Gillian Shirley Wratt (born 1954) is a New Zealand botanist and science administrator. She was the first woman director of the

New Zealand Antarctic Programme The New Zealand Antarctic Research Programme (NZARP) was a research program that operated a permanent research facility in Antarctica from 1959 to 1996. It was created by the Geophysics Division of New Zealand's Department of Scientific and Indust ...

(1992–1996) and made a Member 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

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

Early life and education

Wratt was born in

Motueka Motueka is a town in the South Island of New Zealand, close to the mouth of the Motueka River on the western shore of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere. It is the second largest in the Tasman Region, with a population of as of The surrounding dis ...

and attended Motueka High School. She gained a B.Sc. degree with honours in Botany (1972–1975) from 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 ...

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

, New Zealand. She joined the Plant Physiology Division of the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR was the name of several British Empire organisations founded after the 1923 Imperial Conference to foster intra-Empire trade and development. * Department of Scientific and Industria ...

(DSIR) in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...

in 1977 and in 1979 was transferred to

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...

, where she worked for the Natural Research Advisory Council as the secretary to the Primary Production Committee which was concerned with research programmes and their funding. A DSIR study award enabled her to gain a master's degree in Business Administration from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

(1990).

Career and impact

Wratt was Director of the

from 1992 to 1996 (being its first woman director) and then chief executive of the newly formed New Zealand Antarctic Institute (Antarctica New Zealand) from 1996 to 2002. She has also held a number of advisory positions relating to Antarctic science and operations including Chair of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP), 1998–2002, Vice Chair of Antarctic Treaty Committee on Environmental Protection, 1998–2001; Chair of the Cape Roberts Project Operations Management Group, 1993–2001. Wratt authored a history of COMNAP, “A Story of Antarctic Co-operation: 25 Years of the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs”, published in 2013. She has worked in a range of scientific and environmental management roles in addition to her Antarctic roles, including environment negotiator for New Zealand free trade agreements, and establishment unit convenor for the Crop and Food Research Institute. Notably, Wratt was chief executive of the not for profit

Cawthron Institute The Cawthron Institute is New Zealand's largest independent science organisation, specialising in science that supports the environment and development within primary industries. Cawthron has its main facilities in Nelson. It works with regional ...

during 2006–2012. She is currently a board member of the New Zealand Environmental Protection Authority. In 2018 she became the chair of the New Zealand Antarctic Science Platform Steering Group, a seven-year initiative to boost New Zealand science in and around Antarctica.

Awards and honours

She was awarded the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993, and was appointed a

Member 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 on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to the New Zealand Antarctic programme, in the

2004 Queen's Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours 2004 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 11 June 2004 for the United Kingdom, New Zealand, the Cook IslandsCook Islands list: and elsewhere to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2004. The recipients of honours are d ...

References

External links

Images of Gillian Wratt
at the Antarctica NZ Digital Asset Manager {{DEFAULTSORT:Wratt, Gillian New Zealand women scientists 1954 births Living people New Zealand Antarctic scientists Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit People from Motueka University of Canterbury alumni University of Sydney alumni People associated with Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Zealand) People associated with the Cawthron Institute Recipients of the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 Women Antarctic scientists 20th-century New Zealand scientists 21st-century New Zealand scientists People educated at Motueka High School