John Darby has been getting kids into science for half a century.

MADDY HARKER

Wanaka’s John Darby has been made a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand for a lifetime of work dedicated to research, conservation and communicating science.

Only three people from across the country are receiving the distinguished award this year.

"It came from left field for me,” John said, "but I’m very honoured to receive it”.

John will be presented with the award by the president of the Royal Society of New Zealand in Wanaka on August 4. This date also happens to be the 150th anniversary of the society.

In Wanaka, John is best known for his conservation work with endangered grebes, but he actually has a lifetime of work promoting science behind him.

"The real reason for the award has been for the promotion of science and particularly taking it into the public arena,” John said. "I’ve always been passionate about science and what it can do and what it can achieve.”

John began promoting science more than 50 years ago, when he helped with a children’s science club in Canterbury.

When he moved to Dunedin, John started the Young Explorers programme, a week-long science programme for children. Young Explorers ran for 17 years, and would include about 400 children each week.

He also started science workshops for secondary school children, which were run in conjunction with the University of Otago.

"I was very aware that a high proportion of kids didn’t know what they wanted to do when they left school, so we took 10-12 subjects that kids were not taught at school and taught them. It was basically to open their eyes to the various disciplines in science.”

Some of the children John mentored have gone on to be professors in science.

There is now a programme called ‘Hands On Science’ offered at the University of Otago which originated from the programme John founded.

Other career highlights include setting up the world’s first yellow-eyed penguin reserve, being a founding trustee for the Otago Natural History Trust, and setting up Discovery World as an interactive science centre at Otago Museum.

John also received an honorary lectureship of zoology at the University of Otago, having helped students in science with their postgraduate studies for 20 years.

His work with the grebes in Wanaka came along by chance.

"I had only ever seen a single grebe in my entire life, and I came to Wanaka and saw two, and thought as a zoologist ‘is there something we can do about that?’”

John started writing the Grebe Diary, published regularly in the Wanaka Sun, to introduce people to the biology of the species and spark interest. John said he thinks he has written around 100 Grebe Diaries since conservation work began four years ago.

He is amazed how well the grebes have done: "I never imagined we would fledge 150 chicks in Roys Bay marina.”

To be considered as a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand, an individual must be nominated by their peers. Nominees are then judged by a special panel of members of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Companions must have outstanding leadership or eminent contributions to promoting and advancing science, technology or the humanities in New Zealand.

PHOTO: curiousminds.nz