2024 NWRSTF

Prizes
All Prize Winners

NOTICE: Some of these prizes may not be awarded as advertised.

Best Exhibitor in the Fair

NIWA Prize: $1000 for the best overall exhibit in the Fair, taking into account the year level of the exhibitor(s).

Royal Society of NZ Wellington Branch Prize: $750 for the runner-up best overall exhibit in the Fair, taking into account the year level of the exhibitor(s).

Other Major Prizes

Victoria University Science and Technology Fair Innovation Prize: $5,000 towards fees in the first year of a VUW undergraduate science or engineering degree. This prize is offered to the best overall Class 5 (Year 11-13) project and must be taken in the year following completion of secondary school.

Victoria University Faculty of Science Prize: One iPad computer for the best exhibit in Classes 1-4 (Year 7-10).

Engineering New Zealand Wellington Branch offers an award of $300 for each of the five classes for the creation of an innovative solution to a physical engineering problem.

Best Entries

The Best Entries in the NIWA Wellington Science and Technology Fair may receive a nomination to a National Event organised by The Royal Society of New Zealand.

Class Prizes

Class prizes will be awarded as follows:

First: $300 Second: $250 Third: $200 Fourth: $150 Honourable Mention

Special Prizes

It is anticipated that the following Special Prizes may be offered. Please note that the prize value indicated may not necessarily be awarded to a single exhibit, or awarded at the advertised value. Special Prizes may be sub-divided at the Judge’s discretion, and be awarded to a number of exhibits.

