BRNZ investigator Prof Valery Feigin (AUT) has been elected as both a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi and a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Valery was elected as one of 19 new Ngā Ahurei a Te Apārangi Fellows, who are recognised for their distinction in research, scholarship or the advancement of knowledge at the highest international standards.
Royal Society Te Apārangi notes that Valery’s research findings “have had profound international impact, changing our understanding of stroke and traumatic brain injury prevention and epidemiology. His research has had significant implications for health care services, research planning and priority setting and significantly has resulted in changes in the World Health Organisation International Classification of Diseases 11th revision.” They also highlight his novel approach to primary stroke prevention through motivational population-wide intervention, such as the Stroke Riskometer app. In 2015, Valery was awarded the MacDiarmid Medal by Royal Society Te Apārangi.
Chair of the Academy Executive Committee Professor Richard Blaikie FRSNZ says it was pleasing to see new Fellows from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds: “The newly-elected Fellows have made amazing contributions to knowledge in their fields and across disciplinary boundaries. Their election adds significantly to the breadth and diversity of knowledge held within the Academy; they will help support the purpose of Te Apārangi to engage with and inform New Zealanders on matters of public importance.”
Valery was also elected a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The Academy, which aims to advance fundamental research in the sciences and humanities, is regarded as the highest scientific institution in Russia.
Valery says, “I am extremely honoured to be elected to both the Royal Society of New Zealand and Russian Academy of Sciences. I take it as recognition of the work being carried out by my team and I at the National Institute for Stroke and Applied Neurosciences at AUT. I will do my best to further advance research in stroke and applied neurosciences to the benefit of all people.”