Rutherford Discovery Fellowships

Summary

The Rutherford Discovery Fellowships are an annual science fellowship in New Zealand. The fellowships, established in 2010, are administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi through a competitive process. Ten fellowships are awarded nationally. The successful Fellows are announced in October/November each year. The awards made in 2023, to twelve recipients, were the final awards.

Fellowship scheme edit

The fellowships are administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi through Terms of Reference established by the Minister of Science and Innovation, and are intended to "develop excellent researchers in New Zealand".[1] The establishment of the scheme was funded by reprioritising funding from the existing James Cook Research Fellowships and the disestablished Foundation for Research, Science and Technology-funded Postdoctoral Fellowships.[2] The fellowships provide up to $160,000 per annum for five years for ten researchers, and are aimed at early to mid-career researchers (three to eight years post-PhD).[1] Applicants prepare a proposal describing their planned research at a named host institution, and a shortlist of applicants proceeds to interview. Successful Fellows are announced in October or November each year.[1][3] The Fellowships are intended to be prestigious, and to "develop and foster the future leaders in the New Zealand science and innovation system by encouraging their career development and by enabling them to establish a solid track record for future research".[1]

The Ministry of Science and Innovation commissioned a review of the scheme in 2011, following a public letter raising concerns about a gap in early and mid-career support for researchers.[2] The review, conducted by the government Social Wellbeing Agency (The Hub), interviewed fellows, the selection panel, and representatives from host institutions and the Royal Society. A draft report is available but the final report and recommendations do not appear to have been made public.[4][2] The scheme finished in 2023 with the awarding of $800,000 each to 12 fellows.[5] The fellowship is among several funding schemes replaced by the New Zealand Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowship.[6]

Fellows edit

2010|2011|2012|2013|2014|2015|2016|2017|2018|2019|2020|2021|2022|2023
Year Recipient Host institution Project title
2010

Donna Rose Addis University of Auckland Building our autobiographies: how the brain constructs past and future autobiographical events
Ashton S. Bradley University of Otago The birth, life, and death of a quantum vortex dipole
Murray Cox Massey University Computational reconstruction of genomic evolution
Alexei J. Drummond University of Auckland Computational analysis for molecular ecology and evolutionary biology
Paul P. Gardner University of Canterbury Bioinformatic approaches to functionally characterise RNAs
Noam Greenberg Victoria University of Wellington Effective randomness, lowness notions and higher computability
Jennifer Hay University of Canterbury Episodic word memory
Eric Le Ru Victoria University of Wellington Surface-enhanced spectroscopy: from fundamentals to applications
John N. J. Reynolds University of Otago Improving brain function: a balancing act
Jason Tylianakis University of Canterbury Reweaving the web of life: the interplay of species traits and resource constraints during the assembly and disassembly of ecological networks in changing environments.
2011

Quentin D. Atkinson University of Auckland A Darwinian approach to understanding the cultural evolution of language and cooperation
Nancy Bertler Victoria University of Wellington The Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution (RICE) project
Peter C. Fineran University of Otago How do bacterial ‘adaptive immune systems’ protect microbial cells against viral infection?
David Goldstone University of Auckland Trimming retroviral infection: Structural investigations of TRIM protein function
Chris Hann University of Canterbury Advanced rocket system modelling and control for supersonic and hypersonic flight
Justin M. Hodgkiss Victoria University of Wellington Time-resolved optical spectroscopy to guide the design of photoactive organic semiconductor devices
Nicole Moreham Victoria University of Wellington The protection of privacy in English private law
Wayne M. Patrick Massey University New insights into old problems: evolution of protein folds, protein functions and streamlined genomes
Anthony M. Poole University of Canterbury How does complexity emerge in cellular systems?
Nick T Shears University of Auckland Maintaining healthy marine ecosystems under increased anthropogenic stress and a changing climate
2012

Martin W. Allen University of Canterbury Ultraviolet vision – new frontiers in health and technology
Barbara J. Anderson University of Otago Battlegrounds and safe havens: disentangling the roles of ecology and evolution in the response of biological communities to climate change
Jessie Jacobsen University of Auckland Autism spectrum disorder: hunting for therapeutic targets using genetics
Peter D. Mace University of Otago Molecular signalling mechanisms at the interface between cellular life and death
Clemency Montelle University of Canterbury New perspectives on the history of the exact sciences in second millennium Sanskrit sources
Shinichi Nakagawa University of Otago Multidisciplinary approaches to understanding the maintenance of biological variation
Nicholas Rattenbury University of Auckland Toward Earth-II: completing the census of extra-sslar planets in the galaxy
Lara Shepherd Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Human-induced evolutionary processes on a recently colonised landmass: incipient domestication and spatial dynamics of species’ declines
Geoff Willmott Industrial Research Limited The nanofluidic plumber: submicron transport in liquids
Tim Woodfield University of Otago New frontiers in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine: biofabrication of cartilage and bone for entire joint resurfacing
2013

