Auckland Institute
| Te Apārangi | |
| Formation | 1867 |
|---|---|
| Type | Independent Statutory Organisation |
| Headquarters | Wellington |
|
Membership
|
387 Fellows |
|
President
|
Richard Bedford |
| Slogan | A New Zealand enriched by fostering science, technology and the humanities. |
| Website | http://www.royalsociety.org.nz |
The Royal Society of New Zealand is an independent government body in New Zealand providing funding and policy advice in the fields of sciences and the humanities.
The Society was founded in 1867 by Sir George Grey as the New Zealand Institute as an apex organisation in science, with the Auckland Institute, the Wellington Philosophical Society, the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, and the Otago Institute as constituents. Publishing transactions and proceedings was its main early function. The name was changed to Royal Society of New Zealand in 1933, a reference to the London-based Royal Society, a move requiring royal assent and subsequent act of parliament. In 2010, the remit was expanded to include the social sciences and the humanities.
Currently constituted under the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1997 (as amended in 2012), the RSNZ exists:
It is a federation of 49 constituent scientific and technological organisations, and also several affiliate organisations, and it has individual members.
The RSNZ's activities encompass:
The RSNZ also administers the Prime Minister's Science Prizes.
The New Zealand Association of Scientists works in similar fields, but is constituted as an independent non-profit incorporated society and registered charity, rather than being constituted by an Act of Parliament. The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology works in similar fields, but as a crown entity is not independent from politics.
On 10 July 2008, the Society released a statement on climate change that said in summary:
The Academy Council of the society from time to time elects as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand any person who in its opinion "has achieved distinction in research or the advancement of science or technology". The number of Fellows is limited to such number as is agreed from time to time between the Academy Council and the Council of the society. A Fellow is entitled to use, in connection with his or her name, either the letters FRSNZ, which stand for Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, or such other letters or title as is agreed from time to time between the Academy Council and the Council.
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