New FoRST funding a `go forward´ delivery

New FoRST funding a `go forward´ delivery for science at Lincoln University

Lincoln University research teams are set to lead the way on smart seeds,
tourism policy and controlling nitrate pollution thanks to new funding of $13.2
million announced on 18 July by the Foundation for Research, Science and
Technology.

"Financial support of this scale delivers a real `go forward´ element to these
projects and the teams and collaborators involved," says Lincoln University´s
Vice-Chancellor Professor Roger Field.

"The areas funded demonstrate once again the strong `Lincoln University
factor´ as it relates to crucial contributions to the economy and to the
environment. The `Lincoln University factor´ was seen last month too in the
Government´s decision to renew and increase funding for the campus-based
Centre of Research Excellence.

"Such continued funding clearly shows confidence in the distinctive, applied
and nationally relevant nature of Lincoln University´s research and the
industry partnerships we pursue."

Through the latest round of contracts the Foundation for Research, Science
and Technology is investing in the following scientific research at Lincoln
University:

o Professors Alison Stewart and John Hampton will lead a research
team, with AgResearch and Crop and Food Research, on smart seeds for
export (funded for $5.175 million over six years). Other investors in this
project are the Foundation for Arable Research, PGG Wrightson Seeds Ltd
and South Pacific Seeds (NZ) Ltd.

o Professors Keith Cameron and Hong Di will lead research on
nitrogen management in dairy pasture soils for environmental integrity
($5.462 million over six years) in partnership with AgResearch, Dexcel and
the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

o Associate Professor Susanne Becken will work with Covec Limited,
Landcare Research and the Ministry of Tourism to identify high yielding
adaptation measures in response to rising oil prices ($962,500 over three
years).

o Professor David Simmons will work with the Department of
Conservation and the Ministry of Tourism to develop a new sector model to
increase yield per visitor ($1.500 million over four years).

"This investment by Government, and our well established partnerships with
industry, will contribute to both economic growth and environmental impact
across several sectors," says Professor Field, "and we congratulate our
leading scientists on their initiative and dedication."

The four FoRST contracts for Lincoln announced this week join two others
for the University awarded earlier in the year $1.16 million over 28 months
for the development of "smart bait" technologies for pest control and $2
million over five years for a social research project investigating education
employment linkages. Lincoln University will also receive an additional $3
million of FoRST investment from a sub-contract with a CRI in the area of
bio-protection.

The total value of new research contracts secured from the Foundation for
Research, Science and Technology in 2007 is $19.3 million.

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