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The American Geophysical Union (AGU) annually honours scientists who have made significant contributions to Earth and space sciences. We are proud to announce that UU Associate Professor Niko Wanders has been selected to receive the .

Wanders’ research focuses on the human impact on floods and droughts in large-scale river basins. He has been with Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� (UU) since completing his PhD in 2015. After a two-year period at Princeton ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��, he returned to UU as an Assistant Professor and has served as Associate Professor in hydrological extremes and climate change since 2023.

I’m very honoured to receive this award, it would not have happened without my excellent team!

The James B. Macelwane Medal recognises researchers whose work has transformed our understanding of the world, impacted daily life, improved communities, and contributed to solutions for a sustainable future. Wanders will receive the medal at the international Earth and space science conference, which will bring together over 25,000 attendees from more than 100 countries in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 15–19 December 2025.

The conference theme, ‘Where Science Connects Us’, resonates with Wanders’ approach to research: he emphasises that this achievement is the result of a team effort. “The work of the PhDs and postdocs in my team has been crucial in advancing our understanding of hydrological extremes, and the support from mentors and collaborators that to stimulate critical thinking and reflection. Ultimately, sharing the findings with the broader public gives me the motivation to do research, and it gives relevance to it,” he states.