Roxy Mathew Koll and Neelima Satyam Receive AGU 2026 Honours
Indian researchers Roxy Mathew Koll and Neelima Satyam have been chosen as the recipients of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2026 awards for their work on Earth and space sciences. Roxy Mathew Koll, who is a climate researcher at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has won Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize. Neelima Satyam, a professor at IIT Indore, has been chosen for the Devendra Lal Memorial Medal award.
The Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize has been awarded to Roxy Mathew Koll in recognition of his achievements in climate communication and the study of climate change in the Indian Ocean and its impacts on South Asia.
Koll’s research has focused on Indian Ocean warming, monsoon changes, marine heat waves, cyclones, extreme rainfall and the impacts thereof on societies. Koll has been described by AGU as a climate scientist who studies climate monitoring, climate forecasts and climate projections in the Indo-Pacific region.
The award comes with a cash award of USD 25,000, an engraved plaque and official citation. The award is made every year to recognize excellence in climate communications, especially climate change research.
Dr. Neelima Satyam, a faculty member at IIT Indore, has been chosen for the Devendra Lal Memorial Medal.
Satyam’s research interests include geotechnical engineering, seismic hazards, geohazard mitigation and resilient infrastructures. Her research interests also include earthquakes, landslides, rockfalls and slope instabilities.
The Devendra Lal Memorial Medal is conferred upon a young or mid-level career scientist for exceptional contribution in Earth and/or space sciences. Satyam will get a medal and life membership of AGU.
American Geophysical Union (AGU) is an international scientific organization that specializes in Earth and space sciences. It includes research and work related to climate sciences, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, natural hazards, and planetary sciences.
This scientific organization honors scientists with various awards for research, education, communication, and service to the scientific community.
43 awards have been announced by AGU for the year 2026, which will be presented to the recipients at the AGU Annual Meeting in San Francisco in December 2026.
Two more India-America scientists have been honoured in the 2026 list as well.
Abdul Qadir – chosen for the Science for Solutions Award; he works as an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Maryland and has also been associated with the North East Space Applications Centre, Shillong.
Faisal Hossain – chosen for the Ambassador Award; he works as a professor at the University of Washington, Seattle and is an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University.
| Scientist | Institution | AGU 2026 Award | Major Field |
| Roxy Mathew Koll | Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology | Pavel S. Molchanov Climate Communications Prize | Climate science communications |
| Neelima Satyam | IIT Indore | Devendra Lal Memorial Medal | Earth sciences & geohazards |
| Abdul Qadir | University of Maryland | Science for Solutions Award | Earth and space sciences |
| Faisal Hossain | University of Washington | Ambassador Award | Earth and space sciences |
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