[ad_1]
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
University of Auckland Associate Professor and Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles has been named Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year 2021.
Microbiologist Dr. Siouxsie Wiles, one of the public faces of the Covid-19 response, has been named New Zealander of the Year.
Wiles, an associate professor at the University of Auckland, received the award from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at a gala dinner at the Cordis hotel in Auckland on Wednesday.
Impossible to get lost with his signature pink hair, Wiles has played a key role in helping the public understand the science behind the Covid-19 pandemic and analyze its impact on the country.
Wiles, who also runs the University of Auckland’s bioluminescent superbug lab, was awarded the kiwibank kaitaka huaki cape, Pouhine, by 2020 New Zealander actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
READ MORE:
* Covid-19: one year from the first case reported in New Zealand
* Cancer care advocate Melissa Vining nominated for Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year
* Putaruru Social Worker Free Clothing Center Leads to Hero Award
Miriama Kamo, sponsor of the awards, said that Wiles “definitely fits the bill” with the awards that celebrate people who use their passion to make New Zealand a better place.
During last year’s close, Wiles stepped up and helped “millions of people around the world see beyond the fear and complexities of the pandemic,” Kamo said.
Wiles had joined forces with Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris and worked to make science and the pandemic clear and understandable.
“His work brought support, strength and clarity in New Zealand and beyond, representing our country on the world stage and helping us stay safe.”
RICKY WILSON / Stuff
Wiles was named the top winner at the Stuff-Westpac Women of Influence Awards last year.
The mention for the award said that Wiles had faced considerable criticism, “for his authority, for his appearance, for his gender.”
“Siouxsie continued to respond to one of the greatest challenges of our time with empathy, innovation and courage, and her work has been viewed by millions and even used by governments and organizations as part of their official communications on the pandemic.”
Wiles was named the Supreme Winner at the 2020 Stuff-Westpac Women of Influence Awards for her accessible and evidence-based commentary on staying safe during the pandemic.
Aside from her work on Covid-19, she is a passionate and influential leader in her industry.
“Her willingness to break down barriers has opened doors for women in science, and her pioneering work in bioluminescence is redefining modern medicine,” Kamo said.
Other 2021 finalists included Muslim community leader Farid Ahmed, who has become a symbol of forgiveness following the March 15 terror attacks, and Ranjna Patel, founder and director of Tāmaki Health and violence prevention activist. domestic.
Wiles studied medical microbiology at the University of Edinburgh, followed by a doctorate in microbiology at the Oxford Center for Ecology and Hydrology.
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
Dr Siouxsie Wiles, a microbiologist at the University of Auckland, has consistently provided Kiwis with information, progress and assurance throughout the pandemic. Here’s what you know about the virus and why it spread around the world so quickly.
She spent nearly a decade at Imperial College London before moving to New Zealand as a Hercus Fellow of the Health Research Council in 2009.
Wiles and his team at the University of Auckland made bacteria glow in the dark to understand how infectious microbes cause disease and to find new antibiotics.
Passionate about demystifying science, she has won numerous awards for her efforts and is a prolific tweeter, blogger, podcaster, and science commentator.
In 2017, Wiles published his first book, Antibiotic Resistance: the End of Modern Medicine ?, and recently collaborated with his daughter to run a children’s program on microbiology.
One of three finalists for New Zealander of the Year in 2018, a year later she was named a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services in microbiology and science communication.
Other New Zealanders honored in five categories at the 2021 awards include:
- University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year Te Mātātahi o te Tau: Co-founder of Voices of Hope and mental health advocate, Jazz Thornton (Auckland)
- Ryman Healthcare New Zealander Senior of the Year Magazine of the Year: Medical Scholar and Author, Dr. Doug Wilson (Taupō)
- Trade Me New Zealand Innovator of the year Size of the year: Founder and Director of Tāmaki Health activist and prevention of domestic violence, Ranjna Patel (Auckland)
- Miter 10 New Zealand Community of the Year Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau: Christchurch Mosque Victims Group: Support for the people and victims affected by the mosque attacks
- Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Pou Toko o te Tau – Environmental Engineer at Waka Huia Limited and Founder of Pūniu River Care, Shannon Te Huia (Waikato)
