Rt Hon Christopher Luxon
Prime Minister
Hon Minister Judith Collins KC
Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology

Lifesaving research to prevent inherited stomach cancer and a high school student exposing soil risks in Northland are among the winners of the 2023 Prime Minister’s Science Prizes.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins presented the awards in Wellington tonight and commended the recipients for the impact of their work.

“These awards do more than reward excellence in research, teaching and science communication – they recognise the brilliant minds inspiring and achieving a better future for New Zealand,” says Mr Luxon.

“It’s a privilege to celebrate these incredible people and projects. As well as being lifechanging in some cases, their work is critical to the growth of our science, innovation and technology sector.”

This year’s top prize went to an innovative partnership between members of the McLeod whānau and their community, geneticists from the University of Otago, and clinicians from Tauranga Hospital that identified a stomach-cancer-causing genetic mutation. Subsequent genetic testing and treatment has saved around 400 to 450 lives in New Zealand over the past 20 years.

The Emerging Scientist Prize went to Dr Samuel Mehr for cutting-edge research into how humans perceive and produce music. Professor Ben Kennedy received the Science Communication Prize for vital work informing communities of their volcano risk. Green Bay High School’s Madeleine Collins won the Science Teacher Award, and Kerikeri student Sunny Perry won the Future Scientist Prize.

“Tonight makes me proud and excited about the future opportunities for New Zealand in science, innovation and technology,” says Ms Collins.

“Congratulations to all award winners. From collaborating with communities to captivating classrooms, they show us why science matters and what can be achieved with commitment, curiosity and courage.”

Notes:

The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes have been awarded annually since 2009. Details of 2023 winners below.

• The Prime Minister’s Science Prize – the innovative partnership between members of the McLeod whānau and their community, geneticists from the University of Otago, and clinicians from Tauranga Hospital has enabled effective prevention of inherited stomach cancer, saving 450 lives in New Zealand since 1995.
• The Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize – Dr Samuel Mehr, University of Auckland and Harvard University. Dr Mehr has been investigating how different cultures around the world respond to music. Working with parents around the world and using cutting-edge tools and diverse theories, his research is discovering how infants learn about music and whether music can be beneficial for patients in clinical settings.
• The Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize – Madeleine Collins, Green Bay High School, Auckland. With 24 years’ experience teaching children of all ages, Ms Collins emphasis on students’ curiosity and making science relevant has transformed the way students engage with and succeed in their studies. Thanks to Ms Collins, senior students at Green Bay High School now choose to study science more often than other courses.
• The Prime Minister’s Science Communication Prize – Professor Ben Kennedy, University of Canterbury, Christchurch. Professor Kennedy has taken on the responsibility of informing communities in volcanic regions about volcano hazards, and how they can manage the uncertain risks of eruptions. Using the best evidence on education and communication, he’s led co-creation of interactive tools to interact with communities throughout New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
• The Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize – Sunny Perry, Year 13 student, Kerikeri High School, Northland. Sunny conducted an original research project on soil which is naturally rich in iron sulphides in Northland, identifying risks for humans, biodiversity, and infrastructure. Her results will help to guide decisions about the management and use of land in Northland and should trigger further testing of soils at different sites to assess the scale of the problem.

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