academy; Academician Ioanel Sinescu — Director of the Centre for Urological Surgery and Renal Transplantation at the Fundeni Clinical Institute; Prof. Dr. Viorel Jinga — Rector of Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest; Academician Daniel Dăianu — President of the Romanian Fiscal Council; Academician Mircea Dumitru — Vice-President of the Romanian Academy; Constantin Chiriac — Director of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival; Cristian Măcelaru — Director of the George Enescu International Festival; and Academician Gabriela Marinoschi — Vice-President of the Romanian Academy.

The jury of the Henri Coandă Prize — composed of Academician Dorel Banabic, President of the Technical Sciences Section of the Romanian Academy; Academician Dan Dubin, President of the Timișoara Branch of the Romanian Academy; Prof. Dr. Eng. Mihnea Costoiu, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest; Prof. Dr. Eng. Vasile Topa, Rector of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca; and Associate Prof. Dr. Eng. Florin Drăgan, Rector of the Polytechnic University of Timișoara — voted unanimously in 2026 to award the prize to Franco-Romanian Dr. Eng. Florin Călin Păun.

"I have the honor and distinguished privilege of presenting today a remarkable figure in aerospace engineering and innovation on a global scale, Dr. Eng. Florin Călin Păun. Born in Alba Iulia, he is a shining model of multicultural and multidisciplinary excellence. An elite graduate of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Mr. Florin Păun completed his academic journey in France by earning a Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from the prestigious National School of Aeronautical Construction Engineers (ENSICA) in Toulouse (now ISAE-SUPAERO). This title was subsequently complemented by a certification in Management and Leadership from the renowned MIT Sloan School of Management. This rare fusion of cutting-edge engineering science and advanced economic vision laid the foundation for an exceptional career. For more than ten years, as Director of Industrial Innovation at ONERA – the French Aerospace Lab – he coordinated more than 200 projects and 70 technology transfers, generating thousands of jobs. He was part of the French National Committee that laid the groundwork for the economic model of the Technology Transfer Acceleration Companies (SATT). Today, Mr. Florin Păun continues his career at the highest industrial level, holding the position of Chief Science & Partnerships within the ARESIA industrial group, where he directly coordinates the technologies of the future, including advanced liquid hydrogen systems for mobility and automatic piloting systems of the Loyal Wingman type — a cutting-edge military technology that enables crewed combat aircraft (such as the F-35, F-22, Eurofighter, Rafale) to command and coordinate one or more AI-equipped autonomous drones.

​

On the scientific front, Mr. Florin Păun is recognized as the author of two innovative concepts — a revolutionary methodology for simultaneously analyzing the technical maturity of a product relative to the corresponding level of market demand maturity, and Qualificative Artificial Intelligence (QuAI), a generic innovation designed to bring consensus and security to digital decision-making (used in his Xvaluator platform).

His prolific activity includes more than 70 international publications, hundreds of citations, 4 reference books of which he is the author, and an impressive portfolio of 12 invention patents — the most recent of which, granted in 2025 and 2026, relate to removable cryogenic tanks and storage systems for liquid hydrogen used in aviation.

​

His wide-ranging expertise is fully leveraged by the European Commission, where he is active as an expert and mentor within the European Innovation Council (EIC), overseeing the evaluation and auditing of companies for investments worth tens of millions of euros. Despite a globally acclaimed career recognized by distinctions such as the rank of Knight of the National Order of Merit in France and his inclusion among the 100 Personalities of Romania's Centenary in 2018, Mr. Florin Păun has remained deeply attached to Romania, actively supporting national technology clusters and serving as a member of the National Council for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Ladies and gentlemen, for his original frontier scientific contributions, for his transformative vision of how research achieves direct industrial impact, and for his role as a global ambassador of excellence, the Jury has decided to award the Henri Coandă Prize for Applied Sciences to Dr. Eng. Florin Călin Păun! Congratulations, Mr. Florin Păun!"

Acad. Dorel Banabic, President of the Section of Technical Sciences of the Romanian Academy.

