Wiles key player in Covid-19 fight
Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles, one of the public faces of the
Covid-19 response, has been named New Zealander of the Year.
Wiles, an associate professor at Auckland University, received the award from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at a gala dinner in Auckland last night.
Impossible to miss with her trademark pink hair, Wiles has played a key role in helping the public understand the science behind the Covid-19 pandemic and in analysing its impact on the country. Wiles, who also runs Auckland University’s Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, was presented with the Kiwibank kaitaka huaki cloak, Pouhine, by
2020 New Zealander of the Year actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
Miriama Kamo, patron of the awards, said Wiles ‘‘undeniably fits the bill’’, the awards celebrating people who use their passion to make New Zealand a better place.
During last year’s lockdown Wiles stepped up and helped ‘‘millions globally see past the fear and complexities of the pandemic’’, Kamo said.
Wiles had joined forces with
Spinoff cartoonist Toby Morris and worked to make the science and the pandemic clear and understandable. ‘‘Her work provided support, strength and clarity across New Zealand and beyond, representing our country on a world stage and helping to keep us safe.’’
The citation for the award said Wiles had faced considerable criticism, ‘‘on her authority, on her appearance, on her gender’’.
‘‘Siouxsie continued to respond to one of the greatest challenges of our time with empathy, innovation and courage, and her work has been seen by millions and even used by governments and organisations as part of their official pandemic communications.’’
Wiles was named supreme winner at the 2020 Stuff-Westpac Women of Influence Awards for her accessible and evidence-led commentary about staying safe during the pandemic.
Outside her work on Covid-19, Wiles is a passionate and influential leader in her industry.
‘‘Her willingness to break down barriers has opened doors for women in science, and her pioneering work in bioluminescence is redefining modern medicine,’’ Kamo said.
Other 2021 finalists included
Muslim community leader Farid Ahmed, who has become a symbol of forgiveness following the March 15 terror attacks, and Ranjna Patel, founder and director of Ta¯maki Health and a domestic violence prevention campaigner.
Wiles studied medical microbiology at the University of Edinburgh, followed by a PhD in microbiology at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Oxford. She spent almost a decade at Imperial College London before moving to New Zealand as a Health Research Council Hercus Fellow in 2009.
Wiles and her team at Auckland University made bacteria glow in the dark to
understand how infectious microbes caused disease and to find new antibiotics.
Passionate about demystifying science, she has won numerous prizes for her efforts, and is a prolific tweeter, blogger, podcaster and science commentator. In 2017, Wiles published her first book, Antibiotic Resistance: the End of Modern Medicine?, and recently collaborated with her daughter to make a children’s show about microbiology. In 2019, she was appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to microbiology and science communication.