Board, executive, staff and students - Annual Report 2025

6 July, 2026

Governance Representative Board

Professor Richard Blaikie*
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research & Enterprise
University of Otago

Professor Sally Brooker*
Distinguished and Mellor Professor
University of Otago

Will Charles
Executive Director, Technology Development
UniServices
University of Auckland

Professor Ray Geor
Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Sciences
Massey University

Professor Margaret Hyland
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research
Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Lucy Johnston*
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation
University of Canterbury

Blanche Morrogh
Independent Director
Kai Ora Honey

Marny Reakes
Independent Director
Pacific Channel

Hēmi Rolleston
Independent Chair of the Board

*Partial year

Ex-Officio

Professor Nicola Gaston
Director, MacDiarmid Institute
University of Auckland

Associate Professor Anna Garden
Deputy Director Outreach and Education, MacDiarmid Institute
University of Otago

Professor Pauline Harris
Deputy Director Māori, MacDiarmid Institute
Massey University

Associate Professor Natalie Plank
Deputy Director Commercialisation and Industry Engagement, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Associate Professor Chris Fitchett*
Science Executive Representative, MacDiarmid Institute
University of Canterbury

*Partial year

International Science Advisory Board

Professor Sir Richard Friend
Cavendish Professor of Physics
University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Physics of energy materials, condensed matter

Dr Anita Hill
Chief Research Scientist, Future Industries
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia
Porous materials

Professor Wilhelm Huck
Professor of Chemistry, Institute for Molecules and Materials
Radboud University, Netherlands
Artificial cells

Professor Tomonobu Nakayama
Deputy Director, Administrative Director, Group Leader of WPI-MANA
Deputy Director of International Center for Young Scientists (ICYS)
Professor at the University of Tsukuba National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)
International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA)
University of Tsukuba, Japan
Surface physics and chemistry, nanotechnology, nanobioscience

Professor Daniel Nocera
Patterson Rockwood Professor of Energy
Harvard University, United States of America
Chemistry of renewal energy

Professor Ivan Parkin
Dean of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Faculty
University College London, United Kingdom
Nanomaterials

Professor Annie Powell
Professor of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Institute of Nanotechnology
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
Molecular materials

Professor Michelle Simmons
Director, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology
Laureate Fellow
Scientia Professor of Physics
University of New South Wales, Australia
Quantum computing, condensed matter physics

Professor Matt Trau
Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
Deputy Director and co-founder, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology
University of Queensland, Australia
Nanoscience, nanotechnology, and molecular diagnostics

Dr David Williams
Chief Research Scientist and Laboratory Manager, Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory
University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Materials for computing

Science Executive

Professor Nicola Gaston
Director, MacDiarmid Institute
University of Auckland

Associate Professor Anna Garden
Deputy Director Outreach and Education, MacDiarmid Institute
University of Otago

Professor Pauline Harris
Deputy Director Māori/Māori Research Representative/Research Programme Leader: Mātauranga Māori
Massey University

Associate Professor Natalie Plank
Deputy Director Commercialisation and Industry Engagement, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Associate Professor Chris Fitchett*
Associate Investigator Representative
University of Canterbury

Dr Simon Granville
Research Programme Leader: Future Computing
Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Derek Kawiti*
Principal Investigator Representative
Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Paul Kruger*
Principal Investigator Representative
University of Canterbury

Dr Luke Liu*
Research Programme Leader: Catalytic Architectures
Victoria University of Wellington

Professor Jenny Malmström
Research Programme Leader: Reconfigurable Systems
University of Auckland

Dr Elke Pahl*
Associate Investigator Representative
University of Auckland

Dr Daniel Sando*
Principal Investigator Representative
University of Canterbury

Professor Shane Telfer*
Research Programme Leader: Catalytic Architectures
Massey University

Professor Charles Unsworth*
Principal Investigator Representative
University of Auckland

Marco Vás
MESA Co-Chair
University of Auckland

Cambell Tiffin
MESA Co-Chair
University of Canterbury

Jaye Barclay*
Women and Gender Minorities Network Chair
University of Canterbury

Akshita Mogaveera*
Women and Gender Minorities Network Chair
Victoria University of Wellington

*Partial year

Ex-Officio

Kirsty Doyle
Strategic Manager Māori, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Gabrielle Holmes
Programme Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Kevin Sheehy
Commercialisation and Industry Engagement Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Rosie Wayte
Institute Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Minute-taker
Victoria University of Wellington

Vanessa Young
Strategic Engagement and Communications Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

