COMNAP Awards


The COMNAP Awards are schemes to recognise people’s contributions made to the goals and principles of COMNAP. These schemes are designed to support and recognise the value of people at different stage of their careers and are:

  • COMNAP Early-Career Award

  • COMNAP Middle Manager’s Award

  • COMNAP Medallion

  • COMNAP Certificate of Appreciation


COMNAP Early-Career Award

The COMNAP Early-Career Award (also known as COMNAP Antarctic Fellowship) was offered for the first time in 2011. It is designed to encourage the active involvement of early career Antarctic persons and to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty. More information is available here.


COMNAP Middle Manager’s Award

The COMNAP Middle Manager’s Award was offered for the first time in 2014. It has to be awarded to members of COMNAP Member national Antarctic programs in senior or middle-management/middle career positions of all types, including but not limited to: operation, logistics, engineering, technical, environmental, outreach, education, health, safety and science support positions. It is meant to provide support to the applicant to undertake a short-term visit to another COMNAP Member national Antarctic program facility (including an Antarctic station or facility) or to a related organisation to participate in training, mentoring or to exchange ideas or work on joint projects. The eligibility checklist and application forms are available here.


COMNAP Medallion

Upon completion of a Chair’s elected office on the Executive Committee, the Chair selects an individual or individuals to receive the COMNAP Medallion. To date, there have been four COMNAP Medallion recipients, recognising their “outstanding contributions to the goals and principles of COMNAP, especially to develop and promote best practice in managing the support of scientific research in Antarctica”.

  • Professor Heinz Miller, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2020/21

    Former MNAP, Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), with a 27-year history of service within the AWI as an academic, geophysicist, researcher, section head, manager, Chair of the Scientific Council, Deputy Director, and as Chair of the Scientific Technical Council of Polarstern II. The Award was made to Heinz by Dr Kelly K. Falkner (MNAP USAP & COMNAP Chair 2017–2021) in recognition of his outstanding contributions as “Delegate to nineteen COMNAP AGMs, from 1998 to 2018, Leader EPICA, COMNAP Chair (2011–2014), Chair of the COMNAP Environmental Coordinating Group (ECG) (1999–2002), Chair of the Steering Committee for the Antarctic Master Directory (SCAMD) (2005–2006), and the inaugural Leader of the COMNAP Science Expert Group (2009–2011).”

  • Mr Valery Lukin, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2020/21

    Former MNAP Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE), with a 27-year history of service as Head of RAE from 1991 to 2018, Deputy Director of AARI from 2002 to 2018. Deputy Head of the ATCM Russian delegation to nine meetings. Dr Kelly K. Falkner (MNAP USAP & COMNAP Chair 2017–2021) made the Award to Valery in recognition of his outstanding contributions as “… COMNAP Electronic Information Working Group Member (ELINF), 1998–1999, served from 2004 to 2008 on the COMNAP IPY Co-ordinating Group (IPYCG), Project Leader for the Antarctic Glossary, 2009–2013. Participated in twenty-four COMNAP AGMs, from 1993 to 2017, hosted in St. Petersburg the COMNAP AGM 2008 which was the 20th anniversary of COMNAP.”

  • Dr Patrice Godon, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2017

    Former DMNAP, France’s IPEV, with a 37-year career in Polar international co-operation. Also recipient of the French Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite National (1997) and the Cristal du CNRS (1999), for his repeated successes in the field of heavy land crossings on snow/ice, and in the construction of buildings in extreme environments. The COMNAP Award 2017 was made to Patrice by COMNAP Chair Professor Kazuyuki Shiraishi (NIPR MNAP & COMNAP Chair 2014–2017) for “…contributions to COMNAP related to energy, engineering and technology especially through the Standing Committee for Antarctic Logistics and Operations (SCALOP), and, in particular, contribution of expertise related to the development of logistics traverse capabilities.”

  • Mr Henry R Valentine, COMNAP Medallion Recipient 2017

    Former MNAP, South African National Antarctic Program (SANAP), with a 35-year history of service within SANAP as an academic, researcher, administrator and manager and a delegate on the South African ATCM delegation for ten years. The COMNAP Award 2017 was made to Henry by COMNAP Chair Professor Kazuyuki Shiraishi (NIPR MNAP & COMNAP Chair 2014–2017) in recognition of his outstanding contributions as “COMNAP Annual General Meeting delegate 1997, 2001–2013, COMNAP MNAP Representative on the Executive Committee 2004–2007, Member COMNAP IPY Co-ordination Group 2004–2008, Host of the COMNAP Icebreaker Workshop, SA Agulhas II, Capetown, South Africa 2013.”


