There are ten discipline-based assessment panels which make funding recommendations to the Marsden Fund Council.  The panels are made up of researchers who are experts in their field. They are appointed by the Royal Society of New Zealand after being recommended by the Fund Council and usually serve for a maximum of three years.

Biomedical Sciences

Research related to human health and disease in: physiology, pathology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genetics, cell biology, microbiology; neurobiology (including animals as a model species for humans); human genomics and related bioinformatics.

Name Institution
Professor Kurt Krause (Convenor) University of Otago
Professor Richard Cannon University of Otago
Dr Grant Pearce University of Canterbury
Assoc Prof Michelle Glass University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Mark Hampton University of Otago
Professor Martin Kennedy University of Otago
Dr John Taylor University of Auckland
Dr Carolyn Barrett University of Auckland

Cellular, Molecular and Physiological Biology

Studies related to understanding the activities that occur in cells and tissues, and their integration within living organisms across the biological, agricultural and veterinary and biochemical sciences. This includes: plant physiology; animal physiology; cell biology; plant and animal genetics; molecular biology and molecular genetics; functional genomics and related bioinformatics; microbiology excluding microbial ecology; animal and plant pathology.

Name Institution
Dr Ian Ferguson (Convenor) Plant & Food Research
Assoc Prof Andrew Shelling University of Auckland
Dr Justin O’Sullivan University of Auckland
Dr Wayne Patrick University of Otago
Dr Evelyn Sattlegger Massey University
Dr Johanna Montgomery University of Auckland
Professor David Smyth Monash University
Dr Tony Conner Agresearch

Earth Sciences and Astronomy

Including: geology; geophysics; physical geography; oceanography; hydrology; meteorology; atmospheric science; earth sciences; astronomy and astrophysics; also cross-disciplinary topics which include substantial components in some of these areas.

Name Institution
Professor Jarg Pettinga (Convenor) University of Canterbury
Dr Stephen Bannister GNS Science
Professor Chris Turney The University of New South Wales, Australia
Dr Graham Leonard GNS Science
Dr Chris Hollis GNS Science
Dr Melanie Johnston-Hollitt Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Keith Hunter University of Otago

Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour

Studies related to the interrelationships between organisms and their environment, evolution and behaviour. This includes: animal, plant and microbial ecology; biogeography; biodiversity; phylogenetics; systematics and evolution; population biology and genetics; animal behaviour; physiological plant ecology; biostatistics and modelling.

Name Institution
Professor Graham Wallis (Convenor) University of Otago
Assoc Prof Jodie McVernon The University of Melbourne
Assoc Prof Brendan Hicks University of Waikato
Dr Dan Tompkins Landcare Research
Professor Martin Wild University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Jeff Shima Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Shinichi Nakagawa University of Otago
Dr Bill Lee Landcare Research
Professor Roberta Farrell University of Waikato

Economics and Human and Behavioural Sciences

Including: economics; education; psychology (experimental, cognitive, neuro-); cognitive science; linguistics; archaeology; anthropology (other than social anthropology) business studies; commerce; management studies and demography.

Name Institution
Dr Grant Scobie (Convenor) The Treasury
Professor Maryanne Garry Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Russell Gray University of Auckland
Professor Peter Hiscock Australian National University
Professor John Creedy Victoria University of Wellington
Assoc Prof Hallie Buckley University of Otago
Assoc Prof Donna Rose Addis University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Christine Stephens Massey University

Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences

Including: fundamentals of engineering (biomedical, bioprocessing, civil, chemical, electrical, electronic, environmental, materials, mechanical and robotics); and cross-disciplinary sciences research relating to engineering.

Name Institution
Professor Margaret Hyland (Convenor) University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Keith Alexander University of Canterbury
Professor David Lloyd Griffith University
Professor AJ (Jim) McQuillan University of Otago
Professor Jim Jones Massey University
Assoc Prof Rajesh Dhakal University of Canterbury
Professor John Harvey University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Christina Lim University of Melbourne

Humanities

Including: English; languages; history; religion; philosophy; law; classics; linguistics; literature; cultural studies; media studies; art history; film.

Name Institution
Professor Robert Hannah (Convenor) University of Otago
Professor Deirdre Coleman University of Melbourne
Dr Adriane Rini Massey University
Assoc Prof Nicole Moreham Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Roger Maaka Eastern Institute of Technology
Assoc Prof Stephen Epstein Victoria University of Wellington
Assoc Prof Cathy Coleborne University of Waikato

Mathematical and Information Sciences

Including: pure and applied mathematics; statistics; operations research and applied computing; foundations of computer and information sciences; complexity theory; logic and other mathematical aspects of software engineering.

Name Institution
Professor Jari Kaipio (Convenor) University of Auckland
Professor Tanja Mitrovic University of Canterbury
Professor Richard Barker University of Otago
Professor Charles Semple University of Canterbury
Professor Iain Raeburn University of Otago
Assoc Prof Sebastian Link University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Ilze Ziedins University of Auckland
Professor Michael Cowling University of New South Wales

Physics, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Including: materials science; physics; chemistry; biophysics, chemical biology and biochemistry.

Name Institution
Professor David Williams (Convenor) University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Bridget Mabbutt Macquarie University 
Professor Peter Drummond Swinburne University of Technology
Professor Keith Gordon University of Otago
Dr Justin Hodgkiss Victoria University of Wellington
Assoc Prof Jon-Paul Wells University of Canterbury
Assoc Prof Blair Blakie University of Otago

Social Sciences

Including: sociology; social, developmental, organisational, community and health psychology; social, cultural and human geography; social anthropology; urban design and environmental studies; public health; nursing; public policy; economics; political science; communication science; marketing; socio-linguistics; architecture.

Name Institution
Professor Linda Smith (Convenor) University of Waikato
Assoc Prof Jeff Sissons Victoria University of Wellington
Professor John O’Neill Massey University
Professor Rob Strathdee Victoria University of Wellington
Assoc Prof Nick Wilson University of Otago
Assoc Prof Michael Gunder University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Mike Grimshaw University of Canterbury
Dr Sue Jackson Victoria University of Wellington
Dr Amanda Wolf Victoria University of Wellington
Professor Rod Brodie
University of Auckland
Assoc Prof Ann Sullivan
University of Auckland
Dr Karen Nairn University of Otago