{{Short description|Annual New Zealand science award}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} The '''Hector Medal''', formerly known as the '''Hector Memorial Medal''',<ref name=Transactions1918/> is a science award given by the [[Royal Society Te Apārangi]] in memory of Sir [[James Hector]] to researchers working in New Zealand. It is awarded annually in rotation for different sciences – currently there are three: chemical sciences; physical sciences; mathematical and information sciences. It is given to a researcher who "has undertaken work of great scientific or technological merit and has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the particular branch of science."<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/hector-medal/ |title=Hector Medal |publisher=Royal Society Te Apārangi |access-date=9 March 2013}}</ref> It was previously rotated through more fields of science – in 1918 they were: botany, chemistry, ethnology, geology, physics (including mathematics and astronomy), zoology (including animal physiology).<ref name=Transactions1918>{{cite journal |url= http://rsnz.natlib.govt.nz/volume/rsnz_50/rsnz_50_00_004140.html |title=Hector Memorial Research Fund |journal=Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute |volume=50 |year=1918 |access-date=9 March 2013}}</ref> For a few years it was awarded biennially – it was not awarded in 2000, 2002 or 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/hector-medal/background/ |title=Background of the Medal |publisher=Royal Society Te Apārangi |access-date=9 March 2013}}</ref>
In 1991 it was overtaken by the [[Rutherford Medal (Royal Society of New Zealand)|Rutherford Medal]] as the highest award given by the Royal Society of New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/rutherford-medal/ |title=Rutherford Medal « Medals & Awards « Funds, Medals & Competitions « Royal Society of New Zealand |publisher=Royalsociety.org.nz |date=20 June 2014 |access-date=11 August 2015}}</ref>
The obverse of the medal bears the head of James Hector and the reverse a [[Māori people|Māori]] snaring a [[huia]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP19121220.2.26 |title=Papers Past — Press — 20 December 1912 — NEWS OF THE DAY |publisher=Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz |date=20 December 1912 |access-date=11 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/programmes/awards/hector-medal/design/ |title=Design « Hector Medal « Medals & Awards « Funds, Medals & Competitions « Royal Society of New Zealand |publisher=Royalsociety.org.nz |date=20 June 2014 |access-date=11 August 2015}}</ref> The last confirmed sighting of a living huia predates the award of the medal by three years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barrie |first1=Heather |last2=Robertson |first2=Hugh |title=The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand |publisher=Viking |year=2005 |edition=Revised |isbn=978-0-14-302040-0 |ref=HBHR}}</ref>
==Recipients== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Recipient<ref name=HectorMedalRecipients>{{cite web |title=Recipients |url= https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/hector-medal/recipients-3/ |publisher=[[Royal Society Te Apārangi]] |access-date=16 February 2021}}</ref> ! Field |- | 1912 | [[Leonard Cockayne]] |Botany |- | 1913 | [[Thomas Easterfield]] |Chemistry |- | 1914 | [[Elsdon Best]] |Ethnology |- | 1915 | [[Patrick Marshall]] |Geology |- | 1916 | [[Ernest Rutherford]] |Physics |- | 1917 | [[Charles Chilton (zoologist)|Charles Chilton]] |Zoology |- | 1918 | [[Thomas Cheeseman]] |Botany |- | 1919 | [[Philip Robertson (chemist)|Philip Robertson]] |Chemistry |- | 1920 | [[Percy Smith (ethnologist)|Percy Smith]] |Ethnology |- | 1921 | [[Robert Speight]] |Geology |- | 1922 | [[Coleridge Farr]] |Physics |- | 1923 | [[George Hudson (entomologist)|George Hudson]] |Zoology |- | 1924 | [[Donald Petrie (botanist)|Donald Petrie]] |Botany |- | 1925 | [[Bernard Aston]] |Chemistry |- | 1926 | [[Harry Skinner (ethnologist)|Harry Skinner]] |Ethnology |- | 1927 | [[Charles Cotton (geologist)|Charles Cotton]] |Geology |- |1928 | [[Duncan Sommerville]] |Mathematics |- |1929 | [[George Thomson (naturalist)|George Thomson]] |Zoology |- |1930 | [[John Holloway (botanist)|John Holloway]] |Botany |- |1931 | [[William Percival Evans]] |Chemistry |- |1932 | [[Peter Buck (anthropologist)|Peter Buck]] (Te Rangi Hīroa) |Ethnology |- |1933 | [[John Marwick]], [[Noel Benson]] |Geology |- |1934 | [[Charles Ernest