Science Media Centre

Writing in the New Zealand Herald, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman, outlines the important role Auckland will play in the future of New Zealand’s science and technology sector. An excerpt (read in full here): Science key to richer country New Zealand’s export economy has been dominated by its primary industries, commodities [...]

An industry report has revealed some positive growth in biosciences, but warns there may be a cash-flow crisis coming. This week saw the release of the 2010 Bioscience Industry Report from NZBIO, an industry group made up of corporate members from across agbiotech, human health, industrial and environmental and food bioscience. Statistics presented in the [...]

The much anticipated ‘Powering Innovation’ report, released this week, sets out a number of recommendations to improve New Zealand’s high-value manufacturing sector. The report – and the governments support of it – has been the cause of much excitement in the business community. Among the reports recommendations, the most notable was the call to restructure [...]

Writing in the Press, Prof John Fairweather of Lincoln University shares some of his insights into how innovation works in New Zealand. Prof Fairweather undertook a Government-funded research programme to identify conditions under which socio-technical networks best foster technology development, adoption and commercialisation. His perspective article in the Press gives an idea of what is [...]

In the lead up to the election, the Dominion Post has quizzed National and Labour on what the key issues are in the agricultural sector. Excerpts (read in full here): Big issues loom over agriculture With Parliament rising on Thursday, and campaigning for Election 2011 getting under way in earnest, the parties were asked to [...]

In the New Zealand Herald, businessman and philanthropist Owen Glenn writes about getting the most out of innovation in Kiwi research. Excerpts (read in full here): Let’s sow the seeds for real growth I’m not one who favours either/or situations. They tend to limit possibilities and the imagination. Consequently I’m a little perturbed by what [...]

In an opinion piece for the New Zealand Herald, businessman Owen Glenn makes a case for science and innovation to lead our economy. An excerpt (read in full here): Use science, technology to be innovative In the second of a series leading up to the election, Owen Glenn says exporters’ form matters even more than [...]

At the Agricultural and Horticultural Outlook summit in Wellington this week, politicians and scientists explored the coming challenges faced by the farming sector. Radio New Zealand has been reporting back from the gathering, where high profile individuals have raised important questions for the future of agriculture and horticulture in New Zealand. From Radio New Zealand: [...]

Geothermal energy now generates around 13 percent of New Zealand’s electricity, but scientists gathering this week in Taupo will explore options for vastly expanding the resource’s potential. A two-day workshop (25 – 26 May) “HADES: Hotter and Deeper Exploration Science” will bring together engineers and geothermal specialists from 10 countries to discuss the international context [...]

Acclaimed Victoria University physicist, entrepreneur and Royal Society of London Fellow Professor Sir Paul Callaghan delivered a hard-hitting speech at Telecommunications Day 2011 this morning, foreshadowing the Budget with a speech critical of New Zealand’s past approaches to transforming our economy for a more prosperous future. Click below to listen back to the speech… points [...]