$1million per year for new science education fund

Research, Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson, tonight announced a contribution of $1 million per year to the newly established Rutherford Foundation.

The Rutherford Foundation is a charitable trust which will provide funding for PhD education, postdoctoral research and early career development in science.

The Foundation is named after renowned New Zealand scientist Ernest Rutherford, the father of nuclear physics. The first two Royal Society Scholars will be announced on December 10, the 100th anniversary of Rutherford’s Nobel prize in chemistry.

“It is apt that this new initiative be named after Ernest Rutherford as its support may well produce our next Rutherford,” said Pete Hodgson.

“It is hugely important that New Zealand trains and retains talented and skilled scientists. The Rutherford Foundation is a great step in this direction.”

The Rutherford Foundation has been established by the Royal Society of New Zealand, in partnership with Cambridge University and Freemasons New Zealand.