Peter Gluckman

Biography

Professor Sir Peter Gluckman is the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, a role he has held since the position was established in 2009. He is internationally known for his work promoting the use of evidence in policy making and the translation of scientific knowledge into better social, economic and environmental outcomes and for promoting the use fo science in diplomacy. He is foundation chair of the International Network of Government Science Advice. He is the coordinator of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative (SAEI), which is an intergovernmental forum focused on science, economic and other policy challenges unique to smaller jurisdictions. He is the 2016 recipient of the Science Diplomacy Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Sir Peter was formerly Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Auckland (1992-2001) and the founding Director of the Liggins Institute (2001-2009). In 2015, he was invested to the Order of New Zealand, the country's highest honour which is reserved for only 20 living people at one time. Prior to this, Sir Peter became a Knight of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009. In 2001 he received New Zealand's top science award, the Rutherford Medal.

Research Interest

Sir Peter is the author of over 700 scientific papers, reviews and books for both technical and lay audiences. His research has been in the areas of fetal and postnatal growth, developmental origins of health and disease, perinatal neuroscience, applied epigenetics, and evolutionary biology applied to medicine. He continues on a part-time basis as scientific advisor to the Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences. His research has won him numerous awards and international recognition including Fellowship of the Royal Society (London). He is the only New Zealander elected to the National Academy Medicine (USA) and the Academy of Medical Sciences of Great Britain. From 2014-16, Sir Peter was co-chair of the WHO's Commission to End Childhood Obesity. Panel Members