Dr Tim Drysdale, a University of Glasgow lecturer, has finished runner-up in the Air New Zealand, New Zealander of the Year Award.

Architect, Jon Rennie won the top prize at the New Zealand Society's 'Waitangi Day' black-tie dinner at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Friday 2 February.

Dr Drysdale's citation stated that he had shown great leadership in communicating science to school age children and the general public. He also contributed to the internationally leading research of the Microsystem Technology Group at the University of Glasgow, led by Professor David Cumming.

New Zealand born and bred, Dr Drysdale joined the Microsystem Technology Group five years ago. In 2006, Dr Drysdale led and organised the group's exhibit at the prestigious and competitive Royal Society Summer Science exhibitions in London, Glasgow and a special one-off event at Buckingham Palace. The exhibit showcased the group's internationally leading research in terahertz devices as well as contributions from internationally leading companies in the field.

Dr Drysdale was appointed to a lectureship in the Electronics Design Centre in 2006 where he is establishing the Electromagnetics Design Group. In 2004 he was awarded a Royal Society of Edinburgh Personal Research Fellowship. His PhD study was conducted at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, under the supervision of Prof Richard Blaikie and in collaboration with Prof Cumming.

Waitangi Day is a public holiday in New Zealand held each year on the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, 6 February 1840.

Martin Shannon (m.shannon@admin.gla.ac.uk)

Microsystem Technology Group

Tim Drysdale webpage

Dr Timothy D. Drysdale Lecturer, Electronics Design Centre Department of Electronics & Electrical Engineering University of Glasgow

Tel: +44 (0)141 330 5242

Web: www.glasgowedc.org

First published: 1 February 2007