Alison Marion Cree is a New Zealand herpetologist. She is currently a professor at

Otago University , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate u ...

Academic career

Cree graduated from the

University of Waikato The University of Waikato ( mi, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato), is a Public university, public research university in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand established in 1964. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university perfo ...

in 1986 with a D.Phil. for her thesis titled "Water relations of the endemic New Zealand frogs ''Leiopelma archeyi'', L. Hamiltoni and L. Hochstetteri". Prior to this she had attained a diploma on environmental pollution in Christchurch, through the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury ( mi, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was ...

. Cree's work has been on a number of species, but her work with

tuatara Tuatara (''Sphenodon punctatus'') are reptiles endemic to New Zealand. Despite their close resemblance to lizards, they are part of a distinct lineage, the order Rhynchocephalia. The name ''tuatara'' is derived from the Māori language and m ...

has attracted the most media attention. In the 2023 King's Birthday and Coronation Honours, Cree was appointed a

Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for those ...

, for services to herpetology, particularly tuatara.

Selected publications

Book

Journal articles

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References

External links

google scholar

Living people New Zealand women academics New Zealand herpetologists Women herpetologists Academic staff of the University of Otago Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century New Zealand women scientists University of Canterbury alumni University of Waikato alumni Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit {{NewZealand-academic-bio-stub