Latest news with #AlisonStewart
CBC
08-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Toronto seniors want to bike, study shows, and advocates want the city to help them get riding
Rhoda Potter, a 75-year-old Scarborough resident, says she rides her bike at least once a week. She says the activity is good for health and well-being and that more "older adults" — as she says many people aged 65 and up prefer to be called — would also like to take it up, but safety concerns and a lack of accessible cycling infrastructure are holding them back. Potter was among a group that appealed to the city earlier this week, asking the city to make cycling a key component of Toronto Public Health's strategic plan for 2024 to 2028 — a tenet of which is the creation of age-inclusive communities that work for seniors. "Many times we focus on cycling with the younger groups," Potter told CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Tuesday. "But we see the benefits for the older adults to get out there, get moving. The mobility issues can improve when you're out and about." According to a new report from non-profit Cycle Toronto, only 38 per cent of Torontonians who are 65 and older meet the federally-recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, while 40 per cent of Canadians who are 50-years-old and above are at risk of social isolation. Cycling is part of the solution to both problems, said Alison Stewart, director of advocacy and public policy for Cycle Toronto, at a news conference on Monday where she presented the report. She said active transportation can keep seniors active and outgoing, and age shouldn't stop them. The report noted that 86 per cent of the seniors would like access to learn-to-ride programs, but Stewart said many of the seniors surveyed said that they do not have access to bikes or they don't know how to use Bike Share stations. "Despite the well-documented benefits of biking and walking, seniors are often overlooked in policies and planning that shape the public realm and safety," Stewart said. "If we want to create an equitable, dynamic, vibrant city that's safe and accessible to people of all ages, abilities and incomes, then it really begins by making our streets safer for people walking and biking," she said. The city is committed to long-term improvements to cycling policies, programs and infrastructure, Coun. Chris Moise, chair of the city's board of health, said at Monday's news conference. "We recognize that expanding access to cycling programs and offering a range of e-bikes and adaptive bike styles is crucial to making cycling a viable option for our seniors," he said.
Otago Daily Times
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Dame Alison as worthy as anyone
Arable industry leader Alison Stewart had a classic case of imposter syndrome when she received a damehood. Dame Alison admitted she felt undeserving over King's Birthday weekend until her partner told her she was just as worthy a recipient as any of the select group of talented women to hold the same honour. "You look at all of these amazing people who have been given this honour and think what on earth am I doing in the same space as them? I suppose sports people look at other people like politicians and scientists and think the same. You always tend to think people excelling in a certain area must be better than you. I've just decided to accept that everybody's really good, otherwise you end up with a serious inferiority complex and don't enjoy the honour." Emeritus Distinguished Professor Stewart was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to plant science and the arable sector in the King's Birthday Honours. In terms of damehoods, this is just a tier below a select group of women, including former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who have been made a Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Dame Alison is stepping down from her role of the past seven years as chief executive of the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR). She has been inundated with calls from wellwishers and plant science industry people from around the world. "If you have been in the system for 40 years you end up reconnecting with people you've worked with 20 to 30 years ago just to say hello and congratulations. It's like a trip down memory lane. Plant science rarely gets recognised at that kind of level and so there are all these plant scientists out there around the world who just think this is wonderful and it's like that too for the arable sector." She was happy to accept the honour as it raised the profile of both sectors and honoured the people inside them. "It has to be like that because in the type of job and the career I've had I've never worked in isolation and I've always been working fortunately with really good people, whether it was a university environment, a commercial company or FAR. You can't look at it in isolation because my success has been their success." Dame Alison only wished her late mother and father were alive to see her honoured. Born just outside of Glasgow, her parents were always in the garden propagating plants and trimming rose bushes, exposing her to a love of plants. Her father was a fine instrument engineer repairing mechanical microscopes which got her interested in micro-biology, while her initially stay-at-home mother was a creative woman