Awards – information about the Laws Prize, Fuchs Medal and Polar Medal.
Below is the key information about the awards, the application process and contacts
Polar Medal
The Medal may be conferred on those citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who have personally made conspicuous contributions to the knowledge of Polar regions or who have rendered prolonged service of outstanding quality in support of acquisition of such knowledge and who, in either case, have undergone the hazards and rigours imposed by the Polar environment. The Medal may also be awarded in recognition of individual service of outstanding quality in support of the objectives of Polar expeditions, due account being taken of the difficulties overcome.
Laws Prize
The Laws Prize is named after Richard Maitland Laws who was the Director of the British Antarctic Survey from 1973 to 1987; Master of St Edmunds College, Cambridge from 1985 to 1996 and Secretary of the Zoological Society of London. The Prize awarded in recognition of the achievements of outstanding young scientists of the Survey. The Laws Prize continues to be awarded annually, with the fund administered by the BAS Club.
Nominations should be made via BAS Science Leaders or Simon Garrod and sent to Kate Smithson.
Recent recipients:
- 2023: Vicky Warwick-Evans, Peter Davis
- 2022: Kaitlin Naughten, Arlie McCarthy
- 2021: Dan Jones
- 2020: Elise Biersma
Fuchs Medal
The Fuchs Medal is a medal awarded by the British Antarctic Survey for “Outstanding devotion to the British Antarctic Survey’s interests, beyond the call of normal duty, by men or women who are or were members of the Survey, or closely connected with its work.
Nominations should be sent to BAS Club Fuchs Medal secretary, Paul Coslett.
Recent recipients:
- 2024: Julia Webb
- 2023: Alison Hunt, James ‘Bob’ Middleton
- 2022: Kirsten Shaw
- 2021: Julie Leland, Sandra McInnes