Another household name, University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker, won the Prime Minister's Science Communication Prize.
Otago University said in a statement Prof Baker had been New Zealand's go-to science professional since the start of the pandemic.
"Prof Baker wrote the book on New Zealand's hugely successful COVID-19 elimination strategy, using multiple forms of science communication to actively promote a move away from a mitigation strategy in early March 2020."
Prof Baker said he was relieved when the Government implemented the COVID-19 elimination strategy.
"I felt absolutely compelled to communicate because at some points I thought New Zealand was heading off a cliff, particularly a year ago when we were at a real crossroads as to whether to follow a flatten the curve approach or to forge a different direction to eliminate the virus."