Barbara June Hayden is a New Zealand marine biologist, and is Chief Scientist at the

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research or NIWA (), is a Crown Research Institute of New Zealand. Established in 1992, NIWA conducts research across a broad range of disciplines in the environmental sciences. It also maintai ...

(NIWA), specialising in marine

biosecurity Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, plants, animals etc.) intentionally or unintentionally outside their native range or within new environments. In agricult ...

and

aquaculture Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. Nelu ...

. In 2019 she was elected a Companion of the

Royal Society Te Apārangi The Royal Society Te Apārangi (in full, Royal Society of New Zealand) is a not-for-profit body in New Zealand providing funding and policy advice in the fields of sciences and the humanities. These fundings (i.e., Marsden grants and research fe ...

and awarded the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Award.

Academic career

Hayden grew up in

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

, and gained a technical degree from

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

. Working at the National Health Laboratories (now ESR), Hayden was responsible for assessing public safety of cultured shellfish, which led to her taking a job at the Fisheries Research Division of MAF. Hayden completed a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

titled ''Factors affecting recruitment of farmed greenshell mussels, Perna canaliculus (Gmelin) 1791, in Marlborough Sounds'' at the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

. Hayden pioneered research on aquaculture and marine biosecurity. Hayden established the Ballast Water Working Group in 1987 in order to better manage concerns around biosecurity risks to aquaculture from introduced species from ship ballast waters. She was a founding member of the New Zealand Sanitation Committee, which drew up quality assurance guidelines for exported shellfish. Hayden was appointed Chief Scientist of NIWA's National Centre for Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity in 2010, taking over from Don Robertson. Hayden has been both Chair and Deputy Chair of the Biosecurity Ministerial Advisory Committee. She is a member of the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...

Invasive Species Specialist Group. Hayden also serves on the Science System Advisory Group, advising the

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ( MBIE; ) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with "delivering policy, services, advice and regulation" which contribute to New Zealand's economic productivity and business ...

on the redesign of New Zealand's science system.

Honours and awards

Hayden was elected a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi in 2019. In 2019 Hayden was awarded the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Award "for her substantial contribution to marine science in New Zealand over a long and distinguished career that has included setting strategic research directions, leading major research programs, and mentoring emerging researchers".

Personal life

Hayden is married to Dave Schiel, professor of marine science at the

University of Canterbury The University of Canterbury (UC; ; postnominal abbreviation ''Cantuar.'' or ''Cant.'' for ''Cantuariensis'', the Latin name for Canterbury) is a public research university based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was founded in 1873 as Canterbur ...

Selected works

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayden, Barb New Zealand marine biologists Massey University alumni University of Otago alumni People from New Plymouth Companions of the Royal Society of New Zealand New Zealand women scientists Year of birth missing (living people) Living people