University of Otago researchers Dr Helen Taylor, Associate Prof Suzanne Pitama, Profs Emerita Carolyn Burns, Lisa Matisoo-Smith, Brett Delahunt, and Barbara Brookes have received national research awards.
The six honours gained by Otago researchers at the annual research honours awards was up on five, the previous highest Otago total.
Otago deputy vice-chancellor, research, Prof Richard Blaikie said the record recipients, among the 24 awards given nationally, reinforced the "strength and breadth" of Otago research.
Research fellow Dr Taylor's science communication about conservation genetics and threatened species resulted in her last night being awarded the 2018 Callaghan Medal for an outstanding contribution to science communication and raising public awareness of science.
Dr Taylor's most recent project, The Great Hihi Sperm Race, was a humorous and educational web-based fundraiser which allowed people to place bets on which of the 128 birds in the remaining populations of New Zealand stitchbird (hihi) would have the fastest swimming sperm.
The Royal Society Te Aparangi each year celebrates the achievements of New Zealand researchers, and the latest awards were announced in Wellington on Wednesday night.
Prof Pitama , of Otago University's Christchurch campus, received the Metge Medal for her influence on indigenous health education.
Prof Burns CBE received the Thomson Medal for her outstanding leadership and service to environmental science and conservation.
Prof Matisoo-Smith received the Mason Durie Medal for ground-breaking work that had reshaped our understanding of the last great human migration into the Pacific.
An internationally-recognised pathologist at Otago's Wellington campus, Prof Delahunt ONZM was awarded the Hercus Medal for his research on prostate and kidney cancer.
Historian Prof Brookes MNZM was awarded the Humanities Aronui Medal for her outstanding contribution to humanities scholarship.
Prof Pitama is a registered psychologist and academic, and is associate dean Maori and a founding director of the Maori Indigenous Health Institute, at the Christchurch campus.
The research specialty of zoologist Prof Burns is the effect of human impacts and climate change on lakes and wetlands, including biodiversity, conservation and management.
Prof Matisoo-Smith is professor of biological anthropology in the anatomy department and has analysed both ancient and modern DNA to address fundamental questions, particularly about the origins of Pacific people.
The selection committee said Prof Delahunt's studies and leadership had changed the way genito-urinary cancers were "understood, graded, managed and treated worldwide, with major benefit for patients."
Prof Brookes was "delighted" to receive her honour in the year that Suffrage 125 was being celebrated.
