Science researchers recognised at Research Honours Aotearoa Awards
Three researchers from Te Wāhanga Pūtaiao—Wellington Faculty of Science, who sit on the cutting edge of research across equity in academia, climate change, and earth sciences, have been recognised in the 2022 Research Honours Aotearoa Awards.
Dr Christopher Cornwall of Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora—School of Biological Sciences, Dr Tara McAllister of Pūtaiao ki te Pāpori—Centre for Science in Society, and Professor Rupert Sutherland of Te Kura Tātai Aro Whenua—School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, each work within diverse fields of science research, but they share a common excellence as changemakers.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi presented 26 Research Honours Awards at Parliament last month in recognition of achievements and contribution to research across a broad range of fields within New Zealand.
Te Kōpūnui Māori Research Award was given to Dr Tara McAllister, a leading Māori early career researcher whose vast expertise spans higher education, freshwater ecology, and mātauranga Māori. These fields are united through Dr McAllister’s dedication to Kaupapa Māori epistemology principles.
Dr McAllister’s most notable publication to date, entitled Why isn’t my professor Māori? A snapshot of the academic workforce in New Zealand universities lamented the lack of progress in increasing the Māori academic workforce within Aotearoa New Zealand’s higher education institutions. Subsequent papers have explored issues related to Māori early-career researchers, inequities across institutions, and challenges faced by Māori academic leaders.
The findings of Dr McAllister’s research help to inform policy change and pave the way for higher education for Māori. The award recognises her innovative research that seeks to highlight the underrepresentation and undervaluing of Māori academics.
“For me the award is an acknowledgement of the work that myself and my collaborators, particularly Dr Sereana Naepi, Associate Professor Reremoana Theodore, and Professor Joanna Kidman have done over the past few years to highlight how universities continue to underserve Māori.
“My ultimate hope is that universities will listen to what Māori scholars have been saying for a very long time and take action to address these inequities. I want universities to be environments where Māori can thrive,” Dr McAllister says.
Dr Christopher Cornwall has received the Hamilton Award for his pioneering leadership within research pertaining to his Rutherford Discovery Fellowship at Victoria University of Wellington. This research has forecast the severe impact of climate change on coral reef growth globally, and supports the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“The results of this work clearly show that without immediate and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, coral reefs will cease to form due to the impacts of climate change. This will have profound impacts on coral reef communities, but also on human societies that rely on coral reefs for food or coastal protection,” Dr Cornwall says.
Notably, this research was used in the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report as evidence of coral reef loss under climate change. The award recognises Dr Cornwall’s exceptional contribution as an early-career researcher.
Reflecting on the award, Dr Cornwall says it is great to see the Royal Society Support this research with the Hamilton Award.
“This work represents a huge investment of time and effort by myself and my colleagues during a difficult time to maintain international collaborations.”
The Hutton Medal was awarded to Professor Rupert Sutherland, in recognition of his fundamental contributions and leadership within earth science research. The honour acknowledges Professor Sutherland as someone who has significantly advanced understanding through work of outstanding scientific merit.
Professor Sutherland’s ground-breaking research has been focussed on global plate tectonics, the evolution of Zealandia, and the implications for active faulting and large magnitude earthquakes in New Zealand. Professor Sutherland’s work on the regional structure of Zealandia has brought the past geography of Zealandia to light and contributed to its recognition as a separate continent.
Professor Sutherland says being awarded the medal felt particularly special to him given his worked required spending a lot of time away from his wife and children, including several years at sea or at remote field camps while they were growing up, often without good internet or any phone coverage.
“That was hard; but the award is some recognition by the academic community that the time was worth spending. It is recognition that the work has increased understanding of our continent of Zealandia, how it formed, and how it is currently changing shape,” Professor Sutherland says.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Jennifer Windsor reflects on these honours.
“Ambitious research for transformative impact—this is one of our strategic priorities and as Aotearoa New Zealand’s top-ranked university for research intensity, it is a matter of pride that the pioneering work that our staff undertake has been recognised across prestigious platforms.
“As thought-leaders, our research fosters a spirit of questioning aimed at disrupting current practices and designing innovative solutions to the challenegs we face globally.”