HE Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy to host Eureka! Young Science Leaders Forum

The 2018 Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka! Awards, which seek to identify and develop future science and technology leaders, will feature a special forum hosted by the Vice-Regal Patron of the RCW Eureka! Trust, the Governor-General, The Rt Hon HE Dame Patsy Reddy.

Dame Patsy wishes to highlight the importance of innovation and the role of young people during her term as Governor-General and encouraged the RCW Eureka! Trust to include an event where these two themes could be brought together to address some of the critical issues facing New Zealand today.

The Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka! Young Science Leaders Forum, will bring together current science and policy leaders and the future leaders identified by the Eureka! Programme to concentrate on an imminent challenge for New Zealand.

This year the Forum will focus on the multiple challenges facing agriculture and as a result New Zealand’s economy, environment and society.

How do we make sure we use science and technology to the fullest extent possible to address environmental issues, food supply issues for New Zealand and the countries we export to, societal issues about work and recreation - the list is long.

Eureka! Trust Chair Dr Russ Ballard, who will be the chair for the Forum, said “This is exactly the sort of challenge envisaged by Sir Paul Callaghan and the Eureka! Trust when we initiated this programme in 2011. We are very excited by the possibilities which this new initiative from the Governor-General presents this year and in future.

“The whole point of science is to define with rigour what we know and what we don’t know so the people who are responsible for the important decisions, such as politicians, have the best information available about risks and consequences to make the best decisions for all of us.

“This is all about the application of knowledge, based on science, to future problems through innovation and technology.

“Our contestants and alumni need to understand how current leadership and decision-making works so they can fulfil their leadership role when the time comes – very soon!” said Dr Ballard.

The Forum, will be held at Government House on Friday 7 September following the finals of the 2018 Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka! Awards.

Entries for the Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka! Awards close on 30 June. Finalists and Scholarship winners will present their ideas about science and technology at the National Finals Symposium on Thursday 6 September.