EO Excellence Award 2026

The call for nominations opens on 10 September 2025 and will close on 10 December 2025

Welcome to the EO Excellence Award 2026

With the EO Excellence Award, the European Space Agency (ESA) honors early-stage researchers who have made a notable contribution to the pioneering use of Earth observation (EO), with a focus on the use of data from European satellites.

Individuals or teams can nominate themselves or be nominated by a mentor or a supporter. Two winners will be selected: one individual and one team. As in the previous years, there will be a research grant for the winners of this round. The individual winner can receive a grant of up to 35,000 Euro and the winning team can secure up to 65,000 Euro. These grants are intended to support and further advance the winners’ specified research.

An independent evaluation led by the European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) of the European Science Foundation (ESF) will be carried out and the successful nominations will be announced in March 2026.

The EO Excellence Award is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – Don’t miss it!

It’s a true pleasure to launch the fifth edition of the EO Excellence Award. This is a celebration of the creativity, passion and scientific excellence of Europe’s young Earth observation community. These early-career researchers are not only advancing our understanding of the planet with European satellite data – they are shaping the future of environmental action through innovation. We are proud to support and honour their work.
Simonetta Cheli
Director of Earth Observation Programmes, ESA

Who are we looking for?

Explorers

Your research demonstrates novel approaches and innovations in the field of EO data processing, applications, engineering, or communication.

Collaborators

Your research primarily focuses on European EO Datasets, thereby encouraging international collaboration.

Contributors

Your research clearly shows a focus on demand-driven solutions that contribute to science, industry, or the society.

Innovators

Your research opens up new areas and potential in the world of European Earth Observation.

Unveiling Excellence: Behold, Our Prizes!

For more information, please check our Terms and Conditions

Become a Nominator!

Promote emerging researchers in the early stages of their career and help recognise and encourage innovations in the field of Earth Observation.

Become our next Winner!

Get nominated as the next winner of the EO Excellence Award, by finding a Nominator that supports your innovation or nominate yourself.

The call for nomination opens on 10 September 2025
and closes on 10 December 2025

Following the success of the EO Excellence Award in the previous editions, it’s now time to lodge your nomination for someone or for a team that deserves recognition for their innovative use of Earth Observation.

10 Sep - 10 Dec 2025
Nomination period
Dec 2025 - Mid-March 2026
Evaluation period
Apr 2026
Announcement of winners

Meet our Winners

Individual 2025: Marcello Passaro, Technical University Munich (TUM), Germany

The research of Dr Marcello Passaro focuses on developing and applying techniques to enhance the quantity, quality and usability of satellite altimetry data for sea level and sea state studies, with a particular emphasis on coasts.

Team 2025: Lina Eklund, Jamon Van Den Hoek, Marie Schellens, Corey Scher, Eoghan Darbyshire

The Decentralised Damage Mapping Group (DDMG) uses Earth observation datasets to assess damage in conflict and disaster-affected regions. DDMG develops novel Earth observation methodologies to rigorously assess the impacts of wars on the environment.

Individual 2024: Iestyn Woolway, Bangor University, Wales, United Kingdom

Iestyn’s work focuses on the physics and hydrology of lakes worldwide and their links to climate using space-based observations combined with in situ data and modelling to measure water temperature, evaporation, and ice cover.