Research Impact Award

The purpose of the WMS Research Impact Award is to recognize a staff member, or team of researchers, who can demonstrate that their research has had an influence on one (or more) of the following - the economy, society, environment, culture, communities, groups or individuals.

Research Impact Recipients

2022: Professor John Oetzel & Associate Professor Mary Simpson (Research team)

The selection panel was very impressed with Mary and John’s application and presentation.

They found the collaborative partnerships described in their presentation very inspirational and in fact, aligned to the MBIE Green Paper on the future of research in New Zealand. They could see the impact their research was having, and differences they were making in people's lives.

They were also impressed to see the longevity of their work, how their work has scaled to a national level to affect other communities, and the reputation they have gained (for example being asked to consult with the Ministry of Housing).

2021: Associate Professor Peter Sun

The selection panel was very impressed with Peter's application. They could see how the momentum of impact has built over time, and liked the evidence of partnerships between sectors leading to the breakdown of barriers.

The panel particularly enjoyed the personal testimonials from the CELF (Community and Enterprise Leadership Foundation) participants showing the long-term impact on the community via the CELF alumni. Peter is a founding trustee for CELF.

CELF is a trust set up to bring leaders from different sectors together, with a purpose to grow and connect leaders in the Waikato region.