Rutherford Foundation

The Rutherford Foundation is a charitable trust set up under the aegis of the Royal Society of New Zealand to provide support for the spectrum of PhD education to post-doctoral research and early career development.

About the Rutherford Foundation

The Rutherford Foundation, established in 2008, provides support to those demonstrating a passion for science and technology and the potential to excel in a research environment. It will also support science teachers, who underpin our science system.

The New Zealand government has already pledged a contribution of $1million per year to the Foundation; additional funds will be raised from private individuals, companies and other trusts. The Rutherford Foundation will use its funds to build the capacity and capability of early and mid-career New Zealand researchers.

2010 Funding for post-doc to UK

The Freemasons Roskill Foundation sponsors a post-doctoral fellowship, which in 2010 will be offered at Edinburgh University - one of the top 5 research universities of the UK. The award is for any research related to ageing. We suggest you contact a potential supervisor early in the application process, as well as your referees.

Applications are due at the Rutherford Foundation by 5pm Monday 22nd February 2010. The award must be taken up in 2010.  You are welcome to contact rutherford.foundation@royalsociety.org.nz when you start your application, and we will assist with the process.

Criteria, referee reports and application forms are here:

Freemasons Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Edinburgh University

 

Rutherford Foundation trustees

Currently the Trustees of the Rutherford Foundation are chaired by Professor Margaret Brimble of the University of Auckland.

• Biographies of the Rutherford Foundation Trustees
  

Scholarships

The Rutherford Foundation currently offers four streams of funding, and will develop more as the strategies for early career support are developed. Information, application guidelines and descriptions of potential projects can be found by following the links below. (Note that these open in a new window, or, if your browser has an existing open window the links will appear there.)

• Distinguished Fellowship research start-up grants (First round closed)
  The inaugural award to Dr Alan Davidson of Harvard Medical School, was announced at the Science Honours Dinner 18th November 2009.  He will be studying kidney cell regeneration in zebrafish at the University of Auckland, later in 2010.
  
• Freemasons Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Edinburgh University
• Applications for the 2010 award are now open, with a deadline of 22nd February 2010.

• PhD Scholarships at Cambridge University
  Applications for study beginning in 2011 will be announced in March 2010.  The closing date is expected to be towards the end of July, 2010.
  
• New Zealand Post-Doctoral Fellowships
  (Next round yet to be announced)
• the inaugural awardees in 2009 are Dr Michelle Greenwood and Dr Jennifer Kruger, who will begin in 2010.

We invite responses and suggestions from interested parties. For general information about the Rutherford Foundation or to make a donation or bequest, please contact:

Dr Di McCarthy
Royal Society of New Zealand CEO
di.mccarthy@royalsociety.org.nz

For information about our current fellowship and scholarship programmes, please contact Rutherford.foundation@royalsociety.org.nz