Brendon Bradley University of Canterbury Earth-shattering detective work: Uncovering the mysteries of unresolved ground motion and geotechnical case-histories from the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquakes
Dillon Mayhew Victoria University of Wellington The mathematics of space and language: matroids and model theory
Robert McKay Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic ice sheet-Southern Ocean interactions during greenhouse worlds of the past 23 million years - and consequences for New Zealand climate.
Suresh D. Muthukumaraswamy University of Auckland High-frequency brain activity in health and disease
Suetonia Palmer University of Otago Improving evidence for decision-makers in chronic kidney disease
Craig Radford University of Auckland Using passive acoustics to monitor ecosystem health.
Jonathan Sperry University of Auckland Inert C-H bonds: A gateway to molecular complexity
Elizabeth E. Stanley Victoria University of Wellington What happened to human rights?: Exploring the changing status of human rights in New Zealand.
Daniel B. Stouffer University of Canterbury Toward a general theory of evolution in ecological networks
Angela Wanhalla University of Otago Marriage: the politics of private life in New Zealand
2014

Louise Bicknell University of Otago Investigating the contribution of genetic variation to shaping human disease
Alys R. Clark University of Auckland Biophysical models to predict markers of health in early pregnancy
Francis L. Collins University of Auckland Nation and Migration: population mobilities, desires and state practices in 21st century New Zealand
Katie Fitzpatrick University of Auckland Rethinking health education and promotion: health capital and diverse youth
Jonathan E. Halpert Victoria University of Wellington Novel nanostructured materials and optoelectronic devices: solar cells and LEDs
Kim M. Handley University of Auckland Who is eating what in coastal marine sediments? Understanding microbial contributions to coastal marine health, stability and ecosystem functioning.
Michael Knapp University of Otago Evolution and conservation of the New Zealand bird fauna - a genomic approach
James C. Russell University of Auckland Conservation complexity: scaling vertebrate pest control
Alexander Harwood Taylor University of Auckland The signature-testing approach to the evolution of intelligence.
Priscilla M. Wehi Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Indigenous ecological knowledge, introduced species, and the new New Zealand environment
2015

Jane R. Allison Massey University Deciphering molecular choreography
Peng Du University of Auckland A joint experimental-modelling strategy for translational gastrointestinal electrophysiology and motility
Miro Erkintalo University of Auckland Lighting up New Zealand: Next-generation laser sources for scientific and industrial applications
Nick Golledge Victoria University of Wellington Modelling the response of the Antarctic ice-sheet to a warming world and its contribution to future sea-level rise
Annette M. E. Henderson University of Auckland Born and raised to cooperate: Identifying how experience shapes our cooperation foundation
Cate Macinnis-Ng University of Auckland Thirsty forests under future climates: impact of drought on native ecosystems
Troy L. Merry University of Auckland Beta-catenin facilitates skeletal muscle glucose transport and pancreatic beta-cell insulin secretion
Kevin Norton Victoria University of Wellington Are the hotspots cold? Using the world's fastest forming soils to measure the contribution of weathering and erosion to global climate stability
Geoffrey Rodgers University of Canterbury Ground-Shaking Research: Damage-Free Buildings and Novel Seismic Monitoring Methods for Resilient Cities
Emma L. Scotter University of Auckland The Theory of (not quite) Everything: The neglected role of the blood-brain-barrier in motor neuron disease
Logan C. Walker University of Otago Preparing for the future of genomic medicine
Gwenda M. Willis University of Auckland What stops convicted sex offenders from reoffending? Developing a strengths-based framework for sexual violence prevention
2016

Baptiste Auguié Victoria University of Wellington Light and chirality at the nanoscale
Federico Baltar University of Otago What makes ‘normal’ normal? Alternative microbial carbon and energy acquisition mechanisms in the neglected high-nutrient low-chlorophyll (HNLC) areas of the ocean
Adam Hartland University of Waikato Unlocking the karst record: quantitative proxies of past climates from speleothems
Yoshihiro Kaneko GNS Science Structural controls on earthquake behaviour in the Hikurangi subduction mega-thrust
Jenny Malmström University of Auckland Signals to cells when and where they are needed
D. G. G. McMillan University of Canterbury Biomembrane nanotechnologies for exploring pathogen respiratory adaptation to identify and develop novel antibiotics
Huw Horgan Victoria University of Wellington Accelerating ice – the role of water in the flow of ice sheets
Jeremy G. Owen Victoria University of Wellington Harnessing the biosynthetic potential of uncultivated microbes for the discovery of new antibiotics
Nicole Roughan University of Auckland Jurisprudence without borders: a pluralist theory of law
Rachael C. Shaw Victoria University of Wellington Wild intelligence: exploring the evolution, function and conservation applications of cognitive traits
Virginia G. Toy University of Otago Weaving the Earth's weak seams: manifestations and mechanical consequences of rock fabric evolution in active faults and shear zones
2017