  1. The Hugh D Gordon Memorial Prize of $100 in Biology. The late Professor Gordon was a professor of Botany at Victoria University of Wellington 1947-1977. The prize is donated by Mrs J C R Gordon and Dr Margaret Gordon.
  2. The Peter Jennings Memorial Prize of $100 in Biology. The late Mr Jennings was a science teacher and President of the Wellington Science Teachers’ Association. The prize is donated by Capital City Science Educators.
  3. The Doreen Gates Memorial Prize of $100 for a project in Class 1 or 2 displaying enthusiasm and innovation. The late Doreen Gates was a teacher with a long involvement in the Wellington Science and Technology Fair. The prize is donated by Capital City Science Educators.
  4. Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Education offers prizes of $125 for Class 1/2, $150 for Class 3/4, and $200 for Class 5, for students who best demonstrate the use of scientific thinking in the formulation and investigation of his or her question.
  5. The Cancer Society (Wellington Division) offers two prizes of $200 for projects which relate to the prevention of cancer in one of the four areas: SunSmart, Smokefree, Physical Activity, Nutrition. See www.cancernz.org.nz/reducing-your-cancer-risk/ for ideas.
  6. The Wellington Branch of the Geoscience Society of New Zealand offers a 1st prize of $250 and the 2nd prize of $100 for the best projects relating to geosciences.
  7. The Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand, Callaghan Innovation offers up to four $100 prizes for the application of measurement.
  8. The New Zealand Association of Optometrists (Wellington Branch) offers $200 for projects in the field of optometry and vision science.
  9. Callaghan Innovation offers a prize of $300 for a novel demonstration of the industrial application of science or engineering.
  10. The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry offers two prizes of $100 each in the junior and senior sections.
  11. The School of Mathematics and Statistics at Victoria University of Wellington offers a $100 prize for the most imaginative and effective project using mathematics or statistics.
  12. The School of Engineering and Computer Science at Victoria University of Wellington offers prizes to a total of $200 for the most imaginative and effective projects using computers or information technology.
  13. The Wellington Medical Research Foundation offers $300 for exhibits relating to health.
  14. The Antarctic Society, Wellington Branch, offers a $100 book voucher for the best entry on the Antarctic or Southern Ocean subject.
  15. ESR offers prizes totalling $500  for the best exhibits based on investigations that help people or the environment through science in such fields as microbiology, forensic, environmental, food and radiation. A new Young Women in STEM prize of $200 has also been established. It will be awarded to: An exhibit that fulfils the criteria for the ESR Prize AND exemplifies the value wāhine bring to science and research, having been developed exclusively by female students (or people who identify as female), OR A scientific investigation which could lead to material improvements for the lives of women (e.g. 3D printed phone converter that can be downloaded by anyone and makes it easier for women to comfortably hold mobile phones, which have been designed based on the average men’s hand size).
  16. Wellington City Libraries offers a $50 book voucher for a project with the best bibliography of references using
    print and online sources.
  17. The New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology offers a 1st prize of $100 and two highly commended prizes of $50 for the best projects which relate to food.
  18. Australasian Corrosion Association offers prizes to the value of $300 for projects related to corrosion mitigation and material durability.
  19. The Wellington Botanical Society offers a prize of $250 for the best exhibit of a project involving a New Zealand native plant or plants.
  20. NumberWorks’nWords Tuition offers a prize of $120 to an exhibit showing the best use of mathematics in their project.
  21. The NZ Farm Forestry Association (Wellington Branch) offers a prize of up to $200 for a project which displays an understanding of some aspect of native or non-native forestry in New Zealand.
  22. The NZ Baking Industry Research Trust Award offers a prize of $50 for the best project or exhibit that uses bread or flour products.
  23. Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching (ANZCCART) offers a $100 prize for a project where the student has undertaken study or research on an animal-based project for which animal ethics approval has been applied for and given; correct procedures and practices have been undertaken in the study, and in which the student knows the importance of ethics approval. The project can also be focused on projects which: found ways to replace the need for the use of animals in experiments with alternatives (e.g., cell cultures); found ways of reducing the numbers of animals used, without impacting on the quality of the data gained; or found ways to minimise and eliminate the suffering of animals used, through good animal husbandry and ethical conduct.
  24. Aviation research and development has produced some of the most important technological developments of the last hundred years and continues to do so. To encourage research in aviation, the Royal Aeronautical Society, Wellington Branch, offers the Royal Aeronautical Society Bernard Weinstein Aerospace Prize totalling $200 for the best exhibits which explore or apply aeronautical principles or practices.
  25. Te Kawa a Māui at Victoria University of Wellington offers a $100 gift voucher for the best project in Te Reo Māori.
  26. SMART (Society for Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions) offers a $100 gift voucher for the best project in Te Reo Māori and/or mātauranga putaiao Māori.
  27. AJ Park offers a prize of $200 for projects displaying originality, innovation, and inventiveness.
  28. The School of Psychology at Victoria University of Wellington offers prizes to a total of $100 in book vouchers for the best psychology related projects that are particularly relevent to Maori or Pasifika.  
  29. The Sustainable Agricultural Award – sponsored by Ballance Agri-Nutrients, is about celebrating scientific thought amongst students, recognising and rewarding projects that demonstrate the greatest understanding of a current or emerging sustainability issue in New Zealand’s agriculture industry. Topics can include (but are not limited to): Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural chemical use, nutrient loss to waterways, and other environmental concerns. $250 for the first-prize winner, and a gift pack for the highly commended / runner up entry.
  30. The New Zealand Coastal Society offers a prize of $300 for a project which addresses sustainable management of New Zealand’s coastal and marine environment either using scienece, engineering, or policy practice.
  31. Worley New Zealand offers a prize of $200 for the most promising energy transition project.
  32. The Joint Centre for Disaster Research (Massey University) offers two prizes of $100 each for the best junior (Years 7-8) and senior (Years 9-13) project in the area of community resilience to disasters (e.g. natural hazard awareness; increasing preparedness in the home, school or community; improving response to and recovery from disasters).
  33. Stantec New Zealand offers a prize of $200 for the best project related to water efficiency in the community, and valuing water as a resource.
  34. Goodnature Ltd offers a prize of an Arduino electronics starter kit and an automatic pest trap for the best application of technology in an ecological context.
  35. Robinson Bowmaker Paul offers a prize of $200 for the best project relating to electricity.