Aberystwyth University field glaciologist Dr Samuel Doyle has been awarded the Polar Medal in the 2026 New Year’s Honours List for his outstanding research and leadership in Greenland.

One of the UK’s most historic honours, the Polar Medal is awarded by the Sovereign to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of polar science or exploration, particularly through work undertaken in extreme and challenging environments.

Past recipients include some of the world’s most renowned explorers, among them Sir Ernest Shackleton, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Edmund Hillary, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

Dr Doyle’s research has advanced our understanding of ice sheet hydrology and how water flowing beneath the ice affects ice motion.

Speaking about the award, which he will receive at a ceremony at St James’ Palace in London, Dr Doyle said: “I’m delighted to receive this award; it has been a pleasure to undertake research on the Greenland Ice Sheet - one of Earth’s last great areas of wilderness – over extended periods of fieldwork over the last 17 years. Overcoming the many challenges of remote polar fieldwork would not have been possible without the skill and dedication of the many people I’ve worked with. Although I typically work in remote areas of the ice sheet in small teams of scientists, the best part of working in Greenland is learning from the Greenlandic people. I have a deep respect for their way of life, culture, and their practical knowledge gained from centuries of living in such an extreme environment.”

Over almost two decades, Dr Doyle has undertaken 23 fieldwork expeditions to Arctic Greenland based from remote field camps, often leading logistics and safety, and training junior colleagues.

He has investigated how water and weather shape the behaviour of the Greenland Ice Sheet, from studying the rapid drainage of large surface lakes to showing how warm, moisture‑rich atmospheric rivers can speed up melting.

He has also studied the physical conditions of fast glacier flow by placing instruments in kilometre-deep boreholes drilled using techniques that Aberystwyth University specialises in.

He is currently studying how hidden lakes beneath the ice fill and drain and using sensitive ground‑vibration sensors to measure how much meltwater is flowing from the Greenland Ice Sheet into the ocean.

Dr Doyle becomes the fourth Aberystwyth University researcher to have received the Polar Medal, joining Professors Bryn Hubbard, Michael Hambrey, and Julian Dowdeswell.

Professor Angela Hatton, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Knowledge Exchange and Innovation at Aberystwyth University said: “Very many congratulations to Dr Doyle on this richly deserved honour. His achievements exemplify the longstanding con­­­tribution our academics make to advancing scientific understanding of rapidly changing polar environments. For him to become the fourth member of our university community to receive the Polar Medal is not only a testament to his exceptional work, but also a reflection of Aberystwyth University’s mission to inspire generations of people across the world to change lives for the better: growing knowledge, building communities and strengthening Wales and the wider world.”