04 December 2024 Lincoln University awards prominent researcher Caroline Saunders with Emeritus Professor title

Distinguished Professor of International Trade and the Environment, and Director of the Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit (AERU), Caroline Saunders has been awarded the honorary title of Emeritus Professor at Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University.

The honour has been conferred on Distinguished Professor Saunders in recognition of her international influence, reputation and achievement in wellbeing, trade and environmental economics.

Leaving her role as Director of AERU in December, Distinguished Professor Saunders’ career spans 44 years, joining the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1985, then moving to New Zealand and Lincoln University as Senior Lecturer in Economics in 1996. She was later appointed Director of Lincoln’s AERU in 2002.

Under her directorship, AERU has contributed a large body of research developing wellbeing economics. This proved hugely influential at a time when New Zealand’s primary industry had an extractive culture. With a change in mindset, the industry now has a much greater focus on understanding the value of exports through the lens of financial, social, cultural and environmental factors.

At AERU, Distinguished Professor Saunders led a team of researchers and postgraduate students dedicated to delivering new knowledge on sustainable wellbeing and contributing thought leadership on pressing global challenges.

“It has taken a real team effort to achieve all that we have,” says Distinguished Professor Saunders. “I am most proud of bringing emerging researchers on board and watching them develop. By working collaboratively with policymakers, stakeholders and primary producers, we have discovered new, actionable ways to build economic systems that promote environmental stewardship and a good standard of living for New Zealanders.”

An important feature of AERU’s work is its significant commitment to consultation and engagement beyond the academic world. This has seen the team complete research for various private and public bodies in New Zealand and globally, including the EU Commission, DEFRA, FAO, OECD, MPI, MFAT, Treasury, MFE, MBIE and Fonterra. Distinguished Professor Saunders has been a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank since 2019.

Distinguished Professor Saunders achieved prominence for her work on the Food Miles Debate, which has been used extensively by public and private enterprises selling New Zealand products into overseas markets.

She has led many more impactful research projects including AERU’s Lincoln Trade and Environment Model (LTEM) which models trade between countries and its environmental outcomes including greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen output. Since its inception, this model has been widely used by government departments, international agencies and private companies.

“My research positively influencing government policy is a highlight. During the Labour government of 2017 to 2023, AERU’s research on aspects of Whanau Ora demonstrated it was a valuable programme in return for the level of public investment ensuring its continuation.”

During her long and illustrious career, Distinguished Professor Saunders has received many awards and honours. These include Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (New Year’s Honours List 2009), NZIER Economist of the Year (2007), and she was named one of the 150 women scientists over the last 150 years by the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2017. In 2019, she became President of the Agricultural Economics Society in the United Kingdom. Recent appointments include being named a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2020, and a Distinguished Life Member of the Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society in 2022.

Distinguished Professor Saunders has produced an extensive catalogue of over 330 academic publications, research reports and conference presentations and supervised 20 PhD and Masters students.

“Lincoln University has allowed me to thrive. The culture on campus encourages impactful research in the land-based sectors. As a result, AERU, as a standalone research institute, has been able to represent the University through engaging with industry leaders and policymakers delivering social, cultural, financial and environmental wellbeing outcomes for New Zealanders.”

Emeritus Professor Saunders was recognised for her contribution to Lincoln University at a function hosted on campus on Tuesday 3 December.

Visit research.lincoln.nz for more information on the industry-leading research work of Emeritus Professor Saunders and the AERU team.

For media enquiries, email media@lincoln.ac.nz.