Science New Zealand: Home

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Science New Zealand

Welcome to Science New Zealand. It represents the eight Crown Research Institutes: the power of 4,400 people advancing ideas and delivering results for New Zealand through excellent science and technology.

Last year, government, business, sectors and communities invested $690 million with the Crown Research Institutes.

From environment to trade, agriculture to manufacturing, in niche technologies and with leading edge science, the Crown Research Institutes identify, respond to and solve science-based challenges affecting our lives today and tomorrow.

Throughout New Zealand and across the globe, their ideas, insights and connections are shaping new thinking and practical action.

Discover their stories, the results and the possibilities. The snippets click to external sites. We try to keep links current for 90 days.

For more on Science New Zealand Inc, the organisation, click here.

Topics

Organisations

National Centres

Science Centres

Websites

Publications

Tertiary Education Institutions

Science Value

Software takes jury to crime scene

Software takes jury to crime scene

Jurors will now be able to take a virtual walk through a murder scene, with the creation of interactive software by Kiwi scientists.

The technology had its debut at the High Court trial in February for the man accused of killing Rotorua's Ruakawa Newton. It was the first time the "virtual tour" software had been used to support

(Photo) ESR forensic scientists collect photographic evidence for the new software, which will help juries visualise crime scenes.

New Value

Lake assessment tool earns high honour for NIWA scientist

John Clayton, a principal scientist in the fields of aquatic biodiversity and biosecurity based at NIWA's Hamilton office, has won a 2011 Kudos award for his leading role in the development of LakeSPI (Lake Submerged Plant Indicators). LakeSPI is a tool widely used to assess and rate the ecological condition of New Zealand lakes.

Carbon cash could save marginal farms

Cash from carbon makes forestry a much more attractive proposition than livestock farming on poorer hill country according to a collaborative study led by Crown Research Institute Scion for Waikato Regional Council

Scion licenses a revolutionary wood plastic reinforcer

An exciting new technology that produces wood plastic pellets has been developed by Crown Research Institute Scion with the potential to revolutionise the composition of plastics worldwide

Scion’s water quality technology licensed to South Waikato company

A novel way to improve the water quality of lakes and other waterways, developed at Crown Research Institute Scion, has been licensed to Blue Pacific Minerals based in Tokoroa. The exclusive licence is for the manufacture, sale and global distribution of modified zeolite.

Innovative technology piloted at Rotorua

The Minister for the Environment Hon Dr Nick Smith has opened a pilot plant that will test an innovative process that converts biosolid waste into valuable chemical products.

Innovative technology piloted at Rotorua

The Minister for the Environment Hon Dr Nick Smith has opened a pilot plant that will test an innovative process that converts biosolid waste into valuable chemical products.

It’s good news about the oyster industry

The oyster season runs until the end of August this year and so far the news is all good for oyster fishers and oyster lovers.

Scion Timber Design Studio Award Winners

Scion has announced the winners in the Scion Timber Design Studio Awards. The annual awards, held in conjunction with the University of Auckland School of Architecture.

New pear cultivar makes commercial debut

Velvetine, a new pear bred by Plant & Food Research, will make its commercial debut this season.

Endothall helping in the fight against invasive aquatic weeds

New research on the effectiveness of the herbicide endothall shows favourable results in the battle to rid lakes and rivers of New Zealand’s most invasive aquatic weeds.

NZ Inventory of Biodiversity (Vol 2)

This volume, published by Canterbury University Press, is the second of three that provide a complete review and inventory of New Zealand's entire living and fossil biodiversity - an international effort providing more than 220 New Zealand and overseas specialists and the most comprehensive of its kind in the world.

NIWA weather modelling research aims to improve accuracy

NIWA’s weather prediction model simulated the intense rainfall which fell just north of the capital, and flooded parts of Porirua, on Sunday 27 March. Thirty nine millimetres of rain fell in less than an hour, around 1.00pm.

NIWA to predict extreme weather with $13M computer

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research is trialling new technology in an effort to insure New Zealanders can be ready for extreme weather conditions.

Going bananas

The need to treat small volumes of fruits with a ripening gas has resulted in a breakthrough by Plant and Food scientists

New Thinking

Science New Zealand Chairman elected

Science New Zealand has elected Dr Tom Richardson, Chief Executive of AgResearch, as Chairman for the next two years.

In search of fish food on the Chatham Rise

NIWA's research vessel Tangaroa will set sail for the Chatham Rise tonight to improve our understanding of how marine ecosystems affect commercially exploited fish, and how commercial fisheries affect the marine food-web. The Chatham Rise, a large plateau between the South Island and Chatham Islands, is our most productive fishing ground.

Appointment of new Landcare Research CEO

Dr Richard Gordon has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive of Crown Research Institute, Landcare Research.

AgResearch thanks partners for DuPont Innovation Award

On Friday 13 May the DuPont Innovation Award in the `Performance Materials’ category was presented to AgResearch’s Senior Scientist Chris Pennell and Grasslanz Technology Limited.

New partners to assist sustainability reporting

Landcare Research and Business New Zealand have joined the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) consortium of data partners to monitor sustainability reporting in New Zealand.

Census time for fish and habitats around New Zealand’s continental shelf

NIWA’s latest voyage of discovery will examine the expansive continental shelf around New Zealand looking for our biodiversity hotspots.

