Peter Gluckman

Sir Peter David Gluckman, ONZ, KNZM, FRS, FMedSci, FRSNZ was appointed New Zealand's first Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister in 2009, an appointment extended twice through June 2018. During this time, Sir Peter made national and international contributions to science advice, science policy, and science diplomacy. He established departmental science advisory roles in major departments, which have been increasingly used by Government as a formal process of advice on matters relating to evidence and policy. He was given the additional appointment of Special Science Envoy for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2010 to assist his role in science diplomacy.

In 2012, Sir Peter established and chaired the first formalized regional network of Chief Science Advisors and Equivalents of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. He also established the Small Advanced Economies Initiative (SAEI) as a mechanism to bring together policy makers from small, advanced countries where science and innovation are core tools of development, to work collaboratively on shared issues and ideas. In 2013, he was requested by the International Science Council (ISC) to consider the development of an international network of science advisors, culminating in the inaugural Science Advice to Governments Conference.  Convened by the International Science Council, in August 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand, it was the first global meeting of high-level science advisors, academies, and academics to explore issues and organize relations around science diplomacy.

In 2018, Sir Peter stepped down from his role as the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor, and was elected to the position of President-elect of the International Science Council at its inaugural meeting in Paris. He is head of the newly established Centre for Science in Policy, Diplomacy and Society (SciPoDS), a University of Auckland Faculty of Arts Research Centre, and chair of ISC's International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA).

Awards

Dr. Gluckman is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, an honour bestowed on just 42 New Zealand-born scientists since the Society's establishment in 1660. 

2001: Rutherford Medal, New Zealand's top science award

2004: New Zealand Herald New Zealander of the Year

2006: KEA/NZTE World Class New Zealander Award

2008: New Year Honours appointment as Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (later reassigned to Knight Companion in 2009) for services to medicine, having previously been made a CNZM in 1997

2015: Member of the Order of New Zealand appointment, the highest New Zealand honour, restricted to 20 living New Zealanders

2016: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Award for Science Diplomacy

2019: New Zealand Communicator of the Year by BlacklandPR