Ƶ (ANU) Emeritus Professor and chemist Penelope (Penny) Brothers has been appointed the next President of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, one of New Zealand’s leading organisations for science, research and scholarship.
will take up the role of Tumuaki (President) on 1 July 2027, succeeding current President Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding at the end of her three-year term.
The appointment marks the next chapter in a distinguished career spanning more than three decades in chemistry, research and academic leadership across Australia and New Zealand.
Professor Brothers is an Emeritus Professor at Ƶand former Director of the Research School of Chemistry, a role she held from 2019 to 2024. During her time at ANU, she also served on the Academic Board from 2020 to 2024.
A leading inorganic chemist, Professor Brothers has made significant contributions to chemistry, with internationally recognised research. Her career has spanned a range of research areas, including energy capture, toxic metal encapsulation, chemical sensors and drug discovery.
Professor Brothers said the appointment would allow her to contribute to causes that are important to her following her full-time academic career.
“Now that I have stepped back from my full-time academic career, I wish to draw on my accumulated skills and experience to contribute to the causes that are important to me,” says Brothers.
“The interweaving of scholarship, education, and engagement are critical foundations to increase public understanding of science and research in these troubled times.”
She brings strong connections to both sides of the Tasman to the role. Professor Brothers studied chemistry at the University of Auckland before completing her PhD at Stanford University and spent more than 30 years as an academic at the University of Auckland before joining ANU. She is a , the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry and the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom.
“My recent time in Australia means I bring strong regional networks to the role of President – as well as wider international relationships,” Professor Brothers said.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi promotes and advances knowledge, science and technology in New Zealand and supports researchers and scholars across a range of disciplines.
Image credit: Royal Society Te Apārangi
