KuDos Winners for 2010
All (the) KuDos winners are required to spend their cash rewards in ways that further their research in the Waikato region.
The KuDos Winners are selected from a group finalists.
Hamilton City Council Agricultural Science AwardRuakura Clover Root Weevil Biocontrol team
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Dr Gerard and her team have led the charge against one of our worst clover pests, clover root weevil, by conducting ecological studies, quantifying economic impacts and investigating on-farm management solutions. Following the discovery of the Irish wasp, a promising biocontrol agent, the team carried out widespread releases across the North Island. The Irish wasp has established successfully and is spreading rapidly.
WEL Networks Environmental Science AwardDr Kevin Collier
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Dr Collier's work and research has contributed to many aspects of freshwater science and management in New Zealand. Dr Collier's current research is centered on the ecology of large rivers, and has included initiating a national survey of large rivers to investigate macroinvertebrate and functional indicators for assessing river health.
Waikato DHB Medical Scientist AwardDr Martyn Harvey
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Dr Harvey's research and work has focused on bringing intravenous lipid emulsion from laboratory bench top to the clinical area. Dr Harvey's work has led to lipid emulsions now being recognized as integral to the management of severe local anaesthetic toxicity, and increasingly used in non local anaesthetic toxicity; with lipid being proven to be life saving in a number of cases.
Wintec Science Teacher/Educator/Communicator AwardPeter Hampton
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Mr Hampton's work focuses on developing and refining science teaching strategies that will engage students at a secondary school level, through the mentoring science teachers in training. Mr Hampton has also introduced new areas of science to the classroom, with a focus on enquiry based science, practical investigation, research, scientific reasoning and having fun.
Emerging Scientist Award Sponsored by Orbit Calder and LawsonDr Marianne Elston
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Dr Elston's work concerns the identification of genes involved in the development of pituitary tumours. These tumours are usually clinically benign, but can lead to significant morbidity due to their size and resulting hormonal dysfunction. Of the genes found to have altered expression in pituitary tumours, WIF1 was identified as a novel pituitary suppressor gene associated with the development of these tumours. In addition, nuclear expression of E-cadherin, was identified to be a new marker for the identification of invasive pituitary tumours. Both of these finding provide potential new targets for the treatment of pituitary tumours.
The University of Waikato Lifetime Achievement AwardDr Carolyn King
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Dr King is recognized as an international authority on all aspects of the biology of small mustelids (stoats, ferrets and weasels). She has developed the original version of the footprint tracking tunnels that are now routinely used to monitor stoat and rat densities on protected lands. Throughout the decades Dr King has produced well documented research on stoats in New Zealand, leading to many successful publications.
