Royal Society supports future research leaders

Researchers from the Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland have been recognised as future leaders and as a distinguished researcher in the Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships from the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Professor Christian Hartiger, Science, has been awarded a Mana Tūārangi Distinguished Researcher Fellowship to study the interactions between metal complexes and proteins to unlock applications in medicine and industry.

Dr Andrew Hall, Engineering, has been awarded a Māna Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowship to study how to reduce noise and improve ventilation for healtheir homes in New Zealand.

A further eight researchers have been awarded Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowships.  In total the fellowships provide $6.56m funding to support researchers at different career stages to produce excellent and impactful research.

They are also intended to support leaders in their fields, not only at their respective host organisations, but across the whole of the Aotearoa New Zealand's science, innovation and technology (SI&T) system.

The fellowships will develop and improve the retention of future research leaders, support career development and enhance equity and diversity.

Mana Tuāpapa Future Leader Fellowships have been awarded to:

• Dr Karamia Müller, Creative Arts and Industries: Self-Determination in Pacific Housing: Understanding and Promoting Empowerment
• Dr Eileen Joy, Education and Social Work: What 'counts' as evidence in social wellbeing policymaking and development in Aotearoa New Zealand?
• Dr Ying (Ingrid) Wang, Education and Social Work: Enhancing cultural competency for working with Asian learners in New Zealand schools
• Dr Farha Ramzan, Liggins Institute: Weaving Mātauranga and Science: the immunomodulatory role of kawakawa
• Dr Neil Birrell, Science: Beyond the Apocalypse: Evidence-based insect conservation for giant flightless weevils in Aotearoa New Zealand
• Dr Stephanie Stuteley, Science: Key regulators of redox metabolism in pathogenic bacteria
• Dr William Pearman, Science: Holobiont histories – rewinding host-microbe evolution to identify the contributions of microbes to host adaptation and resilience
• Dr Bicheng (Amy) Zhu, Science: Conductive Soil: Electrifying a sustainable future with increased food production

Nationwide results are on the Royal Society Te Apārangi website .