​

Dr. Florin Păun's address at the Henri Coandă Prize ceremony in Bucharest for applied innovation also opened avenues for the development of future Franco-Romanian and European projects, by championing sovereign innovations — such as those that could make possible the hydrogenation of the economy in support of Europe's energy sovereignty (Dr. Florin Păun has notably been invited to speak on these subjects at the Franco-German Forum organised in Strasbourg by the journal Passages) — as well as the digital and ecological transition, through a new typology of AI in cognitive sciences: Qualificative AI, Xvaluator:

"…I am deeply grateful to you for the Honor being bestowed upon me at this moment… Henri Coandă being a role model for me as an aerospace engineer.

"What kind of men would we be if we did not try to improve things?!"…

Success in this mission is achieved through talent, but above all through hard work, personal effort to surpass oneself, and a permanent willingness to do more good around oneself… because… "The only Social Distinctions shall be based solely on Merit in the Creation of Public Utility Value…" said the Enlightenment thinkers in the original Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1792… and meritocracy represents the key to the evolution of our human society…

​

At the foundation of this Creation of Value lies Knowledge… and there is not a day that goes by without my thinking of what I owe to my Teachers… From the physics teacher in secondary school who slapped me because she did not believe I had independently discovered Faraday's law based on what she had just taught us… I retained the thirst for discovery. From Mathematics teacher Grigorescu, I learned that I had studied mathematics not to become a mathematician, but to have an Instrument I would use to understand Physics and Chemistry, which would open the doors of Biology and allow me to see beneath the Veil — for as Einstein said, "God lifts the Veil but does not let us see everything, and he does not do so out of malice"… thus leading me to transform my Science toward Consciousness in the face of the Absolute… Teachers Tascu and Combei demonstrated to me that Limits are those we impose upon ourselves (which is probably why I wrote a book entitled Sky is no Longer a Limit)!

The Professors of the Aerospace Faculty, founders of science such as Petre Augustin, V.N. Constantinescu, C. Berbente — who made me understand why a Doctor is a Philosophical Doctor — Blumenfeld, Academician Radu Voinea, Stanciu Ștefan… made us understand that the Engineer is the Man with the Solution… After all of this journey, I realized that Engineers do not know Everything, as indeed no one does… but then the thirst to Discover awakened within me and I became a Researcher… always in service of an application…

​

After that, I understood that discovering something new is only the beginning of the path toward the successful practical implementation of that discovery… and it took me several years of practice in the field of Technology Transfer to understand that… Innovators (among whom I hope to count myself), Entrepreneurs who know how to draw from the people around them more than those people believe themselves capable of… are in reality the true heroes of human societies, for they introduce what we call technical progress into society. They succeed in making two very different people work together… and I then understood Basarab Nicolescu's transdisciplinarity in its simplest expression… 1+1 no longer equals two… because they are different and Create value, but only when they collaborate!

It seems that I have managed to push the boundaries of these practices by discovering new instruments and theories that help people work together… thus becoming an effective catalyst for Innovation… in addition to being a Discoverer!

​

"Dubito ergo cogito, cogito ergo sum"… I take this opportunity to stress the need to reactivate, at all levels of human society — beginning of course with education — what we call Critical Thinking… without which the future AI personal assistants will transform us into a society of dependents, totally opposed to a meritocracy… which is why in recent years I have discovered a new type of Intelligence that I have named Qualificative, and I am trying to implement it through the Start-Up Xvaluator… because it is now that the future of Humanity is being decided! Take Descartes' quote in reverse if you don't believe it!

I have used many quotations and I will indulge in one Last quote (verse) "What I wish for you, sweet Romania…" (quote from the national poet Mihai Eminescu) :

To contribute to the design and construction of an innovation ecosystem in Romania to transform our country into a top-tier technological nation, so that our Olympic champions in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and robotics remain in the country… or return to it… and in turn make their own discoveries at home…

To contribute to the transformation of Romania into a hub of decarbonized energy through the Hydrogenation of the country (including methane gas extracted from the Black Sea) at a sustainable energy price; we have all the necessary technologies in France and you can count on me to transfer them to Romanian economic stakeholders within the framework of a national and European programme,

To contribute to the transformation of the Midia base into a modern multimodal joint and international training base following the model of the Solenzara base, which the company for which I work today as Scientific Director has implemented…

And I cannot close my speech without thanking and expressing my deepest gratitude to the people around me… my colleagues, my dear friends, my family and especially my wife Ingrid Anarela… because I assure you… I realize how much you contribute to my fulfillment and to making me perhaps even wiser…" Dr. Ing. Florin Călin Păun.

