The annual awards evening celebrates academics who excel at communicating research to a broad public audience, highlighting clarity, engagement and real-world impact. While the top prize this year was awarded to Professor Jeremy Howick, the commendation for Dr Yan reflects the growing importance of accessible, evidence-based writing in fields such as sustainable finance and economic policy.
Dr Yan’s work focuses on climate finance, financial risk and sustainable economics, translating complex concepts into accessible insights for readers beyond academia. Her contributions to The Conversation have explored topics including the financial implications of climate change and the evolving risks facing global markets, areas that are increasingly relevant for policymakers, businesses and the public.
The 2025 awards were presented at an event hosted at Bayes Business School in London, attended by around 80 contributors to The Conversation. The Sir Paul Curran Award underscores the role of platforms like The Conversation in bridging the gap between academia and society.
The award judges praised contributors like Dr Yan for their ability to make “complex research accessible, engaging and genuinely useful”, underlining the importance of public-facing scholarship in addressing global challenges.
Senior environment editor Anna Turns said: “Climate risk is one of Meilan’s biggest worries and this is very much something that gets overlooked among a chaotic landscape of geopolitical unrest. Her pieces bridge the gap between climate science and financial risk in tangible and relatable ways.”
Reflecting on her award, Dr Yan said: “I am delighted to have been recognised for my contributions to The Conversation’s ongoing mission to translate academic insight into public knowledge.
“I strongly believe in the transformative power of research when it comes to tackling the biggest challenges facing our societies and planet. By aligning the priorities of people and businesses, we can make real progress in confronting climate change.
"I am proud to have been part of the development team co-creating a new Loughborough University-wide network, focused on the issue of climate change and flood-risk management, which will officially launch on 30 June.
"I hope the network will create a meaningful platform for more interdisciplinary collaboration and stronger stakeholder engagement, enabling us to work together across disciplines and sectors to develop research that can make a real difference.”