Pioneer recognised with international award
Victoria University of Wellington researcher Professor Ken McNatty has been awarded the 2014 Pioneer Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the understanding of sheep and cattle reproduction.
Victoria University of Wellington researcher Professor Ken McNatty has been awarded the 2014 Pioneer Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the understanding of sheep and cattle reproduction.
Professor McNatty’s lifetime achievements earned him the accolade, awarded during the Ninth International Ruminant Reproduction Symposium (IRRS) in Japan last month. Held every four years and recognised as the most prestigious conference of its kind, the IRRS was host to around 170 delegates from 29 countries.
The criteria that form the basis of the Pioneer Award include the development of new knowledge that opened areas of research in ruminant reproduction; development of new technologies that have enabled other investigators to make important contributions; recognition as an international scholar; and a record of contribution to the field.
Ruminants number around 120 species and include cattle, goats, sheep, giraffes and camels. Professor McNatty’s work in this area has been with sheep and cattle.
A Victoria University graduate, Professor McNatty returned to his alma mater in 2005 when he was appointed Professor of Biotechnology. He continues to work in the School of Biological Sciences on ruminant and non-ruminant reproduction.
A highly distinguished expert in reproductive biology, Professor McNatty has published more than 250 papers, and a paper of his published in Nature in 2000 has been cited over 700 times.