The Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) has announced two new awards for excellence in health research which will sit alongside the Council’s prestigious Liley, Beavan and Te Tohu Rapuora medals.
The Council says the new awards address gaps in the current HRC award offerings and encourage the celebration of the full spectrum of research careers.
The new HRC ‘Catalyst in the Community Award’ will recognise an individual or research team who have supported improved health outcomes in New Zealand through transformative, cross-disciplinary research in the health field, developed in partnership with a community.
This award, with its focus on health research that has had local/community impact beyond academia, complements our existing suite of HRC medals, particularly the Liley Medal, which focuses on research with international impact.
The second new award, the HRC Te Ata Hāpara Award acknowledges the importance of fostering the next generation of Māori health research leaders by recognising an emerging Māori researcher who has demonstrated contribution to advancing Māori health through their research and has a promising research trajectory.
The award complements the Council’s Te Tohu Rapuora Medal, which has a focus on Māori health research leadership.
Nominations for the HRC’s two new awards and the Liley, Beavan and Te Tohu Rapuora medals are now open and close at 1pm on Tuesday 6 May 2025.
Liley Medal:
The Liley Medal recognises an individual or research team whose recent research has produced a significant breakthrough within the health/medical fields that is internationally recognised.
Beaven Medal:
The Beaven Medal recognises excellence in translational health research that has had high impact on clinical practice and patient health.
Te Tohu Rapuora Medal:
Te Tohu Rapuora is awarded to an individual, research team, or community group, whose work has demonstrated leadership, excellence, and contribution to advancing Māori health and/or knowledge. The award consists of a medal and a cash prize of $5000.
Email nominations for any of our five awards/medals to medals@hrc.govt.nz. If nominating a colleague, nominators must inform the nominee. See the ‘Celebrating excellence‘ section on our website for further information on eligibility criteria and how to make a nomination.
