Professor Phil Butler, CNZM, of Christchurch, for services to science, education and health
Professor Phil Butler has spent most of his career with the University of Canterbury Physics Department.
He has led the New Zealand team engaged with ground-breaking particle physics research at CERN through the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment.
He has worked on the company MARS Bioimaging Ltd, applying CERN’s Medipix detector technology to create a colour x-ray scanner for medical imaging.
He has had input into the design of the next-generation Medipix chip. He wrote a textbook on his PhD research interest, Racah’s algebra of many particle systems.
He led his company, Medical Laser Developments, in inventing a copper vapour laser for treatment of port wine stain birthmarks.
Professor Butler co-founded the National Science Technology Roadshow Trust and the Science Alive Charitable Trust and helped establish the Tekapo Dark Sky Reserve.