Prime Minister's Science Prize Winners
Photo:
Royal Society Te Apārangi/Rebecca McMillan
Dr Linda Johnson and her team from AgResearch have been awarded Te Pūiaki Putaiao Matua a Te Pirimia, the Prime Minister's Science Prize.
The $500,000 prize is awarded for transformative scientific advances with significant economic, health, social, political, cultural and/or environmental impacts here in New Zealand or internationally.
The Endophyte Discovery Team's recognition comes from their work with endophytes - microorganisms, often bacteria or fungi, living within a plant which help rather than harm it.
Dr Johnson says endophytes provide a sustainable solution to agriculture, reducing inputs by controlling pests and diseases.
Susie speaks to Dr Linda Johnson, science group manager for resilient agriculture and principal scientist at AgResearch, and Dr David Hume, AgResearch senior scientist.
Photo:
Melanie Phipps
This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
International scientists gather in Wānaka to shake up quake forecasting
Researchers from New Zealand, Australia, Japan and China have gathered in Wanaka to work on improving earthquake forecasts. Photo: Supplied Leading earthquake researchers and modellers from four countries have convened in Wānaka to tackle a tough question in seismology - how to estimate the size of an impending earthquake. The scientists from China, Japan, Australia and Aotearoa aimed to combine decades of seismic data, faultline research and statistical modelling to boost the accuracy of forecasts. (from left) Mark Stirling, Ting Wang and Boris Baeumer. Photo: Supplied Project leader and University of Otago Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka associate professor Ting Wang said it was not yet possible to estimate the magnitude of an impending earthquake - just the likelihood of it occurring in a region within a certain time. She said the team was working towards a statistical model to change that. "If we could forecast the magnitude of a future earthquake, that can help with our planning for those more damaging earthquakes," she said. The group was also focused on aftershocks - smaller quakes that followed a main event, often near the same fault. Wang was studying aftershock sequences, while others at the workshop were focused on real-time data, stress modelling and energy release. "We could use a statistical model to say 'what's the probability of how many earthquakes with what magnitude could happen?' - but we couldn't really say exactly in the next day what would be the earthquake magnitude, or energy release," she said. "Our aim is really trying to focus on the magnitude of the next earthquake, or the earthquakes in the next day, or next month." Wang said having scientists from around the world in one room was a real advantage. "Japan's history with the subduction megathrust earthquakes helps inform what we might expect here in New Zealand, because we have the Hikurangi subduction zone where there could be a very, very big earthquake," she said. University of Otago Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka professor of earthquake science Mark Stirling said the problems the group were tackling were something no single discipline could solve. "It takes data scientists, statisticians, and modellers working together testing ideas, sharing tools, and refining the models that support real-time decision-making." The Wānaka workshop was part of two major research programmes led by the University of Otago, with support from MBIE and the Marsden Fund. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Waikato amateur rocket scientists hoping to soar at international competition
The Astronautics Club launched its rocket this weekend as they prepare to compete in Australia. Photo: University of Waikato A group of amateur Waikato rocket scientists are heading to an international competition after a successful final practice launch of their creation 'Takahe'. The rocket, built by the University of Waikato Astro-nautics Club, will go up against other creations in the out back of New South Wales in August as part of the Aussie Universities Rocketary Competition. They're in the 10,000 feet category; the closer their rockets gets to that target height, the more points they score, so they don't want to go over or under. Takahe, which comes from a long line of rockets named after flightless birds, has already been launched four times. "This is our best rocket so far," University of Waikato Astronautics Club president Reuben Buckley told Checkpoint. "... Other then the fact it has flown more than our rockets, and most rockets that make it to this competition, the attention to detail on all the parts and how well its put together. The team spent endless hours working on Takahe and making sure that everything is exactly how it needs to be." The 2.4 metre rocket will be joined by six students that make up the only team from New Zealand in the competition. While Buckley could not reveal just how far the rocket is reached, he said it has gone a "fair way". The team had their final lift off before the competition on the weekend. "I got to press the button for the first time on Sunday. I was pretty nervous. Letting $23,000 fly into the air like that it's pretty nerve-wracking," Buckley said. "... It's a spectacle every time." The club has also got their eyes on a 30,000 feet competition in the US next year and are hoping for sponsors to help fund both their trips. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Potential insurance costs cast shadow over parent visa
