BIWAKO PRIZE FOR ECOLOGY

Call for applicants for the 20th Biwako Prize for Ecology

Jotaro Urabe (Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Biwako Prize for Ecology)

The “Biwako Prize for Ecology is awarded to researchers under the age of 50 who have made an outstanding contribution to the field of aquatic ecology and/or related disciplines. This year is the 20th such award. As in previous years, the Ecological Society of Japan will jointly award this prize with Shiga Prefecture.

The “Biwako Prize for Ecology” was founded in 1991, since which time it has been awarded to 36 national and international researchers. Previous recipients have remained active, with some going on to play leading roles in ecology and other fields related to the aquatic environment. Therefore, the “Biwako Prize for Ecology” represents an academic springboard to encourage outstanding recipients who are expanding scientific horizons in this field and contributing to society.

Recipients of the 19th year of awards were Dr. Kenneth M. Y. Leung (University of Hong Kong) and Dr. Kentaro Morita (Hokkaido National Fisheries Research Institute). Dr. Leung has been a leader in the field of environmental toxicology, researching the environmental characteristics of Southeast Asia, playing a leading role in the conservation of marine organisms, and promoting the role of monitoring to conserve marine biodiversity. Dr. Morita is dedicated to promoting research on population ecology, population genetics, and the life history of salmonids using a variety of methods, such as field surveys, experiments, and mathematical models. The impact of his work is not limited to fishery resources, for he is also highly esteemed for his work promoting the importance of researching the continuity between oceans and rivers for conservation.

This year, for the 20th prize, we recruit applicants for the “Biwako Prize for Ecology.” Applicants must be less than 50 years of age, and work on aquatic ecology or related disciplines. Candidate selection will be conducted by both experts in aquatic sciences, and committee members who have been active in the fields of biology and environmental sciences, thereby removing discipline-specific bias. While recipients will be selected mainly by the Ecological Society of Japan, non-ESJ members are also eligible to apply.

Recipients will be invited to attend an award ceremony before and after the Day of Lake Biwa (July 1), next July, where they will be expected to give a commemorative lecture. In addition, we request that recipients write a review or report in an academic journal published by the Ecological Society of Japan.

This prize acknowledges outstanding researchers in a range of disciplines related to the aquatic environment. It is expected that award recipients will contribute to expanding the scope of sciences related to aquatic environments by presenting their academic achievements in an easily understandable manner.

I hope that applicants have confidence in their own achievements and do not hesitate to apply for the “Biwako Prize for Ecology.”

Reference:

A message from the chairperson of the committee:
the 21st,
the 20th,
the 19th,
the 18th,
the 17th,
the 16th,
the 15th