Emma L. Carroll University of Auckland Family matters: developing close kin mark recapture methods to estimate key demographic parameters in natural populations
Claire Charters University of Auckland Constitutional Transformation to Accommodate Maori in Aotearoa/New Zealand: Lessons from Around the Globe
Aniruddha Chatterjee University of Otago Investigating the origin and consequences of epigenetic alterations in cancer metastasis
Christopher E. Cornwall Victoria University of Wellington Physiological and environmental controls of coralline algal calcification under climate change
Alex Gavryushkin University of Otago Online algorithms in evolutionary biology
David Hayman Massey University From individuals to populations: multi-scale approaches to pathogen emergence
Marwan Katurji University of Canterbury The invisible realm of atmospheric coherent turbulent structures: Resolving their dynamics and interaction with Earth's surface
Yvette Perrott Victoria University of Wellington Realising the potential of galaxy clusters as cosmological probes
Maxim S. Petrov University of Auckland Deciphering the metabolic pathways underlying post-pancreatitis diabetes
Melinda Webber University of Auckland Kia tu rangatira ai nga iwi Maori: Living, succeeding, and thriving as iwi Maori
2018

Timothy Angeli University of Auckland Electrophysiologically-based diagnostics and therapeutics for gastrointestinal disorders: bridging the gap from engineering benchtop to clinical bedside
Ceridwen Fraser University of Otago The race for new space: disentangling the processes that shape global patterns of biodiversity
Sarah Diermeier University of Otago Long non-coding RNAs as new drivers of tumour progression
Jay Marlowe University of Auckland Dislocation in an age of connection: Mapping refugee settlement trajectories within an increasingly mobile world
Jonathan Squire University of Otago Cosmic Turbulence, Microinstabilities, and the Magnetisation of the Universe
Karen Stockin Massey University The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), innovative technologies and evolutionary theory to address the conservation-welfare nexus during human-wildlife interactions
Lisa Te Morenga Victoria University of Wellington Naku te rourou, nau te rourou, ka oranga ai te iwi (With my food basket and your food basket the people will be well)
Alice Theadom Auckland University of Technology Developing a biopsychosocial model of mild traumatic brain injury
Jonathan Tonkin University of Canterbury Rethinking ecological networks in changing environments
Krushil Watene Massey University Intergenerational Justice: Obligations and Decision-Making
2019

David Aguirre Massey University Ecosystems on unstable foundations: examining the potential for coral and macroalgal responses to global change
Olivia Faull University of Otago Breathing and anxiety: Understanding the miscommunication between brain and body, and how best to treat it
Jodie Hunter Massey University Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities: Using a strength based approach to provide equitable opportunities to learn mathematics for diverse learner
Andrew McDaid University of Auckland Uncovering new knowledge of neurological and musculoskeletal rehabilitation mechanisms using novel data-driven methods
Alexander Melnikov Massey University Applications of modern computability
Volker Nock University of Canterbury Electrotaxis and protrusive force generation in fungal and oomycete pathogens – Pathways to new biocontrol strategies
Melanie Ooi University of Waikato Resilient and efficient light-based plant detection and characterisation for precision agriculture and environmental sustainability
Matthew Roskruge Massey University The economics of social capital from a Māori perspective
Damian Scarf University of Otago The Belonging Project
Jenni Stanley University of Waikato What does protection sound like? A modern approach to understanding New Zealand's underwater soundscapes and acoustic pressures
Ágnes Szabó Massey University Growing old in an adopted land: Cross-fertilizing ageing and acculturation research
2020

Siautu Alefaio-Tugia Massey University Redefining the humanitarian landscape: Pacific-diasporic disaster resilience
Michele Bannister University of Canterbury Emissaries from the darkness: understanding planetary systems through their smallest worlds
Nathaniel Davis Victoria University of Wellington Pushing the limits on renewable energy technology through hybrid organic/inorganic nanomaterials
Jemma Geoghegan University of Otago and ESR Ecological barriers and drivers of virus emergence
Nathan Kenny University of Otago Stretched mussels: tracing the genetic basis of resilience to climate change and ocean acidification in cultured green-lipped mussels (kuku) from genome to embryo
Gabor Kereszturi Massey University Caught in action - volcano surveillance with hyperspectral remote sensing
Libby Liggins Massey University Tohu of change for Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine biodiversity
Martino Lupini Victoria University of Wellington Computing the shape of chaos
Jaimie Veale University of Waikato Health inequities, social determinants of health, and gender affirmation: Transgender health research guided by principles of self-determination and informed consent
Adele Williamson University of Waikato In extremis: how bacteria replicate, repair and diversify their genomes in challenging environments
2021

