Awards & Honors Recipients

Darwin Medal

The Society’s premier honor is awarded once every 4 years to a senior ICRS member who is recognized worldwide for major scientific contributions throughout their career

• 2020 Nancy Knowlton (14th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bremen)
• 2016 John Randall✝ (13th International Coral Reef Symposium, Honolulu)
• 2012 Jeremy Jackson (12th International Coral Reef Symposium, Cairns)
• 2008 Terry Hughes (11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Fort Lauderdale)
• 2004 J. E. N. (Charlie) Veron (10th International Coral Reef Symposium, Okinawa)
• 2000 Yossi Loya (9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali)
• 1996 Ian G. MacIntyre✝ (8th International Coral Reef Symposium, Panama)
• 1992 Peter W. Glynn (7th International Coral Reef Symposium, Guam)
• 1988 David Stoddart✝ (Inaugural recipient)

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Eminence in Research

Recognition of a scientist for an outstanding body of research performed over twenty years or more

• 2024 Todd C. LaJeunesse, Pennsylvania State University, USA
• 2023 Mónica Medina, Pennsylvania State University, USA
• 2022 Virginia Weis, Oregon State University, USA
• 2022 Nicholas Polunin, Newcastle University, UK
• 2021 Jorge Cortés-Núñez, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica
• 2021 Helmut Schuhmacher, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
• 2020 Joanie Kleypas, National Center for Atmospheric Research, USA
• 2020 Valerie Paul, Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, USA
• 2018 James W. Porter, University of Georgia, USA
• 2018 Rolf P. M. Bak, Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Netherlands
• 2017 Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
• 2017 Tim McClanahan, Wildlife Conservation Society
• 2016 Bette Willis, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
• 2016 Katharina Fabricius, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia
• 2015 Barbara Brown, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, United Kingdom
• 1988 Siro Kawaguti✝, Okayama University, Japan

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Mid-Career Scientist Award

In recognition of excellence in research by a mid-career scientist (ten to twenty years post-PhD) performed over the preceding ~10 years

• 2024 Rebecca Vega Thurber, University of California Santa Barbara, USA
• 2023 Christian Wild, Universität Bremen, Germany
• 2022 Christian Voolstra, Universität Konstanz, Germany
• 2021 Luiz Rocha, California Academy of Sciences, USA
• 2020 Andrew Baird, James Cook University, Australia
• 2019 Nicholas A. J. Graham, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England
• 2018 Joshua E. Cinner, James Cook University, Australia
• 2017 Morgan Pratchett, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
• 2016 Andréa Grottoli, The Ohio State University, Ohio, USA
• 2015 Peter Mumby, University of Queensland, Australia

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Early-Career Scientist Award

In recognition of excellence in research by an early career scientist no more than 10 years post-PhD

• 2024 Sarah W. Davies, Boston University, USA
• 2023 Nils Rädecker, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
• 2022 Georgina Gurney,James Cook University, Australia
• 2021 Nyssa Silbiger, California State University, Northridge , USA
• 2020 Carly Kenkel, University of Southern California, USA
• 2019 Lauren T. Toth, US Geological Survey, Florida, USA
• 2017 Emily Darling, Wildlife Conservation Society, Canada
• 2015 Erinn Muller, Mote Marine Laboratory, Florida, USA

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World Reef Award

In recognition of scientific or conservation achievement by an individual who is a member of an under-represented demographic in the field of reef science or management

• 2024 Tries Blandine Razak, IPB (Institut Pertanian Bogor) University, Indonesia
• 2023 Nohora Galvis, Observatorio Internacional de Arrecifes Coralinos, Colombia
• 2022 Safira Warili Hawari Djohani, Coral Triangle Center, Indonesia
• 2018 Ranjeet Bhagooli, University of Mauritius, Mauritius
• 2017 Joseph Maina Mbui, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
• 2017 Lorenzo Alvarez-Filip, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
• 2016 Sangeeta Mangubhai, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fiji

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Coral Reef Conservation Award

In recognition of a regionally or globally significant contribution to the protection of coral reefs

