The HRC established the Catalyst in the Community Award in 2025. It recognises an individual or research team whose recent research has supported local, transformative, and cross-disciplinary research in health for any specific community in New Zealand, in partnership with that community, over a 5-year period.
The award honours an exceptional researcher or research team that has facilitated significant change or accelerated translation and uptake of findings to produce a significant impact locally in the community, bringing about transformation of health outcomes. For the purposes of this award, a community is defined as any population group, or representatives of that group, who are seeking to improve health outcomes for their population through health research. The award is for a specific body of high-impact collaborative work, in partnership with a local community, that goes beyond academia.
Call for 2026 Catalyst in the Community Award nominations opening soon
Nominations for the 2026 Catalyst in the Community Award will be opening in February, with the medal to be awarded later in 2026. The award consists of a framed certificate.
Eligibility criteria:
- Self-nominations are acceptable.
- The award is for either a:
- specific body of work over 5-years prior to the nomination due date for work in partnership that has been translated and taken up sustainably in the community (policy, social media campaign, help booklets, presentations/hui for example);
- specific piece of research over a short period resulting in a peer-reviewed journal/publication that has been published 2 calendar years prior to the nomination submission (i.e. between January and December 2024) to allow time for demonstrating the impact of the research.
- Must be a health researcher/team/member(s) of a community going beyond academia.
- Research should demonstrate evidence of community engagement, partnership and empowerment, that has facilitated translation into New Zealand policy/clinical/community settings.
- Must recognise locally impactful work that has been transformative.
- The award is intended to recognise stars in their respective health research fields – emerging researchers should be encouraged; consideration will be relative to opportunity and level of funding received to perform the work.
- Research must be cross-disciplinary and highly collaborative.
- An assessing committee will be convened to discuss the nominations before making their recommendations to Council. The award is open for nominations annually but may be held over at the discretion of Council if it is deemed no applications meet the criteria.
- Nominees (individuals or team) are eligible to receive all HRC awards more than once with a five-year stand down period following receipt of any HRC award (for example, if a nominee first received the award in 2021, they are ineligible for the 2026 award; if first received in 2020, nominees are again eligible for the 2026 award).
- Current Health Research Council members are not eligible to receive any HRC medals while in post.
- An assessing committee will be convened to discuss the nominations before making their recommendations to Council. The award is open for nominations annually but may be held over at the discretion of Council if it is deemed no applications meet the criteria.
- If the nomination is related to a publication, the publisher must have permitted dissemination.
- The eligible work must also have been carried out/published while the lead researcher(s) was/were predominantly in New Zealand.
- An accumulated body of work to mark translational research over a career does not meet the criteria (please refer to the Beaven Medal).
- A research paper/specific piece of research with largely international significance does not meet the criteria (please refer to the Liley Medal).
The HRC welcomes nominations from individuals/teams working with any community in partnership to improve health outcomes.
Nominations should include:
- name and contact details of the nominee
- a cover letter (<800 words) including a brief narrative description of the work regarding:
- how the research has been cross-disciplinary and collaborative
- how the research/team has engaged with, co-produced research in partnership, and/or empowered the community to lead to translation and a sustainable local impact with health solutions and better health outcomes
- what the impact of the research has been, with evidence and supporting narrative provided to highlight the transformative and innovative nature of the research in New Zealand, beyond providing journal citation(s) alone
- how the work has contributed to health benefits that have advanced health for a community in New Zealand
- how the researcher/team/member of the community has shown leadership
- how the health research findings have been disseminated and translated back to the community
- the total level of funding received to support the research.
- Either a:
- 3-page summary of a body of work completed in the past 5-years prior to the nomination due date: or,
- an electronic PDF copy of a maximum of 2 full research papers, guideline(s), and/or other description (max 3 pages) of the transformative and high impact research (published 2 calendar years prior to the nomination submission, i.e. between January and December 2024).
- Avoid using hyperlinks in the nomination form. All additional material and hyperlinks will be removed from your nomination.
Nomination on behalf of others is acceptable, as is self-nomination.
Nominations for the 2026 Catalyst in the Community Award will open in February 2026 and close at 1pm on Wednesday 29 April 2026. Nominations should be directed to Dr Katie Palastanga via email (medals@hrc.govt.nz). If nominating on behalf of someone, nominators must inform the nominee. Please visit the HRC website for further information and to view past recipients of other HRC medals.
Catalyst in the Community Award - past recipients
2025 (Inaugural award) - The research team from Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou Taurite Tū Limited, whose Taurite Tū programme, a uniquely Māori approach to falls prevention rooted in both western science and traditional Māori practices, has significantly reduced falls risk and injury rates for Māori aged 55-plus.
About the Catalyst in the Community Award design
The design for the Catalyst in the Community Award embodies themes of transformation, community and the acceleration of positive change. It reflects how collaborative, cross-disciplinary research can act as a catalyst, driving impact and lasting outcomes for local communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Central to the design is the haehae ring with interwoven tāniko designs that represent connection but also the movement of change. On the outside of that features an outer ring with the unaunahi motifs. Traditionally representing fish scales, here they speak to whakapapa and interconnection, while also evoking the flowing waters of rivers – a metaphor for the resilience, vitality and ongoing momentum with hapori.
Framing the design are tāniko patterns, signifying both the enduring legacy of transformative work and the collective strength of community support. Together these elements embody the catalyst effect – accelerating change, weaving together people and knowledge, and strengthening health outcomes through genuine partnership.