Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University has announced Professor Amanda Black as recipient of the Critic and Conscience Award for 2024.
The Critic and Conscience of Society Award recognises the activities of a member of the academic staff who has most notably contributed to Lincoln University’s role as a critic and conscience of society.
Nominated by staff and students, the award is only presented when a nominee is considered by the judging panel to have provided the public or government with an exceptional level of independent, expert commentary on national or global issues that affect societies and future generations. The winner receives a prize of $3,500 plus a Ken Lowman-carved limestone trophy to keep.
Professor Amanda Black (pictured) is the founding Director of Bioprotection Aotearoa, a national Centre of Research Excellence, and is nationally and internationally recognised for her efforts protecting Aotearoa’s taonga species and their ecosystems.
For more than a decade, Professor Black has provided an exceptional level of independent expert commentary in the public realm. Her research has been referenced in over 100 media items.
This year, Professor Black has advocated for kaupapa that support and protect indigenous knowledge in general, and Māori rights and interests more specifically.
Notably, in February Amanda was the primary author, with Professor Jason Tylianakis, on a policy forum article in the prestigious journal Science titled Teach Indigenous knowledge alongside science – evidence supports the teaching of Indigenous knowledge alongside sciences in the classroom.
The article provided an evidence-based response to debates that have raged over the past few years following efforts to ensure that Mātauraka Māori is given equal value to other bodies of knowledge in the school curriculum. The article received considerable national and international attention, earning an Altmetric score of 785 and gaining over 2,000 shares on X (formerly Twitter). The article was shared by the US Science Envoy Dr Dawn Wright, and was discussed in multiple blog posts by ‘science defenders’ such as Richard Dawkins. The article also prompted Jane Palmer, an independent journalist based in the US, to contact Professor Black about a profile of her career as an Indigenous scientist for the journal Nature, due for publication in early 2025.
In August, Professor Black and Professor Tahu Kukutai authored another article in Science, this time an invited expert commentary titled CARE-ing for Indigenous nonhuman genetic data – rethinking our approach. It cautioned that continued use of public data repositories can push indigenous researchers and communities to the periphery and advocated for a more balanced approach to data sharing, including the implementation of indigenous governance. This article also received media coverage, such as in Te Ao Māori News.
Professor Black is frequently called upon in local media to comment on nationally important topics, and she continually advocates for broader environmental and social justice, especially the inclusion of Māori rights and interests, that lie within her research expertise.
During her career, Professor Amanda Black has provided the public and government with an exceptional level of independent, expert commentary on issues of considerable importance, both nationally and internationally, that affects our society and will impact future generations.
