Marsden fund celebrates 20 years of research

Scientists, researchers and politicians are celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Marsden Fund, New Zealand’s largest fund for leading-edge, fundamental research projects.

http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/media/20-year-squarer-RGB.jpghttp://www.royalsociety.org.nz/media/marsden-logo-162x87.gifA special event at Parliament yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of the Marsden Fund , which has distributed more than $600 million to over 1200 projects in the areas of science, engineering and mathematics, social sciences and the humanities.

“Looking back over the last two decades, it becomes clear how Marsden-funded research has benefited all New Zealanders,” says Professor Juliet Gerrard, chairperson of the Marsden Fund Council. “Many projects have a long lead-in time, but increasing our basic understanding of the world has now brought improved environmental outcomes, new technologies and better medicines and healthcare.”

“What’s important about the Marsden Fund is that it gives our best and brightest researchers the freedom to explore their most exciting ideas. This is how important breakthroughs are made,” says Professor Gerrard.

“Who would have thought that finding a sheep that kept on having triplets would result in better IVF treatment for women? Or that investigating brain development would lead to a new product for healing wounds?”

As part of the 20 year anniversary, The Royal Society of New Zealand has put together a showcase of some of the outstanding projects the Marsden Fund has supported.

The New Zealand Herald ran a feature reflecting on the Marsden Fund and some of the ground-breaking work it has supported: “Cash for scientists helps keep bright ideas alive