This year’s Award for Extraordinary Contributions to the field of IAM went to Saritha Sudharmma VISHWANATHAN, in recognition of her cumulative contribution to the IAM community.

Saritha has made transformative scientific contributions on

• connecting national transition pathways with global integrated assessment modeling, ensuring coherence between country-level insights and global scenario frameworks

• leading the National Scenarios Scientific Working Group, where she has successfully coordinated a large, truly international national-model intercomparison project

• advancing research on socio-technological transitions and climate justice, bringing these crucial dimensions into the core of IAM research

• integrating multiple approaches — modelling, qualitative assessment, and stakeholder engagement — with an outstanding ability for interdisciplinary and reflective thinking

Saritha has left a substantial mark on science-based policy processes

• by strengthening the interface between national policy planning, international modeling collaborations, and global scenario development

and she has provided outstanding service to the community, for example by

• offering steady, reliable support to the IAMC community

• contributing exceptional energy to IAMC activities and working groups

• fostering a supportive, inspiring, and inclusive environment that strengthens the entire community