The Prime Minister's Science Prizes are awarded yearly by the Prime Minister of New Zealand. They were first awarded in 2009 in order to raise the profile and prestige of science among New Zealanders. The 2019 awards were presented in early 2020.

Awards

The Prime Minister's Science Prize

Awarded to an individual or a team, the prize recognises a scientific discovery or achievement that has a significant economic, health, social or environmental impact on New Zealand or internationally in the past five years. The total prize is NZD 500,000.

Prizewinners

* 2023: Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer Team, led by Parry Guilford from the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

* 2022: The National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, led by Valery Feigin from

Auckland University of Technology Auckland University of Technology ( AUT; ) is a university in New Zealand, formed on 1 January 2000 when a former technical college (originally established in 1895) was granted university status. AUT is New Zealand's third largest university i ...

* 2021: The Neonatal Glucose Studies Team, led by Jane Harding * 2020: 24 research scientists doing COVID-19 modelling at

Te Pūnaha Matatini Te Pūnaha Matatini is the New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence for complex systems. Te Pūnaha Matatini is funded by the Tertiary Education Commission, hosted by the University of Auckland, and works in partnership with fifteen universi ...

*2019: Antarctic sea rise research by scientists at Victoria University, Niwa and GNS Science * 2018: STRmix team of 16 software developers from Institute of Environmental Science and Research. * 2017:

Plant & Food Research Plant & Food Research (Māori: Rangahau Ahumāra Kai) is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute (CRI). Its purpose is to enhance the value and productivity of New Zealand's horticultural, arable, seafood and food & beverage industries. The in ...

Psa PSA, PsA, Psa, or psa may refer to: Biology and medicine * Posterior spinal artery * Primary systemic amyloidosis, a disease caused by the accumulation of abnormal proteins * Prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme used as a blood tracer for pro ...

response team. * 2016: The Dunedin Study led by

Richie Poulton Richie Graham Poulton (1962 – 29 September 2023) was a New Zealand psychologist and the director of the University of Otago's Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health & Development Research Unit, which runs the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and De ...

, and key team members

Terrie Moffitt Terrie Edith Moffitt (born March 9, 1955) is an American-British clinical psychologist who is best known for her pioneering research on the development of antisocial behavior and for her collaboration with colleague and partner Avshalom Caspi i ...

, Murray Thomson, Jonathan Broadbent, Avshalom Caspi, Bob Hancox, Malcolm Sears, Nigel Dickson, Jennie Connor and Joanne Baxter * 2015: Bone and Joint Research Group, led by Mark Bolland, Andrew Grey and Ian Reid. * 2014: He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme led by Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman. * 2013: John Boys and Grant Covic at the

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

. * 2012: Paul Moughan and Harjinder Singh at

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

. * 2011: NIWA – Otago University Chemical and Physical Oceanography team led by Philip Boyd. * 2010: Magnetic Resonance Innovation team led by

Paul Callaghan Sir Paul Terence Callaghan ( ; 19 August 1947 – 24 March 2012) was a New Zealand physicist who, as the founding director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology at Victoria University of Wellington, held ...

. * 2009: Bob Buckley and Jeff Tallon of Industrial Research Ltd.

The Prime Minister's MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize

The prize is awarded to an outstanding emerging scientist who has had their PhD conferred within the last eight years. Prior to 2015 the qualifying period was within five years of conferment. The recipient receives NZD 200,000. This award was preceded by Young Scientist of the Year sponsored by the MacDiarmid Institute.

Prizewinners

* 2023: Samuel Mehr from the

* 2022: Jonathan Tonkin from the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

* 2021: Jemma Geoghegan from the

* 2020: Chris Cornwall from

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington (), also known by its shorter names "VUW" or "Vic", is a public university, public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of New Zealand Parliament, Parliament, and w ...

*2019: Miro Erkintalo from the

* 2018: Peng Du from the University of Auckland. * 2017: Carla Meledandri from the University of Otago. * 2016: Brendon Bradley at the

. * 2015: Alex Taylor at the University of Auckland. * 2014: Karl Iremonger at the University of Otago. * 2013: Benjamin O’Brien of StretchSense Ltd. * 2012: James Russell at the University of Auckland. * 2011: Rob McKay at

. * 2010: Donna Rose Addis at the University of Auckland. * 2009: John Watt at Victoria University of Wellington.

The Prime Minister's Science Teacher Prize

Awarded to a teacher who is teaching science to school-age children, the prize is NZD 150,000.

Prizewinners

* 2023: Madeleine Collins, from Green Bay High School, Auckland * 2022: Douglas Walker, from St Patrick's College in Wellington * 2021: Bianca Woyak, from Burnside Primary School in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

* 2020: Sarah Washbrooke from Remarkables Primary School, Queenstown * 2019: Michelle Dalrymple from

Cashmere High School Cashmere High School () is a state coeducational secondary school, located in southern Christchurch, New Zealand. It was opened in 1956 in response to population growth in southern Christchurch during the 1950s. The school is located in the su ...

* 2017: Sarah Johns from

Nelson College for Girls Nelson College for Girls is an all-girls state school in Nelson, New Zealand. Established in 1883, it has close ties with the all-boys Nelson College and has a private Preparatory School. Nelson College for Girls was one of the highest rankings ...

. * 2016: Diana Christenson from Koraunui School,

Lower Hutt Lower Hutt () is a list of cities in New Zealand, city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. Administered by the Hutt City Council, it is one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington#Wellington metropolitan area, Wellington metropoli ...

. * 2015: Tania Lineham, Head of Science at

James Hargest College James Hargest College (Māori: ''Te Kura o Hēmi Hakena'') is a large school of 1,903 students (as of November 2024), in Invercargill, New Zealand. The school caters for students from year 7–13. The school is divided into two campuses, known ...

