Honorary Award

Call for Nominations: ESAI Honorary Award

The ESAI is delighted to open a public call for nominations for ESAI Honorary Award. We invite you to nominate individuals who have made meaningful and impactful contributions to Environmental Science—whether through community engagement, policy action, research, education, or practical implementation of environmental initiatives within their local communities.

The ESAI Honorary Award aims to recognise outstanding dedication and to highlight the important work of individuals advancing environmental understanding and action. Recipients will receive one year of free ESAI membership and will be invited to Environ 2026 to accept their Honorary Award.

To nominate someone, please submit a written statement (up to 300 words) via the Google Form here.

Deadline for nominations: Friday, 27th February 2026.

In your application you will be required to include;

Name of the nominee
Their role/position (if relevant)
Key achievements or contributions
How they have impacted the organization, community, or field,
Anything else you want highlighted

This call is open to all individuals, regardless of ESAI membership status, who have made significant contributions to environmental science and/or sustainability. Nominees may include, but are not limited to:

Researchers/Principal Investigators
Community Leaders / Citizen Scientists
Educators (e.g., University Academic Staff, Green Schools coordinators)
Civil Servants or Local Authority Personnel who help bridge research and policy
Environmental practitioners/NGOs or charity staff/volunteers

Evaluation Criteria

Nominations will be assessed by the ESAI Council based on demonstrated impact in one or more of the following areas:

Research and Innovation: Advancing environmental science through new knowledge, educational outreach, methods, or technologies.
Education and Outreach: Promoting environmental science through teaching, workshops, or public engagement.
Community Engagement: Leading or implementing initiatives that increase environmental awareness.
Policy Influence: Contributing to policy development or advocating for environmental objectives.
Private Sector Leadership: Demonstrating sustainable practices, cross-sector collaboration, or advocacy for environmental priorities.

ESAI Honorary Members

In 2020, to mark the 30^th Anniversary of the Irish Environmental Sciences Research Colloquium ‘Environ’, the ESAI began an honours list. To acknowledge the involvment and support over the years of members of our community we awarded life-time membership to those appointed to our honours list. Each year at Environ the ESAI intends to add another name to the list to continue to celebrate contribution to the ESAI and Environmental Sciences.

2022:

Prof Richard Moles

Richard Moles lectured in the University of Limerick for 32 years. He lectured on geoscience, environmental impact assessment, environmental management, urban sustainability. His research interests include urban sustainability, community scale carbon emission reduction, conservation of karst soils and wildlife.

Prof John Breen

John Breen lectured in the University of Limerick his main research interests are in the ecology of social insects and bee keeping.

2021:

Prof Emer Colleran (Posthumously)

Emer Colleran was a leading microbiologist and one of the State’s foremost advocates for the environment, combining a radical energy with scientific discipline and expertise. She was known as a brilliant academic colleague and inspirational teacher and a mentor to a generation of students. Learn more about Emer’s career and contribution to environmental science in Ireland here.