Professor Nick Graham of Lancaster Environment Centre has received a Philip Leverhulme Prize by the Leverhulme Trust. Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising.

He was presented with a gift in recognition of his prize by Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society, at a Gala dinner in London.

The Prize, one of 30 given annually, has a value of £100,000 which may be used over a two or three year period, and is for the advancement of the recipient’s research goals.

Professor Nick Graham said: ““I am thoroughly delighted to receive the Philip Leverhulme Prize for my work on coral reef ecology and management. It is wonderful to be recognised with such a prestigious award, and the funding associated with the prize will support my growing research group at Lancaster to continue researching this threatened ecosystem. The Gala dinner, and an opportunity to meet with Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, was a great experience.”

A Royal Society Research Fellow and Chair in Marine Ecology, Professor Graham’s research looks at the environmental and human impacts on coral reefs – including looking at climate-induced bleaching of reefs, fisheries and ecosystem stability. His work also looks at how reefs could recover and how this could be managed.