World Citizen Prizes in Environmental Performance

About the Award

Beginning with our 2019 conference in Denver, APPAM awards the World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance at the Annual Fall Research Conference. Granted by David and Joy K. Peyton, the award recognizes research that assesses pathways to achieve measurable but as-yet unrealized gains in overall environmental performance, in particular to reduce consumption and waste.  The research may be based on the United States or other countries.

Qualifications / Eligibility

  • Must conduct research   in natural resource, energy and environmental policy, including energy options and use, new sources of energy, pollution, waterways, conservation efforts, protected land and species, natural resource scarcity and management, green economies, land reform, climate change, and sustainability.

Nomination / Application Requirements

  • The work should recognize research on the following issues (not an exhaustive list): Energy options and use, new sources of energy, pollution, waterways, conservation efforts, protected land and species, natural resource scarcity and management, green economies, land reform, climate change, and sustainability.
  • CV
  • Application Letter
  • Letter of Support
  • Provide one to three recent completed research products highlighting relevant contributions.

Award Recognition (Monetary Prize / Travel Support)

  • $2,500 prize paid directly to the recipient.
  • Up to $500 in travel funds to support attendance at the APPAM Annual Fall Research Conference.
  • A plaque and recognition at an awards event at the conference.

Congratulations to the 2026 Recipient of the APPAM World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance Award!

Mehdi Nemati is recognized with the 2026 World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance for his sustained contributions to understanding and addressing critical environmental and natural resource challenges, particularly in water, land, and climate policy. His research combines rigorous quantitative methods with a strong focus on how environmental policies affect communities, households, and decision-making, producing evidence that can be directly applied to real-world policy challenges.

A committed educator and interdisciplinary collaborator, Mehdi brings together researchers, students, policymakers, and practitioners to develop solutions to complex environmental problems. His ability to translate technical research into actionable policy insights, while mentoring the next generation of environmental policy scholars, exemplifies the global perspective and practical impact recognized by the World Citizen Prize.

Mehdi Nemati
University of California, Riverside

Prior Recipients

2025 – Shiran Victoria Shen, Stanford University

2024 – Rachel Krause, University of Kansas

2023 – Daniel Matisoff (Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy), Douglas Noonan (O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University), Lucy Qiu (University of Maryland School of Public Policy)

2022 – David Konisky, O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University

2021 – Marilyn A. Brown, Georgia Institute of Technology

2020 – Sanya Carley, O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University

2019 – Nathan Hultman, University of Maryland School of Public Policy, and Gregory Nemet, University of Wisconsin–Madison La Follette School of Public Affairs.