Dr Adriane Esquivel Muelbert, Head of Global Change Ecology at Cambridge, has been awarded a prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize for her work on the impacts of global change on forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Dr Esquivel Muelbert is one of 30 winners of the 2026 Philip Leverhulme Prize announced by the Leverhulme Trust today.
Chosen from over 400 nominations, the Trust has offered five prizes in each of the following subject areas: Biological Sciences, History, Law, Mathematics and Statistics, Philosophy and Theology, and Sociology and Social Policy.
These prizes commemorate the contribution to the work of the Trust made by Philip, Third Viscount Leverhulme and grandson of William Lever, the founder of the Trust. They recognise and celebrate the achievements of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future careers are exceptionally promising.
Dr Esquivel Muelbert said: “This prize recognises not just my work, but the work of many collaborators, mentors and students who together dedicate their lives to understanding and protecting forests and their biodiversity. I feel privileged to represent this team and to be able to dedicate my life to understanding and protecting nature. I am extremely grateful to have our work on tropical forests recognised by the Philip Leverhulme Prize. As a Brazilian woman, I am deeply thankful to those that continuously show me that science is for all of us and to all the investment in science that supported my career so far.”
“With the funds from the prize, my group will now work on a major analysis to understand the sensitivity of thousands of tropical tree species to climate change. We will also focus on understanding the impacts of droughts on how forests are changing. At a time when climate change is accelerating, this prize allows us to rapidly move our science forward to support the protection of nature.”
Professor Julian Hibberd, Head of the Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge, said: “I am truly delighted that Adriane’s track record and future research plans have been recognised in this way. The award of the Philip Leverhulme Prize marks the promise of early-career researchers on an annual basis across six rotating areas. Competition to be put forward by the University is intense, and the final decision by the Leverhulme Trust even more competitive. I am sure you will wish to join me in congratulating Adriane on this award.”
Professor Anna Vignoles, Director of the Leverhulme Trust, said: “This year marks the twenty-fifth year of the Philip Leverhulme Prizes. For a quarter of a century, this scheme has attracted extraordinarily high-calibre researchers, and selecting only 30 winners is always challenging. We are immensely grateful to the reviewers and panel members who help us in our decision making, and we are extremely proud to support these researchers through the next stage of their careers. The array of topics covered by their work is striking, from hyperbolic geometry to the philosophy of physics, educational stratification to the evolution of plant mutualism.”
Each prize is worth £100,000 and may be used for any purpose that advances the prize winner’s research.
In 2027, the Leverhulme Trust will invite nominations for prizes in Classics, Earth Sciences, Physics, Politics and International Relations, Psychology, and Visual and Performing Arts. Further information regarding the nomination process is available on the Leverhulme Trust website.
About the Leverhulme Trust
The Leverhulme Trust is an independent charity that seeks to fund ambitious blue skies research and scholarship, which has the potential to generate new ideas and research breakthroughs that benefit society. The Trust also aims to support a diverse range of scholars in their educational endeavours focusing efforts mainly in the UK, which has a world-class higher education research sector. Since its foundation in 1925, the Trust has provided grants and scholarships for research and education, funding research projects, fellowships, studentships, bursaries and prizes across all academic disciplines. Today, it is one of the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK, distributing approximately £120 million a year.
Image: Dr Adriane Esquivel Muelbert. Credit: Roberto Mecca / University of Cambridge.
This article was first published on the Department of Plant Sciences website on 21 October 2026.