Invercargill Invercargill ( , ) is the southernmost and westernmost list of cities in New Zealand, city in New Zealand, and one of the Southernmost settlements, southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland Region, Southlan ...

. * 2014: Terry Burrell, Learning Area Leader of Science at

Onslow College Onslow College is a state co-educational secondary school located in Johnsonville, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. In 2022 it had 1405 students. The current principal is Sheena Millar. History Onslow College opened in 1956 to serve Welling ...

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

. * 2013: Fenella Colyer of

Manurewa High School Manurewa High School is a secondary school in Manurewa, South Auckland, New Zealand. It is a large multi-cultural school, with an enrolment of over 2,300 students. History Manurewa High School was opened on 2 February 1960. Prior to this, stude ...

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

. * 2012: Peter Stewart,

Papatoetoe High School Papatoetoe High School (PHS) is a secondary school (years 9–13) in Papatoetoe suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. History Papatoetoe High School was established in 1956. In February 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, cases of CO ...

, Auckland. * 2011: Angela Sharples, Rotorua Boys’ High School. * 2010: Steve Martin from

Howick College Howick College is a state co-educational secondary school located in the eastern Auckland, New Zealand suburb of Cockle Bay. Serving Years 9 to 13, the school has a roll of students as of History Howick College was established in 1974 to ser ...

in Auckland. * 2009: Paul Lowe at

Morrinsville College Morrinsville College is a state secondary school located in Morrinsville, Waikato, New Zealand. The school has a roll of approximately students from years 9 to 13 (approx ages 13 to 18) as of The school dates back to 1923 when Morrinsville Sc ...

Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...

The Prime Minister's Future Scientist Prize

Awarded to a Year 12 or Year 13 student who has undertaken a science, mathematics, technological or engineering project, the prize is worth NZD 50,000.

Prizewinners

* 2023: Sunny Perry from Kerikeri High School in Northland * 2022: Benjamin Smith from

in Wellington * 2021: Carol Khor Shun Ting from

Burnside High School Burnside High School () is a state co-educational secondary school located in the suburb of Burnside in Christchurch, New Zealand. With a roll of students, it is the largest school in New Zealand outside Auckland, and is among the country's fou ...

, Christchurch * 2020: James Zingel from Bethlehem College,

Tauranga Tauranga (, Māori language for "resting place," or "safe anchorage") is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty Region and the List of cities in New Zealand, fifth-most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of or roughly 3% of t ...

*2019: Thomas James from

* 2018: Finnegan Messerli from

, Wellington. * 2017: Jonathan Chan,

Auckland Grammar School Auckland Grammar School (often simplified to Auckland Grammar, or Grammar), established in 1869, is a State school, state, Day school, day and Boarding school, boarding secondary school for Single-sex education, boys in Auckland, New Zealand. ...

. * 2016: Catherine Pot from

, Wellington. * 2015: Georgia Lala from Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland. * 2014: Tim Logan from

Darfield High School Darfield High School is a secondary school in Darfield, New Zealand. As of , it had students. History Darfield High School was established in 1951. The 2010 Darfield earthquake caused some damage to the school. In 2018 it was reported that ...

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

. * 2013: Thomas Morgan at Marlborough Boys’ College in Blenheim. * 2012: Hannah Ng, St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland. * 2011: Nuan-Ting Huang, Diocesan School for Girls, Auckland. * 2010: Bailey Lovett at James Hargest College, Invercargill. * 2009: Stanley Roache,

, Wellington.

The Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize

The Prize is awarded to either a practising science with an interest, passion and aptitude for science communication, or to a person with expertise in communicating complex scientific or technological information to the public. The prize was worth NZD 100,000. In 2021 the prize was worth $75,000.

Prizewinners

* 2023: Ben Kennedy,

* 2022: Dianne Sika-Paotonu, University of Otago * 2021: Toby Morris, cartoonist,

the Spinoff ''The Spinoff'' is a New Zealand online magazine and news website that was founded in 2014. It is known for current affairs coverage, political and social analysis, and cultural commentary. It earns money through commercial sponsorship and su ...

* 2020: Michael Baker,

*2019: Rangi Matamua,

University of Waikato The University of Waikato (), established in 1964, is a Public university, public research university located in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university performs research in nume ...

* 2018: James Renwick,

* 2017: Damian Christie, SciFilms. * 2016: Rebecca Priestley from Victoria University of Wellington. * 2015: Ian Griffin at the

Otago Museum Otago (, ; ) is a region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island and administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local government region. Its po ...

. * 2014: Michelle Dickinson, 'Nanogirl', at the University of Auckland. * 2013:

Siouxsie Wiles Siouxsie Wiles (born Susanna Wiles) is a British microbiologist and science communicator. Her specialist areas are infectious diseases and bioluminescence. She is based in New Zealand. She is the head of University of Auckland's Bioluminescen ...

, University of Auckland. * 2012:

Shaun Hendy Shaun Cameron Hendy is a New Zealand physicist. He is the chief scientist at climate innovation company Toha. He was previously a professor at the University of Auckland and was the first director of Te Pūnaha Matatini, a centre of research ...

, Victoria University of Wellington and Industrial Research Ltd. * 2011: Mark Quigley, University of Canterbury. * 2010: Cornel de Ronde at

GNS Science GNS Science (), officially registered as the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Limited, is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute. It focuses on geology, geophysics (including seismology and volcanology), and nuclear science (partic ...

. * 2009: Elizabeth Connor, Wellington.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official website

Recipient list
New Zealand science and technology awards 2009 establishments in New Zealand