Christchurch resident Xiuyun Liu (top left) with her parents, husband and children. Photo: Supplied Insurance experts have raised concerns about potential costs for the long-awaited Parent Boost Visa that was announced by the government last weekend. Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said Sunday the visa would allow parents of citizens and residents to stay in New Zealand for up to five years, with an opportunity for the visa to be extended another five years. Included in the health and income conditions of the visa was a requirement for the parents to obtain sufficient health insurance to cover the first 12 months of their stay. Anyone staying longer than a year would need to renew their health insurance policies for the duration of their stay. Christchurch resident Xiuyun Liu questioned whether the insurance conditions could make it harder for her parents to take advantage of the new visa. Her parents, 70 and 73, had been on visitor and study visas to stay in New Zealand, helping her to look after her young children. "I think it's good that the policy is out now. At least we have hope for the next five years," Liu said. "But what if I can't get insurance for my parents? Even if they can get insurance [now], there will be a day they won't be able to. "For example, my father has high blood pressure and some other issues. ... I think getting insurance will be a problem." The government requires applicants to hold at least one year of health insurance that covers emergency healthcare (minimum $250,000 a year), medical repatriation, return of remains and cancer treatment (minimum $100,000). Paula Lorgelly says many existing health insurance policies have upper age limits. Photo: Supplied Paula Lorgelly, a professor of health economics at the University of Auckland, said she was unaware of any matching insurance products currently on the market, but she expected providers to start work on delivering them. "Currently a number of insurers have a visiting New Zealand policy to provide cover for a range of travel and medical related claims," Lorgelly said. "These do have considerable exclusions with respect to pre-existing conditions, which means they are somewhat affordable, about $2200 a year [for a couple who are both 60 years old]." Lorgelly said many existing policies had upper age limits of 65 or 75, and they would also include exclusions for pre-existing conditions. "If you have such conditions, which often come with age, then the policy holder will need to pay more to cover them," she said. The $2200 figure was likely to be on the low side of what a new policy would offer, if cancer treatment was included, Lorgelly said. Insurance consultant Amy Tao believed any new insurance products would effectively be like existing travel insurance policies. "It will just be upgraded to include the $100,000 cancer treatment cover, for example," Tao said. She said insurance companies might cover some low-risk pre-existing conditions with extra premiums. "But underwriting is definitely required," she said. "If they think the risk is too high, they may not be able to provide insurance even if you pay more." Her estimation of existing travel insurance policies for an elderly couple was similar to the figure Lorgelly shared, citing $1840 for a couple of 65-year-olds and $2514 for two 70-year-olds, with both policies carrying an excess of $100. Tao said any new product would be more expensive, adding extra cover for cancer and pre-existing conditions. "Insurance is for sure going to cost a bit," she said. "Currently, some insurance companies only allow travel insurance to be purchased for a maximum of one year or two years," she said. "It can be renewed after the expiration date but cannot be purchased directly for five years." Speaking to Morning Report on Monday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said people needed to hold health insurance for the duration of their stay. "We're striking the balance of making sure that ... these folks who are not taxpayers, haven't contributed to our publicly funded healthcare system, won't be eligible for those services." Immigration minister Erica Stanford Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Rob Hennin, New Zealand chief executive of health insurance provider NIB, said the company had begun work in line with the government's announcement. "We are already working on a product that aligns with the requirements for this visa, and aim to launch it in September," Hennin said. "While all of the details are yet to be determined, the product would be available to purchase for at least one year to align with government requirements, and cover clients for the entirety of their stay while residing in New Zealand." When asked about the costing, Hennin said it was too soon to say. "We will be working through the product design and details and aim to have this ready by the deadline," he said. Financial Services Council chief executive Kirk Hope said the government had consulted with the industry before the decision was made, and the requirements were reasonable. "I think it's reasonable given what the costs of the taxpayer would be if someone didn't have insurance and had to rely on the taxpayers," Hope said. "So, it's important that people are insured when they're here on visitor visits." Hope said it was important for the types of insurance to be provided by the visitors' home market. Despite the visa's hefty application fee and additional insurance requirements, immigration lawyer Sonny Lam believed the visa would still be popular at face value. "It is not excessively high - flying every six months back and forth is going to cost more than $3000," Lam said. "But the insurance requirement may be harder than it looks," he said. "I had a look at Southern Cross and travel insurance for people over 75 is not so easy." Immigration lawyer Arran Hunt also said the cost of insurance would be "the biggest factor for many". "We expect we'll see more competition in the market, with insurance policies being created to solely meet the criteria of this visa," Hunt said. "The requirements for the visa, as in the pay levels required for sponsors, should mean it is open to almost all couples where both are working," he said. "However, some may struggle to cover the insurance costs, especially for older applicants."
