Gravida (www.gravida.org.nz) celebrates its tenth birthday at its annual Science Symposium in Auckland today.
Board chair Alison Paterson CNZM QSO is also honoured for her exemplary leadership of the Centre of Research Excellence since its inception in 2003.
Gravida was one of seven CoREs established by the government a decade ago to get top scientists from across institutions collaborating on specific focus areas.
The centre has become globally renowned for its research on how early life events can influence life-long health.
It is both a pleasure and a privilege to be the Director of Gravida, one of seven Government funded Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs), established to answer the research question “what makes a good start for a health life?”
The University of Auckland are very pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Philip Baker to the joint positions of Director of the National Research Centre for Growth and Development (NRCGD) and Professor of Maternal and Fetal Health at the Liggins Institute. Professor Baker graduated from the Nottingham University Medical School and was subsequently awarded a Doctorate in Medicine. He then completed his training as an obstetrician and gynaecologist in the UK.
Professor Hamish Spencer of the University of Otago has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand at the annual general meeting of the Society’s Academy. Academy chairperson Professor David Thorns indicated that “being elected as a Fellow is an honour given to our top scientists for showing distinction in pure or applied research or in the advancement of science and technology."
Professor Ian Shaw of the University of Canterbury has won the NZ Association of Scientists Science Communicator Award for 2009; this award is presented to practising scientists for “excellence in communicating to the general public in any area of science or technology”.
A senior researcher at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute has been selected as the recipient of the 2009 National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) Three Rs award. Dr Mark Oliver receives the award in recognition of his long-term work on the refinement of indoor physiological studies of sheep, which has improved animal welfare.
LENScience Connect, an innovative programme that brings NZ school students together with scientists and teachers at the Liggins Institute via satellite TV and interactive websites, has won the 2009 Telecommunications Users Association of NZ (TUANZ) Education Innovation Award.
The NRCGD symposium held in Hamilton between 30 September and 2 October was a huge success, with 60 attendees presenting on a range of topics relevant to the Centre’s current projects.
