Ngā Ara Whetū Innovation Scholar

Dr Jagdeep Singh-Ladhar was appointed in June 2024 as the inaugural Ngā Ara Whetū Innovation Scholar. This newly established role is designed to support emerging leaders at the early stages of their careers and to foster their engagement with Ngā Ara Whetū. The position is a collaborative initiative between Ngā Ara Whetū and the Faculty of Business and Economics, one of the Centre’s co-hosting faculties.

Dr Singh-Ladhar is a lecturer in the Department of Commercial Law, where she lectures in commercial law and taxation. Her research interests are deeply rooted in sustainability, as evidenced by her PhD work on water allocation. Recently, she authored a book, that examines water allocation law and policy in New Zealand, drawing comparisons with Australia.

In addition to her academic achievements, Dr Singh-Ladhar has gained valuable experience working with the Ministry for the Environment on recent reforms to the Resource Management Act. This experience has provided her with practical insights into how research can inform policy development. She is particularly passionate about ensuring that research ideas and outcomes are effectively communicated back to the community to maximise their impact.

We look forward to Dr Singh-Ladhar’s valuable contributions to Ngā Ara Whetū, especially in the areas of policy impact and research communication.