10 September 2014
Press release – For immediate release
Sugar babies and clever buoys make finalists
Deborah Harris PhD & Nurse Practitioner at Waikato Hospital, renown for her groundbreaking research with hypoglycaemia in newborn babies and
Laboratory Technician, Chris McBride from the University of Waikato are among the 16 Kudos finalists announced recently.
The Kudos Awards continue to support and recognise outstanding achievement in scientific research and innovation from
the Waikato region.
The awards, now in it’s 8th year provide cash prizes for winners in 7 categories who have stood out for their world
leading scientific discoveries and contribution to science.
Winners of the Kudos Awards will be announced at the black tie awards dinner on Thursday 9th October at the Claudelands
conference and exhibition centre. Tickets are available at www.thekudos.org.nz
Deborah’s research has focused on neonatal hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose concentrations) which is a common problem in
newborn babies that can lead to brain damage. Babies at risk of hypoglycaemia require frequent blood tests which are
painful. Deborah has investigated the usefulness of new methods to detect and treat hypoglycaemia.
A new category for 2014, the Hill Laboratories Laboratory Technician Award has highlighted some of the extraordinary
talent supporting our Waikato scientists including nominee Chris McBride.
Chris has become a world leader in high-frequency monitoring of lakes. “He has almost single-handedly implemented
high-frequency monitoring buoys in 10 New Zealand lakes, one lake in China and a reservoir in Singapore” says Prof.
David Hamilton of the University of Waikato.
The categories include the prestigious University of Waikato Lifetime Achievement Award, the Gallagher Medical Science
Award and the Hamilton City Council Agricultural Science Award.
The Kudos Awards opened two new categories this year - The Hill Laboratories Laboratory Technician Award - The New
Zealand Fieldays Society Innovation Award
The Kudos finalists for 2014
Hamilton City Council Agricultural Science Award
Dr. David Pattemore - Plant and Food Research
Dr. Doug Edmeades - AgKnowledge Ltd
Wintec Secondary Science Teacher/Educator/Communicator Award
Dr. Simon Taylor - University of Auckland
Dr. Maria Fernanda de Mello Costa - WINTEC
Mrs Melissa Moore - Waikato Diocesan School for Girls
NZ Fieldays Society Innovation Award
Dr. Bruno David - Waikato Regional Council
Richard Upperton & IceCycle Ltd
Gallagher Medical Science Award
Dr. Nicola Starkey - The University of Waikato
Dr. Logan Voss - Waikato DHB
Deborah Harris, PhD - Waikato DHB
Hill Laboratories Laboratory Technician Award
Dudley Bell - The University of Waikato
Chris McBride - The University of Waikato
Environmental Science Award
Dr. Carolyn Lundquist- NIWA
Dr. Stephen Craig Cary - The University of Waikato
Dr. John Quinn - NIWA
The University of Waikato Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner announced at the awards dinner
The 2013 Kudos hall of fame include
Science entrepreneur, Dr. Johan Verbeek, who was responsible for developing Anduro Biopolymers Propriety bioplastic
resin, Novatein – a bioplastic that uses bloodmeal a meat industry co-product. Dr. Verbeek’s work has contributed to the
world’s solution to reduce the impact of plastics in the environment and shows how local communities can take
responsibility for their industrial processes.
Lifetime Achievement Award winner Prof. Peter Molan, is world famous for identifying the healing properties in manuka
honey, where hospitals all around the world use his methods to treat their patients.
ENDS