FiRST Awards 2002
This year many high quality research projects have been submitted to the annual Foundation for Research, Science and Technology FiRST Scholarship Awards, which honour New Zealand's brightest up and coming researchers and scientists.
Journalists may wish to report on some of the interesting projects which are being carried out around New Zealand. The following list details the title of the various projects submitted, the name of the student undertaking the project, the company associated with the research and the relevant university and academic supervisor. The entrants have been grouped under the name of the city/region where they come from. The winners of the Awards will be sent out to you separately - this list contains everybody who submitted an entry in case you wish to follow up on some of the projects.
To find out more about the Foundation, the different fellowships and the assistance offered visit the website at www.frst.govt.nz
To find out more about the FiRST Awards contact:
Tracey Lewis, FiRST Awards Manager,
Foundation for Research, Science & Technology on
04
9177801
PROJECTS SUBMITTED TO THE 2002 FiRST SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
AUCKLAND
Postdoctoral
Fellowship
1. Dr Shane Kelly (casl@xtra.co.nz), working
with NIWA (Dr Alison MacDiarmid)
‘Secondary, Community
level impacts of fishing for the spiny lobster’
TIF
Scholarships
2. Francis Tsz Chun Au, working with Fisher
& Paykel Limited (John Price and Janet Hart) and Auckland
University (Neil Edmonds)
‘Master Batch Addition of UV
Stabilisers to Abs Materials’
3. Junghoon (Rafael) Lee
(machoman@world-net.co.nz), working with Argent Metals
Technology Limited (Dr Darius P. K. Singh) in association
with Auckland University of Technology
‘Mould Filling
Optimisation’
4.Prasika Manilal, working with Argent
Metals Technology Limited (Dr Darisu P. K. Singh) in
association with Auckland University of Technology
‘
Cooling Circuit Heat Transfer in Aluminium Wheel
Casting’
5. Nimma Shepra, working with Olivado (NZ) in
association with Massey University (Dr Marie Wong and Dr
Laurence Eyres)
‘The Oxidation Stability of Extra Virgin
Avocado Oil’
6. Nadine Wakim, working with Meritec Limited
(David Kettle) in association with Auckland University (Dr
Carol Boyle)
‘Vermicomposting bio-solids and
food-waste’
7. Mark van Rij, working with Design Mobel
(Timothy Allan) in association with Auckland University
(Enrico Hammerle)
‘Design of a new bed adjustability
mechanism’
Enterprise Scholarships
8. Athena Ferreira,
working with Protemix (Dr G.J.S. Cooper) in association with
Auckland University (Professor Garth
Cooper)
‘Investigating mechanisms involved in the
development of type-2 diabetes’
9. Karen Rapley, working
with Carter Holt Harvey Limited (Chayne Zinsli) in
association with Auckland University (John Craig and Graham
Nugent)
‘Fallow deer management and ecological
sustainability, Woodhill Forest’
10. Amanda Scoggins,
working with NIWA (Gavin Fisher) in association with
Auckland University (Professor Tord Kjellstrom & Dr Jennie
Connor)
‘Development of air pollution spatial mapping
techniques, exposure maps and health risk estimates’
11.
Lincoln Tubbs, working with Moana Pacific Fisheries Limited
in association with Auckland University (Dr Mary Sewell and
Dr Carolyn Poortenaar)
‘Kingfish parasitology in
aquaculture’
Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarships
12.
Susan Crozie, in association with Auckland University (Dr
Lee Wallace and Dr Misha Kavka)
‘TV Love: television and
technologies of intimacy’
13. Suzanne Hay, in association
with Auckland University (Margaret Hayland and Jim
Metson
‘The formation and fate of COS’
14. Barbara
Konarkawsha, in association with Auckland University
(Professor Garth Cooper)
‘Moleculor basis for pancreatic
Islet B-cell failure in diabetes’
15. Gwyn Lewis, in
association with Auckland University (Dr Winston
Bylow)
‘Cortical reorganisation in stroke patients’
16.
