Professor Christina Hicks, Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) has been awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize, supporting her research into food and nutrition security from fisheries.

The prize is awarded by the Leverhulme Trust, and is given to researchers typically in the early stages of their careers whose work has been recognised internationally, and who show exceptional promise in their academic career. Professor Hicks is one of 30 recipients in 2019. She also joins three Lancaster academics who have previously been awarded the prize: Professor Imogen Tyler, Sociology, Professor Nick Graham, LEC, and Professor Alison Stone, PPR.

Recipients of the prize receive £100,000, over two to three years, to put towards their research.

Reacting to the news, Professor Hicks said: “I am thrilled! I have always viewed this as a prestigious prize, with a long history of excellent awardees. I am really honoured to feature amongst them. My work is interdisciplinary and applied, so to me this prize also recognises the academic importance of this type of work.”

Professor Philip Barker, Head of Lancaster Environment Centre, said: “We are very proud of Christina’s success in winning the Philip Leverhulme Prize for Geography. This wonderful personal achievement also highlights the importance of her exceptional work on food and nutrition in Africa.”

Professor Hicks’ work focusses on fisheries, where she seeks to identify opportunities to improve food and nutrition security.

“My current work in East Africa examines barriers to micronutrient access, and is focused on micro-scale power dynamics, e.g. gender relations.

“However, a recent Nature paper I led highlighted that there is considerable potential, and emergent risks facing food and nutrition security in West Africa associated with new patterns of foreign investment, foreign fishing, and international trade.”

When asked how the prize money will help in her research, Professor Hicks said: “This prize will allow me to expand my work to examine how broader economic and political processes act to divert valuable nutrients from those most in need, particularly in West Africa.”

This year’s prize winners have been invited to attend a gala dinner in March 2020, where they will be presented a gift in recognition of their prize by a senior academic.

Find out more information at www.leverhulme.ac.uk/philip-leverhulme-prizes