Dr Iestyn Woolway awarded prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize for pioneering research on climate change and freshwater ecosystems

Dr Iestyn Woolway, a climate scientist from Bangor University, has been honoured with the 2024 Philip Leverhulme Prize in recognition of his research on the effects of climate change on global lakes and freshwater ecosystems. This prestigious award, granted by the Leverhulme Trust, is given to scholars whose work has already made significant international contributions and demonstrates exceptional promise for the future. It recognises original, impactful research that has shaped understanding across disciplines. Only 30 prizes are awarded each year across the UK, with the 2024 awards spanning several academic fields.

Dr Woolway's research focuses on how lakes and other inland waters are responding to rapid global warming. His work has provided critical insights into the effects of climate change on these ecosystems, with serious implications for biodiversity, water quality, and overall ecosystem health. Using advanced techniques that integrate satellite remote sensing and climate modelling, Dr Woolway has offered a global perspective on the vulnerability of lakes to rising temperatures. His innovative studies, especially those on how increasing air temperatures and shifting weather patterns affect lake temperatures, stratification, and ice cover, have been instrumental in shaping scientific understanding and informing climate policy discussions.

The Philip Leverhulme Prize, which awards each prize winner with £100,000 which can be used for any purpose related to the advancement of their research will allow Dr Woolway to further his research, particularly on the resilience of freshwater ecosystems in the face of unprecedented environmental challenges. The award also underscores his growing role as a key voice in global discussions on how to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.