Alana Alexander University of Otago Creating purakau of past, present, and future conservation impacts using genomics
Htin Lin Aung University of Otago Development of patient- and community-centric tuberculosis healthcare services: a multidisciplinary approach to close the health inequalities gap
Amanda Black Lincoln University Genomes to giants: restoring resilient soil ecosystems in kauri forests
Calum Chamberlain Victoria University of Wellington Probing the variability in earthquake nucleation mechanisms in New Zealand
Kelly Dombroski University of Canterbury Transitioning to caring economies through transformative community investments
Jessica Lai Victoria University of Wellington Patents and power: a critical analysis of knowledge governance
Khoon Lim University of Otago 3D bioprinting of functional vascular networks
Samuel Mehr Victoria University of Wellington Psychological and cultural foundations of music
Sereana Naepi University of Auckland Planning for change: an analysis of neoliberalism, equity and change in higher education
Michael Price Victoria University of Wellington The physics of next generation solar panels and light emitters for sustainability
Justin Rustenhoven University of Auckland Cleaning the brain drains: augmenting meningeal lymphatic dysfunction in aging and neurodegenerative disease to alleviate cognitive decline.
2022

Ruggiero (Rino) Lovreglio Massey University Pedestrian Evacuation Dynamics
Laura Revell University of Canterbury Airborne microplastics in a changing climate
Michelle LaRue University of Canterbury Southern Ocean connections: A metacommunity approach to understanding changes in the marine predator guild
Patrick Savage University of Auckland The music-language continuum: A global analysis
Guy Sinclair University of Auckland Governing the Pacific: International Legal Ordering in Moana-nui-a-Kiwa
Hannah Waddington Victoria University of Wellington Transforming the clinical pathway for young autistic children and their whānau in Aotearoa New Zealand
Holly Winton Victoria University of Wellington Southern Ocean phytoplankton and climate: Understanding the ability of phytoplankton to modulate climate in a warmer world
Julie Deslippe Victoria University of Wellington Plant-soil interactions, biodiversity and mountain ecosystem function in an era of global change
Kelly Blincoe University of Auckland Towards more inclusive software engineering practices and tools to retain women in software engineering
Mathew Anker Victoria University of Wellington Lanthanide(II) Hydrides for Nitrogen Fixation and Ammonia Production
Phoebe Macrae University of Canterbury Cross-disciplinary characterization of upper aerodigestive function
2023

Natalia Amy Yewdall University of Canterbury Enhancing enzyme networks in condensates for carbon capture and sustainable synthesis
Simon J. Barker Victoria University of Wellington Magma forensics at New Zealand’s volcanoes: understanding the magmatic systems and processes that drive eruptions
Kimberley O'Sullivan University of Otago HOusing, energy, and MEntal health and wellbeing (HOME) Programme
Elizabeth Macpherson University of Canterbury Blue Carbon Futures in Aotearoa New Zealand: Law, Climate, Resilience
Rosemary Brown University of Otago Wiring the brain for motherhood: the critical role of hormones in maternal mood and behaviour
Megan Leask University of Otago Omics and molecular strategies for precision medicine target discovery in Māori and Pacific peoples
Emma Nolan University of Auckland Tools for our future: harnessing NZ-specific advanced cancer models to drive research discovery in Aotearoa
Lara Greaves Victoria University of Wellington More than the 3 Ps: Enhancing Participation in Politics, Policy, the Public Sphere, and Political Science
Tom Logan University of Canterbury Incorporating cascading risk and multiple uncertainties into climate adaptation planning
Rebecca Lawton University of Waikato Help for kelp in a warming world: A multi-disciplinary toolkit to identify resilience and improve heat tolerance of kelp for restoration and aquaculture
Marta Rychert Massey University Harm reduction industries or harmful corporations? Investigating digital and social media influence strategies of the emerging international legal cannabis industry and cannabis vaping sector
Emma Sharp University of Auckland Aotearoa New Zealand's diverse soil values: Examining the ontological politics of soil 'management' from the ground up

Source: Royal Society Te Apārangi[7]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "About Rutherford Discovery Fellowships". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c King, Stuart (December 2011). "Review of Rutherford Discovery Fellowships". Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI). Retrieved 11 November 2011.
  3. ^ "Timetable". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Review of Rutherford Discovery Fellowships » The Hub". thehub.swa.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Rutherford Discovery Fellowship tops 23 years with 12 new Fellows". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  6. ^ MBIE (26 September 2023). "Valuing our people". Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Rutherford Discovery Fellowship recipients". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 11 November 2021.