Rutherford medal winner, Jeff Tallon "a benchmark for world-class science"

Rutherford Medal winner, Jeff Tallon

The ceremony, held on the eve of an international conference at Te Papa which brings together many of New Zealand’s top scientists, was attended by over 180 people including many of Jeff’s IRL colleagues and team members. The medal was presented by the Minister of Science, Research and Technology, the Rt. Hon. Pete Hodgson.

Jeff Tallon is only the third person to be awarded the Rutherford Medal. The others are Nobel Prize winner, Dr Alan MacDiarmid and Auckland paediatrician, Dr Peter Gluckman.

Ground-breaking research

Jeff, with colleagues, has discovered and patented many novel HTS^[?] superconductors, including the only material currently being developed for cables, magnets, motors and transformers. A former James Cook Research Fellow and Deputy Chair of the Marsden (Research) Fund, Jeff Tallon has won many awards for his ground-breaking research.

His personal enthusiasm for the discipline of physics, and his passion for issues of science and society, are communicated widely through speaking and demonstrating to schools, service organisations, professional societies and the wider community.

World-class achievements

Jeff’s achievements in the discovery, design, physical characterisation, understanding, and application of high temperature superconductors are considered ‘world-class’.

“The relationship with American Superconductor Corporation that Industrial Research has formed,” said Pete Hodgson, “is probably the most important science and technology partnership New Zealand has with the US today.”

Superconductors are expected to develop into a US$240 billion industry and Industrial Research is expected to earn millions of dollars in royalties and from manufacturing superconducting coils.

“We’ve been talking quite a bit recently about world-class science and what that actually means,” said CEO, Nigel Kirkpatrick. “What comes up all the time is that if you want a benchmark for what world-class science is - Jeff is it.”

“You can’t do anything on your own,” said Jeff, with characteristic humility. “What you do is built on what other people have done before. It’s built on collaborating with colleagues, it’s built on the infrastructure that your institute provides for you and then taking it beyond that.”