​

The Gala is a major event in Romania and has been described by the media as the "ROMANIAN NOBEL" given the significance of the scientific contributions made by the laureates in service of humanity.

​

Each of the 7 trophies is a genuine work of art created by one of Romania's most acclaimed visual artists, Alexandru Ghilduș — Doctor of Visual Arts, Professor at the National University of Arts in Bucharest, Dean of the Faculty of Decorative Arts and Design, and President of the Union of Professional Designers of Romania (UAP).

This event is made possible through the support of media partners — most notably Romanian National Television, which broadcasts the Awards Gala live each year — as well as sponsors including CEC Bank, Banca Transilvania, Erbașu, Retter Group, Garden Center Grup, Restaurant JORJ Intercontinental Athénée Palace, BILKA, Reciclador, Barko, Elsaco, Diana, Metalika, Jidvei, and others.

​

The Gala's exceptional programme — featuring the Orchestra and Chorus of the Romanian National Opera under the baton of Daniel Jinga, General Manager and Director of the Romanian National Opera and active conductor of opera, operetta and musical theatre — was performed alongside Ana Stănescu (soprano), Alin Stoica (tenor, principal soloist of the National Opera), Prof. Dr. Marin Cazacu (regarded as the foremost cellist of his generation, with an international career), Martiniana Antonie (mezzo-soprano), and Teodor Ilincai (tenor). Staged by Doru Marin and under the artistic direction of Remus Borza, the event was broadcast live on national television channels TVR2 and TVR International, with journalist Radu Cosarcă serving as a distinguished master of ceremonies.

The Romanian Athenaeum resounded with George Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody as the Gala's opening piece, followed by O Fortuna from Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, Nessun Dorma from Giacomo Puccini's Turandot, the Flower Duet from Delibes' Lakmé, and others — concluding with the Radetzky March by Johann Strauss. Each musical performance punctuated, with the highest artistic excellence, the presentation of the 7 awards and the inspiring speeches that marked the 2026 edition of this exceptional event, held in a European capital that honours values placed at the service of humanity: personal endeavour, selflessness, research, and innovation.

The Gala is a landmark event in Romania and has been described by the media as the "ROMANIAN NOBEL", in recognition of the significance of the laureates' scientific contributions to the benefit of humanity:

​

https://www.mlnr.ro/gala-premiilor/gala-premiilor-m-l-n-r-editia-a-xiii-a-2026-un-veritabil-nobel-romanesc/

​

http://www.tvr.ro/promo/13-cu-noroc-gala-premiilor-mlnr-in-direct-la-tvr-2_55452.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Zbl7bHQEE

​

https://financialintelligence.ro/gala-premiilor-marii-loji-nationale-din-romania-editia-a-xiii-a-2026-un-veritabil-nobel-romanesc/

​

https://jurnalul.ro/stiri/observator/gala-premiilor-m-l-n-r-editia-a-xiii-a-2026-un-veritabil-nobel-romanesc-1036735.html

​​

​

​

​

​

Presse européenne 

​

A la une du RIGHT BRAIN MAGAZINE à Paris: 

​

https://rightbrain-magazine.com/blogs/idees/florin-paun-il-faut-sortir-de-ce-modele-economique-dia-de-type-fordien-et-evoluer-vers-un-modele-deconomie-de-la-fonctionnalite-ou-seule-la-donnee-qualifiee-et-qualifiable-a-de-la-valeur-et-est-remuneree-comme-telle

​​

​

Note: Florin Paun (www.florin-paun.com:  ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/florin-paun-562931/) est l'auteur de plusieurs livres dont "J'innove donc je suis", "Tous Entre-Preneurs", "Sky is no longer a limit", "I the Xvaluator"

​