Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Division
The Research Division ensures that the scholarship and research of the University is of international standing and that our endeavours are informed by commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor leads the strategic imperative for research excellence at the University of Otago. The Office ensures research and research activity are supported, and that the highest possible standards are adhered to.
New Research Administration System
For University of Otago staff, the new research administration system is now live for all users. The new Research Administration System (RAS) is a database and approvals mechanism designed for intuitive, efficient research administration. In time, it will replace (amongst other things) the use of Costing and Consents Worksheets (CCWs) for budgeting.
What you need to know
University staff can find more information about RAS on the RAS SharePoint site. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Email orisproject@otago.ac.nz
Research and Enterprise Office management team
Level 1, East Wing, Centre For Innovation Building, 87 St David Street, Dunedin Campus
Research and Enterprise Office, Research Division, fosters research excellence, and supports researchers to be successful. We assist researchers with pursuing funding opportunities, partnering with next users of research (including national and local government, non-government organisations and business), completing grant applications, and the establishment of research contracts.
Director, Research and Enterprise
Senior Research Advisory Manager
Senior Research Advisory Manager
Executive Assistant
Lynette Mitchell
Tel +64 3 479 8905
Email lynette.mitchell@otago.ac.nz
Finance Manager
Keri Te Tamaki
Tel +64 3 471 4271
Email keri.tetamaki@otago.ac.nz
Kaiwhakatere Rakahau Māori – Māori Research Partnerships Manager
Ben Te Aika
Mob +64 21 279 0907
Email ben.teaika@otago.ac.nz
Research Information Manager
Dr John Milnes
Tel +64 3 479 4517
Email john.milnes@otago.ac.nz
Team Leader: Research – Administration
Ms Rhonda McSkimming
Tel +64 3 479 5671
Mob +64 21 278 5671
Email rhonda.mcskimming@otago.ac.nz
Business Development Managers
Level 2, East Wing, Centre For Innovation Building, 87 St David Street, Dunedin Campus
Business Development Managers (BDMs) help build partnerships with industry and other end-users who could benefit from, and contribute to, the development of your research. All BDMs, except our Auckland colleague, are located in the Centre for Innovation, Dunedin Campus.
Food and beverage
Dr Elizabeth Hogbin
Mob +64 21 279 0646
Email elizabeth.hogbin@otago.ac.nz
High tech, food science, international development
Mr David Powell
- Including space, aerospace, agritech, biotech and energy
- Focus on commercial and strategic relationships in Auckland, Wellington and Australia
- Based in Auckland
Level 4, University of Otago House, 385 Queen St, PO Box 5543, Auckland.
Mob +64 21 983 499
Email d.powell@otago.ac.nz
Biotechnology and public health
Dr Nour Ghamri
On leave until 1 November 2025
Mob +64 21 279 0994
Email nour.ghamri@otago.ac.nz
Deborah Crowe
Mob +64 21 279 0101
Email deborah.crowe@otago.ac.nz
Clinical research, genetics, and agriculture
Dr Annie O'Connell
Mob +64 21 279 0623
Email anne.oconnell@otago.ac.nz
Culture, society, and economy
Paul Foster-Bell
Mob +64 21 279 1664
Email paul.foster-bell@otago.ac.nz
Energy, manufacturing, data and technology ecosystems
Dr Grant Duffy
Mob +64 21 279 1274
Email grant.duffy@otago.ac.nz
Environment
David Grimmett
Mob +64 21 798 471
Email david.grimmett@otago.ac.nz
Health and wellbeing, and international development
Tomás Ribeiro
Mob +64 221 530 376
Email tomas.ribeiro@otago.ac.nz
Research consortia
Dr Rachel Elliot
Tel +64 3 479 5895
Mob +64 21 279 5895
Email rachel.elliot@otago.ac.nz
Dr Mary Gower
Mob +64 21 279 2165
Email mary.gower@otago.ac.nz
Research Advisers – Business, Humanities, and Sciences
Research Advisers support researchers with funding applications (contestable funding) including developing the proposals and collaborative applications. They also assist with negotiation and management of contracts once funding has been secured. They welcome your contact as soon as you join the University.
