Awards and events
MacDiarmid Young Scientists of the Year Awards
Hosted and organised by the Foundation![[definition]](/sites/all/themes/frsttheme/images/glossary-icon.png "The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology is a Crown entity governed by a Board appointed by the Minister of Research, Science and Technology.
We were established under the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology Act 1990. Under the Act the Foundation’s principle purposes are: to allocate funds for the production of outputs relating to public good science and technology; to allocate funds pursuant to ministerial schemes; and to provide independent policy advice to the Minister of Research, Science and Technology on matters related to research, science and technology, including advice on national priorities for those matters.
We invest close to $500 million a year in science and technology research on behalf of the New Zealand Government, seeking benefits to New Zealand’s economy, environment and society."){kind=icon}
for Research, Science and Technology, the awards recognise excellence in New Zealand’s emerging researchers, with top marks given to entries that combine brilliant, innovative research with the ability to communicate it in a way that attracts the interest of the next generation of potential scientists and researchers.
Run annually, the competition builds up to a award ceremony and gala dinner in late August. More than $70,000 worth of prizes is up for grabs this year. Read the latest newsletter about the 2009 awards.
Benefits to researchers entering the awards
Award entrants have the chance to join a distinguished group of past winners of the MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year title, all of whom are at the cutting edge of scientific innovation in New Zealand.
Award winners are provided with wonderful opportunities to showcase their work with the media and potential employers and investors. The overall winner receives a cash prize of $10,000 and a trip to an international science festival, with expenses paid. The runner-up receives a trip to a relevant Australasian science conference and a cash prize of $5,000. Category winners also receive cash prizes of $5,000.
What entering involves
There are three stages in the MacDiarmid Young Scientists of the Year competition. At each stage only the best entrants will be invited to go forward to the next stage.
Stage one: Research, science and technology judging
Entrants submit a 750-word summary of their research and a CV listing their academic achievements, which is assessed for quality by specialist judges. Submit your entry using our online entry form.
Stage two: Communication judging
Entrants who receive a high grade for their research are invited to submit two communication entries that demonstrate their ability to communicate to a teenage audience.
Stage three: Final judging
Entrants with the highest combined scores from the first two stages are invited to present their research to a panel of top research, science and technology judges.