Shaun Hendy

Shaun Cameron Hendy FRSNZ is a New Zealand physicist. He is currently a professor at the University of Auckland and director of Te Pūnaha Matatini, a centre of research excellence in complex systems and data analytics.[1] During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, he led a team of scientists developing mathematical models of the spread of the virus across the country that influenced the government's response to the outbreak.

Shaun Hendy

FRSNZ
Born
Shaun Cameron Hendy
EducationMassey University (BSc)
University of Alberta (PhD)
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics, nanotechnology, complex systems, innovation
InstitutionsIndustrial Research Limited
Victoria University of Wellington
University of Auckland
ThesisCosmic strings in black hole space-times (1998)
Doctoral advisorsV.P. Frolov
WebsiteUniversity of Auckland profile

Early life and education

Hendy was raised in Palmerston North,[2] and earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics in 1992, and a Bachelor of Science with first-class honours in mathematical physics the following year.[3][4] He went on to undertake doctoral studies in physics at the University of Alberta between 1994 and 1998.[2] The title of his PhD thesis was Cosmic strings in black hole spacetimes.[5]

Career

After completing his PhD, Hendy went to work at Industrial Research Limited in Lower Hutt on a New Zealand Science and Technology post-doctoral fellowship.[2] Hendy stayed on at Industrial Research until 2013. During that time, he also held a joint academic position at Victoria University of Wellington and served as deputy director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology based at the university.[2][6] He continues to be involved with the institute on researching properties of advanced materials as well as the application of mathematical models to innovation.[7]

Hendy is currently a professor of physics at the University of Auckland. He leads research on the computer modelling of nanostructures and how they can be applied to nanotechnology.[2]

Te Pūnaha Matatini

Hendy was motivated to study the science of complex systems after hearing about the work of physicist Geoffrey West on the link between population distributions and innovation.[1] He is the founder and current director of Te Pūnaha Matatini, a centre of research excellence in complex systems and data analytics, since 2015.[8] It is one of five centres of research excellence hosted by the University of Auckland. Te Pūnaha Matatini develops tools to analyse data from a range of social, economic and biological systems, to inform and evaluate government policy and decision-making.[8][9][10]

Science communication

Hendy is known in New Zealand for his science communication, often contributing to publications such as The Spinoff and Sciblogs.co.nz to discuss his latest research and issues related to science policy.[11][12] He was awarded the Prime Minister's Prize for Science Media Communication in 2012.[13][14] He is also the current president of the New Zealand Mathematical Society.[15]

In 2013, Hendy co-authored his first book with late physicist Sir Paul Callaghan, discussing approaches to diversify and innovate New Zealand's economy.[16][17] Since then, he has authored two further books on the role of scientists in public discourse[18][19] and taking personal responsibility towards reducing the effects of climate change.[20][21] He has written about his experience of cutting out all air travel for a year in an effort to reduce his carbon footprint and why individual action matters.[22][23]

Coronavirus pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hendy led a team of scientists at Te Pūnaha Matatini to study the spread of infection under various mitigation scenarios. His team's modelling showed that if no measures were taken, the coronavirus could infect 89 percent of the New Zealand population and kill 80,000 people. Subsequently, his team's advice to the government contributed to strong suppression measures across the country.[24] His team continues to update their models based on new information and demonstrate the impact of the government's strict lockdown measures.[25][26] Towards the end of the country's four-week lockdown, Hendy recommended it to be extended by two weeks to achieve the goal of eliminating the virus.[27][28] He expressed concern about New Zealand's Anzac Day long weekend (25–27 April) encouraging a rise in social activity if the lockdown were eased before then, potentially spreading the virus further.[28] His data and recommendations were among those considered by the government on 23 April before announcing the decision to extend the strict lockdown until 11:59pm on 27 April.[29]

Awards and honours

Books and selected publications

Books
  • Hendy, Shaun (2013). Get off the grass : kickstarting New Zealand's innovation economy. Callaghan, Paul T. Auckland, New Zealand. ISBN 978-1-86940-762-9. OCLC 851179155.
  • Hendy, Shaun (2016). Silencing Science (1 ed.). Bridget Williams Books. doi:10.7810/9780947492847. ISBN 978-0-947492-84-7.
  • Hendy, Shaun (2019). #NoFly Walking the Talk on Climate Change. Bridget Williams Books. ISBN 978-1-988587-05-9.

