Awards and events
MacDiarmid Young Scientists of the Year Awards

Hosted and organised by the Foundation? 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.

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.

Who is eligible?

The competition is open to all post-graduates undertaking research.

The upper entry limit is five years, or equivalent, from the date of the award of PhD. A special award will also be made for outstanding Masters’ level research.

To enter you must be a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident of New Zealand.

Please note: If you are currently based overseas and not able to travel to New Zealand for the panel judging date, or the awards dinner then you should not enter the competition.

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.

Key dates:

• Stage 1 - entries closed on 23 March 2009.
• All entrants notified on 27 April 2009.
• Stage 2 - communication entries close on 29 May 2009.
• Short-listed entrants notified on 7 July 2009.
• Stage 3 - panel judging on 28 July 2009.
• Awards dinner 27 August 2009.

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.

Interested? See more about the MacDiarmid Awards. You may also be interested in our funding schemes for students and scholars.