Darwin Medal

About this program

The International Coral Reef Society (ICRS) awards the Darwin Medal, its premier honor, once every four years during International Coral Reef Symposium years, to a late-career scientist recognized worldwide for major contributions to coral reef science. The recipient delivers the Darwin Lecture, receives ICRS Fellow status, and has an account of the lecture published in a Society journal. Nominees must have more than 25 years post-PhD experience and be current ICRS members who have maintained membership for at least three of the past five years. Nominations, due 15 December 2025 for the next award, must be submitted by two current paid-up ICRS members and include signed support and candidate-consent statements, a case of no more than three pages, and a curriculum vitae of no more than six pages in a single PDF.