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Created by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and managed by The New York Academy of Sciences, the Awards celebrate groundbreaking contributions by UK scientists in the fields of Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Physical Sciences & Engineering.

Dr Iestyn Woolway, NERC Independent Research Fellow at the School of Ocean Sciences, was selected by an independent jury of expert scientists selected from a pool of 91 nominees representing 46 academic and research institutions across the UK in recognition of his research on the effects of climate change on global lakes and freshwater ecosystems. 

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.

Dr Iestyn Woolway, said, “I am honoured to be selected as a finalist for such a prestigious award alongside other leading researchers in the UK. As climate change reshapes our environment, it is more important than ever to deepen our understanding of freshwater ecosystems through rigorous research to safeguard the planet’s future.”

Dr Woolway will attend a gala dinner and awards ceremony on Tuesday, 24 February, where Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, will reveal the three 2026 Laureates. Now in its ninth year, each Blavatnik Awards Laureate will receive an unrestricted £100,000 (US$135,000) prize, while the remaining six finalists will be awarded £30,000 (US$40,400) each.

The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are the largest unrestricted prizes available to UK scientists aged 42 or younger. Internationally recognised by the scientific community, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are instrumental in expanding engagement and recognition for young scientists and in providing the support and encouragement needed to drive scientific innovation for the next generation.

The Blavatnik Awards in the UK sit alongside their global counterparts, the and the in the United States, and the , all of which honour and support exceptional early-career scientists. By the close of 2026, the Blavatnik Awards will have awarded prizes totalling over $20 million to over 500 scientists and engineers worldwide.

, Founder of Access Industries and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, said, “The Awards were created to honour outstanding, early-career scientists, accelerate their research, and ensure that discoveries with the potential to dramatically improve society are recognized, supported, and implemented.”

, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences and Chair of the Awards’ Scientific Advisory Council, said, "I congratulate these nine Finalists for their groundbreaking work and daring ideas. Their research exemplifies the spirit of innovation — pushing boundaries, opening exciting frontiers, and laying the foundation for discoveries that will transform lives and advance science for generations to come.”

Blavatnik scholars are driving global economic growth by pursuing high-risk, high-reward research. To date, Blavatnik Awards honourees have founded over 50 companies after receiving the award, six of which are publicly traded and collectively valued at over $10 billion.