John Lin, in association with Auckland University (Janusz
Lipski)
‘Neuronal determinants of dopamine action’
17.
James Stinear, in association with Auckland University (Dr
Winston Byblow)
‘The role of movement-elicited
afference’
18. Karen Towgood, in association with Auckland
University (Associate Professor Jenni Ogden) and the
Department of Neurosurgery, Auckland Hospital
‘The
outcome of treatment for unruptured intracranial aneurysms –
preliminary findings’
19. Chwei-Sen Wang, in association
with Auckland University (Dr Grant Covic & Dr
Oskar
‘Power supplies for loosely coupled inductive power
transfer system’
HUNTLY
Top Achiever Doctoral
Scholarship
20. Kyle Bland, in association with Waikato
University (Professor Peter J.J. Kamp and Professor Campbell
S. Nelson)
‘Analysis of the plogene Hawke’s Bay forearc
basin’
HAMILTON
Tuapapa Putaiao Maori
Fellowships
21. Gina Mohi (p&g.mohi@xtra.co.nz) , in
association with Waikato University (Dr Megan
Balks)
‘Investigation of the effects of selected
environmental factors on the essential oil yield in
kawakawa’
22. Matthew Bryant (mb22@waikato.ac.nz), in
association with Waikato University (Professor Roberta
Farrell)
‘Hallow giants – kauri heart rot and a
heterobasidion fungus’
TIF Scholarship
23. Anette
Steel, working with Peace Software (John Harpour) in
association with Waikato University (Professor Mark Apperley
and Dr Matt Jones)
‘Towards more usable computer
systems’
Enterprise Scholarships
24. Claire Cooper,
working with Dexcel Limited (Dave Clark) in association with
Massey University (Colin Holmes)
‘Studies of variation
between dairy cows in their response to once-daily
milking’
25. Tim Sampson, working with Fisher and Paykel
Healthcare (Lewis Gradon) in association with Waikato
University (Moira Steyn-Ross)
‘Correlations in
stochastically modelled EEG’
26. David Whiting, working
with Fisher and Paykel Healthcare (Lewis Gradon) in
association with Waikato University (Moira
Steyn-Ross)
‘Numerical simulation of EEG Stochastic
differential equations: investigation into transition into
anaesthetic unconsciousness’
HAWERA
Technology for
Industry Fellowship
27. Shabeshe Paramalingam, working
with NZMP-Whareroa, Fonterra Co-op Group Limited (Dr Hong
Chen) in association with Massey University (Dr Huub HC
Bakker)
‘Modelling and Optimisation of Whey Products
Processing’
ROTORUA
Enterprise Scholarships
28.
Sonia Foote, working with Norske Skog Tasman Pulp and Paper
Limited in association with Waikato University (Professor
Hugh Morgan)
‘Biocatalytic capabilities of New Zealand
pulp and paper treatment system microbiota’
29.Stuart
Mitchell, working with Forest Research (Dr Chris Goulding)
in association with Auckland University (Professor David
Ryan)
‘Developing optimal forest harvesting schedules
with iteratively generated cutting
strategies’
GISBORNE
Tuapapa Putaiao Maori
Fellowship
30. Ian Ruru, in association with Waikato
University (Meto Leach, Janis Swan, Bob Mills and Andrew
Jeffs)
‘Perilous Puerulus Predicament: PhD Almost Sunk by
Stranding’
NAPIER
TIF Scholarship
31. John Keir,
working with Vectek Electronics Limited (Dr Simon Walton) in
association with Canterbury University
‘Design and
implementation of a new algorithm of enhanced performance of
a high power active voltage conditioner’
PALMERSTON
NORTH
Postdoctoral Fellowship
32. Dr Susan McCoard,
working with Nutrition and Behaviour Group, AgResearch
Limited (Dr Nicole Roy and Dr Warren
McNabb)
‘Leucine-sensing kinase(s): A key to mRNA
Translation’
TIF Scholarships
33. Naomi Boxall, working
with The EpiCentre (P Davies, N Perkins, S Fenwick, B Jones,
D Marks and R Diprose) in association with Massey
University
‘Risk factors for Campylobacter Jejuni in
commercial broiler flocks in New Zealand’
34. Sally
Mannering (s.a.mannering@massey.ac.nz), working with
Schering-Plough Animal Health Limited (Roger Marchant) in
association with Massey University (Dave West)
‘Strategic
Vaccine Investigation’
35. Nicholas K.L. Martin
(nkl_martin@hotmail.com) working with SchemNZ Limited
(Werner Schnider) in association with Massey
University
‘Process Design Testing Using
Simulation’
36. Jeremy McLeod working with Lactose New
Zealand (NZMP) Kapuni (Tony Paterson) in association with
Massey University
‘Lactose smearing in transport
pipes’
Enterprise Scholarships
37. Janine Anthon,
working with Association of New Zealand Advertisers in
association with Massey University (Dr Janet Hoek)
‘Could
less be more?’
