Smol given the Mohn Prize by Prime Minister

John P. Smol, a professor at Queen's University in Canada, received the prize for his role in identifying the factors driving environmental changes in the Arctic. The international Mohn Prize is awarded every two years for outstanding research related to the Arctic.

"Professor Smol’s career illustrates the role that science can and should play: solving real world challenges and communicating them to decision-makers so they can act," said Støre in his speech.

Smol emphasised that science is a team effort, comparing himself to an ice hockey coach when receiving awards. "It’s the team that wins, but I get to lift the trophy," he said.

"I have always had excellent teams of students and collaborators. Their contributions to our research have been remarkable," Smol added.

Støre praised Smol for his ability to collaborate and nurture new talent:

"By continuously highlighting and supporting everyone you work with, you demonstrate true leadership in research. For that, we thank you," said Støre.

Read more: Støre Presents the Mohn Prize to Canadian Researcher

The day after the cermomny, Smol was honoured with the Mohn Seminar at UiT in Tromsø: Mohn Prize Seminar 2026: Arctic Environmental Change. A recording of the seminar can been seen on UiT's Panopto platform.