Business School
Chelvica Ariyanayagam
Dean's Office, Ground floor, Business School, 60 Clyde Street, Dunedin
Tel +64 3 479 5934
Mob +64 27 279 5934
Email chelvica.ariyanayagam@otago.ac.nz
Division of Humanities
Michelle Walker
Room 5S12, Arts (Burns) Building, 95 Albany Street
Mob +64 21 279 1196
Email michelle.walker@otago.ac.nz
Division of Sciences
Kate Berard
- Food Science, Human Nutrition, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics, and Psychology
- School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences
Room G30, Ground floor, Union Court, 85 Union St, Dunedin
Tel +64 3 244 8480
Email kate.berard@otago.ac.nz
Melanie Remy
- Departments of Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Marine Science, Science Communication and Zoology
- School of Surveying
Room G31, Ground floor, Union Court, 85 Union Place West, Dunedin
Tel +64 3 479 7717
Email melanie.remy@otago.ac.nz
Chelvica Ariyanayagam
- School of Computing
Dean's Office, Ground floor, Business School, 60 Clyde Street, Dunedin
Tel +64 3 479 5934
Mob +64 27 279 5934
Email chelvica.ariyanayagam@otago.ac.nz
Research Advisers – Health Sciences
Health Sciences Research Advisers support researchers with funding applications (contestable funding) including developing proposals and collaborative applications. They also assist with subsequent negotiation and management of contracts. They welcome your contact as soon as you join the University.
Anatomy and Physiology
Dr Eric Lord
Room G04, Wellcome Building (corner of Frederick and Great King Streets)
Tel +64 3 479 4592
Mob +64 21 279 4592
Email eric.lord@otago.ac.nz
Biochemistry
Lesley Brook
Room 230a, Biochemistry Building, 710 Cumberland Street
Mob +64 21 279 2359
Email lesley.brook@otago.ac.nz
Microbiology and Immunology
Dr Kerry Galvin
Room 802, Microbiology Building 720 Cumberland Street
Mob +64 21 279 1720
Email kerry.galvin@otago.ac.nz
Bioethics Centre, Kōhatu Centre for Hauora Māori, Centre for Pacific Health, Pharmacovigilance Centre
Chelvica Ariyanayagam
Dean's Office, Ground floor, Business School, 60 Clyde Street, Dunedin
Tel +64 3 479 5934
Mob +64 21 279 5934
Email chelvica.ariyanayagam@otago.ac.nz
Centre for International Health
Lesley Brook
Room 230a, Biochemistry Building, 710 Cumberland Street
Mob +64 21 279 2359
Email lesley.brook@otago.ac.nz
Faculty of Dentistry, School of Pharmacy, School of Physiotherapy, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Ms Diana Rothstein
Room G04, Wellcome Building (corner of Frederick and Great King Streets)
Tel +64 3 479 4043
Mob +64 21 0243 7971
Email diana.rothstein@otago.ac.nz
General Practice and Rural Health; Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health; Paediatrics and Child Health; Preventive and Social Medicine; Psychological Medicine
Ali Cameron
Health Research South, Otago Medical School, 1st Floor, Dunedin Public Hospital
Tel +64 3 470 9030
Email ali.cameron@otago.ac.nz
Medicine, Pathology, Surgical Sciences
Dr Edwin Meijerink
Health Research South, Otago Medical School, 1st Floor, Dunedin Public Hospital
Tel +64 3 479 4190
Mob +64 21 279 5085
Email edwin.meijerink@otago.ac.nz
Research Adviser – Māori
Fran provides a high level of assistance and advice to academic staff in designated areas within the University for the development of research funding applications and the management of research projects focused on Māori research.
Fran Munro
Mob +64 21 279 20290
Email fran.munro@otago.ac.nz
Research Advisers – University of Otago, Christchurch
Level 5, 2 Riccarton Ave, Christchurch
Tel +64 3 364 1133
MIHI, Dean's Department, Surgery and Critical Care, Pathology and Biomedical Science, Primary Care and Clinical Simulation
Dr Suzanne Benjes
Mob +64 21 279 0302
Email suzanne.benjes@otago.ac.nz
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:00pm
Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Medicine, Postgraduate Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Population Health
Dr Ian Cooke
Mob +64 21 279 2177
Email ian.cooke@otago.ac.nz
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:00pm
Paediatrics, Psychological Medicine
Elizabeth (EJ) Sinclair
Mob +64 21 279 2253
Email ej.sinclair@otago.ac.nz
Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00am-5:30pm
Medicine
Kosta Tabakakis
Email re.research.uoc@otago.ac.nz
Hours: Monday to Friday (UK time zone)
Please note Kosta is working remotely based in the UK time zone. Hence correspondence from Kosta will be outside the normal NZ working hours.