38. Sarah Pitcher-Campbell, working with
Landco Limited – Banthowe Vineyards Limited in association
with Massey University (Mike Tuohy)
‘The application of
precision technologies to a specialized landuse – a
viticulture case study’
Top Achiever Doctoral
Scholarships
39. Alice Aye, in association with Waikato
University (Professor Ian Evans)
‘Parent-adolescent
conflict in recent Asian migrant families in New
Zealand’
40. Mary Breheny, in association with Massey
University (Dr Christine Stephens)
‘Health professionals
constructions of mothering: impact on accessing primary
healthcare’
41. Xuezhao Sun, in association with Auckland
University (Simone Hoskin, Ian Andrew, Keith Joblin and
Philip Harris)
‘Improved cell wall degradation by rumen
micro-organisms: new forage versus traditional
forage’
UPPER HUTT
Postdoctoral Fellowship
42.
Kathleen Logan (logank@agresearch.cri.nz) working with
AgResearch (Ken McNatty and Jenny Jengel)
‘Discovery of
novel genes and their functions using expressed sequence
tags’
LOWER HUTT
Postdoctoral Fellowship
43. Nicola
Litchfield, working with Institute of Geological & Nuclear
Sciences (Kelvin Berryman)
‘Dynamics of the Hikurangi
Subduction Marin recorded by river terraces in eastern North
Island’
Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship
44. Christine
Joy McIntosh, in association with Victoria University (Dr
F.J. McDonald)
‘A role of nedd8 in regulation of the
epithelial sodium channel’
WELLINGTON
Tuapapa Putaiao
Maori Fellowship
45. Eli Mrkusich, in association with
Victoria University (Dr Daren Kay and Paul Froggatt)
‘New
technologies for the in situ analysis of single nucleotide
variations in nucleic acid’
Postdoctoral Fellowship
46,
Alan Orpin (a.orpin@niwa.cri.nz) working with National
Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Limited (Lionel
Carter)
‘Land-ocean linkages off NW New
Zealand’
Enterprise Scholarship
47. Clarissa
Brown-Douglas working with New Zealand Racing Industry Board
in association with Massey University (Professor Elwyn
Firth, Dr Peter Fennessy and Associate Professor Tim
Parkinson)
‘Growth and reproductive development of young
thoroughbreds born out of season to facilitate sales in
northern hemisphere bloodstock
markets’
NELSON
Postdoctoral Fellowship
48. Jennifer
Smith (smith.moore@xtra.co.nz) working with The Cawthron
Institute (Dr Lesley Rhodes and Dr Doug
Mountfort)
‘Development and application of carrageenase
assays to generate bioactive
compounds’
CHRISTCHURCH
Postdoctoral Fellowships
49.
