Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowships awarded

The suite of Aotearoa New Zealand Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships support researchers at different career stages to produce excellent and impactful research and to develop into leaders in their fields, their respective host organisations and across the whole of the Aotearoa New Zealand science, innovation and technology (SI&T) system. The Fellowships will develop and improve retention of future research leaders, support career development and enhance equity and diversity within the SI&T system.

The Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowships target mid-career researchers to allow them to further establish themselves as research leaders in their research fields.  Ten New Zealand Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowships have been awarded to excellent mid-career researchers. Each recipient will receive $1,160,000 over the next four years.

The chair of the interview panel, Professor Peter Dearden of the Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka University of Otago, said: “It was a great privilege to interview the shortlisted applicants for the Mana Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowship in the inaugural round. The calibre of applicants this year was outstanding, especially in leadership. I am convinced that these excellent researchers selected to receive the fellowship are future leaders in their fields, and will lead Aotearoa New Zealand’s research and scholarship community. These fellowships will also produce significant scholarly and real-world impact for Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.”

The recipients are:

• Manpreet Dhami, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
• Moses Faleolo, Victoria University of Wellington
• Andrew Hall, The University of Auckland
• Jenni Hopkins, Victoria University of Wellington
• Rebecca Kiddle, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Graham McCulloch, University of Otago
• Christina Painting, University of Waikato
• Rachel Purcell, University of Otago
• Matiu Rātima, University of Otago
• Helen Woolner, Victoria University of Wellington