Eels sharing home win photo competition

Eels sharing home win photo competition

A photograph of two moray eels sharing an underwater crevice has taken out the judges' choice award at NIWA's annual photograph competition announced last night.

The eels were photographed by Auckland-based scientist James Williams near an underwater cliff at the Mokohinau Islands, off the northeast coast of the North Island.

Each year NIWA holds a photographic competition for it staff, many
whom work in some unusual and stunning environments.

Judges said of this year’s winning shot: “This is a great shot with excellent lighting and finely focused detail bringing out the pair of eels and their surrounding habitat.  Cute, humorous and colourful.”

Other winners in the competition were Crispin Middleton, Jean Keddy and Daniel Leduc. Their photographs featured a pre-dawn start for scientists on New Zealand’s most northerly harbour, Parengarenga, a male nematode seen through an interfence contrast microscope, a John Dory cruising past the entrance to Northern Arch at the Poor Knights Marine Reserve and a spotlight on Tapu te Ranga.

The photographs can be seen here:http://www.niwa.co.nz/photo-competition
The winners were announced at NIWA's Excellence Awards held last night.

NIWA Chief Executive John Morgan said the Excellence Awards was an annual event that recognise outstanding individual achievements of NIWA staff, across a wide range of disciplines in a number of categories.

NIWA honoured Tony Bromley with its lifetime achievement award. This year Tony marked 50 years working for NIWA. His contribution has been in the field of meteorological and air quality investigations. His work in airborne biosecurity, the surveys of transmission lines and industrial site studies, along with a host of other field and laboratory activities, have earned Tony the deep respect of his colleagues.

Internationally renowned taxonomy expert Michelle Kelly received the Extraordinary Achievement Award after earlier this year being awarded the rare Degree of Doctor of Science by the University of Auckland. The degree recognised her distinguished research career that has seen her make an enormous difference in biology and in the wider community.

Chief Scientist, Climate, David Wratt received the award for Science Communication. David is an outstanding communicator and leader in climate change science. His communication skills have seen him influence government policy and seen him represent New Zealand internationally. This week he is in Stockholm for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report to which he has been a major contributor.

Hamilton-based scientist Paul Franklin received the Early Career Science Award. He has rapidly expanded his scientific expertise in ecohydraulics and fisheries and now provides important advice to regional councils on water allocation issues.

The Leadership award went to marine ecologist Alison MacDiarmid who has worked to build NIWA’s credibility in new areas of consultancy.

ENDS

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