Research Advisers – University of Otago, Wellington
Medicine; Paediatrics and Child Health; Pathology and Molecular Medicine; Psychological Medicine; Public Health; Radiation Therapy
Dr Nina Barton
Mob +64 21 279 1580
Email nina.barton@otago.ac.nz
Dean’s Department; Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women’s Health; Primary Health Care and General Practice; Public Health; Surgery and Anaesthesia
Beck O’Shaughnessy
Email beck.oshaughnessy@otago.ac.nz
Research Advisory Specialists
Contracting support
Research Advisory Specialists provide contracting support for Business Development Managers and Research Advisers.
Val Berry
Tel +64 21 279 0646
Mob +64 21 279 0936
Email val.berry@otago.ac.nz
Legal Team
Ground Level, West Wing, Centre for Innovation, 87 St David Street, Dunedin
Legal adviser
Mr Will Martin
- Funding contracts
- Intellectual property
- Commercialisation opportunities
Tel +64 3 479 5374
Mob +64 21 279 5374
Email will.martin@otago.ac.nz
Operations Team - administrative, financial and IT support
Ground Level, West Wing, Centre for Innovation, 87 St David Street, Dunedin
Research Information Manager
Dr John Milnes
Tel +64 3 479 4517
Email mailto:john.milnes@otago.ac.nz
Information Systems Officer
Ms Lorraine Harris
Tel +64 3 479 8070
Email lorraine.harris@otago.ac.nz
Research Administration Team
Rhonda McSkimming – Team Leader
Tel +64 3 479 5671
Email rhonda.mcskimming@otago.ac.nz
Research Administrators
All Research Administrators have a central shared email address:
Email research@otago.ac.nz
- Mel Adams
- Sarah-Jane Best (University of Otago, Christchurch)
- Laura Childs
- Tegan Ferrier
- Ondine Godtschalk
- Sharon Helm
- Sarah-Jane Robertson
- Fiona Seaton (Research Committee Administrator)
- Nikki Shaw
Research Finance Associates Team
Research Finance Associates manage awarded funding by providing support for expenditure, invoicing, and reporting to funders.
Keri Te Tamaki – Finance Manager
Tel +64 3 479 4271
Email keri.tetamaki@otago.ac.nz
- Managing the Research Finance Associate Team
- Research Division including R&E, Research Divisional Office, Graduate Research School and University Press
- Committees Division including Scholarships / Entrance Scholarships, Research Committee, Equipment Committee, Internationalisation Committee
Research Finance Associates
All email enquiries to:
Email research.finance@otago.ac.nz
Ms Apple Burr
Tel +64 3 479 4022
- Dunedin School of Medicine (DSM)
- External Engagement Divisional Office
- Health Sciences – Biostatistics Centre, Divisional Office, Kōhatu Centre for Hauora Māori, Pharmacovigilance Centre, Poisons Centre, School of Physiotherapy, School of Pharmacy
- Higher Education Development Centre (HEDC)
- Pacific Development Office
- Office of Māori Development
- Otago Medical School
- Research Divisional Office
- Te Whare Tawharau
Ms Lisa Hart
Tel +64 3 479 8234
- Anatomy
- Commerce – all departments
- CoREs: NSC-Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa
- Faculty of Dentistry – Dental School, Dental Clinics
- Otago Business School
- University of Otago Christchurch (UOC) – Health Sciences all departments
Ms Jodie Ludwig
Tel +64 3 479 4056
- Biochemistry
- CoREs: Te Pūnaha Matatini and Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga
- Division of Humanities
- Genomics Aotearoa, Dunedin
- Microbiology & Immunology
- University of Otago Wellington (UOW) – Health Sciences all departments