Environmental scientist wins Maddox Prize for standing up for science

An environmental scientist who led a study on lead contamination in water in a US city has been awarded a prestigious prize supported by the Royal Society for championing science in the face of hostility.

Dr Siddhartha Roy, based at Rutgers University in New Jersey, was presented with the Maddox Prize at a ceremony hosted by the Society.

The annual prize, organised by Sense about Science, recognises individuals who stand up for science and evidence, advancing public discussion around difficult topics despite opposition.

Dr Roy co-led the team of researchers who identified a high risk of lead contamination in the water in Flint, Michigan, contradicting state and federal claims that it was safe. The case became a national scandal and subsequent class-action settlements ran to the hundreds of millions of dollars.

Dr Roy then came under fire from campaign groups who had previously based their work on his research. Seeing claims of “lead-poisoned” and “brain-damaged” children in Flint, he analysed the data and found no significant difference to the rest of the state.

The judges commended Dr Roy for “consistently putting clear presentation of evidence and the dignity and wellbeing of the people of Flint ahead of his own professional and personal comfort”.

Professor Alison Noble, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, said:

“Science matters because it puts evidence ahead of ideology. Today, science is under attack by those who believe scientific evidence can be ignored when it punctures their opinions. It has never been more important to celebrate those who stand up for science and that is why the Maddox Prize really matters.”

Tracey Brown OBE, Chief Executive of Sense about Science, said:

“We look to research to tell us important things about our world - whether an AI can assess cancer scans or whether an energy policy is working. We expect to learn if buildings are unsafe or fish stocks are declining or inequality is increasing. That expectation asks something of all of us too: to defend the space in which it is possible to ask difficult questions and discuss the findings. We live in more polarised times in many parts of the world and the nominations for the Maddox Prize show that we must make a renewed case for the importance of space to inquire, even where we have strong views. We must protect that space from taking sides and from powerful interests, so that researchers continue to ask searching questions and feel confident in telling us what they find. This year’s Maddox prize winner shows us very clearly why communities need that access to clear and honest research findings.”

You can see the full shortlist here.