Professor Nicole KHAN Awarded the 2025 Sir Nicholas Shackleton Medal for Coastal Research

Professor Nicole KHAN, Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

We are pleased to announce that Professor Nicole KHAN from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences has been awarded the 2025 Sir Nicholas Shackleton Medal by the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA).

Named after the Quaternary geologist Sir Nicholas Shackleton, this prestigious international award is presented biennially to outstanding young scientists who have made significant contributions to Quaternary research. Professor Khan was recognised for her work on sea-level changes and coastal evolution, particularly her efforts in reconstructing high-precision records in regions vulnerable to climate change.

Professor Khan’s research utilises the Quaternary record—specifically the Holocene epoch—to establish a baseline for understanding modern sea-level rise. Her research group focuses on climatically sensitive regions such as Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, vulnerable regions that have historically lacked sufficient data. By employing a diverse range of proxies, including mangrove peat, microfossils, and environmental DNA, Professor Khan has successfully reconstructed past sea levels with high precision.

Beyond her regional focus, Professor Khan has been a contributor to global scientific collaboration. Her leadership in HOLSEA (Geographic Variability of Holocene Sea Level) and involvement in the PALSEA (PALeo constraints on SEA level rise) projects have helped in fostering centralised database sea-level databases worldwide, while refining the models used to project future sea-level scenarios and providing valuable information for coastal planning and mitigation strategies. She also serves as an active member of the Coastal and Marine Processes (CMP) commission, where she engages in international collaboration within the Quaternary community.

Upon receiving the medal, Professor Khan expressed her gratitude to her colleagues and students. “This is a shared achievement for our entire research group and my network of collaborators,” she said. “I look forward to continuing this work to help coastal communities adapt to our changing world.”

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Khan on this outstanding recognition and applaud her continued commitment to advancing knowledge in Quaternary science for the benefit of vulnerable coastal communities worldwide.

Click here for more information about the award.