Welcome

The New Zealand Association of Scientists is a genuinely independent association of scientists who work and lobby to:

  • promote science in New Zealand,
  • increase public awareness of science and expose pseudo-science,
  • debate and influence government science policy,
  • improve working conditions for scientists, including gender and ethnic equality,
  • promote free exchange of knowledge and international co-operation,
  • and encourage excellence in science.

The Association membership includes physical, natural, mathematical and social scientists and welcomes members with an interest in science education, policy, communication and the social impact of science and technology.

News & Recent Posts

Seasons greetings from the New Zealand Association of Scientists
22 December 2011

2011 closes on an optimistic note for science and scientists.  Science featured prominently in the Speech from Throne in Parliament on Wednesday.  This government clearly intends to proceed with its transformation of Industrial Research Ltd into a significantly larger Advanced Technology Institute.  The speech also signalled the funding a series of scientific grand challenges to tackle issues of national importance.  Good news for our sector, yet there is no sign that moves will be made to alleviate the 8% success rate for the flagship Marsden Fund.  This government has clearly signalled it will target its new science spending rather investing long-term in blue skies research.

Read more
Agile science in a small country
12 December 2011

I began to wonder: how much of the research being done in New Zealand, and which is so desperately required by New Zealand, could be done by small (<10 people) nimble companies that are highly sensitive and responsive to the needs of their clients?

Read more
2011 Research Honours
20 November 2011

New Zealands top researchers were recognized with prestigious awards at the 2011 Research Honours event in Wellington on November 16.

University of Otago biochemist Professor Christine Winterbourn became the first woman to be awarded the countries highest science honour, the Rutherford medal, for her discoveries in free radical biology.

Details about all of the awards and citations can be found here.

Read more
Powering Innovation in the high value manufacturing and services sector
20 November 2011

The Ministry of Science and Innovation has commissioned an independent report focussing on improving access to and uptake of R&D in the high value manufacturing and services sector.

The full report (Powering Innovation) and a summary report were recently released and can be found here.

The report follows last year’s crown research institute taskforce report and is focussed largely on the future role of Industrial Research Limited (IRL).

Read more
New Zealand Association of Scientists Awards
14 November 2011

The Marsden, Shorland and Research Medals and the Science Communicator Award were presented by the Hon Dr Wayne Mapp Minister of Science and Innovation, on Thursday, 9 November, at a ceremony at Turnbull House, Wellington. Dr Mapp briefly addressed the audience noting that his first public address as then Minister of Research, Science and Technology was at the Association’s Awards 3 years ago. And now, as Minister of Science and Innovation and a retiring MP, he was effectively giving his last public address at this year’s Awards ceremony.

Read more