Announcing the 2026 DarkSky Award winners

Each year, DarkSky International recognizes and celebrates the incredible achievements of individuals, groups, and communities who are committed to our mission of preserving nighttime environments around the world. Their hard work and dedication informs global communities about the negative impacts of light pollution, supports and strengthens our network of advocates, and inspires us all to keep up the fight to reverse the growing trends of light pollution and save the natural night.

Crawford Hunter Lifetime Achievement Award: Karen Trevino

Karen is a recognized visionary and force multiplier whose leadership, ideas, and collaborative approach have advanced natural soundscape and night sky preservation nationally and internationally. As Chief of the National Park Service (NPS) Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, she led multidisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, planners, and communications professionals in protecting park resources through research, technology, policy, partnerships, education, and outreach.

• Karen’s work was the driving force behind many initiatives, some including:
• Developed service-wide guidance on Dark Sky Park certifications
• First-ever permanent base funding for NPS Night Skies program
• Key partnerships with scientific institutions on outdoor lighting
• Architect of the NPS Lighting Workshop and NPS Night Sky Academy
• Guided policy, research projects, collaborations, and partnerships with the White House and other federal agencies
• Developed service-wide guidance on Dark Sky Park certifications

Bob Gent Community Leadership Award: Dr. Ladislaus Batinoluho

Dr. Ladislaus Batinoluho is founder and President of DarkSky Tanzania, a registered NGO of over 70 members working to preserve dark sky places and build capacity among schoolchildren, teachers, youth and tourism operators. He championed Tanzania’s first astrotourism business training in 2025, co-leads education outreach on the Kilimanjaro Saddle Telescope Project, and is supporting Ngorongoro Conservation Area and hundreds of other protected areas towards International Dark Sky Park certification.

Galileo Award: Franz Hölker

Franz has made outstanding contributions to the transdisciplinary field of artificial light at night (ALAN) research over more than 15 years. Bridging ecology, physics, lighting design, and citizen science, he has advanced understanding of light pollution’s impacts across species and ecosystems. He established pioneering research networks, led major European collaborations, and continues to translate scientific evidence into sustainable lighting solutions, nature conservation practices, and policy frameworks to protect nocturnal environments (including the night sky).

Lighting Technological Innovation Award: Torrent Chin with LEOTEK, ECOridge Luminaire

LEOTEK is advancing the global DarkSky initiative through innovative, environmentally responsible lighting solutions. Its technologies reduce blue-light emissions, minimize light pollution, and protect wildlife habitats while maintaining roadway safety. Using AI-powered simulations and smart lighting controls, LEOTEK reports potential light-output reductions of approximately 30% while meeting illumination requirements. Through ecological lighting designs, conservation partnerships, and DarkSky Approved products, the company aims to promote energy efficiency, biodiversity protection, and more sustainable outdoor lighting worldwide.

Wildlife Night Watch Award: Elena Maggi

Elena Maggi is an Associate Professor of Ecology at the University of Pisa, Italy. Since 2016, her research has focused on understanding how artificial light at night affects coastal marine biodiversity, from individual species to ecological interactions and ecosystem functioning. She currently coordinates the EU-funded AquaPLAN project, investigating the combined impacts of light and noise pollution on aquatic ecosystems. Her research highlights the ecological importance of natural darkness and provides scientific evidence to support the conservation of marine biodiversity.

The Dr. Arthur Hoag and William T. Robinson Award: Yana Yakushina

Yana advances global policy and legal approaches to protecting D&QS and mitigating light pollution. She co-developed the Light Pollution Policy Brief, leads international research as Scientific Coordinator of the Horizon Europe PLAN-B project, and has contributed to high-level UNOOSA, CMS and CBD meetings. Her pioneering legal work and research frame the night as part of the natural environment and address terrestrial and orbital impacts, as well as support stronger global D&QS protection.

Dark Sky Place of the Year Award: Voyageurs National Park and Voyageurs Conservancy

Voyageurs National Park, an International Dark Sky Park on Minnesota’s northern border, protects exceptionally dark night skies above its lakes and boreal forest. Through their Dark Sky Initiative, the park and Voyageurs Conservancy, its official nonprofit partner, invite everyone to experience them through Park After Dark programs, a Virtual Dark Sky Classroom that brings the night sky to students anywhere, an annual Star Party, and Boreal Stargazing Week, a statewide celebration of stars, planets, and the northern lights overhead.

