The ICPEM Executive Council is delighted to award Virginia Murray the Institute of Civil Protection and Emergency Management’s Award of Excellence.

This annual award was established to recognise significant contributions in the field of civil protection and emergency management. Nominations for the award may be based on contributions to the field including research activity and publications, programme and policy advancement or
professional development of the field.
 
We recognise that throughout Virginia’s career, she has worked tirelessly to further disaster risk reduction and have a long and distinguished career in the academic field and in public service. Her award has been given on the basis of her work:

• Devising and producing Public Health England’s (formerly Health Protection Agency) Chemical Hazards and Poisons Report until 2013, when she took up the challenge by what was then UNISDR (now UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) to bring science to the service of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. 

• Virginia travelled the world and contributed to numerous international initiatives to improve both policy and strategy in DRR. 

• Her latest work involved the compilation with many UN and other scientists of the UNDRR/International Science Council (ISC) Hazard Definition and Classification Review (2020) and the UNDRR/ISC Hazard Information Profiles (2021); and with many WHO and other scientists the WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (2021) 

• Virginia, now working for UK Health Security Agency, has been director and co-author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles that make evidence available both to those who study hazards and those who must make decisions about managing them. 

• Professor Alexander, Vice President of ICPEM, stated, “Virginia’s achievements are amazing and her sincerity and dedication both a tonic and an inspiration. She has also done very much indeed to encourage others to work at DRR and to ensure that young researchers are motivated, given a sense of direction and accommodated in this field.”

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The passion, sincerity and sense of mission in her lectures have inspired audiences of decision makers, practitioners, academics and students all over the world. There is no doubting her eminence. 

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