BROWN-NICHOLS SCIENCE AWARD

The Brown-Nichols Science Award was established in 2008 in honor of the significant contributions of Dr. Randall Brown and Dr. Frederic Nichols. Each made substantive contributions to science through research, by facilitating good science by others, and by communicating science to managers and policy makers in the San Francisco Estuary and watershed. Together they laid the foundations for the first Bay-Delta Science Conference.

Nomination Information

The award is given at each Bay-Delta Science Conference to recognize the contributions of a scientist for significant research and active involvement in facilitating the use of science to manage the San Francisco Estuary and watershed.

Nominations are encouraged for scientists who meet the following criteria. We encourage nominations for scientists from diverse backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, and women.

The deadline for submission of nomination packages is July 1, 2026.

Candidates for the award are evaluated on the following criteria:

The candidate conducts significant scientific research in the San Francisco Estuary and watershed.
The candidate makes significant scientific contributions to the development of management strategies or policies.
The candidate facilitates the practice of good science by others through management, mentoring, or collaboration.
The candidate has an impact through science communication and encourages scientific literacy through engagement and outreach activities.
Contributions of the candidate are broadly recognized as important by scientists, agencies, and others working in the Bay-Delta.
Nomination package requirements:

• Nomination letter (written by the Nominator, 4 page maximum)

• Nominator contact information and relationship to Nominee

• Nominee contact information and Curriculum Vitae

• Letters in support of the nomination: no more than five. Submit nomination packages as a PDF via e-mail to: brownnichols@deltacouncil.ca.gov.

The deadline for submission is July 1, 2026.

Questions? Contact brownnichols@deltacouncil.ca.gov.

2024 Brown-Nichols Science Award Winner

Matthew L. (Matt) Nobriga was honored by his peers at the 2024 Bay-Delta

Science Conference as the ninth recipient of the Brown-Nichols Science Award.

Matt is a highly respected researcher in the Bay-Delta, with expertise in the

life cycles of Bay-Delta fishes, especially Delta and Longfin smelt. His expertise

is well-reflected in his record of publications, which isexceptionally long for an

agency scientist in this region. Although others can match or exceed the

number of papers that he has produced, few have tackled the breadth of

topics or had papers exhibiting the level of impact of Matt’s contributions.

For nearly 30 years, Matt’s career has been with State or Federal agencies. In both regulatory and management settings, he has been able to directly apply his scientific knowledge to address high priority management and policy questions and help design management actions that benefit the overall aquatic ecosystem, as well as at-risk species.

Through his role as a supervisor of other agency scientists, Matt has led teams of hydrologists, fish biologists, and modelers to publish in a variety of peer-reviewed journals, adding to the literature of management relevant science. In addition, those teams have worked with others to develop highly useful models including a Delta Smelt Life-Cycle Model and a Delta Smelt Individual-Based Model to assess and predict the effects of water resource management actions on the Delta Smelt population.

Not only does Matt understand the science of the Delta, but he also has a rare ability to explain that knowledge to students, managers, and politicians. He is someone to whom everyone turns with respect, and his input often has the effect of calming and informing dialogue that could otherwise end up being contentious.

Matt was among the early cadre of scientists that Randy Brown mentored in the 1990’s. Randy’s efforts greatly expanded the role that science and scientists play in managing the Bay-Delta, and California water overall. As stated in one of

the award nomination letters, “It is only appropriate that another one of [Randy’s] ‘people’ would be qualified to win this award.

Here is a list of all previous Brown-Nichols Science Award winners:

2024 - Matt Nobriga

2021 - Dr. Larry Brown

2018 - Ted Sommer

2016 - Dr. Jeffrey Mount

2014 - Anke Mueller-Solger

2012 - Wim Kimmerer

2012 - Jim Cloern

2010 - Peter B. Moyle

2008 - Samuel N. Luoma