Two up-and-coming Otago scientists have received Rutherford Trust awards.
University of Otago bachelor of science honours student Charlotte Steel is finishing her degree in neuroscience and will head to the United Kingdom next year after receiving a three-year Cambridge-Rutherford Memorial PhD Scholarship.
University of Otago anatomy department researcher Dr Erica Todd has gained a two-year New Zealand postdoctoral fellowship.
Royal Society Te Aparangi president and trust chairman Prof Richard Bedford said the duo were among seven highly promising researchers awarded fellowships and scholarships.
Three researchers were also recognised with James Cook Research Fellowships, for their sustained research excellence, he said.
Ms Steel plans to complete a PhD at the University of Cambridge by researching how protein misfolding can be prevented in neurodegenerative disease. She will receive a living allowance of about $26,500 per year and will have her course and college fees paid.
Dr Todd will use her fellowship to investigate the epigenetic regulation of sex change in her postdoctoral research project.
The fellowship will provide funding to undertake two years of post-doctoral research in New Zealand.
Each year, she will receive $75,000 plus $10,000 to support direct and indirect research costs.
The established researchers receiving James Cook Research Fellowships for research in their field for two years are Prof Katie Pickles (University of Canterbury), Prof Vickery Arcus (University of Waikato) and Associate Prof Stephane Coen (University of Auckland).
A three-year Cambridge Rutherford Memorial PhD Scholarship was also awarded to Alexander Sneyd (Victoria University of Wellington), and postdoctoral fellowships were awarded to Dr Robin Lee (University of Canterbury), Dr Daniel Preston (University of Canterbury), Dr Michael Price (Victoria University of Wellington) and Dr Jessica Rodrigues (New Zealand Crown Plant and Food Research Institute).
