2020 made rugged demands on us all as Covid, the climate crisis, populism, and disinformation hogged the headlines.

More than ever, we turned to science to try to make sense of it all. Three wise heads – Nano Girl and author, Dr. Michelle Dickinson, former chief scientific advisor to the prime minister and co-author of Ingenious, Dr. Peter Gluckman, and 2020 Callaghan Medal for Science winner and author of Matariki: Star of the Year, Dr. Rangi Mātāmua – come together to champion science’s role in helping us navigate choppy waters, and to ponder why some people so extravagantly distrust the evidence.

Chaired by Danyl McLauchlan.

 

Writer Bios

Michelle Dickinson

Dr. Michelle Dickinson specialises in engineering nanotechnology solutions for the tech industry. She is a best-selling author, television presenter, and founder of science education company Nanogirl Labs, and is passionate about creating innovative ways to connect people to science and technology.

Peter Gluckman

Medical scientist Professor Sir Peter Gluckman ONZ is the founder of the Liggins Institute. He was the first to hold the position of chief science advisor to the prime minister and is the co-author of Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation, with Mark Hanson.

Rangi Mātāmua

Cultural astronomer Rangi Mātāmua (Tūhoe) is the director of Living by the Stars. He is the first Māori to win the Prime Minister’s Science Prize for Communications and is the author of Matariki: The Star of the Year.

Danyl McLauchlan

Danyl McLauchlan works at Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Biology. He writes about politics, economics, science, and philosophy and is the author of two novels and the new essay collection, Tranquillity and Ruin.