Photo caption: From left to right: Professor Neil Boister, Professor Katie Pickles, Professor Renwick Dobson, Professor Elissa Cameron and Professor Michael Plank.
Congratulations to transnational criminal law expert Professor Neil Boister, wildlife behaviour and conservation expert Head of School of Biological Sciences Professor Elissa Cameron (Ngāi Tahu, Ōtākou), internationally recognised biochemist Professor Renwick Dobson, feminism and postcolonial history leading scholar Professor Katie Pickles and world-leading maths modeller Professor Michael Plank, who have been elected as Ngā Ahurei a Te Apārangi Fellows.
This honour recognises the contributions these researchers have made to their fields at the highest international standard.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Innovation | Tumu Tuarua Rangahau Professor Lucy Johnston is proud to see so many of UC’s academics elected as Fellows.
“The election of five of our academics as Fellows of the Royal Society Te Apārangi is a significant honour and a reflection of the calibre of research at UC,” Professor Johnston says.
“This recognition affirms the international impact and scholarly excellence of their work, and highlights UC’s ongoing contribution to the advancement of knowledge across a broad range of disciplines.”
Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase FRSNZ, Chair of the Academy Executive Committee, believes the latest elected Fellows demonstrates the strength of New Zealand’s research communities.
“Their election demonstrates the excellence of New Zealand research, innovation, and scholarship and shows the contribution our nation’s Fellows make on the world stage across a diverse array of subjects,” says Distinguished Professor Chase.
Congratulations again to our academics for their achievements.
The new UC Fellows are:
Professor Neil Boister
Professor Neil Boister is a leader in international criminal law scholarship. He founded the subdiscipline of transnational criminal law—which studies how international law shapes domestic criminal law for offences which cross national borders. Through his work on global drug control, he first demonstrated how drug offences spread from influential states, requiring international cooperation for investigation and prosecution, with international law serving as a conduit for policy-transfer. He expanded this concept to encompass legal responses to all domestic crimes with international influences. Neil is also known for his work on international drug control, tobacco smuggling, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, extradition law and the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal.
Professor Elissa Cameron
Professor Elissa Cameron (Ngāi Tahu, Ōtākou) is a wildlife biologist whose research has advanced our understanding of animal behaviour, ecology and conservation. Her focus has been on social behaviour, reproductive strategies, and the impact of parental investment in the care of their offspring. Elissa’s insights have led to innovative wildlife-management policies for large mammals, such as giraffes in Africa and wild equid in different areas. She has elucidated the complex interactions between animals and their habitats. Her interdisciplinary approach, integrating behavioural ecology with physiology and conservation biology, has enriched the field by demonstrating how behavioural research can inform effective conservation strategies.
Professor Renwick Dobson
Professor Renwick Dobson is a biochemist with expertise in structural biology and biophysics. He has unravelled the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation and enzyme function within cells, produced innovative functional foods and developed novel diagnostic assay platforms. His work has potential applications for agriculture, nutrition and health. He has significantly advanced our understanding of how cells transport molecules across membranes, working on a group of transporter proteins called Tripartite ATP-independent Periplasmic (TRAP) transporters, which are potential targets for new antimicrobial drugs. Renwick is recognised internationally as an expert in analytical ultracentrifugation, establishing the country’s only facility for this method.
Professor Katie Pickles
Professor Katie Pickles is a leading scholar of feminist and postcolonial history. She has published widely on settler colonialism, exploring themes of gender, empire and national identity in Aotearoa New Zealand, Canada, Australia and Britain. She has published four books, including the recent monograph Heroines in History. Her books have identified elite women as agents of global history and imperialism, and critically examined global archetypes of heroines over time. Katie has contributed to national debates about the environment through the lens of history and decolonisation, including scholarship on the impact of the Canterbury earthquakes.
Professor Michael Plank
Professor Michael Plank is a world-leader in mathematical modelling of complex systems in biology and epidemiology. These models can advance our fundamental understanding of real-world problems and support policy decisions. Michael has made ground-breaking contributions in a range of areas including the dynamics and management of epidemics, ecosystems and fisheries. He has also modelled use of te reo Māori to inform policies on language revitalisation. Michael led the national team providing real-time mathematical modelling of the spread of the Covid-19 virus for the government, supporting decision-makers to predict the likely impact of various response measures.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 - Quality Education.
