News: 7 April 08
Record entries in awards for top young scientists
A record 141 researchers and scientists have entered this year’s MacDiarmid Young Scientists of the Year Awards.
Named after one of New Zealand’s most prominent international scientists, Professor Alan MacDiarmid, the awards are hosted by the Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology with principal sponsor Fisher & Paykel Appliances.
The awards carry an overall prize pool of more than $50,000, with the winner receiving $10,000 and an expenses paid trip to the United Kingdom to attend the annual Science Festival held by the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
Of the total entries received, 38 are from University of Auckland students, with the University of Otago also making a strong bid to take top honours, with 21 entries. Others come from Massey, Waikato, Canterbury, Victoria and AUT universities and from researchers working with Crown Research Institutes and overseas universities.
The Advancing Human Health and Wellbeing category, sponsored by the Health Research Council, has attracted 49 entries. The Future Science and Technologies category, sponsored by Industrial Research Ltd, has drawn 39 entries. Other entries are divided between the Adding Value to Nature (sponsored by the University of Waikato), Science and our Society (sponsored by The University of Auckland and Auckland UniServices) and Understanding Planet Earth categories.
Foundation Chief Executive Murray Bain says the strong interest in the MacDiarmid Awards reflects current momentum in the research, science and technology sector.
“Government initiatives including the new R&D tax credits and the recent Fast Forward investment to foster innovation in New Zealand’s pastoral and food industries, illustrate the economic importance of the science sector to New Zealand.
“It is exciting and rewarding to see a jump in the number of young people entering the MacDiarmid Awards. Each year, the entries reveal innovative, world-class research with potential to deliver breakthrough scientific and technological discoveries, and 2008 is no exception,” said Mr Bain.
The Awards will be presented at a gala dinner being held in Auckland on 14 August.
Masterton-born Professor MacDiarmid, who lent his name to the awards, taught for 45 years at the University of Pennsylvania. He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for the discovery and development of conductive organic polymers, plastic materials that conduct electricity. He died in February 2007.
For more information contact:
Maria Cobden
Senior Communications Advisor
Tel 04 917 7859 or go to the MacDiarmid Awards page.
Named after one of New Zealand’s most prominent international scientists, Professor Alan MacDiarmid, the awards are hosted by the Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology with principal sponsor Fisher & Paykel Appliances.
The awards carry an overall prize pool of more than $50,000, with the winner receiving $10,000 and an expenses paid trip to the United Kingdom to attend the annual Science Festival held by the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
Of the total entries received, 38 are from University of Auckland students, with the University of Otago also making a strong bid to take top honours, with 21 entries. Others come from Massey, Waikato, Canterbury, Victoria and AUT universities and from researchers working with Crown Research Institutes and overseas universities.
The Advancing Human Health and Wellbeing category, sponsored by the Health Research Council, has attracted 49 entries. The Future Science and Technologies category, sponsored by Industrial Research Ltd, has drawn 39 entries. Other entries are divided between the Adding Value to Nature (sponsored by the University of Waikato), Science and our Society (sponsored by The University of Auckland and Auckland UniServices) and Understanding Planet Earth categories.
Foundation Chief Executive Murray Bain says the strong interest in the MacDiarmid Awards reflects current momentum in the research, science and technology sector.
“Government initiatives including the new R&D tax credits and the recent Fast Forward investment to foster innovation in New Zealand’s pastoral and food industries, illustrate the economic importance of the science sector to New Zealand.
“It is exciting and rewarding to see a jump in the number of young people entering the MacDiarmid Awards. Each year, the entries reveal innovative, world-class research with potential to deliver breakthrough scientific and technological discoveries, and 2008 is no exception,” said Mr Bain.
The Awards will be presented at a gala dinner being held in Auckland on 14 August.
Masterton-born Professor MacDiarmid, who lent his name to the awards, taught for 45 years at the University of Pennsylvania. He shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for the discovery and development of conductive organic polymers, plastic materials that conduct electricity. He died in February 2007.
For more information contact:
Maria Cobden
Senior Communications Advisor
Tel 04 917 7859 or go to the MacDiarmid Awards page.