From protecting New Zealand from the mad cow disease to guiding legislation around genetic engineering, Professor Barry Scott has been at the forefront of some of the most important scientific discussions over the past 30 years.

Now his lifes work has been recognised with the New Zealands Association of Scientists top honour, the Marsden Medal.

"Sometimes I think scientists are maniacs with the hours we work, so its nice to be recognised," Professor Scott says. "Im really delighted."

His work has taken him far from the laboratory. He has sat on world-leading boards, spoken at international conferences and helped guide government policy-makers dealing with international dilemmas.

In 1996, he was a member of a committee that advised the New Zealand Government on how to protect agriculture and human health after the outbreak of mad cow disease in Britain. As part of an expert panel, he looked at the implications for New Zealand, its agricultural sector and New Zealanders living in Britain at the time.

As a founding member of Environmental Risk Management Authority, Professor Scott was also been heavily involved in shaping New Zealands policy and decision-making around the introduction of genetically-modified organisms in the 1990s. He was regularly called upon to front public debates on the issue and to help educate people about the underlying science.

Much his work has helped the advancement of New Zealands agricultural sector, including his world-leading research into how an endophyte fungus protects ryegrass from drought, disease and insects.

He is particularly proud of the successes of students he taught and supervised, including more than 20 PhD students now employed in major organisations throughout the world.

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Marsden Medal for Barry Scott