Awards

Every year the NZMS hands out awards for mathematics research and contributions to mathematics in NZ.

Gillian Thornley Award

The 2024 Gillian Thornley Award went to Nicolette Rattenbury

The Gillian Thornley award was established in 2020 to recognize outstanding contributions to the cause or profession of mathematics in New Zealand.
Nicolette Rattenbury (right) with NZMS president Melissa Tacy

The award will be made to a person or group that has made an outstanding contribution to mathematics within NZ, with the nominations being assessed on the basis of the case made by the nominators. For the purposes of this award, “contribution to the cause or profession or mathematics” could include (but is not limited to) contributions to teaching and education, research leadership, outreach, engagement with government bodies, diversity, service to professional societies, mentoring, and communication of mathematics to a general audience.

Eligibility. Nominees need not be members of the NZMS but the award would normally be given for work that took place in New Zealand and contributed to NZ mathematics.

Nominations should include the following:

  • A joint statement of support (at most one page) from two nominators, who must be current members of the NZMS.
  • A brief CV (at most three pages) containing: name and affiliation; professional experience including employment history and roles; awards, prizes or other relevant recognition, if any; summary of activities or service relevant to the contribution for which the person is being nominated. If a nomination is for more than one person, CVs should be provided for two of the nominees.
  • Any other relevant information, if necessary (at most three pages). This could (but need not) include a letter of support.

Nominations should be sent by email to the NZMS President, Bernd Krauskopf, by 31 August 2025. Submissions should state clearly that they are for the Gillian Thornley Award.

The Gillian Thornley Award for 2024 was presented at the Joint Meeting of the AMS, AustMS, and AMS to Nicolette Rattenbury (University of Auckland) “For her sustained leadership and contributions in Mathematics and Science communication/outreach, her mentoring of students, and also her sustained efforts to support equity/diversity in Science and Mathematics”

Recipients of the Gillian Thornley Award
Year Name Location Award Details
2023 Sina Greenwood For her demonstrated commitment to improving learning outcomes for Māori and Pacific students for over 20 years, with scores of students having benefited from the programmes and initiatives that Sina has had the determination and perseverance to deliver. She has also demonstrated outstanding leadership in this domain and is currently the Associate Dean Pacific in the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland and led the development of a Pacific Strategy for Science.
2022 Jeanette McLeod and Philip Wilson For their outstanding contributions to mathematics and science communication. Jeanette and Phil are the brains and hands behind the highly successful Maths Craft initiative, which has reached thousands of people of all ages at its public events and workshops since 2016 and through the Maths Craft in a Box project in 2021 and 2022. Jeanette and Phil’s dedication and brilliant communication of mathematics to the general public have had demonstrable effects in promoting mathematics and in making the wider public aware of its beauty and usefulness for everyone.
2021 Ross Atkins For outstanding service in support mathematics in Aotearoa NZ through his work with the NZ Mathematical Olympiad Committee. Ross has volunteered with the NZMOC since 2017. In that time, he has introduced innovations in the training programme, initiated a NZ Mathematical Olympiad competition, and provided strong leadership as team leader or deputy team leader for four International Mathematical Olympiads.
2020 Liz Ackerley For her work with mathematically-promising secondary school students. Liz has taught, mentored, inspired, guided, and cared for over a thousand young mathematics students over almost a quarter of a century through the University of Canterbury’s Maths 199 course, providing a bridge for these students to university mathematics.
2020 Rachel Passmore For sustained and impactful contributions to improving access to mathematics and the quality of mathematics teaching at secondary school level in New Zealand. Rachel has been the driving force behind numerous initiatives to provide continuing education opportunities for mathematics school teachers and to improve access to study opportunities involving mathematics and statistics for students from a wide range of backgrounds.