Our Senior Leadership Team

Our senior leadership team as we move into Tranche Two. From top left, Director Professor Amanda Black, Dr Nick Waipara, Dr Sylvia Nissen, Professor Peter Dearden and Distinguished Professor Phillip Hulme. 

Bioprotection Aotearoa has appointed two new Deputy Directors to its senior leadership team, strengthening the depth of our transdisciplinary research and engagement across internal and external networks.

These appointments support the leadership already active within the CoRE and reflect a continued commitment to our research architecture that connects across the pou of our Te Taiao-a-Rangi framework.

As co-lead of the Bioprotection Futures project, Dr Sylvia Nissen brings a social science lens to our research in Tranche Two. Her appointment as Deputy Director reinforces the value of integrating societal perspectives alongside biological and environmental research in addressing complex bioprotection challenges.

Sylvia says, “Addressing complex bioprotection issues requires many knowledges, and that is a key strength of Bioprotection Aotearoa. I see expanding collaborations across our projects as a basis for further developing distinctive and future-focused research and training.”

Also joining the leadership team is Dr Nick Waipara from the Bioeconomy Science Institute, who strengthens engagement across our research community. Through supporting webinars and fostering connections between researchers, partners and communities, his work reinforces the relational foundations of the CoRE and ensures our research remains connected, visible and responsive.

A passionate advocate and mentor, whose leadership has strengthened both our research and our people. Professor Nick Roskrudge (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tama)

Alongside the appointments, we acknowledge the retirement of Professor Nick Roskrudge from academia and his service as Deputy Director for Bioprotection Aotearoa.  Since the CoRE’s inception and successful TEC bid in 2020, he has been instrumental in advancing the vision of Bioprotection Aotearoa.

Nick has played a key role in strengthening pathways for Māori and Pasifika students in bioprotection, ensuring their pathways are grounded in whanaungatanga.

Professor Peter Deaden and Distinguished Professor Phillip Hulme continue as fellow Deputy Directors, providing operational oversight and strategic direction as Bioprotection Aotearoa moves into Tranche Two.

Reflecting on these changes, Phillip says, “The discussions with our social science researchers have been really useful and bode well for excellent transdisciplinary research in the coming years.”

Director Professor Amanda Black says that with this senior leadership team, Bioprotection Aotearoa is well positioned to support early career researchers and deepen connections between research and communities.

“Our focus remains on developing capability and advancing bioprotection research that is responsive to the environmental challenges ahead.”