Dr B. Louise Chilvers (l.chilvers@zool.canterbury.ac.nz) in
association with Canterbury University (Dr Neil
Gemmell)
‘Foraging ecology and maternal investment
patterns of New Zealand sea lions’
50. Margaret Gilpin
(gilpinm@crop.cri.nz) in association with Crop & Food
Research (Dr Tony Conner)
‘Development and assessment of
chimeric plants as a biosafety tool for release of
transgenic crops’
51. Andrew Laurie
(laurie.a@landcare.cri.nz) working with Landcare Research
(Dr Janine Clemons)
‘Genetic responses to environmental
toxicants in indigenous species’
Enterprise
Scholarships
52. Stewart Collie, working with Wool
Research Organisation of New Zealand Inc. in association
with Massey University (David L Officer)
‘Development and
application of textile sensors and actuators’
53. Tracey
Dale, working with Crop & Food Research (Dr Jan Grant) in
association with Canterbury University (Dr Sandra
Jackson)
‘A study of T-DNA integration and gene
expression in transgenic pinus radiata’
54. Nerida
Theinhardt working with Solid Energy (Mark Pizey) in
association with Canterbury University (David
Norton)
‘Restoration practices at the Stockton open cast
coal mine’
55. Aynsley Tizzard, working with Lincoln
Ventures Limited (Dr Neil Pasco) in association with Lincoln
University (Dr Ravi Gooneratne)
‘How toxic is the world
we live in?’
Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarships
56.
Nicholas Blakeley, in association with Canterbury University
(Associate Professor Phil Bones)
‘Recovery of
under-samples magnetic resonance images’
57. M.R.
Chandraratne, in association with Lincoln University
(Professor Roy Bickerstaffe)
‘Online image analysis of
meat quality characteristics’
58. Chris Forne, in
association with Canterbury University (Dr Michael
Hayes)
‘Optimal methods for 3D reconstruction using
photometric images’
59. Derek Martyn, in association with
Canterbury University (Andrew D. Abell)
‘Novel
pyrrole-based peptidomimetic as a-chymotrypsin inhibitors
and anti-cancer agents’
60. Milinda Ranasinghe, in
association with Canterbury University (Dr Peter
Gostomski)
‘Modelling the mass and energy balances in
biofiltration’
61. Lucinda Robertson, in association with
Lincoln University (Professor Roy Bickerstaffe and Dr J.D.
Morton)
‘Inherited ovine cataract as a model of human
cataract formation’
62. Sonia Whiteman, in association
with Lincoln University (Professor Alison Stewart)
‘A
study of petri vine decline in New Zealand’
KAIAPOI
TIF Scholarship
63. Malina Storer, working
with Canterbury Healthcare Laboratories (Dr P.M. George) in
association with Christchurch School of Medicine, Otago
University (Associate-Professor S.T. Chambers, Dr M. Lever
and Dr D.A.R. Happer)
‘New laboratory test for assessing
a vitamin status in an ageing New Zealand
population’
TIMARU
TIF Scholarships
64. Matthew
Savage, working with ADM Group Limited (Graeme Wood) in
association with Canterbury University (Professor L.R.
Weatherley)
‘Advanced oxidation of wool scouring
effluent’
65. Steven Kroening, working with ANDAR/ADM
Group Limited (Graeme Wood) in association with Canterbury
University (Dr Laurie Greenfield)
‘Biodegradation and
composting profiles of woolscour
wastes’
DUNEDIN
Postdoctoral Fellowship
66. Paula
Cardoc-Davies (paulacd@alk.ali.otago.ac.nz) in association
with Otago University (Dr Lyall Haton, Dr Keith Gordon and
Professor Brian Robinson)
‘Smart boxes and cages for
advanced molecular devices”
Enterprise Scholarship
67.
Praneeta Sharma working with Donaghys Industries (David
Casady) in association with Otago University (Michael
Barker)
‘Mussel spat adhesion to catching ropes’
Top
Achiever Doctoral Scholarship
68. Marion Johnson in
association with Otago University (David Wharton and Dr
Colin Mackintosh)
‘Huskvac’ does it protect red deer
against
lungworm?’