Michael Mann, Penn’s Vice Provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action and the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth and Environmental Science in the School of Arts & Sciences, has been awarded the Alliance of World Scientists’ (AWS) Planet Earth Award. He is one of five honorees to receive this year’s distinction.

The Planet Earth Award recognizes efforts that “champion life on Earth” and “demonstrate exceptional creativity or contributions in their work in science or science-based advocacy with the public, policymakers, or other groups seeking solutions to environmental challenges.” The award can go to individuals or to groups.

AWS said that Dr. Mann, who also serves as director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media, “has advanced understanding of human-induced climate change and the need for action to mitigate its effects.” The organization also points to Dr. Mann’s famed “hockey stick” graph as an enduring symbol of his contributions to science and climate education. That graph shows the dramatic rise in global temperatures that has played out over the past century amid worsening climate impacts.

Dr. Mann has received many honors and distinctions for his climate work and for his vast scientific expertise. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020 and to a position as a foreign member of the Royal Society in 2024. Dr. Mann has also authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and is widely considered one of the nation’s leading climate scientists and commentators.