Now that non-scientists can win a Rutherford Medal, there’s a good case for changing the name of the award

Until this year, the Rutherford Medal has been the most prestigious science award the Royal Society of New Zealand can bestow on worthy scientists.

But big changes are being made to the meaning of “science” and the society has proudly announced:

Rutherford Medal now includes humanities

The announcement explains that Royal Society Te Apārangi’s highest award, the Rutherford Medal for recognition of eminent research, scholarship, or innovation, will now include humanities scholarship in the fields of recognition.

This change has been made to recognise the widening of the object and functions of the Society under our Act, with the inclusion of the humanities, so that now the Society’s highest award will be opened to all disciplines covered by the Act.

In light of this change, the nomination deadline for the Rutherford Medal (and $100,000 prize money) will be extended out for an extra month (to 30 April 2020) to allow time for humanities nominations to be submitted for the current year. 

It’s a blessing for Massey science teachers and students that an auspicious’ moon was shining over construction site

We are delighted to report the great news reflected in a heading on a news item from Massey University.

It says Auspicious’ moon shines over construction start and appears on an item illustrated by Auckland campus staff, students and construction workers who have gathered for the blessing of the site of a new building.

The moon happened to be moving into a full phase at the time of the ceremony.  According the kaumatua who officiated, this is a good omen for the project.

So what is being built?  A Maori studies centre, where indigenous myths and spiritual beliefs can be taught and questioned?

Nope.  A science centre is the beneficiary of the moon’s serendipitous position in the sky.

This is the site of Massey’s new Innovation Centre at the Auckland campus.

VUW science teachers are encouraged to learn about mauri and other Māori belief concepts

A concept rooted in Māori spiritual belief – mauri – is widely used in environmental research, monitoring, and restoration work in New Zealand. It has been absorbed within university studies, too, and mātauranga Māori is being taught in science courses.

Victoria University of Wellington “encourages” its staff and students to teach, research and learn about mātauranga Māori as part of their studies.

Faculty of Science staff have not been exempted from this institutional acculturation.  They

” … have been actively participating in the University’s Te Hāpai professional development programme, which helps them to learn more about Te Reo Māori, tikanga Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi. We have found that as people learn more about the Māori culture they become more comfortable and confident about teaching Māori material.”