The Prime Minister's Science Prizes

The Prime Minister's Emerging Scientist Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea

This Prize is worth $200,000. The Prize is to recognise and support an early-career scientist for research excellence and potential economic, health, social, or environmental benefits for New Zealand.

The Prime Minister's Innovation Prize Te Puiaki Auaha

This new Prize is worth $150,000. The Prize is for an innovator or team for translation of scientific knowledge into products, services or processes for the benefit of New Zealand.

The Prime Minister's Science Teacher Te Puiaki Kaiwhakaako Pūtaiao

This Prize is worth $150,000. The Prize is for an outstanding and inspirational teaching of science, mathematics, and technology in schools.

The Prime Minister's Science Prize Te Puiaki Pūtaiao Matua a Te Pirimia

This Prize is worth $500,000. The Prize is for a transformative scientific advance with significant and demonstrable economic, health, social or environmental benefits in New Zealand or internationally.

The Prime Minister's Future Scientist Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Ānamata

This Prize is worth $50,000. The Prize is for an outstanding student who has achieved excellence through a science project.

The Prime Minister's Science Communicator Te Puiaki Whakapā Pūtaiao

This Prize is worth $75,000. The Prize is for communication of complex scientific or technological information to inform public debate on issues that matter for New Zealand.

Ngā toa i mua Reflections from past winners

Ngā Tohu The Trophies

The design for the Prime Minister’s Science Prizes reflects scientific process in concept, form and production technology.

Science and mathematics both rely on a cyclical process of observation, hypothesis, prediction and experiment. This design – based on the Helix, or Mӧbius Strip – was the result of this thinking.

Aluminium was the chosen medium – for the numerous advances New Zealand has made with aluminium alloys, and for the frequency with which we use the metal as a nation.

The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes Secretariat is very appreciative to Callaghan Innovation and their advanced engineering protoshop

As from 2024 Myriad Engineering, Petone has made these trophies.

Te Karere News

Prime Minister’s Prize awarded for a life-saving therapy for brain injury in newborns

MEDIA RELEASE: TE PŪIAKI PUTAIAO MATUA A TE PIRIMIA SCIENCE PRIZE A deceptively simple treatment that has prevented severe disability in thousands of newborns worldwide has been recognised as a transformative scientific advance – winning the Prime Minister’s Science Prize. The Fetal Physiology and Neuroscience team, from Waipapa Taumata Rau, … Read More

Student wins Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize for a road-safety app

MEDIA RELEASE: TE PUIAKI KAIPŪTAIAO ĀNAMATA FUTURE SCIENTIST PRIZE The Prime Minister’s Future Scientist Prize, for an innovative project by a secondary school student, was awarded to Jesse Rumball-Smith from Wellington College. Jesse designed a smartphone app to bring the advanced safety features of newer vehicles to all drivers, by using the … Read More

Science Communication Prize won for “myth busting”

MEDIA RELEASE: TE PUIAKI WHAKAPĀ PŪTAIAO SCIENCE COMMUNICATION PRIZE The Prime Minister’s Science Communication Prize has been won by Associate Professor Nic Rawlence from the University of Otago, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka. A palaeogeneticist, Assoc Prof Rawlence directs the Ancient Ecology Lab in the University’s Department of Zoology. His team reconstructs … Read More

Emerging Scientist awarded for work on climate change and extreme weather

Media Release: Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea | Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize Dr Luke Harrington, who leads the Climate Extremes and Societal Impacts research group at The University of Waikato, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, has won the Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize. Dr Harrington has developed novel … Read More

Combining traditional knowledge with cutting-edge tech wins major Prize for Wellington teacher

MEDIA RELEASE: TE PUIAKI KAIWHAKAAKO PŪTAIAO SCIENCE TEACHER PRIZE Whaea Nan Walden-Moeung (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki), of Wellington East Girls’ College, has won the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize for 2025. Whaea Nan is an innovative educator who combines new technologies like 3D printing, laser cutting, and digital modeling with traditional … Read More

Prime Minister’s Science Prizes announced

Researchers who pioneered a new treatment for newborns with brain injury, an emerging scientist who developed ways to calculate how climate change is influencing extreme weather, and researcher who counters misinformation and disinformation on controversial scientific debates have been awarded Prime Minister’s Science Prizes. Also recognised are a teacher who … Read More

Supported by the New Zealand Government with funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.