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Discovery Fellow’s research obtains supersonic launch capability
Dr Chris Hann's Research Group
Dr Chris Hann’s research goal is to create a foundation for future controlled supersonic rocket flights from the University of Canterbury. The research featured on TV3′s Campbell Live included the logistics of launching from Birdlings flat, a sea recovery and plane search. It was hoped that data could be recovered to gain some knowledge on the disturbances that occur to the rocket as it travels through the sound barrier. Due to a chute failure, the data has not yet been obtained, but excellent video camera footage has enabled some data to be inferred from the first 4 seconds of flight where supersonic speeds were reached. Dr Hann would like to acknowledge the assistance of Rocket Lab, Trimble Navigation, Tait Electronics and also TV3 for a terrific job of filming the work of all the students involved.
TV3 Campbell Live – Blazing rocket built from Kiwi ingenuity.
The Review of the Rutherford Discovery Fellowships
On 12 April 2012, The Minister of Science and innovation, Steven Joyce, announced the results of the review of the Rutherford Discovery Fellowships.
The changes include:
- Focussing the award process on selecting excellent researchers who have leadership potential
- A priority on the repatriation of talented New Zealanders
- Reducing the application period to 3-8 years after receiving the PhD (previously 3-10 years)
- Allowing a broad range of leadership qualities to be supported by removing the distinction between Tier 1 (leadership potential) and Tier 2 (demonstrated leadership) researchers
- Changing the expectation that Fellows receive permanent employment from their associated institution, to an expectation that they be contracted for employment over the full term of the fellowship
The full release details of the review along with the revised Terms of Reference can be read at the Ministry’s website. The Rutherford Discovery Fellowships Secretariat will implement the aforementioned changes and continue to update this website with the latest information as it comes to hand.
International media interest in Discovery Fellow’s research
Dr Murray Cox
Rutherford Discovery Fellow, Dr Murray Cox has received international media attention for his ground-breaking research into the settlement of Madagascar. His paper titled “A small cohort of Island Southeast Asian women founded Madagascar” published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B (London) argues that Madagascar was settled jointly by Africans, and more surprisingly, Indonesians. Computer modelling favours a scenario in which Madagascar was settled approximately 1200 years ago by a very small group of women (approx. 30), most of Indonesian descent (approx. 93%). This highly restricted founding population raises the possibility that Madagascar was settled not as a large-scale planned colonization event from Indonesia, but rather through a small, perhaps even unintended, transoceanic crossing. Further information is available below:
BBC World, 22 March 2012
(MP3, 2.9 MB)
Introductory video on the Rutherford Discovery Fellowships
2011 Fellows
The 2011 Rutherford Discovery Fellowships were announced on 08 September 2011.
2010 Fellows
Ten talented researchers have been chosen as the inaugural recipients of the 2010 Rutherford Discovery Fellowships.