into flower arrangement, calligraphy and gardening. "My brother was the chartered accountant who's retired back in Scotland so both of us had professional careers. My parents both left school when they were 14 and they basically sacrificed a huge amount to allow my brother and I an opportunity to get a higher education. It's just a shame my parents are no longer alive because they would absolutely love that I have been recognised in this way." At school she was inspired by a biology teacher to choose plant science and when she went to university lecturers instilled this interest in her further. After earning a PhD in plant pathology at the University of Stirling, just north of Glasgow and Edinburgh, in the early 1980s, she became the first female professor at Lincoln University in 1998. She said it was nice to have students later come up to her to say they were inspired by her lectures, just as she had been inspired earlier by her teachers. Other accolades were earning excellence in research awards and becoming the founding director of the Bio-Protection Research Centre at the university from 2003 to 2011 and a distinguished professor of plant pathology. She was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of services to biology in 2009. The transition to becoming an executive in applied research after being in a university environment for so long was to find a new challenge, she said. On leaving the university world, she was head of the R&D unit at Marrone Bio Innovations in California in 2013, then became the general manager of forest science at Scion before accepting the chief executive role at FAR in 2018. She said going to a commercial company in the United States had been rewarding and encouraged her to deliver meaningful research to an industry in innovative ways to "time-poor" growers. She plans to spend a semi-retirement in science advisory or governance roles as well as building a new house in Governor's Bay and probably pursuing photography and landscape gardening hobbies. "That's what I've enjoyed about my career — I've been in academia, the commercial environment, in industry, linked in with government agencies and worked in all of the plant sector starting off in vegetables, then horticulture, forestry and a bit of pastoral work and now arable so it's been very broad-ranging. I've always liked governance and you get better with age because as much as you can go to governance workshops a lot of it is based on experience and having been around the block and learned from mistakes I feel that's how I can contribute now." Apart from the odd formal occasion, she would prefer to be called by her first name. "I don't think you will ever be hearing me introducing myself as Dame Alison. I've always just been Alison and don't tend to defer to people based on their title and don't expect people to do that with me."
NZ Herald
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Listen to The Country online: King's Birthday Honours 2025
Today on The Country radio show, host Jamie Mackay catches up with Dame Alison Stewart and Dame Catriona Williams, two women flying the flag for New Zealand agriculture in the King's Birthday Honours. On with the show: 'Deputy Dave Seymour': He's now a heartbeat away from the top job,
1News
01-06-2025
- Health
- 1News
Full list: King's Birthday Honours 2025
The following people have been recognised with awards in the King's Birthday Honours 2025. The New Zealand Order of Merit DNZM To be Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Ms Ranjna Patel, ONZM, QSM, JP ADVERTISEMENT For services to ethnic communities, health and family violence prevention Emeritus Distinguished Professor Alison Stewart, CNZM For services to plant science and the arable sector Mrs Catriona Ruth Williams, MNZM For services to spinal cord injury research and equestrian sport KNZM To be Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit: ADVERTISEMENT The Honourable Mark Leslie Smith Cooper, KC For services to the judiciary Mr Brendan Jon Lindsay, MNZM For services to business and philanthropy Mr Ewan Francis Smith, CNZM For services to Cook Islands business and tourism ADVERTISEMENT CNZM To be Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Ms Catherine Joy Andersen For services to the music industry Mr Wayne Robert Boyd For services to business, philanthropy and sport ADVERTISEMENT Professor George Charles Clifton For services to structural engineering Mr Anthony Edwin Falkenstein, ONZM For services to philanthropy and business education The Honourable Steven Leonard Joyce ADVERTISEMENT For services as a Member of Parliament Mr Donald Angus Mackinnon For services to sports governance Professor Emeritus Ian George Mayhew For services to the veterinary profession, especially equine medicine ADVERTISEMENT Dr David Edwin McKee For services to New Zealand Sign Language and the Deaf community Mr William Charles Nathan, OBE, ED For services to Māori Dr Lesley Kay Rameka ADVERTISEMENT For services to Māori and early childhood education The Honourable Ruth Margaret Richardson For services as a Member of Parliament and to governance Dr Ai Ling Tan For services to gynaecology ADVERTISEMENT Dr Mark Greenslade Thomas For services to people living with HIV/AIDS and antibiotic research ONZM To be Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Emeritus Professor George David Baxter For services to