News: 15 July 09
Research investments to benefit New Zealand
The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology has approved $136 million in contracts with research organisations in its main 2009 investment round.
The 38 contestable contracts are with 15 organisations including Crown research institutes, universities and private sector research organisations. They are worth $27.3 million in their first year and $136.3 million over their lifetimes. The contracts are for periods ranging from two to six years.
The investment round focuses on two main areas – more than $12 million per annum goes to research projects covering infrastructure, communities and energy, and nearly $15 million per annum will support research aimed at improving environmental resilience.
Foundation Chief Executive Murray Bain says the investment round will support some ground breaking scientific research with the potential to deliver substantial benefits to New Zealand.
This includes emerging energy technologies such as carbon capture and storage, strategies to reduce household energy consumption and knowledge that will help develop sustainable waste management systems.
“Another exciting contract includes work by a team at GNS Science to better understand the major causes of air pollution. The research will help shape policies that will lead to an overall improvement in the health of our communities,” says Mr Bain.
Mr Bain says the investment process occurs at a time when New Zealand’s environment is under increasing pressure and subject to international agreements and intense scrutiny.
“Consequently, it is important that the Foundation’s research investment delivers high quality outcomes to provide sustainable, environmental resilience.”
Areas covered by the successful research proposals in the environmental area include pest control for biosecurity, coastal conservation and restoration, and strategies for marine management plans that will help conserve some of New Zealand’s threatened marine animals, including Hector’s dolphins.
All the contracts take effect from 1 October, 2009.
Mr Bain says overall, research proposals were of a high standard and choosing between them was a difficult task.
“However, the quality of proposed research is not the only factor we take into account when making decisions. We also consider a range of other factors with the goal of achieving a balanced and appropriate spread of funding that is in line with Government priorities.”
Mr Bain says the investment decisions announced today represent the major part of the Foundation’s 2009 funding decisions. All result from a contestable process where research organisations put forward bids for the available funds.
“It is an inevitable fact of a contestable process that some good research will miss out on funding but we are confident that we are investing in the research projects most likely to deliver value for money and benefit to New Zealand,” he says.
Read the full list of the 38 successful contracts.
For further information:
Bill Boyd, General Manager Marketing and Communications
Tel 04 917 7810
media@frst.govt.nz
The 38 contestable contracts are with 15 organisations including Crown research institutes, universities and private sector research organisations. They are worth $27.3 million in their first year and $136.3 million over their lifetimes. The contracts are for periods ranging from two to six years.
The investment round focuses on two main areas – more than $12 million per annum goes to research projects covering infrastructure, communities and energy, and nearly $15 million per annum will support research aimed at improving environmental resilience.
Foundation Chief Executive Murray Bain says the investment round will support some ground breaking scientific research with the potential to deliver substantial benefits to New Zealand.
This includes emerging energy technologies such as carbon capture and storage, strategies to reduce household energy consumption and knowledge that will help develop sustainable waste management systems.
“Another exciting contract includes work by a team at GNS Science to better understand the major causes of air pollution. The research will help shape policies that will lead to an overall improvement in the health of our communities,” says Mr Bain.
Mr Bain says the investment process occurs at a time when New Zealand’s environment is under increasing pressure and subject to international agreements and intense scrutiny.
“Consequently, it is important that the Foundation’s research investment delivers high quality outcomes to provide sustainable, environmental resilience.”
Areas covered by the successful research proposals in the environmental area include pest control for biosecurity, coastal conservation and restoration, and strategies for marine management plans that will help conserve some of New Zealand’s threatened marine animals, including Hector’s dolphins.
All the contracts take effect from 1 October, 2009.
Mr Bain says overall, research proposals were of a high standard and choosing between them was a difficult task.
“However, the quality of proposed research is not the only factor we take into account when making decisions. We also consider a range of other factors with the goal of achieving a balanced and appropriate spread of funding that is in line with Government priorities.”
Mr Bain says the investment decisions announced today represent the major part of the Foundation’s 2009 funding decisions. All result from a contestable process where research organisations put forward bids for the available funds.
“It is an inevitable fact of a contestable process that some good research will miss out on funding but we are confident that we are investing in the research projects most likely to deliver value for money and benefit to New Zealand,” he says.
Read the full list of the 38 successful contracts.
For further information:
Bill Boyd, General Manager Marketing and Communications
Tel 04 917 7810
media@frst.govt.nz