Dr Ives received the award, in recognition of his scientific research in the field of Icelandic natural history and for a new book on the Skaftafell National Park which remembers the death of his close friends, two Nottingham students 55 years ago.

He received the award from the President of Iceland, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. Former President, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, has written a foreword to the book along with the British Ambassador to Iceland, His Excellency Alp Mehmet, and Professor Helgi Bjornsson, Iceland’s senior glaciologist.

Dr Ives graduated from Nottingham in 1953 with a BA honours first class in Geography. He was leader of the University’s first arctic expeditions during his undergraduate years, one of which ended in the tragic deaths of undergraduate climbers Ian Harrison and Tony Prosser, whose remains have never been found.

The pair were on a climb to the summit of the Öræfajökull ice cap – Iceland’s highest mountain, as part of a scientific fieldwork study by students and staff from The University of Nottingham.

On 6th August, 1953, leaving two colleagues Jim Exley and Chris Leahy to make regular observations at the main Vatnajökull glaciological camp 2 km north of Midfellstindur, Ian and Tony trekked toward Öræfajökull along the broad ice-covered ridge that connects the two ice caps.

At the time it was clear and sunny but later the same day severe weather enveloped the ice caps, resulting in blizzard conditions at high elevations for ten days. Despite rescue efforts beginning on 16th August by other members of the Nottingham expedition, the U.S. Air Force, and members of the Icelandic Glaciological Society, Ian and Tony were never seen again.

Last year climbers in the region discovered more than 150 fragments of camping and climbing equipment on an Icelandic valley glacier that flows down from the high ice fields where the two are believed to have died. The equipment did belong to the Nottingham team but no human remains were found. The items had travelled some 12-15km in the ice.

The final publication of Dr Ives new book, Skaftafell in Iceland, marks the 40th anniversary of the Skaftafell National Park and details this remarkably isolated and austerely beautiful landscape. The book’s central section contains a detailed history of the University’s Icelandic expeditions of the 1950s and the significant part played the then Vice-Chancellor, the late Bertrand Hallward.

The book has been very well received by Icelanders and the country’s SE community has presented Dr Ives with their annual prize for cultural contribution. All proceeds from sales are to be used to establish a research fund for administration by the Skaftafell National Park.

Dr Ives emigrated to Canada in1954, was awarded his PhD from McGill University in 1956 and has since worked with several international organizations in the course of his research, including the United Nations University (UNU), UNESCO, and the International Geographical Union. His 30-year work with UNU played a critical role in the eventual designation of 2002 as The International Year of Mountains by the United Nations Organization.

Two years ago Dr Ives, who is Honorary Research Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Carleton University, Ottawa, was awarded the Patron’s Medal of the Royal Geographical Society, following approval by HM The Queen, “ for his mountain and arctic research, extensive publishing, teaching and for his role internationally in establishing the global importance of mountain regions."

Skaftafell in Iceland – A Thousand years of Change, by Jack Ives, is published in English and Icelandic by Ormstunga. ISBN 978-9979-63-055-5. Please see www.ormstunga.is for further to details or to order a copy.