Associate Professor Anna High has been awarded the Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal, while the Distinguished Research Medal has been awarded to Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Global Health John Crump.
The outstanding scholarly achievement and community contributions of University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka researchers have been recognised in this year’s Otago Research Awards.
Eleven researchers and one research group from across divisions and campuses have received accolades.
Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson is pleased to be able to celebrate both established and emerging researchers at Otago.
“I congratulate these inspiring kairangahau for their achievements and look forward to seeing what they will accomplish in the future,” he says.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Professor Richard Blaikie says it is always a pleasure to be able to acknowledge the impressive work being undertaken by Otago researchers.
“I am consistently inspired by the work carried out by our researchers and the impact that work has both here in New Zealand and overseas. It is especially significant to be able to celebrate and support our early career researchers who I know will contribute so meaningfully to the communities they serve,” he says.
Distinguished Research Medal
The premier honour, the Distinguished Research Medal is awarded to Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Global Health John Crump.
The international expert on infectious diseases, particularly typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever and nontyphoidal Salmonella invasive disease, is a leadership group member of the Otago Global Health Institute and served as its inaugural Co-Director.
He has worked in his field for nearly 30 years and says receiving the Distinguished Research Medal means a lot to him.
“I think it reaffirms that global health is important to the University of Otago. I hope that it reflects a recommitment to that way of working, collaboratively across disciplines and cultures with a vision for a world where health problems are solved by those who are most affected by them, regardless of their citizenship.
“Our partners and students are the basis of our global health contributions and should rightly share in any recognition,” he says.
The impact of his research has been described as phenomenal and has helped improve the lives of millions of people. This includes the discovery and dissemination of a range of preventable and treatable causes of non-malaria fever in tropical countries.
Because of his expertise, Professor Crump is frequently consulted or requested to join Technical Advisory Groups of the New Zealand Ministry of Health on tropical and infectious diseases.
He has won numerous prestigious awards, including the 2012 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Bailey K. Ashford Medal for distinguished work in tropical medicine, and the 2022 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Chalmers Medal. He is the only New Zealander to have received either medal.
The Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal
The Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal is awarded to legal scholar Associate Professor Anna High.
Since joining the Faculty of Law in 2017, Associate Professor High has established herself as an expert in evidence law, criminal law, feminist theory/sexual violence, Chinese law and socio-legal research methods.
“What links my research is an interest in vulnerable populations, how the law can often let certain people down, and how it can be reformed in a way to redress that, ” she says.
Her work has been described as ground-breaking and brave in tackling the law's response to sexual violence and what constitutes proper evidence of consent, and in conducting socio-legal fieldwork in China.
Associate Professor High says she is honoured to receive the award, especially looking at the list of incredible past recipients.
“I’m excited to use the award funds to pursue various research interests, including gender equality, mindful pedagogy, and evidentiary reforms.”
Her work has been recognised with both a Royal Society Te Apārangi national early career research award for excellence in Humanities research, and a Te Whatu Kairangi Aotearoa Tertiary Education Award for her initiatives for progressing hauora and wellbeing in education.
Another distinguishing feature of her research has been its impact on law outside the academy. In 2023, she was a member of the New Zealand Law Commission’s Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on its Third Review of the Evidence Act 2006, a key piece of legislation governing the admissibility of evidence in New Zealand civil and criminal trials.
Professor Peter Fineran
Research Group Award
Phage-host interactions (Phi) laboratory, led by Professor Peter Fineran, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
The Phage-host interactions (Phi) research group has made world-leading discoveries that enhance the understanding of phages and their interactions with bacteria.
Phages are viruses that infect and specifically kill bacteria. A major strength of the group that underlies its success is the interdisciplinary and complementary skills of the group and their collaborative approach.
The Phi lab currently has 18 researchers, led by Professor Peter Fineran, and their expertise spans genetics, microbiology, biochemistry, structural biology, bioinformatics, high-throughput screens and surface chemistry.
Māori Early Career Award for Distinction in Research
Dr Amanda Clifford, Dr Amber Young and Dr Emma Powell.
Dr Amanda Clifford (Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe), Department of Psychology
Dr Clifford’s PhD explored how parents and educators teach about socio-emotional concepts important to mental health. Post-PhD, her research focus has extended to how kaupapa Māori and qualitative research approaches can help us address mental health inequities and also promote positive wellbeing and flourishing for ngā iwi katoa in Aotearoa New Zealand. She also has a specific focus on meeting the needs of Māori communities and maternal mental health. These interests and skills will make her work highly relevant and competitive in an environment that increasingly emphasises research impact and equity.
Dr Amber Young (Taranaki), Department of Pharmacy
Dr Young’s research focuses on health equity and vaccination coverage, investigating ways to increase immunisation uptake in pēpi, tamariki, and tangata hapū. Dr Young’s other research interests include improving peoples understanding about their medicines and medicines accessibility. Her research projects all have a strong emphasis on health equity and Māori health.
Tofā Sāili Pacific Early Career Award for Distinction in Research
Dr Emma Powell, Te Tumu
Dr Powell’s current research focuses on Indigenous and Pacific research methodologies in the study of regional histories, citizenship and nationhood, and Indigenous futurities. She also works on collaborative projects that explore Cook Islands language varieties, nationhood, and history. In her nomination, Dr Powell is described as someone who epitomises an outstanding yet grounded early career Pacific researcher who has demonstrated excellence in her research activities.
Early Career Research Awards
Dr Jude Ball, Dr Rose Crossin and Dr Olivia Harrison.
Dr Jude Ball, Department of Public Health, Wellington
Since embarking on her doctoral studies in 2016, Dr Jude Ball has rapidly built a national and international research profile in youth public health research, and has shown exceptional leadership in this field. Her award-winning research has attracted international recognition and informed policy development and practice in Aotearoa.
Dr Rose Crossin, Department of Population Health, Christchurch
Dr Crossin’s research specialty is the public health aspects of drugs and alcohol. Her work aims to quantify drug and alcohol harms, identify social and structural determinants of drug harm, and measure the impacts of drug policy.
Dr Olivia Harrison, Department of Psychology
Dr Harrison is a neuroscientist based in the Department of Psychology, having returned to New Zealand on a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship in 2020. Her research investigates mental health with a focus on anxiety, where she works to understand the (mis)communication between the brain and body that can act to exacerbate and perpetuate body symptoms. The prevalence of anxiety is sharply rising as we all experience the repercussions of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and Dr Harrison’s research aims to help patients, clinicians, friends and whānau to better understand and manage anxiety.
Dr Nathan Kenny, Dr Daniel Pletzer and Dr Andrew Reynolds.
Dr Nathan Kenny, Department of Biochemistry
Nathan moved to Otago as a Rutherford Discovery Fellow about two and-a-half years ago and has quickly established a research niche at the intersection of comparative genomics and evolutionary biology, often working alongside hapori Māori. His current research focus is the molecular origins of resilience to the effects of climate change in the green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus.
Dr Daniel Pletzer, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Dr Pletzer is at the forefront of addressing pressing health challenges through multidisciplinary research endeavours. His research spans diverse areas of molecular microbiology, immunology, animal research and bioinformatics, with a primary focus on combating antimicrobial resistance and discovering novel drug therapies for infectious diseases.
Dr Andrew Reynolds, Department of Medicine
Dr Reynolds is a nutrition epidemiologist working with achievable lifestyle and environment change in the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. Much of his work aims to inform evidence-based guidelines, policy and lifestyle change.
For previous winners read here.