The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) awards the 2025 IASC Medal to Professor Vladimir Romanovsky (University of Alaska Fairbanks, US) for his exceptional and sustained contributions to Arctic science, particularly in the field of permafrost research. Over nearly four decades, Professor Romanovsky has been a leading figure in advancing our understanding of permafrost and its role in Arctic systems.
His dedication to national and international collaboration has been instrumental in conducting permafrost geophysical research. By providing free and open access to data, he has facilitated the monitoring of temperatures across an extensive network of boreholes, including over 150 sites in Alaska and 168 additional sites in Canada, Greenland, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. These efforts have been crucial in climate change research, particularly in geomorphology, soils, hydrology, and vegetation, improving our understanding of permafrost degradation and carbon dynamics. Entering Arctic science in the early 1990s, Professor Romanovsky’s work came at a pivotal time when the significance of permafrost in global system dynamics was becoming evident. His prolific output includes over 300 publications and reports, amassing more than 40,000 citations and an h-index of 91. His research has provided essential insights into Arctic-system evolution, hydrological dynamics, and infrastructure design, demonstrating extensive cooperation with researchers worldwide, including those in Russia and China.
A key advocate for international collaboration, Prof. Romanovsky has mentored numerous students and researchers. He has served the U.S. Delegation (2014-2022) and the IASC Terrestrial Working Group (Vice Chair, 2017-2021). His greatest contributions lie in his sustained efforts to compile, synthesize, model, and share long-term permafrost data from the circumpolar Arctic and subarctic, and his spirit of international collaboration.
More information is available on the IASC News.