Professor Shubha Sathyendranath MBE awarded prestigious polar award
14 May 2026
A legacy of marine science: Plymouth Marine Laboratory’s Professor Shubha Sathyendranath MBE has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Nansen Polar Bear Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to environmental research.
Discover highlights from her incredible career in the link below – spanning nearly 50 years!
Tore Furevik, Director of the Nansen Centre, said:
“Shubha Sathyendranath has helped change how we observe and understand the ocean. Through her work on ocean colour from satellites, she has contributed new knowledge about phytoplankton [marine microalgae], primary production [photosynthesis] and the ocean’s importance for the climate. She combines scientific excellence with a strong ability to build international collaboration and new generations of researchers. This makes her a highly deserving recipient of the Nansen Polar Bear Award.”
We are grateful to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) for supporting us.