ORC has new science head
RESPECTED scientist Julie EverettHincks has been appointed to lead the Otago Regional Council’s science team.
Dr EverettHincks was particularly known for her work to improve lamb survival while working at Ag Research’s Invermay research centre.
After being made redundant in May 2014, she completed a law degree at the University of Otago.
In 2016, she was awarded the Sir Arthur Ward award, presented by the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, acknowledging her work on lamb survival. She was the first woman to receive the award.
Brought up on a sheep farm in South Otago, Dr Everett Hincks headed to Massey University with the intention of becoming a vet, but later switched to an agricultural science degree, specialising in animal breeding and farm management.
She was awarded a scholarship by the Wool Board to do her master’s degree in animal breeding and wool production and later returned to Massey to complete a PhD in animal science, investigating lamb rearing in highly fecund sheep.
Most recently, she has worked with Prof Mark Henaghan, providing legal advice to the Royal Society Te Aparangi’s gene editing panel.
She was also appointed as a nonveterinary member of the Veterinary Council of New Zealand last year.
In a statement, ORC chief executive Sarah Gardner said the region faced various challenges, particularly freshwater, climate change, biodiversity and urban development.
Dr EverettHincks would bring the robust, scientific, evidencebased rigour needed to tackle those challenges and inform good decisionmaking, she said.
Dr EverettHincks said there was a lot of room in her role to have a real and positive impact on the region.
‘‘I’m excited to integrate my science research background with my legal and policy training, to think beyond sustainability now, and look towards regenerating our region for the ora [wellbeing] of future generations,’’ she said.