Exactly 100 years after Nelson philanthropist Thomas Cawthron left the bulk of his fortune to establish New Zealand's first science organisation, a new report has highlighted the significant scientific and economic benefits his legacy still delivers for New Zealand.

The NZIER report released on 8 October by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce, highlights that Nelson-based Cawthron Institute is a major economic contributor to the Nelson region with a national and global reach. The scientific research it undertakes "is essential to a number of New Zealand's industries and exports" the report states.

Dr John Bright, IRANZ’s new Chair, says the Independent Research Organisations sector can deliver successful and high-impact science. “IROs have ability to punch above their weight and work with industry and other partners to deliver highly beneficial impacts from targeted and excellent ‘discovery’ research as well as from applied close-to-market research. They will be key to helping the Government achieve its growth and business goals set out in its National Statement of Science Investment [NSSI].”

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New research by Lincoln Agritech and collaborators into aquifer management, sensor technologies that determine the fat depth in live animals, a non-invasive sensor to measure dry matter in fruit and vegetables, and producing a new nitrogen fixing mulch film for horticultural applications were all awarded funding by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in the latest funding round. The four projects will receive $6.2 million over three years.

Lincoln Agritech CEO Peter Barrowclough says they’re keen to get underway and “see outcomes from the science translate into benefits for New Zealand’s high-tech manufacturing sector, agricultural exports and importantly, the protection of the country’s invaluable natural groundwater and surface water assets.”

New Zealand’s leading ‘blue skies’ research fund, the Marsden Fund, boosts our science, but could be adjusted for greater efficiency, says a new study by researchers at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research.

“What we found is that the public expenditure on the Marsden Fund is effective in increasing scientific outputs. A team that is given Marsden funding shows a 6-12 percent increase in their academic publications and a 13-30 percent increase in the papers that cite their work,” says Dr Adam Jaffe, lead researcher and Director of Motu.

At the launch of the  BusinessNZ Energy Council BEC2050 Energy Scenarios, Kayak and Waka, at Te Wharewaka in Wellington in October, BEC Chair Hon David Caygill acknowledged the key role of Dr Rob Whitney, IRANZ’s new Executive Officer. The Energy Scenarios were based on the  World Energy Scenarios: Composing energy futures to 2050, Jazz and Symphony. Dr Whitney, BEC Emeritus Chair, was Executive Chair of the World Energy Council Scenarios Project and initiated the BEC 2050 project, the first single country scenarios based on the WEC scenarios.

HERA (Heavy Engineering Research Association) held the first ever Global Conference on Above Ground Geothermal and Allied Technologies (AGGAT) in April 2015 in Auckland. The conference was timed to overlap with the World Geothermal Congress in Melbourne, which was co-hosted by New Zealand, allowing many international attendees to attend the New Zealand AGGAT event.