COMNAP Certificate of appreciation

The COMNAP Certificate of Appreciation was introduced for the first time in 2009. This scheme is designed to appreciate the work of Chairs and Vice Chairs upon completion of their terms. You can see past Chairs and Vice Chairs, in historical order, since the introduction of the COMNAP Certificate of Appreciation to August 2024, here below.

COMNAP CHAIRS

  • José Retamales (Chile)

    2009/2011
    [Chair term started in 2007/2008.
    2010/2011 appointment was for a one year transitional term as Chair].

  • Heinz Miller (Germany)

    2011/2014

  • Kazuyuki Shiraishi (Japan)

    2014/2017

  • Kelly Falkner (United States of America)

    2017/2021
    [2020/2021 Appointed for a one-year term in consideration of the coincidence of the complete turnover of EXCOM elected officers and the COVID-19 pandemic].

COMNAP Vice Chairs

  • Rasik Ravindra (India)

    2009/2010
    [Vice Chair Term started in 2007/2008]

  • Lou Sanson (New Zealand)

    2009/2010
    [Vice Chair Term started in 2007/2008]

  • Maaike Vancauwenberghe (Belgium)

    2009/2012
    [Maaike Vancauwenberghe resigned her position as Vice Chair in June 2012; that Vice Chair position remained vacant for 27 days until the 2012 AGM]

  • Kazuyuki Shiraishi (Japan)

    2009/2011
    [Vice Chair Term started in 2008/2009]

  • Virginia Mudie (Australia)

    2009/2011
    [Vice Chair term started in 2008/2009. Virginia Mudie resigned her position as Vice Chair in October 2010; that Vice Chair position was vacant for the remainder of the year]

  • Yuansheng Li (China)

    2010/2013

  • Mariano Memolli (Argentina)

    2010/2013

  • Juan José Dañobeitia (Spain)

    2011/2014

  • Brian Stone (United States of America)

    2011/2014

  • José Olmedo (Ecuador)

    2012/2014
    [Jose Olmedo resigned his position as Vice Chair in August 2014, serving two years instead of his elected term of three years]

  • John Hall (United Kingdom)

    2013/2016

  • Hyoung Chul Shin (Republic of Korea)

    2013/2016

  • Yves Frenot (France)

    2014/2017

  • José Retamales (Chile)

    2014/2017

  • Rob Wooding (Australia)

    2014/2018
    [Rob Wooding was nominated for and elected by acclimation to an additional 1-year term as Vice Chair at COMNAP AGM XXIX (2017)]

  • John Guldahl (Norway)

    2016/2021
    [2019/2020 Appointed for a one-year term in consideration of continuing aviation focus. 2020/2021 Appointed for a one-year term in consideration of the coincidence of the complete turnover of EXCOM elected officers and the COVID-19 pandemic]

  • Javed Beg (India)

    2016/2019

  • Agnieszka Kruszewska (Poland)

    2017/2021
    [2020/2021 Appointed for a one-year term in consideration of the coincidence of the complete turnover of EXCOM elected officers and the COVID-19 pandemic]

  • Uwe Nixdorf (Germany)

    2017/2021
    [2020/2021 Appointed for a one-year term in consideration of the coincidence of the complete turnover of EXCOM elected officers and the COVID-19 pandemic]

  • Peter Beggs (New Zealand)

    2018
    [Peter Beggs resigned his position as Vice Chair in September 2018]

  • Ho Il Yoon (Republic of Korea)

    2019/2020
    [Ho Il Yoon resigned his position as Vice Chair in April 2020]

  • Sergio Gago Guida (Brazil)

    2019/2020
    [Sergio Gago Guida completed a one-year term of office]

  • Gen Hashida (Japan)

    2020/2024

  • Manuel Burgos (Uruguay)

    2020/2021
    [Manuel Burgos completed a one-year term of office]

  • Charlton Clark (Australia)

    2021/2023

  • Dragomir Mateev (Bulgaria)

    2021/2024

  • Patricia Ortúzar (Argentina)

    2021/2023
    [Patricia Ortuzar resigned her position as Vice Chair due to election to the CEP Chair]

  • Simon Trotter (New Zealand)

    2023/2024
    [Simon Trotter resigned his position as Vice Chair in May 2024]