Awards Criteria

The NZIC offers a number of prizes and awards. Each has its own criteria. The application deadline for all prizes and awards is 31 July of the year in which it is offered.

Enquiries about the prizes and awards, eligibility of applicants or the process should be directed to the NZIC Adminstrator.

Selection Process

The prizes and awards are made by the NZIC Council, on the recommendation of selection panels for each prize/award. The final decision on the award will be made by vote of the Council. The selection panel for each prize/award is appointed by the NZIC President and will usually comprise at least three (3) members, without conflict of interest, which will usually include at least one member of the NZIC Council and one past awardee. One of the selection panel members will be appointed by the NZIC President to chair the panel. Conflicts of interest will be mitigated such that co-authors, supervisors/mentors, or departmental colleagues of nominees will not serve on the selection panel for that prize. Every effort will be made to have a diverse selection panel in terms of chemistry sub-discipline, gender, geography, and other considerations. The selection panel may co-opt one suitable person from industry if required. All application materials for all awards will remain confidential to the selection panels.

Easterfield Award

The Easterfield Medal was donated by the Royal Institute of Chemistry (now the Royal Society of Chemistry) in honour of the late Sir Thomas Hill Easterfield [KBE MA (Cantab) PhD (Wurzburg) FRSNZ FRIC HonFNZIC]. Sir Thomas was well known for his contribution in the field of chemistry and will be remembered particularly for the inspiration and encouragement he gave his students during the many years he was Professor of Chemistry at Victoria University College and for his infectious enthusiasm for chemical research. Sir Thomas was the first chairman of the New Zealand section of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and also one of the early Presidents of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC).

  1. Candidates must have no more than 12 years of full-time equivalent professional experience since completing their most recent relevant qualification of a BSc, BSc(Hons), MSc or PhD degree, or the equivalent, on 30 June in the year of their application for consideration for the award.
  2. The award will be open to all chemists in Aotearoa New Zealand whether or not they are members of the Royal Society of Chemistry or the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.
  3. Candidates may be nominated by another party or self-nominate.
  4. The major portion of the candidate’s research work submitted must have been carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand as judged by the research work accomplished during the twelve (12) full time equivalent years immediately preceding the award.
  5. No person may be awarded the Easterfield Award more than once.
  6. The award winner will be expected to deliver a lecture on the subject of her/his research at an NZIC conference (or on some other suitable occasion) and will carry out a short lecture tour, hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry, in the United Kingdom.
  7. Unless otherwise agreed to by NZIC Council, the overseas lecture tour to the UK hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry must be taken up within two years of the award being made or the opportunity will lapse.
  8. The award winner is expected to submit an article to Chemistry in New Zealand within 12 months of being awarded the medal.
  9. The award shall be made biennially.
  10. The NZIC Council reserves the right to make no award in any year if the standard of work is not of sufficient merit.
  11. Expenses necessarily incurred by the award winner in connection with the delivery of his/her lecture(s) (up to a total of NZD 3500) will be covered by the NZIC.

Applications for this award containing the information below must be received in electronic format by the NZIC (form) by 31 July in the year of the award. Note that letters of support are NOT required.

  1. A nomination statement which outlines the candidate’s contributions to their field(s) of chemistry.
  2. A curriculum vitae (CV).
  3. Five (5) nominated research outputs. Each paper should be accompanied by a short (250 words) summary indicating the significance and impact of the work, and describing the contribution(s) of the nominee.

Recent recipients of the Easterfield Award

2025 Dr Nathaniel Davis Wellington
2023 Dr Brendon Gill Waikato
2021 Dr Anna Garden Otago
2019 Dr Bill Hawkins Otago
2017 Dr Sally Gaw Canterbury
2015 Dr Justin Hodgkiss Wellington
Maurice Wilkins Centre Prize for Chemical Science

This is the premier prize of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (NZIC) and is awarded to a candidate based on the excellence and impact of their chemistry.

  1. The prize will consist of $1,500 and a plaque.
  2. The prize will be awarded annually.
  3. The prize will only be made to a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.
  4. No person may be awarded the Chemical Science prize more than once.
  5. Applications or nominations may be made by any member of the Institute, and the NZIC Council may nominate candidates for the prize.
  6. The award winner is expected to submit an article to Chemistry in New Zealand within 12 months of being awarded the prize.
  7. Upon acceptance of an article in Chemistry in New Zealand, the award winner will be eligible for 1 year’s complimentary NZIC membership.
  8. The NZIC Council reserves the right to make no award in any year if the standard of work is not of sufficient merit.

Applications for this award containing the information below must be received in electronic format by the NZIC (form) by 31 July in the year of the award. Note that letters of support are NOT required.

  1. A statement which outlines:
    -the applicant’s contributions to chemistry across their whole career;
    -evidence of the excellence of their work;
    -demonstration of the impact of their work.
  2. Five (5) nominated outputs provided as a DOI or link. Each paper should be accompanied by a short (250 words) summary indicating the importance and impact of the work, and describing the contribution(s) of the nominee. The nominated papers can be selected from the candidate’s whole career, but the work described in the nominated papers must have been carried out in Aotearoa New Zealand.
  3. A curriculum vitae (CV).

