The Ivan Skinner Award is an annual award worth $15,000. It aims to advance the common interests of NHC Toka Tū Ake and the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE). The award promotes the advancement of either research, the practice of earthquake engineering, and earthquake resilience, or all – reducing the impacts of earthquakes on New Zealand communities.
People encouraged to apply include:
- earthquake engineering researchers who have already demonstrated high promise with early achievements
- students or individuals holding other relevant qualifications, who show exceptional promise in contributing to the field of earthquake engineering research
- practitioners employed in a role where earthquake-engineering and earthquake resilience is relevant and undertaken
- individuals with unusual combinations of knowledge and skills that can enhance earthquake engineering and earthquake resilience practice.
Previous award winners
2025: Maxim Millen(external link)
2024: Ben Exton(external link)
2023: Dr Lucas Hogan
2022: Dr Shahab Ramhormozian(external link)
2021: Dr Ashkan Hashemi
2020: Najif Ismail
2019: Kaley Crawford-Flett
2018: Richard Henry and Timothy Sullivan
2017: Dmytro Dizhur
2015: Dr Liam Wotherspoon
2014: Dr Geoffrey Rodgers
2013: Dr Alessandro Palermo
2012: Dr Brendon Bradley
2010: Dr Quincy Ma
2008: Assoc Prof Misko Cubrinovski
2007: Assoc Prof Rajesh Dhakal
About Ivan Skinner
The award commemorates Dr Ivan Skinner, who conceived the idea of ‘base isolation’ to protect buildings and bridges during earthquakes. Ivan is best remembered for his work at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research during the 1960s. From 1994-2006, he was Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake’s Research Director. Ivan was a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, a Fellow of NZSEE, and was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal in 1990.