Dr Siouxsie Wiles

Dr Siouxsie Wiles is a microbiologist specialising in infectious diseases and a passionate science communicator with decades of experience working with mainstream and social media and collaborating with artists and illustrators. In 2019, was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to microbiology and science communication. When the pandemic arrived, Siouxsie joined forces with cartoonist Toby Morris to make graphics about COVID-19 that were translated into multiple languages and adapted by governments and organisations worldwide. Siouxsie also became a household name in New Zealand for her COVID-19 communication work. She found herself on the BBC’s list of 100 influential women of 2020 and was named New Zealander of the Year in 2021. But this work has also made her a target for harassment and death threats, and in 2021, she began legal proceedings against the University of Auckland over their response. That action culminated in a three-week hearing in New Zealand’s Employment Court in November last year. The harassment and threats are ongoing, so Siouxsie is currently taking a break from science communication while she awaits the outcome of her legal action