12 November 2004

Strategic research scholarship winners announced

Funding of $176,000 over three years was announced today to support students conducting co-operative research projects in key areas of the economy.

Eleven projects have received funding through the latest round of the Tertiary Education Commission’s (TEC) Enterprise Scholarships scheme. Under the scheme companies support the scholarship winners by matching contributions dollar for dollar to the Enterprise Scholarships funding provided by the TEC.

Scholarship winners are conducting research in areas as diverse as renewable power and energy conservation in Antarctica and using geographical techniques to aid groundwater management.

Some well-known companies and agencies are among the successful applicants in this round, including MWH New Zealand, Carter Holt Harvey, Transpower New Zealand and Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner.

Associate Education Minister (Tertiary Education) Steve Maharey said the investment of private enterprise into research, development and innovation is critical to New Zealand’s prosperity.

“Enterprise Scholarships are a very successful part of the government’s ‘Bright Future’ package that has supported more than 250 students to conduct research since the scheme started in 1999.

“Potential exists to enhance current arrangements to ensure that initiatives of this type can make an even greater contribution to the country’s economic and social development in the future.”

Scholarships

- Hamish Blakemore, MWH New Zealand Limited, University of Otago, using geophysical techniques to aid groundwater management

- Jonathan Clarke, Canesis Network Ltd, University of Auckland, centrifugal composite manufacturing process

- Rob Orchard, Sensortec Limit, University of Waikato, development of a flow-through EIA for progesterone

- Nikki Newham, TransPower NZ Ltd, University of Canterbury, renewable power and energy conservation in extreme environments, Antarctica

- Puong Lau, Carter Holt Harvey Ltd, University of Canterbury, fire resistance of connections in laminated veneer lumber (LVL) structures

- Joanna Risk, Grasslanz Technology Limited, University of Otago, a structural approach to discovering the molecular basis of flowering

- George Boyle, Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner Ltd, University of Canterbury, a best practice initiative in project management at Beca

- Helena Parsons, Realize Technology Ltd, Unitec Institute of Technology, design management strategies for enterprise, CRIs and institutions in a coherent model of New Zealand publicly funded science commercialisation

- Lisa Tasker, Back Extender Programme Limited, University of Auckland, development of normative standards for the "Backsmith"

- To Be Advised, Engenius Solutions, Auckland University of Technology, development of a microbial fuel cell for bioremediation of organic waste streams and the simultaneous production of electrical energy

- Bernadette Soares, BerNZ Enterprises Ltd, Unitec Institute of Technology, entrepreneurial alliances and positioning strategies as mechanisms for rapid growth in entrepreneurial start up companies.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>