An Introduction to NZ Science

The "New Zealand Science" database was originally created by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), the Divisions of which became the Crown Research Institutes (CRIs). It contains reasonably comprehensive indexed records of their scientists' publications (international as well as local), some as far back as 1848. The database, known as "SIRIS" was hosted for a time on The National Library's "Kiwinet" search service, where it was known as STIX.

There is a wide variation in the coverage and extent of information contained in each record, but generally you will see the author(s), title, source, date of the record and some keywords. The database stopped being updated by the CRI's in 1998. Then, in 2000, some new records were sent and successfully loaded into the database. These were the NIWA and Landcare collections covering 1998 to present date.

Since then IRL has contributed data, the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, NIWA, HortResearch and Geological and Nuclear Sciences have also provided updates. In October 2011 there were 136,781 records in the NZ Science collection.

The database has been enriched by the inclusion of a comprehensive selected bibliography on NZ forestry conservation and management by Marleene Boyd and it is hoped that further bibliographies will be also added to NZ Science.

List of Titles indexed in NZ Science

Click here Scilist for an alphabetical list of titles in NZ Science.

Trailblazing - science timeline

Trailblazing is an interactive timeline for everybody with an interest in science. Compiled by scientists, science communicators and historians - and co-ordinated by Professor Michael Thompson FRS - it celebrates three and a half centuries of scientific endeavour and has been launched to commemorate the Royal Society's 350th anniversary in 2010.