Sarah Wakes | |
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Awards | Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand |
Academic background | |
Alma mater | University of Nottingham |
Thesis |
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Academic work | |
Institutions | University of Otago |
Sarah Jane Wakes is an English-born New Zealand applied mathematician and engineer, and is a full professor at the University of Otago. She is the first woman to be head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the university.
Wakes was born in England. [1] Wakes completed a PhD titled The development of a sand wave at the University of Nottingham in 1991. [2] Wakes was a chartered engineer and marine engineer in the UK, and through the UK Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology is also a chartered engineer in New Zealand. [1] [3] [4] Wakes joined the University of Otago in 2002, initially in the design department, then in applied sciences. [1] Wakes has also been the director of the university's Clothing and Textile Sciences programme. [1] In 2021 Wakes was appointed as the head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. She was the first woman to lead the department in the university's 150-year history. [1] Wakes was appointed a full professor in 2024, and as of 2024 is a member of the university Senate. [3] [5]
Wakes is considered an expert on computational fluid dynamics, [3] [4] and has researched coastal management, engineering design and wind flow over geomorphology such as dunes. She is also interested in sedimentation effects. [5] [3] Wakes is part of a Plant & Food Research-led MBIE-funded project researching design of aquaculture structures for the open ocean. [3] She also works on the sustainability of materials. [3]
In 2022 Wakes was elected as a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, in recognition of her contribution to engineering education. [4] [3]