SCANZ Awards 2025 — Winners Announced

Two outstanding projects took top honours at the SCANZ Awards 2025: The Seed Pod (Excellence in Science Communication) and Anna Yeoman (Emerging Science Communicator). Both winners will present at the 2026 SCANZ Conference in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Excellence in Science Communication Award | The Seed Pod

Image rights: SCANZ.

The Seed Pod, led by Sian Crowley and her team, collaborate with kaiako, whānau, artists, and scientists to design playful, beautiful learning resources that nurture a connection with te taiao. Their work spans podcasts, comics, teacher learning pods, community events, and PLD — all grounded in storytelling and creativity. What stands out is not just the quality of the resources but the way they invite people in. Their uptake over the past two years shows that this kaupapa is resonating, reaching audiences in multiple ways and making science feel accessible, warm, and deeply human.

Emerging Science Communicator Award | Anna Yeoman

Image rights: SCANZ.

What began as an internship in science communication has become an ongoing, high-impact journey. Anna Yeoman is dedicated to increasing New Zealanders’ engagement with ngā mokomoko (native lizards) — to the point of literally writing the book. Alongside the book, she has produced magazine features (New Zealand Geographic, North & South, NZ Gardener), radio and film interviews, speaking engagements, public events, and guided lizard tours.

Finalists 2025

Excellence in Science Communication

• MOTAT — He Wero ā Ringa Hands-on Design Challenge hosted at Te Puawānanga, MOTAT’s creative learning space for communicating scientific and technological practice.

• The Seed Pod — Learning Pods developed with educators, whānau, artists, and scientists; playful, design-led science communication resources.

• Izzy Te Aho White & Kate White — Artistic contributions to an HRC-funded study using digital storytelling with Māori living with chronic pain and tapering opioids.

Emerging Science Communicator

• Rebekah Crosswell — Contributions to Te Pou Whirinaki o te Mate Huka (The Pillars of Support for Type 2 Diabetes).

• Helena Ruffell — Raising awareness of inputs and impacts of microplastics in Aotearoa’s productive soils.

• Anna Yeoman — Increasing public engagement with native lizards across Aotearoa.

Ngā mihi | Acknowledgements

This spotlight is shared with permission from the Science Communicators Association of New Zealand (SCANZ). Tēnā koutou mō te whakaaetanga me te tautoko. If this looks like your kaupapa and you’d like us to amplify future updates, whakapā mai.