Energy Geographies Research Group ‘Activism Award’
The Award
This award aims to distinguish individuals or organisations who make a significant contribution to energy justice through public engagement, scholarship, teaching, direct action, or other means. By ‘energy justice’ we mean a commitment to social justice or the empowerment of vulnerable communities and marginalized groups as part of low-carbon transitions.
Anyone can apply for the award, provided that their work directly or indirectly draws upon or contributes to energy geographies research. You don’t have to be an academic (established or early career) to apply for the prize.
The award can also be given as a joint prize - for example, for researchers and communities working together - or researchers might choose to nominate communities they’ve worked with whose work deserves recognition.
Examples of contributions include (but are not limited to): active engagement with low-carbon energy transitions within a local community; educational activities outside academia that foster inclusive understandings of energy justice; a conceptual/theoretical contribution to the academic field of energy geographies; or a substantive contribution to climate change policymaking.
The Prize
The winner will receive a cash prize of £75. To receive the cash prize, the winner must nominate a bank account that accepts UK bank transfers.
In addition, the winner will be invited to the Royal Geographical Society annual conference in London (1 - 4 September) to showcase their work. If the winner is outside of academia or does not have access to conference attendance funds, the Energy Geographies (EnGRG) will cover their attendance costs through our sponsorship route.
Energy Geographies Research Group will also work with the winner to promote their work through a webinar, blog or video interview which will be promoted across and beyond the RGS-IBG network.
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Who can apply?
Individuals or organisations based in the UK.
Their contribution took place within or outside the UK.
Their contribution took place within one year of the application deadline.
We accept self-nominations or nominations by a third-party.
Submission deadline: 5pm GMT, Thursday, 7 May 2026.
Application:
Submissions must be in the English language. Please submit the nomination by the due date in one of the following formats:
(1) A Nomination Letter of no more than 500 words;
OR
(2) A Nomination Video of no more than 5 minutes.
The Nomination should explain the following:
A short bio of the nominee;
The contribution made to energy justice for which they are being nominated for;
Evidence of the social justice impact they achieved.
Please send submissions or questions about your application to Pancho Lewis (francisco.t.lewis@durham.ac.uk)
Judging and evaluation criteria:
Submissions will be assessed by a panel of judges drawn from the membership of the Energy Geographies Research Group Committee. The application will be evaluated for:
Evidence of Impact on energy justice, especially considering the career stage and/or the resources available to the applicant;
Originality of the approach to energy justice;
Clarity of structure and execution of Nomination Letter or Nomination Video.