Rising Star Awards

Avis Kennedy-Stirling

Avis Kennedy-Stirling of the North Maine Woods achieved the Girl Scout Gold Award with her dark sky advocacy youth toolkit on responsible outdoor lighting, Living-Night.com. Living in the Maine Dark Sky Park, AMC Woods Initiative, she knows well the beauty of Bortle 1.

Siddharth Patel

Siddharth Patel, 13, of London, Ontario, is a DarkSky Advocate, amateur astronomer, astrophotographer, and citizen scientist. He hosts community stargazing and astronomy nights, gives presentations, contributes to Globe at Night, and conducts outreach promoting responsible outdoor lighting. Through his initiative, AstroSidSpace, and its Instagram and YouTube channels, he shares his astronomy and astrophotography, showcasing the beauty of the night sky and why it needs protection. CBC and CTV have covered his advocacy, and he has been recognized by the City of London for his work.

Dark Sky Defender Awards

Stéphane Picard

Stéphane Picard, Founder and CEO of Cliff Valley Astronomy, is transforming Canada’s astrotourism landscape through innovative destination development, Indigenous partnerships, and dark sky conservation. Leading 14 consulting projects nationwide, including nine in New Brunswick, he is helping establish the province as a premier dark sky destination. Through strategic collaborations, growing tourism networks, international media exposure, and community engagement, Picard is advancing sustainable tourism while generating cultural, environmental, and economic benefits across Canada.

Stacey Guerin and Laurie Osher

Maine’s new dark-sky law, effective October 1, 2026, reflects bipartisan efforts by Senator Stacey Guerin and Representative Laurie Osher to reduce light pollution. It encourages responsible outdoor lighting by requiring public facilities to use shielded lights, direct lighting downward, and limit brightness. These measures help protect wildlife, conserve energy, improve sleep, and preserve views of the stars. Municipalities can also adopt stronger local lighting rules to support healthier ecosystems and Maine’s natural nighttime beauty for future generations.

Bernardita Ried Guachalla

Bernardita Ried Guachalla is a Chilean astrophysicist and science communicator recognized for her leadership in defending Chile’s dark skies. In 2025, she helped mobilize public and scientific opposition to a proposed industrial hydrogen project threatening the Paranal and Armazones observatories. Through social media, media outreach, policymaker engagement, and an open letter signed by over 3,300 astronomers, she brought international attention to the issue. The campaign contributed to public debate before the project was withdrawn in 2026.

Najah Al-Salihy

Najah Al-Salihy is advancing dark-sky awareness in Iraq through scientific outreach, community engagement, and collaboration with academic and government institutions. As founder of the National Team for Dark Sky Protection and Astrotourism, she promotes Arabic-language education on light pollution, conducts field measurements of sky brightness, and uses satellite data and QGIS to identify promising dark-sky sites. Her advocacy also connects dark-sky protection with Iraq’s cultural heritage and responsible astrotourism.

Axiou Lin

Axiou, a former urban planner, columnist, and politician, is the founder of the Taiwan Dark Sky Association (TDA) and DarkSky International’s Taiwan chapter. He has advanced dark sky conservation through certifications at Hehuan and Lala, lighting regulations, streetlight subsidy reform, inclusive community outreach, and exploration of AI’s impacts. Passionate about engaging younger generations, Axiou combines strategic vision, determination, and inclusivity to advance Taiwan’s dark sky movement and inspire progress across Asia.

Leigh Harling-Bowen

Leigh, a Chartered Environmentalist with a background in chemistry and environmental management, champions dark sky conservation in Wales. His efforts helped Presteigne and Norton become the first International Dark Sky Community in England and Wales in 2024. He also influenced Powys County Council to adopt warmer streetlighting, reducing energy use and emissions while improving sky darkness. As a wildlife conservation trustee and astronomy enthusiast, Leigh advocates stronger environmental standards to protect natural darkness and biodiversity.

Naomi Wilds | Adverse Camber

Naomi is a producer and live literature specialist who founded Adverse Camber in 2006, now a registered charity and one of the UK’s leading storytelling organisations. Cysur y Sêr (the comfort of the stars), a project through Adverse Camber, brought together 10 traditional oral storytellers from across Wales, to learn about Wales’ protected Dark Skies and the benefits of dark skies to people and nature. The storytellers then told Greek and Welsh Myths about night sky constellations, bilingually, and in Welsh, to over 1300 people, during Wales Dark Skies week, in schools, outdoors on hillsides at night, in nature reserves, in local observatories.

We congratulate and thank all of our nominees and winners!

Want to nominate a person or organization for next year’s awards cycle?

The nomination window for 2027 will open in May.