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

2012 NZAS conference: Do Emerging Scientists have a Future in New Zealand?
14 February 2012

The NZAS is hosting a one-day conference at Rutherford House in Wellington, on 16 April. The conference will focus on early career scientists. 

The conference is targeted at emerging scientists, their existing and potential employers, future emerging scientists, policy makers and politicians.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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).

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