The Lifeboat Foundation has presented its 2007 Guardian Award to Dr. James Martin in recognition of the achievements of his Future of Humanity Institute in studying global catastrophic risks and the impacts of future technologies.

The award is given annually to a respected scientist or public figure who has warned of a future fraught with dangers and encouraged measures to prevent them, according to Lifeboat Foundation president Eric Klien.

James Martin, author of 102 textbooks, founded the James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization, the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford, and The Future of Humanity Institute, which studies how anticipated technological developments may affect the human condition in fundamental ways, and how we can better understand, evaluate, and respond to radical change. FHI currently runs four interrelated research programs: human enhancement, global catastrophic risks, methodology and rationality, and impacts of future technologies.