Recent recipients of the Maurice Wilkins Centre Prize

2025 Dr Brendon Gill Waikato
2024 Prof David Barker Auckland
2023 Prof Emily Parker Wellington
2022 Prof. David Larsen Otago
2021 Prof. Martyn Coles Wellington
2020 Assoc. Prof. Geoff Waterhouse Auckland
2019 Prof. Justin Hodgkiss Wellington
2018 Prof. Antony Fairbanks Canterbury
2017 Assoc. Prof. James Crowley & Prof. Jadranka Travas-Sejdic Otago & Auckland
2016 Dr Christian Hartinger Auckland
2015 Dr Shane Telfer Massey
Resene Prize for Industrial and Applied Chemistry

The Industrial and Applied Chemistry Prize was first awarded in 1978 to encourage and support applied chemical research in Aotearoa New Zealand. The prize will be awarded for meritorious achievement in the field of industrial or applied chemistry.

  1. The prize will consist of $1,500
  2. Preference will be given to members of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.
  3. In the case of joint work, the prize may be shared between two or more recipients.
  4. There is no limit on the period of time over which the work was carried out.
  5. Applications for the prize may be made by individuals, or nominations by Branch Committees or any member of the Institute.
  6. The prize will be awarded annually.
  7. The NZIC Council reserves the right to make no award in a given year.
  8. The award winner is expected to submit an article to Chemistry in New Zealand within 12 months of being awarded the prize.
  9. Upon acceptance of an article in Chemistry in New Zealand, the award winner will be eligible for 1 year’s complimentary NZIC membership.

Applications for this award containing the information below must be received in electronic format by the NZIC (form) by 31 July in the year of the award.

  1. A statement outlining:
    -the industrial or applied chemistry activities and/or achievements of the applicant(s);
    -the significance of these activities/achievements in terms of improved technology, new products or other benefits to industry or the community.
  2. A statement regarding the value and/or impact of the work from a next-user, end-user, manager, or commercial expert must be included.
  3. A curriculum vitae (CV) for each applicant.
  4. Additional supporting documents, including industry reports and/or publications, may be submitted.

Recent recipients of the Industrial and Applied Chemistry Prize

2025 not awarded
2024 Prof Shane Telfer Manawatu
2023 not awarded
2022 Prof Lyall Hanton Otago
2021 Dr Brendon Gill Waikato
2020 Prof. Justin Hodgkiss & Dr Kai Chen Wellington
2019 Prof. Russell Frew Otago
2018 Mr Darren Saunders Canterbury
2017 Prof. Cather Simpson Auckland
2016 Dr Carla Meledandri Otago
2015 Dr Phillip Rendle & Dr Paul Benjes Wellington
ACES-NZIC Early Career Award

This award supports researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand, in either academia or industry, at an early stage of their independent career. The awardee is expected to have made outstanding contributions (relative to opportunity) to chemistry in Aotearoa New Zealand.

  1. The nominee should be an active researcher in Aotearoa New Zealand at an early stage of their independent career and should have a clear path to a long-term position in chemistry research (e.g., be a new PI or group leader).
  2. The nominee must have no more than 10 years of full-time equivalent professional experience since completing their most recent relevant qualification of a BSc, BSc(Hons), MSc or PhD degree, or the equivalent, on the date of their application for consideration for the award. This timeframe can be extended for researchers whose careers were delayed or interrupted because of personal circumstances or external factors (e.g., parental leave, laboratory closures, etc.)
  3. The nominee must be a member of the NZIC at the time of nomination.
  4. The awardee will be expected to deliver a lecture on the subject of their research at the next NZIC national conference. The conference fee will be covered by the NZIC.
  5. The prize will consist of €1000 or equivalent in NZD (with an expectation that part of this will cover travel to the national conference) and an invitation to submit to an ACES affiliated journal.
  6. The award will be offered annually. The NZIC Council reserves the right to make no award in any year if the standard of application is not of sufficient merit.
  7. No person may be awarded the ACES-NZIC Early Career Award more than once.

Applications for this award containing the information below must be received in electronic format by the NZIC (form) by 31 July in the year of the award.

  1. A statement which outlines the nominee’s contributions to chemistry, evidence for excellence and impact of the work, and which demonstrates an independent research trajectory. The statement can summarise the nominee’s academic achievements and/or outline the industrial or applied chemistry activities/impact.
  2. A curriculum vitae (CV).
  3. Three (3) nominated outputs or pieces of supporting information. An output can consist of an academic paper, industry report, or attestation to the value of the work from a manager or relevant end-user (primary publications are preferable to review articles). Each output should be accompanied by a short (250 words) summary indicating the importance and impact of the work, and clearly describing the candidate’s contributions.

