Seven University of Otago researchers and scholars have been elected fellows of Royal Society Te Aparangi for being at the top of their fields in the research and advancement of matauranga Maori, the humanities, technology and science.
Emerita Prof Barbara Brookes, Prof Peter Fineran, Prof Deborah Hay, Prof Philip Hill, Prof Nigel Perry, Prof Murray Thomson and Prof Angela Wanhalla are among 23 world-leading researchers and scholars from across New Zealand to become new fellows.
Prof Brookes (history) has contributed to a vast international expansion of the historical canon from the 1970s, particularly in relation to the history of gender.
Prof Fineran (microbiology and immunology), an international leader in bacterial immune mechanisms, has made world-leading contributions in the area of CRISPR-Cas biology and abortive infection systems.
Prof Hay (pharmacology and toxicology) is an innovative molecular pharmacologist who has enhanced understanding of the roles of G protein-coupled receptors in conditions such as migraine, diabetes and obesity.
Prof Hill (preventive and social medicine) is a world leader in tuberculosis case contact research, using a powerful research platform to evaluate new tools against tuberculosis, and test hypotheses about the properties of the pathogen and how it relates to interventions, including vaccines.
Prof Perry (chemistry) has contributed to new knowledge on natural products and the diverse molecules that regulate many interactions in nature.
Prof Thomson (dentistry) has enhanced understanding of life-long oral health through his work on the Dunedin Study.
And Prof Angela Wanhalla (history) is an award-winning scholar of gender and colonialism.
Academy executive committee chairwoman Prof Charlotte Macdonald said being made a fellow was an honour that recognised distinction in research, scholarship or the advancement of knowledge at the highest international standards.
"The newly elected fellows have made exceptional contributions to knowledge in their fields and across disciplinary boundaries.
"Their election adds to the depth of knowledge held within the academy.
"They will help support the purpose of Royal Society Te Aparangi to engage with New Zealanders on topics important to all and to recognise outstanding researchers working in Aotearoa."
The new fellows will be formally inducted at an event in Wellington on April 28.
