Recherche
International recognition for earthquake education in Nepal
Shiba Subedi, a former doctoral student and assistant at the FGSE, received a special mention from the Jury of the international John Maddox Prize, co-organized by the journal Nature. He was rewarded for setting up an education program in Nepal to prepare schoolchildren and the population for earthquakes.
Originally from Nepal, Shiba Subedi embarked on his journey into seismology following the catastrophic 2015 earthquake that devastated his homeland. From 2017 to 2022, he pursued a PhD at the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment, working as a first assistant with Professor György Hetényi. Together, they developed an educational program for Nepalese schools, teaching students about earthquakes and about the right behaviors and safety measures to adopt before, during, and after an earthquake.
Today, Shiba Subedi is a seismologist at the National Academy of Science and Technology in Nepal, where he remains deeply committed to this program. His outstanding contributions to public awareness and earthquake preparedness—empowering thousands of children, families, and communities to better understand and mitigate seismic risks—earned him a special mention from the Jury of the prestigious 2024 John Maddox Prize.
“I did not anticipate achieving such a level of recognition at this point in my career”, says Subedi. “Being awarded the Judge Commendation Title was indeed exceptional news. I thank everyone who helped me with the project. “
The John Maddox Prize is an international award administered by the charity Sense about Science, in partnership with the leading journal Nature. One or two individuals are recognised annually by the Prize for their work promoting sound science and evidence despite hostility. The prize has a global reach and has received hundreds of nominations from dozens of countries.
The 2024 results were announced recently:
- John Maddox Prize to Patrick Ball, for his outstanding work in identifying, cataloguing and prosecuting war crimes.
- Maddox Early Career Award to Kelly Cobey, for her work on implementing open science and advocacy for the need to reform research assessment.
- Special judges’ commendation to Shiba Subedi, in recognition of his efforts to raise earthquake awareness and preparedness in Nepal.
Further information is available on the Nature page and on the page of the organizing association.