Latest accolade for star physicist

Wellington nuclear physicist Professor Sir Paul Callaghan sees his honorary Doctorate of Science as a “wonderful honour” from the University where he started his academic career.

Awarded in recognition of his groundbreaking research and years of service to the University, the doctorate was conferred at yesterday afternoon's graduation ceremony in the Michael Fowler Centre.

Sir Paul’s research in the field of physics has focused on magnetic resonance – using radio waves to study the molecular make-up of fluids and soft matter.

He joined Massey as a lecturer in 1974, was appointed Professor of Physics in 1984.

He was appointed the Alan MacDiarmid Professor of Physical Sciences at Victoria University in 2001, the same year he became the 36th New Zealander to be made a fellow of the Royal Society of London.

He was awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand Hector Medal in 1998, the Ampere Prize in 2004, the Rutherford Medal in 2005, was appointed a Principal Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2006 and, with the restoration of traditional honours, was formally knighted last year.

He retains a strong association with Massey as Sir Neil Waters Distinguished Professor. The University is also a partner in the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnoogy, led by Victoria, and a shareholder in start-up company Magritek, where Sir Paul is a founding director. He also has ongoing collaborations with the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution based at Massey.

“To me it’s a wonderful honour to be recognised by my old university as I really regard myself as part of the Massey family. The honorary doctorate is rather special as it recognises the connections people make between the university and the wider society,” Sir Paul says.

The past decade has seen Sir Paul make that connection with regular radio broadcasts talking science and publications like Wool to Weta, which charts innovations in New Zealand science. “I’ve tried to be a science communicator and try and show not just that science is interesting and relevant part of our lives but it can actually make a tremendous difference to the potential of this country.” Massey had helped foster such economic potential through advances in sheep breeding programmes, and more recently food technology and engineering programmes, he says.

Currently receiving treatment for colon cancer, Sir Paul says his prognosis is poor but he is still managing to work. His early years at Massey had offered him a “unique opportunity,” with its interdisciplinary approach where he was a physicist working in a chemistry environment surrounded by engineers.

“Massey is a place where the overlaps between disciplines are encouraged and seen as opportunities for new developments.”

A total of 639, including six doctorates, graduated at two ceremonies. Veteran Wellington art dealer Peter McLeavey received an honorary doctorate in fine arts at the morning ceremony.