Selected academic publications
gollark: Calling NFTs a form of art themselves, and not the artistic thing they happen to be tied to, seems like calling the fiat currency you might buy artwork with also art.
gollark: Anyway, while it does seem like a cool generative art-type thing (the viewer runs very slowly on my phone so it's hard to tell) I don't think the NFT bit is intrinsic to it at all, or relevant to it except as a somewhat weird way to have it pay for itself.
gollark: 5 million LoC implies you wrote 120000 a day, which seems implausible. And/or would suggest you did waaaaay too much work.
gollark: Technically, proof of stake is a thing. Though it has its own horrible problems.
gollark: I read somewhere that the really low price is more of a marketing gimmick, hence why lots of places have a quantity limit, and the price of the version with headers reflects the actual price more accurately.

References
  1. "Our story". Te Pūnaha Matatini. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. "Professor Shaun Cameron Hendy". University of Auckland. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  3. Weir, Graham (April 2014). "Shaun Cameron Hendy" (PDF). NZMS Newsletter. New Zealand Mathematical Society (120): 16–17. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  4. "Faculty of Science". University Calendar. University of Auckland. 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  5. Hendy, Shaun Cameron (1998). "Cosmic strings in black hole spacetimes". PHDT: 3517. Bibcode:1998PhDT........46H.
  6. "People | School of Chemical and Physical Sciences | Victoria University of Wellington". www.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  7. "Associate Investigators". The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  8. "Centres of Research Excellence – The University of Auckland". www.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  9. "Complex Economic and Social Systems | Te Pūnaha Matatini". www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  10. "Complexity and the Biosphere | Te Pūnaha Matatini". www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  11. Hendy, Shaun. "Shaun Hendy". The Spinoff. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  12. "Sciblogs | Shaun Hendy, Author at Sciblogs". sciblogs.co.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  13. VCteam. "Shaun Hendy – Get off the Grass – May 2014". venturecentre.co.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  14. "Victoria physicist named top science communicator | School of Chemical and Physical Sciences | Victoria University of Wellington". www.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  15. "New Zealand Mathematical Society : Membership and Council". nzmathsoc.org.nz. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  16. Noted. "Book review: Get off the Grass, by Shaun Hendy and Paul Callaghan". www.noted.co.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  17. Hendy, Shaun C. (2013). Get off the grass : kickstarting New Zealand's innovation economy. Callaghan, Paul T. Auckland, New Zealand. ISBN 978-1-86940-762-9. OCLC 851179155.
  18. "Silencing Scientists: Shaun Hendy on why science should be 'open'". RNZ. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  19. "Are New Zealand's scientists too scared to say what they think? | Education Central". Central Education. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  20. "#NoFly | BWB Bridget Williams Books". www.bwb.co.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  21. Macdonald, Nikki. "Physicist Shaun Hendy maps the lows, highs and sleepless buses of a no-fly year". Stuff. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  22. Hendy, Shaun (4 November 2019). "No fly zone: I didn't catch a plane for a year and saved 19 tonnes of Co2". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  23. Morton, Jamie (20 September 2019). "Covering climate now series: What I learned in my no-fly year". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  24. Newton, Kate (27 March 2020). "The man modelling NZ's Covid-19 spread from his kitchen table". RNZ. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  25. Morton, Jamie (9 April 2020). "Covid 19 coronavirus: New data reveals bullet NZ dodged by locking down when we did". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  26. Manhire, Toby (9 April 2020). "New modelling reveals the impact of lockdown, and the hopes for elimination". The Spinoff. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  27. "Lockdown should be extended two weeks: virus tracker". Otago Daily Times Online News. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  28. "Lifting Covid-19 lockdown: Long weekend breaks 'a risky thing to do' – virus modeller". RNZ. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  29. Manhire, Toby (20 April 2020). "NZ to exit alert level four after Anzac weekend, Jacinda Ardern reveals". The Spinoff. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  30. "ANZIAM : The 2013 EO Tuck Medals". www.anziam.org.au. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  31. VCteam. "Shaun Hendy – Get off the Grass – May 2014". venturecentre.co.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  32. "Victoria physicist named top science communicator | School of Chemical and Physical Sciences | Victoria University of Wellington". www.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  33. "Recipients". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  34. "New Zealand Association of Scientists – 2010–2015 Awards Recipients". scientists.org.nz. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
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