physiotherapy and health ADVERTISEMENT Ms Gillian Lorraine Bohm For services to health Associate Professor Philip Michel Jose Brinded For services to psychiatry ADVERTISEMENT Mr Fergus Graham Brown For services to the tourism industry Mr Graham Vincent Brown For services to the venison industry Mr David Paul Burton ADVERTISEMENT For services to food writing Mr Peter Hardy Ballantyne Carty For services to fly-fishing Ms Suzanne Noreen Cato For services to music, television and education ADVERTISEMENT Mr Hohepa Conrad For services to Māori, particularly kaupapa waka Mr Peter Michael de Blois For services to music Dr Celia Jane Devenish Giddings ADVERTISEMENT For services to women's health and education Ms Sophie Frances Monique Devine For services to cricket Mrs Judith Mary Dobson For services to the community, broadcasting and historical preservation ADVERTISEMENT Professor Bernadette Kathleen Drummond For services to dentistry and education Mr Daryl Kelvin Eason For services to wildlife conservation Ms Susan Elizabeth Elliott ADVERTISEMENT For services to the arts and governance Rear Admiral James Leslie Gilmour, (Rtd.) For services to the New Zealand Defence Force Mr Kirk Brian Hardy For services to drug abuse prevention and education ADVERTISEMENT Mr Dafydd (Dai) Morgan Henwood For services to the entertainment industry and charitable fundraising Professor Patria Anne Hume For services to sports science and injury prevention ADVERTISEMENT Mr Gary Rodney Lane For services to conservation and philanthropy Ms Julia May Marshall For services to children's literature Mr Peter David Martin, JP ADVERTISEMENT For services to the community, particularly Pacific and LGBTQ+ communities Mr Murray Graham Mexted For services to rugby Mr David Ross Morgan For services to aviation ADVERTISEMENT Mr Panchanatham Narayanan, QSM, JP For services to multicultural communities Mr Peter Arnold Nation For services to the agricultural industry and governance ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Gillian Christine Naylor For services to rural communities, particularly women Mr John Daniel O'Sullivan For services to business and philanthropy Dr Fiona Dorothy Pardington, MNZM ADVERTISEMENT For services to photography Dr Susan Parry For services to gastroenterology Mr David Robert Percy For services to fire safety technologies, business and the community ADVERTISEMENT Mr Eric Clive Power For services to swimming Mr Timothy Grant Southee For services to cricket Mrs Gail Patricia Spence ADVERTISEMENT For services to language education Distinguished Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley For services to sociology Mr John Bradley Struthers For services to cycling, the cycling industry and business ADVERTISEMENT Mr Mark William Joseph Vela For services to mental health care and education Ms Jennifer Mary Wake For services to theatre and television Mr Neil William Walker, JP ADVERTISEMENT For services to primary industries and the community Ms Sarah Louise Walker For services to BMX and sports governance Dr Richard John Wild For services to animal welfare and the veterinary sector ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Portia Louise Woodman-Wickliffe For services to rugby Mr Wayne Wright For services to education and philanthropy ADVERTISEMENT MNZM To be Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Anae Lupematasila Lima Arthur John Anae For services to the Samoan community Ms Ellesse Mote Andrews For services to cycling ADVERTISEMENT Mr Richard Balcombe-Langridge For services to business Ms Catherine Juliet Bell For services to food education ADVERTISEMENT Dr Santosh Prasad Bhandari, JP For services to the Nepalese community Mr Darryl Bishop For services to mental health Mr Victor Kenneth Boyd For services to survivors of abuse in care ADVERTISEMENT Ms Anna Catherine Cottrell For services to documentary filmmaking and migrant communities Mr Simon Eric Denny For services to art Mrs Welmoed (Chris) Duggan ADVERTISEMENT For services to science education Mr Ronald Bruce Ealam For services to Search and Rescue Mr Robert Tuahuru Edwards For services to the community and governance ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Susan Ann Elley For services to education Mrs Terri Jayne Fairhall (Terri Middleton) For services to the New Zealand Police and the community ADVERTISEMENT Ms Allison Daphne Christina Franklin For services to people with disabilities Mr Okesene Uili Galo For services to the Tokelau community Ms Rez Gardi ADVERTISEMENT For services to refugees and human rights advocacy Mr Alan Charles Gilmore For services to astronomy Mr Francis Quinn Goldingham For services to outdoor recreation and seniors ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Elizabeth Helen Graham For services to Māori and education Mrs Patricia Pearl Gregory For services to the fashion industry ADVERTISEMENT Mr Aaron Mark Halstead For services to Search and Rescue and the tourism industry Dr Nina Emilia Hood For services to education Mrs Lesley Mary Huckins ADVERTISEMENT For services to swimming Ms Meleua Enda Ikiua For services to Vagahau Niue language and education Mr Martin Kaipo For services to social services and the community ADVERTISEMENT Ms Lalita Vanmali Kasanji For services to the IT industry and the Indian community Mr Brian Patrick Kelly For services to broadcasting Mr William James Kermode