Contemporary New Zealand scientists
The 1990s marked a period of institutional change in New Zealand’s public science sector. In 1992, the DSIR was disbanded and its scientific divisions, along with the research divisions of the Meteorological Service and the ministries of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, were restructured into 10 commercially-focused Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), resulting in a net loss in the number of scientists employed by the New Zealand government. Of the original 10 CRIs, the Institute for Social Research and Development was closed in August 1995 after it failed to establish commercial viability.
Since 1992, all CRIs have repositioned themselves to focus on specific research activities. Collectively, they are New Zealand’s largest science enterprise, owned by the Crown, earning more than $600 million annually and with 4000 staff in 50 sites from Invermay to Kaitaia.
New Zealand’s current strengths in science link back to the country’s past, with agriculture and the primary sector still a major driving force behind research activities. The largest CRI, AgResearch, focuses on biological sciences and the pastoral sector. Other CRIs focus on environmental and earth sciences, nanotechnology and material science, biotechnology, health research and traditional knowledge.
New Zealand’s eight universities provide another hub of scientific activity. In an effort to encourage closer collaboration and more efficient use of resources, Centres of Research Excellence (CoRE) such as the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution were established in 2002/03 to provide research networks between institutions and to allow research teams in different locations to work together on shared projects. Each CoRE is hosted by a university and comprises a number of partner organisations, including other universities, CRIs and wānanga.
The material in this online exhibition was originally developed for the National Library Gallery exhibition 'Butterflies, Boffins & Black Smokers: Two Centuries of Science in New Zealand', curated by Veronika Meduna and Rebecca Priestly in 2006.
New Zealand is a pioneer in the area of agricultural research.
New Zealand has a long history of research in Antarctica.
Canterbury's Mt John Observatory, and New Zealand's involvement in collaborative astronomical research.
Climate research in New Zealand.
Protecting species and habitat in New Zealand: Val Sanderson, Herbert Guthrie-Smith, Perrine Moncrieff, Lake Manapouri and the Chatham Island black robin.
Emerging New Zealand scientists: Claire French, Gregory Francis, Wendy Imlach, David Williamson and Hayley Reynolds.
The search for energy resources in New Zealand.
Allan Wilson's groundbreaking and controversial work, and current New Zealand researchers in the area of evolution.
Scientists are still finding new things, through deep-sea expeditions, fungal forays and molecular research.
The development and use of forensic science in New Zealand, including the National DNA Databank, DNA profiling and soil analysis.
Muriel Bell, Sir Brian Barratt-Boyes, Sir Graham Liggins, Diana Martin and meningococcal B, and the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study.
Nanotechnology in New Zealand: Alan MacDiarmid, Paul Callaghan, David Officer, Pablo Etchegoin, Kate McGrath.
New Zealand research on natural hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, tsunamis, landslides and flood forecasting.
New Zealand marine science, including the work of Elizabeth Batham, Lionel Carter and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.
New Zealand physicists, including Dan Walls, Andrew Wilson, Jeff Tallon, William Pickering and Sir Ian Axford.
Traditional Māori knowledge and contemporary New Zealand science.
