2016 Defining Excellence Awards
Tickets are now on sale for the 2016 Defining Excellence Awards, which recognise Massey University’s researchers,
teachers and graduates that have achieved major successes in their careers, or have made outstanding contributions to
their communities.
Director of development and alumni relations, Mitch Murdoch, says Massey has over 130,000 alumni spread across the
world. “They are innovative, entrepreneurial and creative. They are achieving great things and are testament to the
excellent teaching and research capability of Massey.
“Some of them achieve great things at a very young age, some give selflessly to extremely worthy causes, and others make
outstanding contributions in their chosen field of work. We want to celebrate and recognise these high performing New
Zealanders.”
The awards will be presented at a black tie gala dinner at the Rendezvous Hotel in Auckland hosted by singer and
comedian Jackie Clarke.
The university’s most prestigious award, the Sir Geoffrey Peren Medal, will be presented to alumnus Professor Graham Le
Gros, in recognition of his career in medical research.
Alumna Traci Houpapa will be presented the Distinguished Alumni Service Award for her work raising the profile of Māori
agribusiness across the primary industry sector.
This year’s Distinguished Young Alumni Award is being presented to entrepreneur JD (John-Daniel) Trask, who graduated
with a Bachelor of Information Sciences from Massey in 2004, and helped set up the highly successful Givealittle
website.
The Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award will be presented to Iain Hay, the Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor
of Geography, from Flinders University in Adelaide.
In addition to the Distinguished Alumni Awards, the annual teaching and research excellence awards will be presented to
Massey University staff.
Defining Excellence Awards 2016 event details:
Date: Thursday 10 March
Time: 6.30pm – 11.00pm
Venue: Rendezvous Hotel, 71 Mayoral Drive, Cnr Vincent Street, Auckland
Tickets: Gala dinner tickets are $85 + GST per person, or $850 + GST for a table of ten. You can purchase tickets here up until March 7.
Media are welcome to attend the awards. Please contact Jenna Ward for details.
ENDS