Scion senior scientist Dr Grace Villamor is one of 34 new faces at Te Pūnaha Matatini, joining the organisation as a principal investigator for the next three years.
Te Pūnaha Matatini is the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) for complex systems that brings together a community of researchers from tertiary institutions, government institutes, the private sector, and marae communities to solve some of our country’s most complex and critical issues.
More than 60 applications for new investigators were reviewed by the investigator review panel.
Villamor will join almost 100 other principal investigators developing approaches that enable better decision-making about New Zealand’s environment, economy, and society.
Climate change is considered one of the most critical challenges affecting New Zealand and the world. To ensure communities have the information and support they need to prepare for the impacts of climate change, Minister of Climate Change James Shaw unveiled New Zealand’s first National Adaption Plan (NAP) in August last year.
Dr Villamor says the NAP highlights how New Zealand might adapt to climate change, but more work is needed.
As a principal investigator, she is participating in Te Pūnaha Matatini’s research programmes, meetings, and workshops – with a particular focus on her research interests.
In announcing the new principal investigators, Director Associate Professor Cilla Wehi says Te Pūnaha Matatini’s world is opening up.
Credit: sunlive.co.nz