Dr Sam McNally
Sam McNally
The inaugural recipient of the New Zealand Society of Soil Science Early Career Researcher award, recognising outstanding research contributions by a New Zealand-based soil scientist within 8 years of completing their highest qualification, was Manaaki Whenua’s Dr Sam McNally. Sam works with a wide network of end-users including (to date) the Ministry for the Environment, Ministry for Primary Industries and He Waka Eke Noa, New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, the Farmed Landscapes Research Centre, Foundation for Arable Research and Marlborough District Council.
Dr Peter Heenan
Peter Heenan
Dr Peter Heenan has been awarded the Leonard Cockayne Lecture Award by Royal Society Te Apārangi for his decades-long commitment to Aotearoa New Zealand’s rich botany, and the sharing of his knowledge with audiences across the country and the world. Peter has unrivalled knowledge of the New Zealand flora and has published over 230 scientific papers. His recent publications range in topic from eco-sourcing, taxonomy, plant colonisation of New Zealand, and phylogenetic clustering and age of formation of plant habitats. In the past year, Peter has visited five Pacific Island nations to assess their needs in plant biodiversity, conservation, and food security. Taking the opportunities provided by this travel, he is currently building a botanical research programme in Niue in partnership with local biodiversity staff.
Dr Manpreet Dhami
Manpreet Dhami
In December 2024 Dr Manpreet Dhami was awarded one of just ten inaugural Mana Tūānuku research leader fellowships by the Royal Society Te Apārangi. Over the next four years Manpreet will study whether optimising the gut microbiome of captive raised endangered Aotearoa New Zealand native birds can improve their survival in the wild.
Dr Kieren Mitchell
Kieren Mitchell
Dr Kieren Mitchell has an honorary role as Associate Investigator with the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures (CIEHF, https://ciehf.au/). The Centre was created to pursue better environmental outcomes by bringing Indigenous and Western knowledges together to understand the long-term histories and near-term futures of Australia, which closely matches Manaaki Whenua’s own ambitions with respect to our commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi and delivering impact for our Māori partners. Kieren will contribute expert advice in palaeoecology and genomics to the Centre’s programmes.
