Royal Society Te Apārangi


The Royal Society Te Apārangi is an independent, statutory not-for-profit body in New Zealand providing funding and policy advice in the fields of sciences and the humanities.

History

The Royal Society was founded in 1867 as the New Zealand Institute, a successor to the New Zealand Society, which had been founded by Sir George Grey in 1851. The Institute, established by the New Zealand Institute Act 1867, was an apex organisation in science, with the Auckland Institute, the Wellington Philosophical Society, the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, and the Westland Naturalists' and Acclimatization Society as constituents. It later included the Otago Institute and other similar organisations. The Colonial Museum, which had been established two years earlier, in 1865, was granted to the New Zealand Institute. Publishing transactions and proceedings was one of the Institute's initial functions. James Hector was the Manager of the Institute and the Director of the Colonial Museum and Geological Survey from 1867 until his retirement in 1903.
In 1933, the Institute's name was changed to Royal Society of New Zealand, in reference to the Royal Society of London, a move requiring royal assent and a subsequent Act of Parliament. In 2010, the organisation's remit was expanded to include the social sciences and the humanities.
In 2007, Te Apārangi was added to its name, and in 2017, its sesquicentenary, this was shortened to Royal Society Te Apārangi. Its legal name, as defined in legislation, remains Royal Society of New Zealand.

Goals

Constituted under the Royal Society of New Zealand Act 1997, the Society exists to:
  1. Foster in the New Zealand community a culture that supports science and technology, including : The promotion of public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of science and technology; and The advancement of science and technology education,
  2. Encourage, promote, and recognise excellence in science and technology,
  3. Provide an infrastructure and other support for the professional needs and development of scientists and technologists,
  4. Provide expert advice on important public issues to the Government and the community,
  5. Do all other lawful things which the Council considers conducive to the advancement and promotion of science and technology in New Zealand.
It is a federation of 49 scientific and technological organisations and several affiliate organisations, and also has individual members.

Activities

The Society's activities include:
The Society 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.

Statement on climate change

On 10 July 2008, the Society released a statement on climate change that said, in summary:

Presidents

Fellows

The Academy Council of the Society from time to time elects as a :Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand|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.

Constituent organisations

The Society has relatively few direct members, with most memberships arising through constituent organisations. These constituent organisations are:

Regional Constituent Organisations

Regional Constituent Organisations are geographical constituents and include:
The Society includes Affiliate Organisations that cover a diversity of disciplines, including policy, science education and the museum sector: