Three new Professor Emeriti titles conferred

Professors Andy Shilton, Jane Coad and Russell George Death have been awarded emeriti titles in recognition of their outstanding service to the university.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas commends the newly appointed academics for their dedication to excellence, as reflected in the prestigious title of Professor Emerita/Emeritus.

“I am pleased to congratulate three exceptional individuals who have made remarkable contributions to their fields and to the university. Their dedication to research, teaching and mentorship has significantly enriched our academic community. We are honoured to continue our connection with them as they embark on their next chapter. Thank you for your lasting impact.”

The title of Professor Emeritus/Emerita is bestowed on members of the professoriate upon retirement who have attained national recognition for their contributions to their field of expertise and have made substantial advancements through their work. Many choose to continue their connection with the university through activities such as short-term contracts, research endeavours, supervision of PhD students, mentorships and advisory roles.

College of Sciences Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Ray Geor recommended the recipients for the honour and recognises the significant body of work that each of the awardees has contributed to both the global community and Massey. He has worked alongside them for a number of years and thanks them for their contribution to scientific scholarship.

“These new Professor Emeriti are all leaders in their chosen fields of study. They exemplify the diversity of science that occurs across Massey and how we all collaborate across our key research areas. While their research has been commended nationally and globally, they all shared their knowledge with our students and strengthened our collective college community. This is reflected in their wish to remain connected with us and to continue to share their expertise in the future. I congratulate them on this honour and thank them for their support of sciences at Massey.”

Professor Emeritus Andy Shilton – School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences

Upon joining Massey 30 years, Professor Shilton was instrumental in the design and establishment of the country’s first environmental engineering degree. He has taught in several programmes across the College of Sciences, sharing his expertise in waste minimisation and treatment. An internationally recognised expert in environmental engineering, Professor Shilton has established several successful research platforms, including natural wastewater treatment systems, resource recovery from waste and treatment of fluids using ultraviolet light. He has received multiple grants for his research, including from the Marsden Fund and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)’s Smart Ideas fund.

Professor Shilton is known not only for his strong history of innovation and impact but also as an entrepreneur. He founded the company Novolabs, which developed a Supercritical UV™ treatment device that has been granted patents in 29 countries. He is also a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand for his contribution to advancing engineering knowledge in various wastewater treatment processes. He has a strong publication record and a history of leading international experts for special issues in journals. He also produced the definitive textbook on pond treatment technology.

Following his retirement, Professor Shilton intends to continue providing advice and mentorship to Massey staff on writing external funding applications and supporting emerging Massey entrepreneurs.

Professor Emerita Jane Coad – School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences

Professor Coad started at Massey in 2001 as a senior scientist working on the nutritional benefits of milk. She was quickly promoted to develop nutrition education, taking on the inaugural role of Academic Leader in Human Nutrition. Under her leadership, the programmes in human nutrition became some of the most successful at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She was instrumental in establishing human nutrition research facilities on both the Manawatū and Ōtehā campuses and acted as the director of nutrition and dietetics for many years.

Throughout her time at Massey, she has combined teaching with active research, focusing on the role of nutrition in chronic diseases and micronutrients such as vitamin D and iron, which has established her as an authority in these fields. She has received numerous invitations to speak at international research conferences. Professor Coad was an active member of both the New Zealand and the United Kingdom Nutrition Societies and served as president of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand for two terms.

In addition to authoring more than 150 research publications, Professor Coad is the lead author of the international best-selling textbook Anatomy and Physiology for Midwives, which is a recommended text at universities across the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Following her retirement, she plans to continue with ongoing and new research projects and to actively supervise her existing PhD students and co-supervise other students.

Professor Emeritus Russel George Death – School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences

For over three decades, Professor Death has been one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading freshwater ecologists. He has contributed widely to water management planning across the country, including the One Plan and Ruataniwha irrigation schemes. He has also engaged with media and many community groups to encourage more effective protection of rivers.

With over 130 peer-reviewed publications in international journals and books, and more than 8700 citations, Professor Death ranks as one of the top academics Massey has had in the ecology-zoology field. He has secured numerous research grants during his 32 years at Massey, including multiple grants from MBIE and the Vision Mātauranga Fund. He has supervised 58 postgraduate students, including 12 PhD candidates and 36 master’s students, many of whom have gone on to hold leading positions in conservation, management and research.

In 2017, Professor Death was awarded the New Zealand Freshwater Science Medal for his outstanding contribution to the understanding and management of freshwater, and he received a College of Sciences Research Award in 2019. Now in retirement, Professor Death hopes to expand his research and publishing in freshwater ecology and continue assisting tangata whenua and community groups in restoring their rivers.