NZ scientist of Tongan descent is Otago University deputy VC – TALANOA ‘O TONGA

The University of Otago has appointed Professor Dianne Sika-Paotonu as its inaugural Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Pacific), marking a historic milestone for Pasifika representation in academia.

Professor Sika-Paotonu, a New Zealand immunologist and biomedical scientist of Tongan descent, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to serve Pacific communities, staff, students, and the broader region.

“What this role does is help amplify incredible work that has already been happening through the University of Otago,” she said. “And so concerning prioritisation for the Pacific agenda moving forward.”

The establishment of this position aligns with the university’s Pacific Strategic Framework for 2022-2030, which focuses on leadership, academic excellence, research, external engagement, and operations. This framework is underpinned by the values of equity, inclusivity, and responsiveness.

She currently serves as Associate Dean (Pacific) at the University of Otago Wellington, where she is based in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine. In 2020, she became the first Pasifika biomedical scientist to receive the Cranwell Medal for science communication. She was also awarded the 2022 Prime Minister’s Science Communicator of the Year prize and the Callaghan Medal by the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2024.

Born in New Zealand to Tongan parents who emigrated in the 1960s, Sika-Paotonu pursued multiple science degrees at Victoria University of Wellington, received her PhD in 2014.

Her appointment at Otago is seen as a significant step in advancing Pacific representation in academia.

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