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Awards

ANZCCART New Zealand provides a range of awards to promote professional development and to recognise those that provide an excellent service towards improving animal welfare in the context of animal use in research and teaching. There are various awards that are applicable for Animal Technicians, AEC members, Researchers, and Students (secondary and tertiary). So please take advantage of this opportunity to nominate someone or apply for an award yourself.


New Zealand AEC Member of the Year Award


This award has been created by ANZCCART to recognise the excellent service offered to Animal Ethics Committees by their members in New Zealand. As part of this award, ANZCCART provides for the recipient to the annual ANZCCART Conference.


View details of the application form and eligibility criteria below:



Nominations are now closed, and will open again in January 2027.


Award recipients

  • 2026 Dr Christine Sumner (SPCA)

  • 2025 Dr Craig Gillies (Department of Conservation)

  • 2024 Dr Jim Webster (AgResearch)

  • 2023 Adrian Bibby (Victoria University of Wellington)

  • 2022 Dr Bruce Dobbs (University of Otago)

  • 2020 Ms Ali Cullum (AgResearch Ltd) and Professor Anthony Phillips (University of Auckland)

  • 2018 Dr Deborah Samson (University of Auckland) and Dr Dave Morgan (Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research)

ANZCCART New Zealand Animal Care Award


ANZCCART New Zealand has established a national award to recognise the significant contribution made by individual New Zealand-based technicians and research assistants, particularly in regard to the welfare of the animals.


For more information, see the awards criteria and nomination form below:



Nominations are now closed, and will open again in January 2027.


Award recipients

  • 2026 Ms Fiona Matiya (Bioeconomy Science Institute)

  • 2025 Ms Charlotte Morgan (University of Otago)

  • 2024 Ms Charley Hurst (AgResearch)

  • 2023 Mr Geoff Purchas (Massey University)

  • 2022 Mr Aaron Malthus (AgResearch Ltd)

  • 2021 Mr Trevor Watson (AgResearch Ltd)

  • 2020 Ms Brittnee Southland (Massey University)

  • 2019 Mr Jaskirat Kaur (Malaghan Institute of Medical Research)

  • 2018 Technicians of the Large Animal Unit, Vernon Jansen Unit (University of Auckland)

  • 2017 Ms Stephanie Delaney (AgResearch Ltd)


ANZCCART New Zealand Secondary Student Essay Competition


ANZCCART hopes to inspire students to think critically about the role animal research plays in today’s society and to engage with the difficulties that surround animal use. Building on the NCEA assessment tasks for NCEA Achievement Standards (Biology 2.2, and 3.2), which integrates biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue, the ANZCCART New Zealand Secondary School Essay Competition is an opportunity to showcase student work developed in these modules.


Applications are now closed. Applications will be invited again in May 2027.. First prize: $150 and second prize: $100. Conditions of entry and other details for the Competition can be found here:



Award recipients:

2026 First prize: Claire Yu (Rangitoto College)

Second prize: Nellie Burns (Mount Maunganui College)

2025 First prize: Isabel Te Hira (Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu)

2024 First prize: Millie Ashley (Lynfield College)

Second prize: Candice Liu (St Cuthbert's College)

2023 First prize: Brier Chin (Wellington Girls' College)

Second prize: Hasnula Babaranda (James Hargest College)

2022 First prize: Oshadha Perera (Southland Boys’ High School, Invercargill)

2020 First prize: Hannah Wilson (Rudolf Steiner School)

Second prize: Shruti Sharma (Epsom Girls Grammar School)

Third prize: Devanshi Ranjan (Epsom Girls Grammar School)


Note: The views and opinions expressed in these essays are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of ANZCCART NZ.


ANZCCART New Zealand School Science Fair Prize


ANZCCART will support the awarding of an ANZCCART School Science Fair Prize, with the provision of prize money for the best project where, either:

  1. Students have undertaken study or research on an animal-based project

  2. Animal Ethics approval has been applied for and given

  3. Correct scientific protocols were followed in the study

  4. Students know importance of ethics approval

Or:

  1. Students have undertaken study or research that would have normally involved the manipulation of animals (as defined in the NZ Animal Welfare Act) but have found a way to find the results without doing so. 

  2. Students describe what the animal-based project would have looked like and how well the alternative non-animal based project achieved the same goals.

  3. Students explain why they chose to replace animals in their project.


Email for more information about how to get prize sponsorship.


More information about how to apply for Animal Ethics Approval for school science fair projects can be found at the National Association of Science Educators.


ANZCCART School Science Fair Award recipients:

2026

  • Aurora Energy Otago Science and Technology Fair - Leon Thomson

2024

  • NIWA Wellington Science & Technology Fair - Jedd Rix

  • Aurora Energy Otago Science and Technology Fair - Boon Franzbowden, Hebe Song, & Juliet Lyall


Cam Reid Oration


The Cam Reid Oration is an initiative introduced by the ANZCCART New Zealand Board in 1995 in recognition of the late Dr Cam Reid's pioneering role in the evaluation and adoption of standards of ethical conduct for animal experimentation in New Zealand. It is awarded at the ANZCCART (NZ) Conference every three years.


