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News | 29th November 2022

Campion Hall and LSRI Student Wins Prestigious Environmental Award

Key Details

Topics:
Environmental Ethics
Integral Ecology
Theology
Region:
Europe

We are delighted to share the news that Professor Emilio Chuvieco has received the 2022 Rey Jaime I Award in the category of Environmental Protection, one of the most prestigious environmental awards in Spain.

The award ceremony was held on 25 November at the Lonja de los Mercaderes in Valencia and was chaired by the King and Queen of Spain, Felipe VI and Letizia. During the ceremony, the King of Spain personally presented the award to Emilio together with winners from five other categories.

Established in 1989, the Rey Jaime I Awards (“King James I Awards”) recognises and celebrates exceptional  achievements in research and entrepreneurship in Spain. Each award includes 100,000 and a gold medal as well as a diploma.

This award is a testament to Emilio’s impressive career and contributions to environmental research, having been advisor to 43 PhD dissertations, Principal Investigator of 34 research projects and 23 contracts, and author of 29 books and 408 scientific papers and book chapters.

Emilio’s main research is focused on the use of satellite earth observation data for fire risk prevention and fire impact assessment. However, in the last 10 years, he has been increasingly involved in environmental ethics. Since the publication of Laudato Si’, Emilio’s increasing interest in providing a solid theological background to environmental care led him to apply for a part-time doctorate in Theology at Campion Hall, where he is supervised by Dr Celia Deane-Drummond, Director of the Laudato Si’ Research Institute. His research seeks to explore the links between Christian materialism and valuing nature. Emilio is also Professor of Geography and Director of the Environmental Ethics Chair at the University of Alcalá, Spain, where he coordinates the Masters program in Geographic Information Technologies, and leads the "Environmental Remote Sensing Research Group."

Reflecting on the significance of this award, Emilio said: “It is a great honour receiving this award, which confirms the relevance of promoting scientific research to better understand environmental problems, but also the need to connect science and ethics to overcome those attitudes that prevent the required changes in personal habits and social structures that cause those problems”

Dr Celia Deane-Drummond commented: “We are honoured and thrilled that Emilio Chuvieco has achieved this prestigious research recognition for his achievements in environmental protection. Emilio is the most decorated graduate student affiliated with the Laudato Si Research Institute, and we are pleased to support his intention to complete a DPhil in Theology that will serve to complement his already outstanding career in the environmental sciences. As LSRI is a multidisciplinary research institute focused on socio-ecological issues, his presence brings valued expertise to our existing team.”

In addition to Environmental Protection, the 2022 Rey Jaime I Awards were given in the following categories:

  • Basic Research (Jesús María Sanz Serna)
  • Economics (Marta Reynal-Querol)
  • Clinical Medicine (Antonio M. de Lacy Fortuny)
  • New Technologies (Montserrat Calleja Gómez)
  • Entrepreneurship (Ángela Pérez Pérez)