Ngā Ara Whetū – Centre for Climate, Biodiversity & Society exemplifies the ethos of this flagship University of Auckland Research Centre located at Waipapa Taumata Rau.

It enables inter-institutional collaborations with schools, faculties and research centres and connects us to communities across the Pacific and globally.

Ngā Ara Whetū fosters thought leadership and mobilises innovative transdisciplinary research, outreach, stakeholder partnerships, engagement, and teaching.

It addresses theoretical and applied domains of its initiatives whilst holding and integrating the principles and values of kaitiakitanga, (proactive guardianship) manaakitanga (being generous), whanaungatanga (community) – at the centre of its kaupapa.

Ngā Ara Whetū was established in 2023 under the stellar leadership of Professor JR Rowland, and the support and mahi of a Co-Director team consisting of Professor Jacqueline Beggs, Professor David Noone, Professor Niki Harre, Professor Rod McNaughton, Dr Maria Armoudian, Professor Saeid Baroutian and Assoc Professor Rachel Wolfgram. George Gough provided sterling administrative support. The inaugural team is pictured below.

The Centre is funded by the Office of Research Strategy and Integrity, and by the Faculty of Science with in-kind support from host faculties.

The inaugural team

Launch celebration

On 14 February, 2024, Her Excellency, The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro GNZM, QSO, Governor-General of New Zealand joined the official launch celebration of Ngā Ara Whetū Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society.