Weatherburn]] |Mathematics |- |1935 | [[William Benham (zoologist)|William Benham]] |Zoology |- |1936 | [[Walter Oliver]] |Botany |- |1937 | [[John Reader Hosking]] |Chemistry |- |1938 | [[Herbert Williams (bishop)|Herbert Williams]] |Ethnology |- |1939 | [[Arthur Bartrum]] |Geology |- |1940 | [[Donald Macleod (physicist)|Donald Macleod]] |Physics |- |1941 | [[Harold Finlay]] |Zoology |- |1942 | [[Harry Allan]] |Botany |- |1943 | [[Bob Briggs (chemist)|Bob Briggs]] |Chemistry |- |1944 | [[Johannes Carl Andersen]] |Ethnology |- |1945 | [[John Henderson (geologist)|John Henderson]] |Geology |- |1946 | [[Henry Forder]] |Mathematics |- |1947 | [[Baden Powell (malacologist)|Baden Powell]] |Zoology |- |1948 | [[G. H. Cunningham]] |Botany |- |1949 | [[Robert Anthony Robinson]] |Chemistry |- |1950 | [[Ernest Beaglehole]] |Ethnology |- |1951 | [[Francis John Turner]] |Geology |- |1952 | [[Keith Bullen (mathematician)|Keith Bullen]] |Geophysics |- |1953 | [[Lance Richdale]] |Zoology |- |1954 | [[Lucy Cranwell]] |Botany |- |1955 | [[Brian Shorland]] |Chemistry |- |1956 | [[Roger Duff]] |Ethnology |- |1957 | [[Harold Wellman]] |Geology |- |1958 | [[Alister McLellan]] |Mathematics |- |1959 | [[Barry Fell]] |Zoology |- |1960 | [[Ted Chamberlain]] |Botany |- |1961 | [[Harry Bloom (chemist)|Harry Bloom]]<!-- Q30308522 --> |Chemistry |- |1962 | [[Ralph Piddington]] |Ethnology |- |1963 | [[Charles Fleming (ornithologist)|Charles Fleming]] |Geology |- |1964 | [[Derek Lawden]] |Mathematics |- |1965 | [[Richard Dell]] |Zoology |- |1966 | [[Jack Holloway (ecologist)|Jack Holloway]] |Botany |- |1967 | [[Con Cambie]] |Chemistry |- | 1968 | [[Gilbert Archey]] |Ethnology |- |1969 | [[Doug Coombs (geologist)|Doug Coombs]] |Geology |- |1970 | [[Brian Wybourne]] |Physics |- |1971 | [[Ira Cunningham]] |Zoology |- |1972 | [[Ted Bollard]] |Botany |- |1973 | [[Michael Hartshorn]] |Chemistry |- |1974 | [[Herbert Purves]] |Medicine |- |1975 | [[Robert Hayes (seismologist)|Robert Hayes]] |Geology |- |1976 | [[Jack Dodd]] |Physics |- |1977 |[[Cam Reid]]<!-- Q30308041 --> |Zoology |- |1978 | [[Richard Matthews (microbiologist)|Richard Matthews]] |Botany |- |1979 | [[Leon Phillips (chemist)|Leon Phillips]] |Chemistry |- |1980 | [[Graham Liggins]] |Medicine |- |1981 | [[Trevor Hatherton]] |Geology |- |1982 | [[Roy Kerr]] |Mathematics |- |1983 | [[Ray Forster]] |Zoology |- |1984 | [[Rod Bieleski]] |Botany |- |1985 | [[Peter de la Mare (chemist)|Peter de la Mare]] |Chemistry |- |1986 | [[Robin Carrell]] |Medicine |- |1987 | [[Jim Ellis (chemist)|Jim Ellis]]<!-- Q30307598 --> |Chemistry |- |1988 | [[Dan Walls]] |Physics |- |1989 | [[Patricia Bergquist]] |Zoology |- |1990 | [[Peter Wardle]] |Botany |- |1991 | [[Warren Roper (chemist)|Warren Roper]] |Chemistry |- |1992 | [[Roger Green (archaeologist)|Roger Green]] |Ethnology |- |1993 | [[Dick Walcott]] |Geology |- |1994 | [[Geoff Stedman]] |Physics |- | 1995 | [[Bob Jolly]] |Zoology |- | 1996 | [[John C. Butcher]] |Mathematics |- | 1997 | [[Ted Baker (chemist)|Ted Baker]] |Chemistry |- | 1998 | [[Paul Callaghan]], [[Jeff Tallon (physicist)|Jeff Tallon]] |Physics |- | 1999 | [[George Seber]] |Statistics |- | 2000 | colspan=2 | ''No award'' |- | 2001 | [[Peter Schwerdtfeger]] |Chemistry |- |2002 | colspan=2 | ''No award'' |- | 2003 | [[Ken MacKenzie (chemist)|Ken MacKenzie]]<!-- Q30307589 --> |Materials science |- |2004 | colspan=2 | ''No award'' |- | 2005 | [[Ian Witten]] |Computer science |- | 2006 | [[Richard Furneaux]]<!-- Q30307480 --> |Chemistry |- | 2007 |[[Timothy Haskell]] |Physics |- | 2008 |[[Gaven Martin]] |Mathematics |- | 2009 | [[Peter Steel]]<!-- Q30307428 --> | Chemistry |- | 2010 | [[Grant Williams (scientist)|Grant Williams]]<!-- Q30307419 --> | Physics |- | 2011 | [[Rod Downey]] | Mathematics |- | 2012 | [[Margaret Brimble]] | Chemistry |- | 2013 | [[Richard Blaikie]] | Physics |- | 2014 | [[Marston Conder]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2014/11/26/royal-society-of-new-zealand-recognises-achievements-of-researchers/ |title=Royal Society of New Zealand recognises achievements of researchers |date=26 November 2014 |publisher=Royal Society of New Zealand |access-date=27 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220080825/http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2014/11/26/royal-society-of-new-zealand-recognises-achievements-of-researchers/ |archive-date=20 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | Mathematics |- | 2015 | [[Ian Brown (chemist)|Ian Brown]]<ref>{{cite press release |title=Spotlight on top New Zealand researchers |url=http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2015/11/10/spotlight-on-top-new-zealand-researchers/ |publisher=[[Royal Society of New Zealand]] |access-date=11 November 2015 |date=10 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151124014100/http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2015/11/10/spotlight-on-top-new-zealand-researchers/ |archive-date=24 November 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | Chemistry |- | 2016 | [[Stéphane Coen]]<!