Three outstanding Hungarian researchers received the Charles Simonyi Research Scholarship Award in the Ceremonial Hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest on October 2, 2003.  The annual award in the amount of 2.5 million HUF was first established in 2000 by Dr. Charles Simonyi, and the continuation of the awards was assured with the cooperation of the Hungarian American Coalition in 2002 to serve the goal of encouraging outstanding scientific research by Hungarians.

The 2003 recipients were: Miklós Rontó from Capatho-Ukraine and now associated with the University of Miskolc, whose research focuses on non-linear analysis of matter and of boundary values; Dr. Erzsébet Rőth of the University of Pécs Medical School who has done extensive research on preventing and reducing post-heart attack cardiovascular effects; and Mihály Hoppál of Budapest, whose field includes folklore, folk art and mythology research, and whose ethnic research has taken him to the U.S. to study the Hungarian American community.

The presentation ceremony was attended by Bálint Magyar, Minister of Education; E. Szilveszter Vízi, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Dr. Lajos Keszthelyi, President of the Charles Simonyi Research Scholarship Committee, and many other members of the Academy. After opening remarks by the dignitaries, the award winners each described his/her research activity in a short lecture.

Edith Lauer, Chairman Emerita of the Hungarian American Coalition, conveyed the congratulations of the organization to each of the three outstanding Hungarian research scientists.

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The Hungarian American Coalition is a nationwide non-profit organization that promotes public understanding and awareness of Hungarian American issues.