• • 2024 Francis Staub, ICRI (International Coral Reef Initiative) UK
  • 2023 Victor Bonito, Reef Explorer Fiji, Fiji Islands
  • 2022 David Obura, CORDIO East Africa, Kenya
  • 2021 Melanie McField, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative / Smithsonian Institution
  • 2020 Nyawira Muthiga, Wildlife Conservation Society, Kenya
  • 2020 Susan Mary Wells, conservation consultant, UK
  • 2019 Alan T. White, Sustainable Ecosystems Advanced (SEA) Project, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • 2018 Rodney (Rod) V. Salm, The Nature Conservancy, USA

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Lifetime Honorary Members

The status of lifetime Honorary Member of the International Coral Reef Society is considered one of the Society’s most prestigious honors, awarded to an eminent person who has benefited either the world’s reefs or the society.

2022

• H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco

Recent

• Robert N Ginsburg (USA)✝
• Donald Kinsey (Australia)✝
• H Gray Multer (USA)✝
• John (Jack) E. Randall (USA)✝
• David R Stoddart (UK)✝

1992

• 1992 Joseph H. Connell (USA)✝
• 1992 Joshua I. Tracey, Jr. (USA)✝

1987

• 1987 Georg & Annelise Scheer (Germany)✝

1985

• 1985 Siro Kawaguti (Japan)✝
• 1985 Raymond Fosberg✝
• 1985 John Wells✝

1981

• 1981 Harry Ladd✝
• 1981 Sir (Charles) Maurice Yonge✝
• 1981 Francisco Nemenzo✝
• Ian G. MacIntyre (USA)✝

 

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Best Paper Award

To the authors of the best scientific paper in Coral Reefs for the calendar year, as determined by the journal’s editors

• 2023: N Travaglione,R Evans, M Moustaka, M Cuttler, DP Thomson, J Tweedley, and S. Wilson
• 2022: MC Buckingham, C D’Angelo, TB Chalk, GL Foster,
  KG Johnson, Z Connelly, C Olla, M Saeed, and J Wiedenmann
• 2021: OM Williamson, CE Allen, DE Williams, MW Johnson, MW Miller, and AC Baker
• 2020: GM Nicholson and KD Clements
• 2019: HR Nelson and AH Altieri
• 2018: R Cunning, RN Silverstein, and AC Baker
• 2017: DM de Bakker, FC van Duyl, RPM Bak, MM Nugues, G Nieuwland, and EH Meesters
• 2016: DM Holstein, CB Paris, AC Vaz, and TB Smith
• 2016: AJ Frisch, M Ireland, JR Rizzari, OM Lönnstedt, KA Magnenat, CE Mirbach, and JA Hobbs
• 2015: R Cunning, P Gillette, T Capo, K Galvez, and AC Baker
• 2014: SA Wooldridge
• 2013: EM Graham, AH Baird, SR Connolly, MA Sewell, and BL Willis
• 2012: S Agostini, Y Suzuki, T Higuchi, BE Casareto, K Yoshinaga, Y Nakano, and H Fujimura
• 2011: HPA Sweatman, S Delean, and C Syms
• 2010: KE Fabricius, K Okaji and G De’ath
• 2009: SK Wilson, AM Dolman, AJ Cheal, MJ Emslie, MS Pratchett, and HPA Sweatman
• 2008: JEN Veron
• 2007: JC Mieog, MJH van Oppen, NE Cantin, WT Stam, and JL Olsen
• 2006: M Sheaves
• 2005: A Tribollet and S Golubic
• 2004: L Penland, J Kloulechad, D Idip, and R van Woesik
• 2003: JM Guinotte, RW Buddemeier, and JA Kleypas
• 2002: PL Munday
• 2001: WK Fitt, BE Brown, ME Warner, and RP Dunne
• 2000: KRN Anthony
• 1999: AG Grottoli, and GM Wellington
• 1998: G Russ and A Alcala
• 1997: L Muscatine, E Tambutte, and D Allemand
• 1995: GM Wellington and RB Dunbar
• 1994: WS Hantoro, PA Pirazzoli, C Jouanni, H Faure, CT Hoang, U Radtke, Causse, M Borel Best, R Lafont, S Bieda, and K Lambeck G
• 1993: PW Glynn
• 1992: TP Scoffin
• 1991: CW Wheeler and P Aharon
• 1990: G Paulay and LR McEdward
• 1990: PW Glynn and L D’Croz
• 1988: PA Pirazzoli, LF Montaggioni, B Salvat, and G Faure
• 1987: TJ Done

