Science research given $54 million boost

New Zealand's top scientific researchers have been awarded $54.6 million in Marsden Fund grants, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

The funding will go towards financing 86 new projects that were selected from 1113 applicants, who submitted proposals for consideration.

"The Marsden Fund is one of New Zealand's premier investigator-led research funds. Each project selected this year went through a rigorous selection process and the successful applicants were chosen on the basis of scientific excellence," Mr Joyce says.

Research projects to receive funding ranged across a broad spectrum, including studying new therapies for diabetes, obesity and heart disease; learning more about the behaviours of earthquakes and volcanoes; and harnessing the power of business.

Thirty two recipients have been awarded Fast-Start grants for outstanding post-doctoral and early-career researchers that are worth up to $115,000 a year for three years. A further 54 recipients received Standard Grants, which are worth up to $330,000 a year for three years.

"This funding will enable our country's top scientific researchers to conduct quality research in their fields of expertise, which will have many flow-on effects for New Zealand's scientific community.

"Across the three-year funding cycle, we are not just supporting the applicants, but hundreds of scientists and researchers as these projects go through the various stages of research," Mr Joyce says.

Overall, 105 Principal Investigators and 120 Associate Investigators benefit from this funding, ranging from postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers through to New Zealand's most eminent scientists.

The Marsden Fund is administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand. Recipients are selected by specialist independent panels covering the range of science disciplines

To view the full list of successful applicants and for more information, please visit:

http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/funds/marsden/awards/2012-awards/