Focus on Research Excellence

Read individual case studies:

From the top down (Andrew Pullan's research on an electromechanical model on the stomach and bowel, 16 April 2008)
The Science of Soft (Professor Paul Callaghan's research on soft materials, 28 March 2008)
"Patients Simply Get a Better Deal"… with PREDICT (Professor Rod Jackson, on screening patients for cardiovascular disease; 4 March 2008)
Going with the wind (Andy Sturman, 10 Jan 2008)
Of tractors and molecular genetics (Barry Scott)
Mirror Mirror... (Professor James Belich, of The University of Auckland)
NZ: already the world leader in a 21st Century technology (Professor Tallon and his co-investigator Dr Grant Williams on superconductivity)
Go forth and multiply (work by Professor Ken McNatty, Victoria University of Wellington)
DMXAA as a tumour vascular disrupting agent (work by professors Bruce Baguley and Bill Denny at The University of Auckland)

Main press release:

“Fore!” The traditional call on a golf course catches attention and gets other players to think about the possible impact of something that’s taken off more successfully than might have been expected. Similar things could be said about a number of success stories about to be released by the Royal Society of New Zealand from its Academy’s “Focus on Research Excellence” (FoRE) project.

This project was commissioned by the RSNZ Academy to look at case studies of research in New Zealand that was sponsored because of the excellence of the researchers and the work they proposed, rather than the intended economic or social or environmental outcomes (or its fit with priority-driven funding schemes), and yet has resulted in some spectacular outcomes … largely because of this excellence.

Professor Carolyn Burns, who was President of the Academy when the project was initiated, says “We wanted to exhibit the benefits of supporting excellence, even when some of the benefits are not foreseen at the time research is proposed. Experience suggests that we can maximise the outcomes of research by ensuring that the best people carry it out.”

So far the project has considered just 15 cases of research that was proposed by a single researcher or group of researchers, and initially sponsored by the Marsden Fund or Health Research Council or university funding, or supported through a James Cook Fellowship or similar, within the last ten or so years. The cases cover the spectrum of research activity, including cancer therapies, high temperature superconductivity, mammalian fertility, and New Zealand’s history and national identity. The Royal Society will release brief accounts of the case studies over the coming months.

The Royal Society commissioned Dr John Kernohan (of Biocatalyst Ltd) to undertake the FoRE project. As former CEO of the commercial research and knowledge transfer company Auckland UniServices Ltd, John is a strong advocate of investing in excellence. He says “The direct and indirect economic benefits for New Zealand which are resulting from these cases are simply astounding. These benefits would not have occurred without the initial investment in support of the researchers.” As John has been saying for a long time, he repeats: “Cases like these show that New Zealand should be investing a lot more in excellent investigator-driven basic research. The Marsden Fund should be tripled.”

Professor Marston Conder, who is current President of the Academy, says “These cases highlight the fact that New Zealand has some outstanding researchers whose work has amazing impact, even when that is not seen at the time the work begins. Such scientists are motivated to carry out work of the highest possible quality, driven by the desire to break new ground, make new discoveries and produce results that humankind will find valuable. Like the All Blacks, they put New Zealand on the world stage, and yet their work also produces huge benefits for New Zealand people and the economy.”

For further information, contact Glenda Lewis, Royal Society of New Zealand, Glenda.lewis@rsnz.org, 04 470 5758, 027 210 0997