Jim Metson

Professor Metson is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Auckland.  He received his PhD from Victoria University of Wellington before moving to the University of Western Ontario Canada.  He returned to New Zealand to the University of Auckland and was a founding member of the MacDiarmid Institute for Materials Science and Nanotechnology, working extensively with international industry, particularly in aluminium reduction technology, gas dry-scrubbing, and alumina refining.  

He has served in a range of national and international roles, most recently as the Chief Science Advisor to New Zealand’s Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. Previously he was the chair of the MoRST Research Infrastructure Advisory Group and NZ Government representative on the Australian National Science Advisory Committee that oversaw the development of the Australian Synchrotron.  He serves on numerous advisory boards, including the Research and Education Advanced Network (REANNZ) and the New Zealand Synchrotron Group.