Mere Roberts

Roma Mere Roberts is a New Zealand biologist who is interested in cross-cultural understanding and the interface between mātauranga Māori and other knowledge systems. In 2003 Roberts was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori and science.

Academic career

Roberts describes herself as of Pākehā and Māori descent, and affiliates to Tainui, Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Hikairo, and Ngāti Korokī Kahukura iwi. She completed a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Canterbury.

Roberts was Head of Science at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and then honorary research fellow in anthropology at the University of Auckland. She was a member of the Māori advisory committee to the Environmental Risk Management Authority. Roberts was previously a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Biosecurity and the UNESCO (NZ) science subcommittee. She is a member of the steering group for the University of Otago research theme Full Circle: Māori And Pacific Genetics Of Health.

Honours and awards In the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours Roberts was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori and science. She was awarded St Cuthbert's Old Girl Honours in 2006.

Selected works