Previous awards
2020 Science New Zealand Awards
Awards were given in three categories. Scion awardees were: Greg Steward - Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr Kelly Wade - Early Career Researcher Award, Scion’s Geomatics Team – Team Award.
2020 New Zealand Wood Resene Timber Design Awards
A novel transparent wood film developed at Scion was highly commended in the Wood and Fibre Products Technology and Innovation category.
2020 Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award - Winner
Scion’s Dr Kelly Wade won the Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award at the 2020 Australasian Packaging Innovation Design Awards.
Kelly is a materials scientist from Scion’s packaging research team and was nominated for his work on biomimicry and nature inspired sustainable packaging solutions. Using his knowledge of biomaterials, he is exploring biomimetic solutions to redesign and strengthen corrugated board boxes.
The Awards, announced virtually over 6-7 May, are designed to recognise companies and individuals who are making a significant difference in their field, across Australia and New Zealand. The awards are run by the Australian Institute of Packaging, and winners qualify for entry into the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards.
More information can be found on the Australian Institute of Packaging website.
2019 Science New Zealand Awards
Scion scientists were presented awards in three categories on the night. Dr Brian Richardson was acknowledged with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his 36 years in biosecurity research. Brian’s stellar career has featured domestic and internationally significant work as well as pest-, vegetation- and sustainable forest-management. At the other end of the career spectrum – Dr Roya Rezanavaz won an Early Career Researcher Award for her leadership on a project working with Kai Rotorua and Rotorua Boys High School to bring kūmara history to life with 3D printing. The Team Award was bestowed on Scion’s Extrusion Plus team, who have developed a technology platform to convert biomass from primary industries into renewable natural materials to replace fossil fuel-based ingredients.
2019 Forest Growers Research Awards
Winner of the Communication and Sector Engagement Award - Dr Amanda Matson for her great ability to communicate the research she’s doing on what’s going on under the ground in a pine forest, particularly the movement of soil nutrients.
Winner of the Innovation for Sector Value Award - Dr Graham Coker for his work on foliar fertiliser applications to see what works to enhance tree growth and when it’s best to apply those nutrients.
Winner of the Collaboration in a Science Team Award - Loretta Garrett - the scientist everyone wants on their team according to her colleagues. Her work has varied from productivity trails to measuring nitrogen transfer in forest soils.
Award for Young Scientist - Dr Stuart Fraser for his work on combatting forest tree diseases, such as the threat of myrtle rust and dothistroma needle blight.
Winner of the Science of International Quality Award - The Phenotyping Team - this award was shared by our Phenotyping Platform Team and the University of Canterbury School of Forestry. The Phenotyping Platform Team have worked together to produce a world-leading Forest Phenotyping Platform that uses a big-data machine-learning approach to model forest productivity.
2019 New Zealand National Fieldays - Best Agribusiness Indoor Site and Fieldays 2019 Supreme Site
Scion teamed up with Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, ESR and AgResearch to create a ‘science alley’ at Fieldays, the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere. The collaboration was rewarded with the Best Agribusiness Indoor Site and Fieldays 2019 Supreme Site Awards. Judges said the site showcased a clean, bright, interactive design that attracted visitors of all ages to learn a little more about the research the institutes conduct.
2019 New Zealand Plastics Industry Design Awards – Winner and Highly Commended
Scion’s ecofriendly bioadhesive technology, Ligate™, won the Research and New Innovation category at the NZ Plastics Industry Design Awards.
Our work and partnership with EPL on biodegradable vine net clips was also acknowledged, earning Highly Commended in the categories of Best Environmental Product and Best Supplier Partnership.
2018 Science New Zealand Awards - Awardees
Scion staff joined scientists from all seven Crown research institutes for the Science New Zealand awards. The awards were presented in three categories to awardees from each institute.
Acknowledged for his 40 years in science, Dr Ian Suckling was the Scion recipient of the Individual/Lifetime Achievement Award.
Andrea Stocchero received the Emerging Scientist or Engineering Award for Scion, in recognition of his significant contribution to the timber, building and design industries.
The Science Impact Award for Scion was presented to the Ligate™ Team.
2018 NZ Biosecurity Awards - Winner
A Scion team took home the Biological Heritage Challenge Science Award at the NZ Biosecurity Awards for their work around the development of novel approaches to increase the effectiveness of eradication programmes for insect pests of plants.
2018 Forest Growers Research Conference Awards
Winner of the Innovation that Enhances Sector Value Award – Dr Simeon Smaill for his work examining novel methods and nutrient models to improve the growth and vitality of radiata pine.
Winner of the Science of International Quality Award – Jessica Kerr, Brooke O’Connor and Dr Steve Pawson were recognised for their world-leading research in the Urban Battlefield Biosecurity programme.
Winner of the Contribution to a Science Team Award – Dr Rebecca McDougal for her part in revolutionising how diseases are diagnosed, using new molecular techniques.
2017 Forest Growers Research Conference Awards
Winner of the Enhancing Sector Value Award - Richard Yao - for his work in forest ecosystem services, such as erosion control, biodiversity and water filtering.
Winner of the Contribution to a Science Team Award - Carolyne Anderson - in recognition of her management of tree measurement data from permanent sample plots over many decades.
2017 Science New Zealand Awards
New Zealand's Crown research institutes gathered to celebrate their own at the inaugural Science New Zealand Science Awards in November 2017.
Scion’s Dr Dave Cown received the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Team Award went to the Biosecurity Team and Dr Nari Williams was the recipient of the Early Career Researcher Award.
Finalist in 2017 KiwiNet Emerging Innovator Award
Scion scientist Dr Saad Hussain has been selected as a finalist in the KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards designed to celebrate commercialisation success within New Zealand’s universities and Crown Research Institutes.
- Read our media release
- Dr Sadakat (Saad) Hussain - Growing New Zealand’s forest-based bioeconomy with packaging innovations [YouTube]
2016 NZBIO Biotechnology of the Year - Winner
Scion’s environmentally-friendly bioadhesives “Ligate™” technology was awarded Biotechnology of the Year at NZBIO’s annual conference in September.
Dr Will Barker, Chief Executive of NZBIO, said “the technology is a game changer for wood panel manufacturers”.
2016 KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Award – Winner
Scion and licensing partner Sonae Indústria won a category award - the MinterEllisonRuddWatts Research and Business Partnership Award - for their partnership to commercialise a new wood reinforced plastic product that could be used in cars, appliances and a range of consumer products.
2016 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards – Commendation
Our bioadhesives “Ligate™” technology received a commendation in the Renewable Innovations Category.
2016 NZ Innovators Awards – Finalist
Our bioadhesives “Ligate™” technology was a finalist in the Sustainability & Cleantech category.