-- Q59546222 --> | Physics |- | 2017 | [[Sally Brooker]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/medals-and-awards-news/2017-hector-medal-designing-chemical-computers-and-molecular-magnets/ |title=2017 Hector Medal: Designing chemical computers and molecular magnets |date=10 October 2017 |publisher=Royal Society of New Zealand |access-date=17 November 2017}}</ref> | Chemistry |- | 2018 | [[Matt Visser]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/medals-and-awards-news/2018-hector-medal-wormholes-black-holes-and-other-subjects-of-gravity/ |title=2018 Hector Medal: wormholes, black holes and other subjects of gravity |date=17 October 2018 |publisher=Royal Society of New Zealand |access-date=27 April 2019}}</ref> | Mathematical physics |- | 2019 | [[Jadranka Travaš-Sejdić]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/research-honours/2019-research-honours/2019-hector-medal-building-bionic-biosensing-biomedicine-bioelectronics/ |title=2019 Hector Medal: Building bionic – biosensing, biomedicine, bioelectronics |date=17 October 2019 |publisher=Royal Society Te Apārangi |access-date=18 October 2019}}</ref> | Polymers and nanomaterials |- | 2020 | [[Eamonn O'Brien (mathematician)|Eamonn O’Brien]]<!-- Q102231441 --><ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Hector Medal: the algebra of algorithms |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/research-honours/2020-research-honours-aotearoa/2020-hector-medal/ |publisher=Royal Society Te Apārangi |access-date=21 January 2021}}</ref> | Mathematical theory of groups |- |2021 |[[Eric Le Ru]]<ref>{{cite web |title=2021 Hector Medal: Revolutionising chemical analysis at the nanoscale |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/research-honours/2021-research-honours-aotearoa/2021-hector-medal-revolutionising-chemical-analysis-at-the-nanoscale/ |publisher=Royal Society Te Apārangi |access-date=23 June 2022}}</ref> |Chemical physics |- |2022 |[[Murray Cox]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=First event to celebrate 2022 Research Honours Aotearoa winners |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/first-event-to-celebrate-2022-research-honours-aotearoa-winners/ |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=Royal Society Te Apārangi}}</ref> |Population genetic theory |- |2023 |[[Niels Kjærgaard]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Hector Medal: Distinguished contributions to understanding of 'indistinguishable' particles |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/research-honours/2023-rha/2023-hector-medal/ |access-date=2023-11-15 |website=Royal Society Te Apārangi}}</ref><!-- Q59523393 --> |Physics |- |2024 |[[Charles Semple]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/research-honours/2024-rha/2024-hector-medal/ |title=2024 Hector Medal: The mathematics behind reconstructing and analysing evolutionary trees and networks |access-date=10 May 2025 |website=Royal Society Te Apārangi}}</ref> |Mathematics |- |2025 |[[Christian Hartinger]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/11/05/five-stars--leading-scientists-win-royal-society-medals.html |title=Five stars: leading scientists win Royal Society medals |access-date=7 November 2025 |website=[[University of Auckland]] |date=5 November 2025}}</ref> |Biological chemistry |}
==See also== * [[:Category:New Zealand scientists]] * The [[Shorland Medal]] given by the [[New Zealand Association of Scientists]] * [[List of chemistry awards]] * [[List of mathematics awards]] * [[List of physics awards]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/what-we-do/medals-and-awards/hector-medal/ Hector Medal], Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi {{Recipients of the Hector Memorial Medal}} {{Lists of New Zealanders}}
[[Category:New Zealand science and technology awards]] [[Category:Science and technology awards]] [[Category:Royal Society of New Zealand]] [[Category:Chemistry awards]] [[Category:Physics awards]] [[Category:Mathematics awards]]