91制片厂

Photo caption:听Endeavour Fund Smart Ideas recipient Professor Aaron Marshall.

Te Whare W膩nanga o Waitaha | 91制片厂 (UC) has achieved a record success rate in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment鈥檚 (MBIE) prestigious Endeavour Fund Smart Ideas round.

Five of UC鈥檚 14 submitted full proposals were recommended for funding鈥攁n impressive 35.7% success rate. The national success rate was approximately 28%, with 46 projects funded out of 161 submissions.

This outcome highlights the depth and quality of innovative research being developed at UC, and its relevance to some of Aotearoa New Zealand鈥檚 most pressing challenges.听

Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti says the Government is supporting 46 early-stage, high-impact research projects as part of its commitment to science-led economic growth.听

鈥淭hese projects will deliver real-world impact. They鈥檙e designed to tackle national challenges while unlocking new economic opportunities for New Zealand,鈥� Dr Reti says.听

The Fund鈥檚 objective is to catalyse and rapidly test promising, innovative research ideas that have high potential to benefit New Zealand. It aims to refresh and diversify the national science portfolio by supporting early-stage, high-risk research.

With the backing of MBIE鈥檚 Endeavour Fund, UC researchers are pushing the boundaries of innovation to help build a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient Aotearoa New Zealand. This year鈥檚 funded projects reflect our growing reputation for delivering real-world impact鈥攆rom decarbonisation and climate resilience to biotechnology and smart sensing.

Funded Smart Ideas projects at UC

3D-printed Bioscaffolds for Directional Neurite Outgrowth after Spinal Cord Injury

Lead researcher: Dr Rachael Wood听
This project aims to create proof-of-concept bioscaffolds to support neural regrowth following spinal cord injury. The research could lead to new medical devices manufactured in New Zealand, offering transformative possibilities for neuroregenerative medicine.听

Optimizing Next-Generation Climate Model Precipitation Projections for Improved Climate Resilience

Lead researcher: Professor Adrian McDonald听
Professor McDonald鈥檚 team will enhance climate model accuracy, focusing on precipitation to improve Aotearoa鈥檚 preparedness and resilience in a changing climate. This work is strongly supported by international cooperation with German colleagues, including instrumented aircraft flights from Christchurch airport.听

Highly active low-cost electrodes: Exploiting the non-obvious interactions during plasma spray coating

Lead researcher: Professor Aaron Marshall听
This project will develop robust, low-cost catalytic electrodes using plasma spray technology to accelerate green hydrogen production鈥攃ritical to decarbonising industries such as steel and ammonia manufacturing.听

Next-Generation Volcanic Monitoring with Fibre Optic Technology

Lead researcher: Dr Leighton Watson听
This project pioneers the use of fibre optic cables to monitor volcanic activity in real time, offering the potential for earlier warnings and enhanced volcanic risk mitigation in New Zealand.听

Smart transport systems: Using vehicle connectivity for safer evacuations

Lead researcher: Dr Wai Wong听
Focusing on emergency planning, this project explores how autonomous and connected vehicles could revolutionise evacuation strategies, improving public safety during natural disasters and other crises.听