SCI Director awarded Distinguished Scholar Award

Due to COVID-19 Mat Paterson was finally awarded the ESS 2020 Distinguished Scholar Award at the International Studies Association Annual Convention in Nashville in March 2022.

This award recognizes outstanding scholars whose long history of excellent research and teaching has had substantial impact on fields associated with international relations and environmental issues.

For over 25 years, Mat has been at the forefront of the study of global environmental politics, exploring and making significant advances in areas of the global governance, political economy, and cultural politics of climate change and sustainability. Mat also exemplifies the identity of the teacher-scholar who cares deeply about pedagogy and mentoring students. He brings the same passion and curiosity to the classroom as he does to his research and he fosters wonderful relationships with his graduate students and postdocs, often publishing with them and treats them as true colleagues.

He served as co-editor of Global Environmental Politics and remains a board member and crucial support for this flagship journal. He also served with distinction as an author for the IPCC and is a regular commentator on environmental issues for audiences beyond the academy.

More recently, Mat has published the book ‘In Search of Climate Politics’ (Cambridge University Press), in which he addresses the ways in which climate change is political.