Dr Mere Roberts is a New Zealander of Maori (Tainui: Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Hikairo) and Pakeha descent. She has a Ph.D in zoology
and a post graduate certificate in medical parasitology.
Mere has been a staff member of the University of Auckland’s Medical School, School of Environmental & Marine Sciences and School of Biological Sciences. In 2004 she was appointed Head of Science at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in Whakatane before returning to the University of Auckland as an Honorary Research Fellow in Anthropology. Her research interests are in indigenous knowledge systems with a focus on matauranga pūtaiao (Māori scientific knowledge) and its interface with mainstream science. Recently she has been contracted to the School of Biological Sciences to assist with the introduction of the new Stage II paper in Māori science (Pūtaiao).
Mere has served on Ministry for Economic Development working group on Bioprospecting; the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Biosecurity and the UNESCO (NZ) science subcommittee. A former member of the Māori advisory committee to the Environmental Risk Management Authority, she has conducted research into Māori perceptions of the effects of novel biotechnologies (e.g. GMO’s specifically transgenics) on their cultural values, beliefs and personal health.