The International Permafrost Association is profoundly saddened to announce the passing of Professor Nikolai Romanovskii on March 20, 2016. Professor Romanovskii was educated at Moscow State University and worked there throughout his long career. His more than 300 publications covered a broad range of topics in geocryology, including periglacial processes, sub-sea permafrost and gas hydrates. He played a key role in international research, such as on the Joint Russian-German Laptev Sea project regarding the distribution of offshore permafrost and the joint Russia-US project on gas hydrates and permafrost in the Eurasian and North American Arctic. He served the IPA as Vice-President and as Co-chair of the Working Group on Coastal and Offshore Permafrost. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Professor Romanovskii was awarded the IPA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.