The Prime Minister's Science Prizes The Prime Minister's Science Prizes

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  • Ngā tohu About the prizes
  • Ngā toa i mua Previous winners
  • Science Prize
  • MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize
  • Science Communication Prize
  • Future Scientist Prize
  • Science Teacher Prize
  • Whakapā mai Contact us

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

This Prize is worth $500,000. This prize is for a transformative scientific1 advance, 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 Winner2025
  • The Prize
  • Apply Now

The Prime Minister's Science Communicator Te Puiaki Whakapā Pūtaiao

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 Winner2025
  • The Prize
  • Apply Now

The Prime Minister's Emerging Scientist Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea

This Prize is worth $200,000. This Prize will be awarded to an emerging early-career scientist who has received their PhD within six years of their application.

  • The Winner2025
  • The Prize
  • Apply Now

The Prime Minister's Science Teacher Te Puiaki Kaiwhakaako Pūtaiao

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.

  • The Winner2025
  • The Prize
  • Apply Now

The Prime Minister's Future Scientist Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Ānamata

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 Winner2025
  • The Prize
  • Apply Now

The Prime Minister's Innovation Prize Te Puiaki Auaha 2026

New Prize – This Prize is worth $150,000. This Prize is for an innovator or team for translation of scientific knowledge into products, services or processes that have either delivered, or have demonstrable potential to deliver, substantial and transformative economic, social and/or environmental benefits.

  • The Prize
  • Apply Now

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

 

 

 

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

 

Whakapā Mai Contact Us

The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes is administered by the
Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Website provided by Ackama

The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes Secretariat
PO Box 598 | Wellington 6001
Tel: (04) 472 7421
pmscienceprizes@royalsociety.org.nz