MacDiarmid Emerging Scientists Association (MESA) 2025

Marco Vás
Co-Chair
PhD student
University of Auckland

Campbell Tiffin
Co-Chair
PhD student
University of Canterbury

Elouan Hay-Fourmond
Secretary
PhD student
University of Otago

Soongseok Yoon
Treasurer
PhD student
University of Canterbury

Christina Howat
Social Media Representative
PhD student
University of Canterbury

Panchami Hirave
Social Media Representative
PhD student
University of Otago

William Sheard
Commercialisation and Industry Representative
PhD student
University of Auckland

Ghadir Dahalan
Commercialisation and Industry Representative
Junior scientist
Massey University

Winter Zakaria
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Representative
PhD student
University of Canterbury

Cynthia Andriani
Centre Representative
PhD student
Massey University

Shivangi Chourasia
Centre Representative
PhD student
Massey University

Branwen Hastings
Centre Representative
Masters student
University of Auckland

Edin Liu
Centre Representative
PhD student
Victoria University of Wellington

Jacob Lewis
Centre Representative
Masters student
University of Otago

Mitchell Nascimento
Centre Representative
Postdoc
University of Auckland

Brijesh Patel
Centre Representative
PhD student
Robinson Research Institute

Kayla Prendergast
Centre Representative
PhD student
University of Otago

Kaveh Rahmani
Centre Representative
PhD student
University of Canterbury

Leah Sammon
Centre Representative
PhD student
University of Canterbury

Qurat Ul Ain
Centre Representative
PhD student
Victoria University of Wellington

Principal Investigators (33)

Martin Allen
Sally Brooker
Simon Brown
Chris Bumby
Jack Chen*
Shen Chong*
Matthew Cowan*
Anna Garden
Nicola Gaston
Keith Gordon
Michele Governale
Simon Granville
Pauline Harris
Derek Kawiti
Paul Kruger
Erin Leitao*
Luke Liu*
Jenny Malmström
Aaron Marshall
Kim McKelvey*
Ocean Mercier*
Franck Natali
Volker Nock
Natalie Plank
Ben Ruck
Daniel Sando*
Viji Sarojini*
Jami Shepherd*
Shane Telfer
Jadranka Travas-Sejdic
Geoff Waterhouse
Catherine Whitby
Geoff Willmott

* Indicates appointed as PI in 2025

Associate Investigators (52)

Mathew Anker
Baptiste Auguie
David Barker
Thomas Bennett*
Catherine Bishop
Margaret Brimble***
Philip Brydon
Peng Cao
Joe Chen*
Kai Chen
Martyn Coles
James Crowley
Owen Curnow*
Nathaniel Davis
Renwick Dobson
Courtney Ennis
Rosalyn Falconer*
Christopher Fitchett
Robin Fulton
Petrik Galvosas
Vladimir Golovko
Prasanth Gupta
Alex Hamilton*
Muhammad Hanif
William Holmes-Hewett
Paul Hume*
Patricia Hunt
Geoff Jameson
Marcus Jones
Roshan Khadka***
Jon Kitchen
Taniela Lolohea
Nigel Lucas**
Freddy Lyzwa*
Ben Mallett
Sarah Masters*
Steven Matthews
Ciaran Moore*
Joseph Nelson
Michel Nieuwoudt
Elke Pahl
Kannan Ridings
Charlie Ruffman
Kai Sellschopp*
Tilo Söhnel
James Storey**
Charles Unsworth**
Ziyun Wang*
Cameron Weber
Shanghai Wei*
Ben Yin
Alex Yip

* Indicates appointed as AI in 2025
** Indicates shift in status from PI to AI
*** Indicates left Institute in 2025

Emeritus Investigators (30)

Maan Alkaisi
Richard Blaikie
Diane Bradshaw**
Penny Brothers
Ian Brown
Bob Buckley
Sally Davenport
Laura Domigan
Juliet Gerrard
Simon Hall
Shaun Hendy
Justin Hodgkiss
Jim Johnston
Tim Kemmitt
John Kennedy**
Eric Le Ru
Ken MacKenzie
Andreas Markwitz
Duncan McGillivray**
Carla Meledandri*
Jim Metson
Roger Reeves
Mike Reid
Craig Rofe
Cather Simpson
Jeff Tallon
Richard Tilley
David Williams
Grant Williams
Ulrich Zuelicke**

* Indicates appointed as EI in 2025
** Indicates shift in status from PI to EI in 2025

Professional staff

Kirsty Doyle
Strategic Manager Māori, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Gabrielle Holmes
Programme Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Kevin Sheehy
Commercialisation and Industry Engagement Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Rosie Wayte
Institute Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

Vanessa Young
Strategic Engagement and Communications Manager, MacDiarmid Institute
Victoria University of Wellington

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