Setting Research Directions forum

Science House - 10 June 2004

Speaker's presentations

In MS Powerpoint format.

"Previous and current systems used in New Zealand for setting RS&T priorities"
Michael Peters, Research Policy Adviser, NZVCC & Senior Advisor, MoRST Speaker's bio

"Industry priorities engaging with public research" - presentation pending
Kevin Marshall, recently Managing Director of ViaLactia Biosciences, a board member for Wool Equities, Ovita, and Zespri Innovation, and convenor of the RSNZ Biotechnology Science Scan Panel Speaker's bio

"Exploring Pasteur's Quadrant: International Comparisons for Setting Research Priorities in the 21st Century"
"Exploring Pasteur's Quadrant" - article
Peter Blair, Executive Director, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences (DEPS), US National Research Council (NRC) Speaker's bio

"Australian priority setting exercises"
Vicki Sara, CEO Australian Research Council Speaker's bio

"R&D selection and prioritisation: the Fonterra approach"
Mike Boland, Research Partnerships Manager, Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited Speaker's bio

"Options for change in the New Zealand system"
John Smart, Group Manager, Portfolio, FRST Speaker's bio

Speaker's Biographies

Michael Peters
Michael Peters is a senior policy adviser with the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee. He specializes in research performance measurement and funding policy and is just completing a year’s part time secondment with the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology.

Kevin Marshall
Kevin Marshall led the spin-off of ViaLactia. He originally trained and worked as a chemical engineer/biotechnologist and has recently retired after 40 years in the dairy industry. His most recent roles were as Group Director, Global Research and Development for the New Zealand Dairy Board; Managing Director of ViaLactia Biosciences Ltd; and Chief Executive of New Zealand Dairy Research Institute. He has BE(Hons) (Chemical), MSc (Bio Eng) (Birmingham University) and PhD in biotechnology (Massey University). He is presently a director on the boards of Wool Equities Ltd, Ovita Ltd, and Zespri Innovation Co Ltd.

Peter Blair
Peter Blair is Executive Director of the Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences (DEPS) of the National Research Council (NRC). The NRC organises expert committees to advise the US government on science and technology policy issues. Dr Blair oversees the council's work on energy, space, aeronautics, defense, materials, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, information technology, infrastructure, physics, astronomy, mathematics, and engineering design.

Dr Blair originally trained in electronic engineering and energy policy. He has published widely on commercialising new energy technologies, engineering and economic modelling and public policy issues.

Dr. Blair has had a twenty-five year career in science and technology policy, serving in academia, the private sector, and government. Prior to joining NRC, from 1996-2001, Dr. Blair was Executive Director of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, and publisher of the Society's flagship publication, American Scientist.

Vicki Sara
Professor Vicki Sara has been the CEO of the Australian Research Council since 2001. Prior to this she was Dean of Science at the Queensland University of Technology and chair of the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering and Innovation Council. She also serves on several other advisory boards for the Australian government, OECD and APEC.

She entered science policy after a career as an endocrinologist, spending much of her career at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm.

Mike Boland
Mike Boland is currently employed as Research Partnerships Manager, Marketing & Innovation, Fonterra. This job is about outsourcing of research projects and capabilities.

Marketing & Innovation was formed from the old New Zealand Dairy Research Institute together with marketing functions from the New Zealand Dairy Board. He was previously in a variety of senior management positions in the NZDRI, and prior to that worked for 22 years for the old DSIR.

His original background is in biochemistry with a PhD from Massey but he has worked in a variety of disciplines during his career.

John Smart
Dr John Smart has been with the Foundation since 2001 as Group Manager, Portfolio Management. Prior to joining the Foundation John held various managerial/business positions within the New Zealand Dairy Board and NZDRI.

He trained and worked initially as a biochemist, and worked for NZDRI.