Succeeding in one of the eight area-specific categories, Dr Druckman was eligible for consideration having published her first paper in 2008.

Her research quality led to the work being scrutinised by a panel of 50 discipline-specific experts led by Professor Michael Arthur, Chair of the Russell Group.

Dr Druckman has been a member of the Centre of Environmental Strategy (CES) at the University since January 2005. She joined as a Research Fellow working on the EPSRC funded Industrial and Social Ecology of Urban Resource Flows project, which was part of the Sustainable Urban Environment (SUE) Waste Consortium. She later transferred to the newly formed ESRC Research group on Lifestyles, Values and Environment (RESOLVE). In 2010 she accepted the post of Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Mitigation.

She commented: “I have been very fortunate to work with excellent colleagues in RESOLVE and the Centre for Environmental Strategy. I am particularly grateful to Professor Tim Jackson who has given me the opportunity, guidance and inspiration that led to this award”.

The award will be presented at a ceremony at the Royal Society on 22 November by Professor Arthur, Vice-Chancellor of Leeds University and former Fulbright Scholar.

Offered in association with the UK-US Fulbright Commission, the award includes research publicity and a cash prize.