Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s Professor Rod Badcock and student Lewis Clareburt have won the Science and Sports categories at The Dominion Post Wellingtonian of the Year Awards, with two alumni taking out two of the other categories.
Professor Badcock is chief engineer at Paihau—Robinson Research Institute hosted by the University, and was nominated for his work with superconductivity towards designing electric aircraft.
Speaking at the event, Professor Badcock said receiving the award was humbling, but incredibly important.
“This is not just an award for me, but an award for my team, for the Institute, the University, and the region—because that’s what it’s built on.
“It’s built on the foresight of the generation before, who saw the value in this work and in putting engineering into practice. We want to continue to help our economy grow, and help our children have a future that means so much more.”
Lewis Clareburt is a Bachelor of Commerce student at the Wellington School of Business and Government. Nominated for his considerable contribution to New Zealand swimming, including representing his country on the international stage.
Lewis said he was incredibly proud at that moment to be a Wellington boy.
“Sometimes swimming can be quite lonely. There are not many Olympic sports in Wellington!
“But one of the things that has kept me here is the people; my support system, from my sponsors to my family, to my coaches—I couldn’t do it without them.”
Among the evening’s other winners were University alumni Alison Cadman and Paul Ward.
Alison won the Public Service award for her work in public housing, providing homes and services to “hundreds of Wellingtonians in need.” Alison graduated from the University in 1991, with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Women’s Studies.
“This is kind of a long service award for me,” Alison said on the night. “It’s been twenty years since I started doing this work… it has been my huge privilege in my work to provide one of our most basic needs as humans: a home.”
Paul is also a Bachelor of Arts graduate, and was awarded the Environment Welly, nominated for his work with the Capital Kiwi Project—a conservation organisation that has not only released 13 kiwi birds into the wild around Wellington, but laid 4,500 stoat traps across 24,000 hectares around the region.
Rod, Lewis, Alison, and Paul were among sixteen members of the University community who were finalists at the awards—nearly a third of the 46 Wellingtonians nominated across the nine categories.
The University had a particularly strong showing in the Science and Technology category, with four out of the five nominees being current staff members and the fifth an alumni.
Nominated in the category alongside Professor Badcock was Professor Justin Hodgkiss, co-director of the MacDiarmid Institute; Professor Tony Ward, a lecturer and researcher in the School of Psychology; Dr Tara McAllister, a researcher within the University’s Centre for Science in Society; and Tarik Mallett, a 2001 graduate of the Wellington School of Business and Government.
Other nominated current staff members included David Hakaraia, the deputy head of school at the School of Design Innovation, who was nominated in the Arts category, and Dr Ocean Mercier, an associate professor in Te Kawa a Māui, who was nominated in the Environment category.
Also nominated were several alumni, including Claire Mabey, Finlay Thompson, Murray Edridge, Dr Negin Imani, and Serina Curtis. They were finalists in Arts, Business, Community Service, Environment, and Public Service respectively.
The University sponsors the Youth category of The Wellys, won this year by Silver Fern Tiana Metuarau. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Māori) Professor Rawinia Higgins was at the event to present the award. Speaking on behalf of the University, she said it was an honour to be a part of the awards, but more importantly, an honour to be a part of the city.
“Three of our campuses are located in the central city, bringing that youth energy, vibrancy, and talent to Pōneke. And to be able to see that talent thriving is fantastic.”
Yvette McCausland-Durie, coach of the Pulse netball team, accepted the award on behalf of Tiana, and thanked the University for its sponsorship of the award.
“It’s always a really special thing to recognise youth and looking at all of the finalists I am absolutely inspired by them and honoured to be involved in their lives.”