ANZCCART Fellow


ANZCCART (NZ) has created an ANZCCART board observer position for early stage researchers, to both give early stage researchers an opportunity for ANZCCART board experience, but also to inform the Board with their perspectives. The Fellowship is:

  • Award: $3k per year

  • Period: 2 years

  • Conditions: Postgraduate (within 8 years of completion of undergraduate degree) – for people in PhDs or Post Docs. This does not preclude the ability to hold a non-Fellowship position on the Board at a later date.


For information about the position, contact: anzccart@royalsociety.org.nz


Previous ANZCCART Fellows were:

  • 2023-2025: Morgan Heslop, doctoral student, Massey University

  • 2021-2023: Essie Van Zuylen, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Canterbury


Aotearoa New Zealand John Schofield 3Rs implementation award


The principles of the 3Rs are a cornerstone of the ethical use of animals in research, testing and teaching (RTT). The Aotearoa New Zealand John Schofield 3Rs Award celebrates achievement in the development and/or implementation of the 3Rs.


The Aotearoa New Zealand John Schofield 3Rs Implementation Award was established in memory of Dr John Schofield, a veterinarian and ANZCCART (NZ) committee member who gained national and international recognition for his work advancing the welfare of animals used in research and teaching. Throughout his career, he made significant contributions to the development and implementation of the 3Rs principles, while also supporting others to adopt these practices in research, testing, and teaching. The award recognises individuals who demonstrate similar achievements and commitment to advancing the 3Rs in these fields. A history of the award and its precursor can be found here.


The biennial $10k award is jointly offered by the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) and the New Zealand board of the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching (ANZCCART(NZ)).


Applications for the 2026 award is now open. Applications close on Wednesday 30 September 2026. 


Please read the Terms of Reference and Application Form linked below before submitting your application.



Applications or nominations should be sent as an electronic attachment (Word or PDF) to NAEAC via email at naeac@mpi.govt.nz. 


The most recent winners of the award, in 2024, were Otago Polytechnic and Equibreed ART Ltd, for applying the Three Rs in veterinary nursing and allied animal healthcare training, and developing an in vitro model for understanding, diagnosing and reducing early embryonic death in horses.


Previous winners of the award have been:


Global 3Rs Awards Programme


The Global 3Rs Awards program recognizes significant innovative contributions toward the 3Rs of animal research to advance ethical science, by any researcher in academia or industry in any area of biology. Up to four Global Awards (North America, Europe, Pacific Rim, and the Rest of World) are made in the amount of $5,000 (USD) each. Award nominations must be based on a primary research paper that advances any of the 3Rs and is published in a peer-reviewed journal in the last three (3) years. These may include modifications to existing research techniques or any innovative research approach including, but not limited to: improvements to whole-animal models, tissue-based models, molecular techniques, analytic and computational models, study design or technique refinements, and translational medicine applications. For more information see: here


The Ron Kilgour Memorial Trust Student Travel Award


The Ron Kilgour Memorial Trust (RKMT) was established as a memorial to the late Dr Ronald Kilgour to organise, promote and foster activities in relation to research and teaching in the areas of ethology, behaviour, social values and personal, social and agricultural development and associated international relations. The RKMT accepts applications from students, within New Zealand, who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree (Honours, MSc or PhD) and are studying in the area of animal behaviour and welfare. The award will provide partial or full funding to attend and present their research at a relevant congress (e.g., ISAE, IEC or similar). Selection will be based on the potential impact of the students’ research toward improving animal welfare and on financial need. The award has the following objectives:

  • To increase the profile of animal behaviour and welfare as a scientific discipline.

  • To encourage students to investigate issues in animal behaviour and welfare.

  • To provide students the opportunity to attend a conference to present their research and increase their profile by providing networking opportunities with other scientists working in the field.

Email for application details.


Discontinued awards


ANZCCART Tertiary Essay Competition


The student winner of the inaugural 2014 ANZCCART Essay Competition was Katherine Reid (Massey University), for her essay entitled Conversations to Improve Animal Welfare in Research and Teaching.


The student winner of the 2018 ANZCCART Essay Competition was Alysha Mckeeman (University of Otago), for her essay entitled Moral Status and Obligations to Animals in Research.


The student winner of the 2019 ANZCCART Essay Competition was Caitlin Morton-Burns (University of Canterbury), for her essay entitled Openness of animal research as a limitation to scientific endeavour.


ANZCCART Communication Competition


The purpose of the competition was to inspire New Zealand entrants to facilitate openness about the use of animals in research and teaching..


Award recipients

  • 2025 First prize Oshada Perera (student, University of Otago)


  • 2020 First prize (Secondary school): Oshadha Perera (Southland Boys’ High School)



Note: The views and opinions expressed in these communication examples are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of ANZCCART NZ.

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