Recent recipients of the ACES-NZIC Early Career Award

2025 Dr Megan Grainger Waikato
2024 Dr Lisa Pilkington Auckland
2023 Dr Cameron Weber Auckland
2022 Dr Sara Miller Otago
sciPAD Denis Hogan Chemical Education Award

The SciPAD Denis Hogan award for Chemical Education, recognises the important contribution that an individual has made to chemistry education in New Zealand. The award will normally be made to someone actively involved in chemistry education at secondary level, but any contributors to the promotion and understanding of chemistry in schools and the wider community will also be considered.

  1. The award recognises excellence in chemistry teaching, including significant contribution to chemistry education beyond the recipient’s institution. This may include excellence in chemistry teaching, development of educational resources or community outreach programs.
  2. The award is not restricted to financial members of the NZIC or SCENZ.
  3. The award will consist of $1000 and a certificate.
  4. The award will be made annually, unless the NZIC Council determines that no applicants are of sufficient merit.
  5. The award winner is encouraged to submit an article to Chemistry in New Zealand within 12 months of being awarded the prize.
  6. Nominations may be made by any member of the NZIC or SCENZ.
  7. The selection panel will usually consist of one NZIC Council member, one SCENZ executive member, and one previous award recipient.

Applications for this award containing the information below must be received in electronic format by the NZIC (form) by 31 July in the year of the award.

  1. A statement detailing the candidate’s contributions to chemistry education in New Zealand.
  2. A short curriculum vitae (CV).).
  3. Two independent supporting statements from referees commenting on the educational activities of the candidate and their significance to chemical education.

Recent recipients of the Denis Hogan Chemical Education Award

2025 Suzanne Scourfield
2024 A/Prof Michele Prinsep
2023 Sarah Gaze
2022 A/Prof Sarah Masters
2021 Jo Standley
2020 Dr Murray Thompson
2019 Prof. Richard Hartshorn
2018 Dr David Warren
2017 Dr David McMorran & Graham Townsend
2016 Jan Wikaira
2015 Sheila Woodgate
JEOL Brian Halton Award

The Brian Halton Award is awarded for an outstanding paper in the field of chemistry published by a New Zealand University student.

  1. The prize will only be made to a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.
  2. The prize will consist of $1,000 and a certificate.
  3. The prize will be awarded annually. The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Council reserves the right to make no award in any year if the standard of work submitted for consideration is not of sufficient merit.
  4. The student must be enrolled at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand in an MSc or PhD program, or within one year of the completion of the program, when the nominated paper is published or accepted for publication.
  5. The paper must be published (or accepted for publication) within 12 months prior to the nomination deadline.
  6. The award is given to one person only. (A group award can be made in exceptional circumstances but a clear case must be made to the judging panel.)
  7. The award winner is strongly encouraged to submit an article to Chemistry in New Zealand within 12 months of being awarded the prize.
  8. Applications for the prize may be made by individual members, or nominations may be made by Branch Committees or by any member of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry.

Applications for this award containing the information below must be received in electronic format by the NZIC (form) by 31 July in the year of the award.

  1. A CV including publication list.
  2. An electronic copy of the publication to be judged for the award.
  3. A statement by the candidate of no more than 300 words describing their contribution to the research and the potential impact of their paper.
  4. A letter from the candidate’s supervisor should be sent directly to the NZIC Office. It should provide a written description of the nominee’s contribution to the research project and to the paper. This letter should include an author contribution statement, and a description of the candidate’s level of independence and originality in the work described. The letter should be on letterhead but may be sent electronically. A letter from the candidate’s supervisor providing a written description of the nominee’s contribution to the research project and to the paper. The letter should be on letterhead but may be sent electronically.

Recent recipients of the Brian Halton Award

2025 Liam Hunt University of Auckland
2024 Dr James Bridson Scion
2023 Calum Gordon Victoria University of Wellington
2022 Matthew Evans Victoria University of Wellington
2021 Qing Wang University of Auckland
2020 Lynn Lisboa University of Otago
The Student Communicator Prize

This prize is awarded to the student that gives the best oral presentation at a New Zealand Institute of Chemistry national conference.

  1. Each geographical branch nominates a student member to represent the branch in the Student Plenary Session at the conference.
  2. A panel of judges to be appointed at the time of the conference will judge the entries in the Student Plenary Session. Where possible, the panel will be drawn from international attendees at the conference to avoid any bias, ideally from the plenary speaker pool.
  3. During the conference, the student must be currently enrolled in a graduate program at a university in Aotearoa New Zealand, or be within 6 months of completion.
  4. The prize will consist of $250 and a certificate.
  5. The prize will be awarded in the year of a New Zealand Institute of Chemistry national conference.
  6. The award winner is strongly encouraged to submit an article to Chemistry in New Zealand within 12 months of being awarded the prize.
  7. Upon acceptance of an article in Chemistry in New Zealand, the award winner will be eligible for 1 year’s complimentary NZIC membership.