University welcomes new fund

UNIVERSITY of Otago researchers are expected to be among those throughout the country who will benefit from a government decision, announced yesterday, to establish a new research fund for ‘‘cuttingedge energy technology’’.

Otago University academic Associate Prof Janet Stephenson, who chairs the National Energy Research Institute, yesterday welcomed the move to establish the $20 million science research fund, which would help New Zealand ‘‘address the significant developments’’ in the energy sector.

Prof Stephenson, who is also director of the Otago University Centre for Sustainability, said the university had considerable energy research ability and its energy researchers were likely to be among those throughout the country seeking to secure some of the new contestable research fund.