2023 SHACKLETON MEDAL FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE POLAR REGIONS // THE LONGLIST
Shackleton is thrilled to confirm the longlist of nominees for the second Shackleton Medal for the Protection of the Polar Regions. There can only be one winner, but every one of our fifty-one entrants has displayed passion, determination and ingenuity in their dedication to the Arctic and Antarctic. The range is as dazzling as ever – from the developer of the pioneering Icefin Robot to the man who has dedicated his life to counting penguins in the Antarctic, from a brilliant investigative journalist to a respected female climate scientist who’s also a boxer. Some are at the early stages of their careers and others are household names. We want to celebrate each and every one of them; the future of the world is in their hands.
Earlier this month our Board of Judges, chaired by Sunday Times bestselling author, Professor Lewis Dartnell, decided on a shortlist of five in a meeting at the Royal Geographical Society. The shortlist – to be announced tomorrow - will celebrate those who, like the Boss, put the greater good before themselves, who persist in adversity and who inspire others to do likewise. The winner will be announced on April 5. As well as receiving our specially commissioned medal, they will be given prize money of £10,000 to contribute to their ongoing work at the Poles.
Since launching this year’s medal on January 5th:
- We've had 55 nominations, resulting in 51 nominees.
- They come from 12 countries including South Africa and Finland.
- Half of them are women.
- Six of them are pioneers in using new technologies to advance study of conditions in the Arctic and Antarctic
SHACKLETON NOMINATION LIST 2023
Kimberly Aiken
Campaigner for the integration of Arctic Indigenous traditional and local knowledge into science and policy
Zanagee Artis
Co-founder of Zero Hour
Peter Barrett
Founding director of the Antarctic Research Centre at Victoria University in New Zealand
Anu Boucher
Climate advocate
Mensun Bound
Pioneering Maritime archaeologist
Edward Brook
Distinguished Professor of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University and Director of Coldex, a Centre set up in 2021 to find the oldest ice in Antarctica
Dr Danita Catherine Burke
Founder of the Women In The Arctic and Antarctic initiative
Angie Butler
Director at Ice Tracks Expeditions
Dani Connor
Zoologist, photographer, Ambassador for the Red Squirrel Survival Trust
Jenny and Olive Cooke
Mother and daughter team providing primary school resources to learn about Antarctica
Nick Cox
Founder of the UK Arctic Research Station
Mya-Rose Craig
Climate activist and ornithologist
Alison Criscitiello
Adventurer, glaciologist and equality campaigner
Allison Cusick
Expert in phytoplankton
Thierry Dewambrechies
Climber
Laurenz Edelman
Developed solar-powered rover: Manager of Team Polar at the Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr Steven Emslie
Marine ornithologist
Omar di Felice
Ultra-Cyclist and campaigner for the environment
Pauliina Feodoroff
Climate activist and film director
Leslie Field
Geoengineer – founder of the Arctic Ice Project
Dr Maxime Geoffroy
Marine biologist, bioacoustician and dynamic speaker
Dr Ella Gilbert
Climate scientist, presenter and boxer
Prem Gill
Founder of Polar Impact
Rune Gjeldnes
Explorer
Pen Hadow
Founder of the 90North Foundation in 2017
Dr Barbara Haloskova
Geopolitician
Kristin Harila
Mountain climber
Martin Hartley
Pioneering polar photographer
Dr Kate Hendry
Marine biochemist
Leigh Hickmott
Killer whale expert
Dr Kevin Hughes
Environmental Research and Monitoring Manager at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS)
Eugenie Jacobsen
Marine biologist
Kirstie Jones Williams
Marine scientist
Anne Kershaw OBE
Pioneering Antarctic expedition organiser and environmental campaigner
Jack Landy
Sea Ice Expert and Artificial Intelligence Pioneer
Dr James McClintock
Leading polar marine biologist
Alexandra Middleton
Researcher who focuses on sustainable business, economic development and human rights in the Arctic
Tero Mustonen
Climate Scientist, Fisherman and Pioneering Conservationist
Ron Naveen
Penguin expert
Dr Megan Owen
Polar Bear ecologist
Justin Packshaw
Entrepreneur, philanthropist and explorer
Dr Jean de Pomereu and Dr Daniella McCahey
Joint authors of ‘Antarctica: A History in 100 Objects’
Lewis Pugh
Endurance swimmer and international campaigner
Ben Rawlence
Writer and founder of institution to tackle climate change
Jane Rumble OBE
Geographer and diplomat
Dr Britney Schmidt
Designer of the pioneering Icefin Robot
Camilla Seaman
Pioneering Polar Photographer
Sarah Shackleton
Palaeoclimatologist
John Shears
BAS Environmental Officer and leader of Endurance22 expedition
Robert Swann
Founder of 2041 Foundation
Regin Winther Poulsen
Investigative journalist
Header image credit: © Daniella Zalcman / Greenpeace.
