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University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal

Professor Jacinta Ruru (Faculty of Law) is the 2022 recipient of the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal.

Professor Ruru's research into Indigenous peoples' legal interests to own, manage and govern land and water has garnered significant national and international interest and acclaim, establishing her as one of the world's leading Indigenous legal scholars.

Her research, pro-bono advice to Indigenous peoples, and appointments to law and policy reviews have had significant social, environmental, educational, policy and legal impacts, leading to new legislation, new policy and new understandings of law, and shaping new approaches to the care of conservation estates.

The University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal award aims to promote research at Otago and to give recognition to outstanding performance of individual researchers or research teams. A medal commemorating the award will be presented to each recipient at a public lecture given by the recipient. Up to two such awards may be given in any one year.

Any academic staff member of the University of Otago who holds an appointment at the level of Research Fellow, Lecturer, Senior Research Fellow, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, Professor or Professorial Research Fellow, or a team comprising such individuals may be eligible.

The basis for selection is outstanding scholarly achievement, including the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge, the development of innovative technology, or the development of concepts that lead to significant advances in activities of the University.

Past recipients of the University of Otago Distinguished Research Medal

The Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal

Associate Professor Peter Mace (Department of Biochemistry) is the 2022 winner of the Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal.

Associate Professor Mace has published a suite of exceptional papers since being appointed to the University of Otago and established himself as a leading structural biologist in New Zealand and abroad. The scale, high quality and impact of his research achievements are complemented by his collegiality and dedication to service, with Associate Professor Mace very active with postgraduate supervision, research collaborations, review panels, conferences and committees.

The late Sir Carl Smith was a prominent Dunedin businessman and member of the University Council who set up the Rowheath Trust to support the University's work.

The Rowheath Trust Award aims to promote research at the University of Otago and to give recognition to outstanding research performance of early career staff. Any staff member of the University of Otago who has been on the staff of this University for a period of at least two years and who has held a career research appointment for less than a combined total of ten years at this and other research institutes may be eligible.

The basis for selection is outstanding scholarly achievement, including the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge, the development of innovative technology, or scholarship for an emerging researcher.

Past recipients of The Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal

Early Career Awards for Distinction in Research

Six up-and-coming University of Otago staff have been announced as the 2022 recipients of Early Career Awards for Distinction in Research.

Dr Philip Adamson (Department of Medicine), Dr Sebastian Gehricke (Department of Accountancy and Finance), Dr Jemma Geoghegan (Department of Microbiology and Immunology), Dr Anna Gosling (Department of Anatomy), Dr Amandine Sabadel (Department of Zoology) and Dr Joseph Watts (Religion Programme) have been selected for the award on the basis of their outstanding research achievements.

Early Career Awards for Distinction in Research recognize outstanding research achievements by early career staff. Full-time academic staff who have held a career appointment as Senior Lecturer, Lecturer, Senior Clinical Lecturer, Clinical Lecturer, Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow at the University of Otago for a period of at least two years, and who have held an academic appointment for less than a combined total of six years at this and other universities, may be eligible for the Awards.

The basis for selection is outstanding research achievement, with emphasis being given to achievement during the nominee's appointment at the University of Otago.

Past recipients of Early Career Awards for Distinction in Research

Research Group Award

The Centre for Free Radical Research is the 2022 winner of the Research Group Award.

The Centre comprises principal investigators and research fellows who have combined their expertise in chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology to establish the University of Otago as one of the most recognised centres for redox biology in the world.

The Centre is remarkable for the scale and consistency of its achievements over several decades and across multiple areas; producing numerous collaborative publications, securing millions in competitive external funding, supervising postgraduate students, successfully transferring fundamental research findings to end users, participating in committees, editorial boards and governance groups, presenting at conferences and reviewing for journals.

The University of Otago Research Group Award recognises outstanding research performance at a high international level by a research group led from the University of Otago.

The basis for selection is outstanding scholarly achievement that enhances the understanding, development and well-being of individuals and society including the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge, the development of innovative technology, or the development of concepts that lead to significant advances. The award recognises achievement during the previous five years.

Past recipients of the Research Group Award

The University of Otago Arts Fellowships

The University of Otago recognises the importance of providing authors, dancers, artists, and composers with financial support and resources to enable them to explore their creative talents. The Arts Fellowships cater for a wide variety of artistic styles that reflect the diversity of writing, art, composing and dance in New Zealand.

The University offers the following Fellowships:

  • The Robert Burns Fellowship
  • The Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance
  • The Frances Hodgkins Fellowship
  • The Mozart Fellowship
  • University of Otago College of Education Writer in Residence

Further information can be found on the Otago Fellows website.

Divisional and Departmental Awards

Internal funding of research occurs both at the Divisional and Departmental level. Please contact your Divisional Office directly for further information.

Visit For researchers for more information and support for University of Otago researchers.
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