As if New Zealander of the Year wasn't enough, Dame Anne Salmond has also taken out the country's top science prize.
Dame Anne, who was crowned New Zealander of the Year this year, took out the top prize at the Royal Society of New Zealand 2013 Research Honours in Dunedin tonight.
Her award - the Rutherford Medal - is awarded for "exceptional contribution" to science, mathematics, social science and technology.
It also comes with a $100,000 bonus from the government.
Dame Anne took home the award for her work on Maori social structures and interactions with the European world.
"Her widely acclaimed books have challenged thinking on cultural interaction in the Pacific, and deepened understanding of the individuals, social structures and political forces that collided in the 18th and 19th centuries in New Zealand," the Royal Society of New Zealand said.
She is the first social scientist and third woman to take home the award in its 22-year history.
Other winners on the night included Professor Sir Harold Marshall for developing acoustical designs for performance spaces, Professor Neil Broom for his research into human heart valves and joint and spinal tissues, and Professor Dave Kelly for his work with native New Zealand flora.
AP
source: newshub archive