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Ruth Gates Fellowship

In memory of Dr. Ruth Gates, this research grant is available to students and early-career scientists no more than 3 years post-PhD

• 2024 Wyatt Million, Australia
• 2023 Igor Pessoa, USA
• 2022 Natalia Uribe-Castaneda, Colombia
• 2022 Liam Lachs, UK
• 2021 Jordan Sims George Mason University, USA
• 2020 Aliyah Griffith University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
• 2019 Till Roethig, University of Derby, UK

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Graduate Research Fellowships

A grant awarded to registered post-graduate research students to assist in the costs of undertaking fieldwork or visiting laboratories

2024

• Ingrid Bunholi, Brazil
• Annabell Klinke, Germany
• Dominica Harrison, Canada
• Alexandra Jordan, UK
• Lili Vizer, Hungary
• Ayaka Paul, Japan
• Sruti Jeetun, Mauritius

2023

• Dominque Gallery, USA
• Hannah Merges, USA
• Taylor Lindsay, USA
• Melissa Versteeg, UK
• Helen Yan, Australia
• Clara Lei Xin Yong, Singapore

2022

• Alexandra Pierre, Haiti
• Bibiana Nassongole, Mozambique
• Danielle Becker, USA
• Li Lee, Malaysia
• Michelle Taylor, UK
• Shakeel Jogee, Mauritius

2021

• Natalie Andersen, University of Exeter
• Emily Chei, University of Hong Kong
• Benjamin Farmer, Louisiana State University
• Akacia Halliday-Isaac, University of Mississippi
• Katherine Lawson, State University of New York
• Clayton Vondriska, Arkansas State University

2020

• Rachel Carlson, Stanford University
• Matías Gómez Corrales, University of Rhode Island
• Charlotte Page, University of New South Wales
• Rodrigo Rodríguez Vázquez, Universidad Nacional Autónoma De México
• Twinkle Sebastian, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, India
• Kevin Wong, University of Rhode Island

2019

• Jessica Bellworthy, Bar-Ilan University
• Naomi Huntley, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas
• Igor Pessoa, Rio de Janeiro State University
• Krishnaveny Saranadha, Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi
• Sterling Tebbett, James Cook University
• Diana Ugalde, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

2018

• Alexander Fordyce, University of Newcastle
• Remi Ketchum, University of North Carolina>
• Athira Prasad, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur
• Amanda Ramos Romero, University of Havana>
• Maria Santos, University of Ryukyus
• Karina Scavo Lord, Boston University

2017

• Arulananthan Ashani, University of Peradeniya
• Wing Chan, School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne
• Erin Dillon, University of California, Santa Barbara
• Yohan Louis, University of Mauritius
• James Price, Ohio State University
• Aida Sofia Rivera Sotelo,University of California, Davis>

2016

• Archana Anand, Hong Kong University
• Danielle Claar, University of Victoria
• James Dimond, University of Washington
• Laura Marangoni, Federal University of Rio Grande, Brazil

2007-2015

• 2015 Giverny Rodgers, James Cook University
• 2015 Benjamin Titus, The Ohio State University
• 2009 Rowan Trebilco, Simon Fraser University, Australia
• 2007 Jez Roff, University of Queensland
• 2007 Heidi Schuttenberg, James Cook University

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Science Communication Fellows

A grant awarded for an ICRS member at any career stage to gain science communication skills through a workshop, course, internship, or equivalent experience

• 2023 Audrey Tan, Singapore
• 2022 Hannah Rempel, USA
• 2021 Tory Chase, Villanova University, Pennsylvania, USA
• 2021 Denise Alcantara, Las Pinas City, Metro Manila, Philippines

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ICRS Fellows

In recognition of scientific, conservation, or management achievement and service to ICRS over a significant period of time

2024

 

 

 

 

 

2023

 

 

 

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

1992-2014

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✝ deceased

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