Silver medal for top science

New Zealand Science & Technology Medal winner, Owen Catchpole.

The New Zealand Science & Technology Medals are administered by the Royal Society on behalf of the Government to recognise and honour those who have made conspicuous, continuing or outstanding specific contributions to the promotion and advancement of science, mathematics, social science and technology in New Zealand.

Owen, from Industrial Research's Bioprocessing team, has made an outstanding contribution to supercritical extraction science and technology in New Zealand. His all-encompassing work ranging from theoretical studies to plant design and construction, from developing a knowledge base on the extraction behaviour of natural products to the implementation of new extraction processes has been crucial to the establishment of this new industry, now represented by two commercial extraction plants.

He has developed extraction processes for a large number of raw materials ranging from the sublime (Frankincense) to the obnoxious (highly oxidized fish oils). This wealth of experience has been recognised by the international community.

Supercritical extraction

Supercritical extraction is a "clean" technology that uses high pressures gases, principally CO2, as solvents to extract high value products from primary sector-based raw materials. Supercritical fluids are now being used for the production of nano-particles, textile dyeing, dry cleaning, reactions (especially hydrogenation) and oxidation of hazardous wastes.

The main industrial usage of supercritical fluids in New Zealand is the production of high value extracts for the nutraceutical, food and cosmetic industries.

Owen has published extensively, his research findings are now incorporated in chemical engineering handbooks and he is being invited to collaborate internationally in establishing supercritical fluid extraction facilities elsewhere.