Andrew Merrie awarded for highly significant futures research

Andrew Merrie was selected to receive the 2022 IF Award for Most Significant Futures Work from the Association of Professional Futurists in two focal areas for his work on Radical Ocean Futures.

His submission takes home the award in category one, Impactful, and in category seven, Imaginaries, Imaginations & Images of the Future.

One of the expert judges motivates the selection as follows:

“The submission presented a powerful set of scenarios, rooted in solid research, applied to a new and important context of the oceans. The sci-fi scenarios, images and sound really brought these images of the future to life, especially through the storytelling lens. Using these in a museum setting really expands the potential impact. Very impressive.”

An award celebration will follow in 2023.

“It feels wonderful indeed to have been selected for an IF award in two categories by the Association of Professional Futurists. Radical Ocean Futures has been a labour of love. It has been really surprising and humbling to see its impact and how much it has resonated within the academic community, with practitioners in the futures and foresight community and the wider public”, said Andrew Merrie upon hearing the news that he was selected.

Radical Ocean Futures is currently featured in a science fiction exhibition at the Science Museum in London.

In a statement, the association praises the significance of Andrew Merrie’s submission:

“Your work is an example of futures work to emulate; it will help the public to understand futures and foresight better, advance the field, draw attention to critical issues, create impact, and enliven new thinking in action.

The Association of Professional Futurists is a global community of futurists with the aim to demonstrate the value of strategic foresight and futures studies. The association recognizes excellent efforts that advance the field through their awards for the most significant futures works.