The Prime Minister's Science Prizes

The Prime Minister's Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist

This Prize is worth $200,000. This Prize will be awarded to an outstanding emerging scientist who has had their PhD or an equivalent qualification conferred within the past eight years.

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

This Prize is worth $500,000. This prize is for a transformative scientific¹advance, which has had a significant economic, health, social, political, cultural and/or environmental impact on New Zealand, or internationally. It will be awarded to a team or an individual instrumental in creating the impact.

The Prime Minister's Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Ānamata Future Scientist

This prize is worth $50,000. The Prize will be awarded to either a Year 12 or Year 13 student who has undertaken an outstanding science, technology, mathematics or engineering project.

The Prime Minister's Te Puiaki Whakapā Pūtaiao Science Communicator

This Prize is worth $75,000. The Prize will be awarded to either a practising scientist who can demonstrate an interest, passion and aptitude for science communication and public engagement, or to a person who has developed expertise in public engagement or communication of complex scientific or technological information to the public.

The Prime Minister's Te Puiaki Kaiwhakaako Pūtaiao Science Teacher

This Prize is worth $150,000. The Prize will be awarded to a registered primary, intermediate or secondary school teacher or kaiako who is teaching science, mathematics, technology, pūtaiao, hangarau or pāngarau learning areas of the New Zealand curriculum. Teachers must be teaching in a registered New Zealand school.

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

Billions of dollars gained from research on fungal partner of ryegrass

MEDIA RELEASE: TE PŪIAKI PUTAIAO MATUA A TE PIRIMIA SCIENCE PRIZE Dr Linda Johnson and the Endophyte Discovery Team from AgResearch have been awarded Te Pūiaki Putaiao Matua a Te Pirimia, the Prime Minister’s Science Prize. They have been awarded this prize for generating significant economic and environmental benefits from … Read More

Breathtaking – for better understanding and treatment of anxiety

Media Release: Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea | Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize Dr Olivia Harrison, from Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, University of Otago, has won Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea, the Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize, for developing a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and managing anxiety. Olivia is a Rutherford … Read More

Student’s winning solution to remove pollutants from stormwater with plants

MEDIA RELEASE: TE PUIAKI KAIPŪTAIAO ĀNAMATA FUTURE SCIENTIST PRIZE Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Ānamata the Prime Minister’s Future Scientist is Rena Misra, a Year 13 student at Epsom Girls’ Grammar School in Auckland. Rena was awarded this Prize for her research on removing pollutants from stormwater, using fungi to enhance the efficiency of filtration … Read More

Supported by the New Zealand Government with funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Nā Te Hīkina Whakatutuki te mana hāpai.