Manufacturing prosperity

In contemporary economies, manufacturing industries create prosperity of the type needed for New Zealand to maintain its place in the world, says IRL CEO Shaun Coffey.

NZ safe from radiation, say experts

World weather patterns will shield New Zealand from radiation spewed out of the stricken nuclear power station in Japan, says GNS Science.

Investment in IRL associate boon for high-tech manufacturing

IRL Chief Executive Shaun Coffey says the sale of a controlling stake in IRL associate company HTS-110 to Dunedin-based Scott Technology will enable HTS-110 to rapidly expand its already significant presence in high-value, global markets.

Boosting milk production major focus of research

Significantly, increasing milk production is the theme of research being presented by AgResearch scientists at the NZBIO Conference 2011 in Auckland on 21 March 2011, focusing on enabling successful biotechnology.

NIWA Scientists set to survey Pegasus Bay with seismic equipment

NIWA’s research vessel Kaharoa has sailed for Lyttelton equipped with seismic survey gear to survey an area of southern Pegasus Bay.

Tsunami waves hit New Zealand on cue after Japan earthquake

New data from NIWA shows waves generated by last Friday’s magnitude 9.0 Japan earthquake reached all coasts of New Zealand, as predicted, and even registered on a sea-level gauge at Scott Base, in Antarctica.

NIWA prepares for the future

NIWA’s Chief Executive, John Morgan says that action taken now to align NIWA’s capability with the country’s science needs means that NIWA will be better prepared for the future.

Scion welcomes new Chief Executive

Crown Research institute, Scion’s new chief executive Warren Parker has taken office. Scion Chairman Tony Nowell says he is delighted to have Parker on site as new CEO and to introduce him to staff.

Serious risk of landslides in quake zone

GNS Science says there is still a real risk of landslides in Christchurch's hillside suburbs.

Life cycle management roles for leading researchers

Two adjunct professors – Plant & Food Research’s Dr Brent Clothier and AgResearch’s Dr Stewart Ledgard – have been appointed to the New Zealand Life Cycle Management Centre based at the University’s Manawatu campus.

Quake could have been magnified by volcanic rock

The strength of the earthquake which left much of Christchurch in rubble on Tuesday may have been magnified as it reflected off hard volcanic rock below its epicentre, a GNS Science geologist says.

IRL confident about the future

IRL Chief Executive Shaun Coffey has informed the Education and Science Select Committee that the company is performing well and has good future prospects provided it maintains its current momentum.

Scientists to test Wellington wind

A team of scientists from GNS Science and NIWA are about to test what makes Wellington so windy and how an area's geography affects the level of wind.

NZ scientists start Tsunami project in Samoa

Scientists from New Zealand have started a year-long project to develop tsunami evacuation maps for Samoa. The project is funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme and is being undertaken by tsunami and social science specialists at GNS Science.

Let’s make IRL an engine for private sector R&D expertise creation says IPENZ

Industrial Research Ltd. should be changed to an innovation development agency reckons IPENZ. The proposal is part of the recently released Institution of Professional Engineers of NZ’s ‘Catalysing economic growth – boosting innovation expertise in the private sector’ document

New Science

ESR-led research team wins international tender to hunt the flu virus

A group of world-leading scientists and flu researchers, led by ESR, has beaten out international competition to be awarded a five-year, multi-million dollar contract to study influenza in an effort to better understand the burden of the virus and how to prevent its spread around the world.

Migration patterns and genetic differences in NZ seabirds

Ground-breaking research by NIWA and The University of Auckland, investigating the annual movements of New Zealand seabirds migrating within the Pacific Ocean, has revealed that populations are genetically distinct, and have been for centuries as a result of their differing migration behavior.

New Zealand surrounded by biggest waves on the planet

New Zealand is bang in the middle of the biggest and wildest waters on the planet: the Southern Ocean.

Coast to coast seismic study to yield lower North Island's deep secrets

Some like it hot

The exacting work of an IRL scientist is allowing huge petrochemical furnaces to run at temperatures that optimise life and yield the best return for the energy expended.

GNS Scientists analyse aftershocks

The large aftershock on 20th March may prove important in determining whether more damaging quakes may hit Christchurch.

Scientists drill alpine fault for first time

A New Zealand-led team of international scientists has successfully drilled through the alpine fault in the western South Island, the first phase of a project to learn about earthquake mechanisms on the fault.

Cook Strait Canyon starts to spill its secrets

Preliminary results from the first comprehensive survey of the Cook Strait Canyon seabed, performed by NIWA and GNS Scientists, have begun to reveal tantalising scientific secrets about New Zealand's largest underwater canyon.

Scientists investigate gas hydrate deposits off East Coast

Scientists from GNS Science and Germany will spend the next six weeks on the German research ship, Sonne, investigating gas hydrate deposits off the east coast of the North Island.

P lab children's drug levels on par with adults

Children found in P labs are likely to be inhaling and absorbing the same levels of methamphetamine as adult drug users, new research by ESR shows.

Mice and rats not best research model for large mammals

In a study just published by AgResearch, it has been proved for the first time that research using rats and mice may not be able to be reliably extrapolated to apply to large mammals, including cows and humans.

Crown Research Institutes

Subsidiaries, associates, joint ventures

Featured article

Science or sheep?

People misheard Lord Robert Winston, says Anthony Scott. New Zealand needs more, not just reallocation, if we are to increase national productivity.