ADVERTISEMENT For services to governance and philanthropy Ms Pamela Margaret Kilmartin For services to astronomy Mr John Junior Kumitau For services to the Pacific community ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Laurinne Marion Laing For services to sports and people with intellectual disabilities Mr Ross James Lawrence For services to the ski industry ADVERTISEMENT Ms Lisa Li For services to the tourism industry Mr James Eric Lilley For services to conservation and the community Ms Janet Crystal-Lee Lilo For services to the arts ADVERTISEMENT Ms Pauline-Jean Henrietta Luyten For services to rugby and the Pacific community Reverend David Elliott Major For services to the community and the State ADVERTISEMENT Ms Ngatepaeru Marsters For services to midwifery and Pacific communities Mr Lloyd James McCallum, JP For services to the dairy industry and the environment Ms Suzanne Michelle McFadden ADVERTISEMENT For services to sports journalism and women Mr Ian Robert Flockhart McKelvie For services to local government, governance and as a Member of Parliament Mr Grant Allan McMillan, ED For services to education and the community ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Victoria Mary Mee For services to women and business Mr Eugene Joseph Meredith For services to American Football ADVERTISEMENT Mr Allan George Mincher For services to aviation engineering Mrs Margaret Mary Mitchell For services to the Royal New Zealand Naval Women's Association Dr Alishia Rangiwhakawaitau Moeahu ADVERTISEMENT For services to Māori culture Dr Malcolm George Davis Mulholland For services to health and Māori Mr Khoa Truong Nguyen For services to New Zealand-Vietnam relations and the community ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Julia Louisa Pearse For services to governance and the community Mr Sunit Prakash, JP For services to the IT industry and the Indian community ADVERTISEMENT Dr Maxine Mariri Ronald For services to breast cancer treatment and research Mr Gary James Herbert Rooney For services to business and philanthropy Mr Bruce Winston Ross ADVERTISEMENT For services to cycling Mr Charles Edward Ross For services to the community Mrs Morrin Jackson Rout For services to the arts, particularly literature ADVERTISEMENT Ms Annie Burma Teina Tangata Esita Scoon For services to softball and the Pacific community Ms Diana Rosemary Shand For services to the environment and the community ADVERTISEMENT Mr Simon John Caufield Strombom, DSD, ED For services to war commemoration and historical preservation Ms Veronica Ngarutai Kaye Thompson For services to basketball Mrs Diane Anita Turner, JP ADVERTISEMENT For services to governance, seniors and Māori Ms Hariata Ann Vercoe For services to Māori, health, and the community Mrs Louise Annette Wallace For services to the entertainment industry ADVERTISEMENT Mr Andrew Norman Williamson For services to agriculture Mrs Marilyn Kay Yeoman For services to education and the community ADVERTISEMENT HONORARY To be an Honorary Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Mr Viliami Teumohenga For services to education and the Pacific community The King's Service Order KSO ADVERTISEMENT To be Companions of the King's Service Order: Dr Christopher Evan Longhurst For services to survivors of abuse in care Mr Tyrone Marks For services to survivors of abuse in care Mr Phillip Wayne Paikea For services to the prevention of family violence and the community ADVERTISEMENT The Honourable Dover Spencer Samuels For services as a Member of Parliament Mr Peter William Tipene For services to Māori The King's Service Medal ADVERTISEMENT KSM Ms Heather Jayne Baldwin For services to the community Mrs Tina May Barrett, JP For services to the community Mrs Debra Ann Bell ADVERTISEMENT For services to the community Mr Narendra Bhana For services to the Indian community Mr Marius Jean Bron For services to Search and Rescue and the community ADVERTISEMENT Ms Judith Marion Browne, JP For services to the community Mrs Julia Mary Castles For services to language education and migrant communities Mr John Albert Coleman ADVERTISEMENT For services to the community and sport Mrs Lily Coleman For services to the community and sport Mr Ross Melville Cooper For services to rugby ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Margaret Jean Cousins For services to local government and the community Mrs Glenda Gaye Davies For services to the community ADVERTISEMENT Mr Aperira Ngahau Davis For services to the community Mrs Deborah Grace Davis For services to the community Mr Gavin Lloyd Dennis, JP ADVERTISEMENT For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community Mr Edwin John Eeles, JP For services to pipe bands Mr Anthony William Norman Enderby For services to conservation ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Jennifer Fay Enderby For services to conservation Ms Zora Estelle Feilo-Makapa For services to the Niue community and the arts ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Penelope-Jane Frost For services to children and social work Ms Christine Ada Gilbertson For services to midwifery Mr Kaiaho (Butch) Kereama Green ADVERTISEMENT For services to music Mrs Heidi Elizabeth Griffin For services to the arts and the community Ms Allyson Teresa Hamblett For services to people with disabilities and the transgender community ADVERTISEMENT The Venerable Sohim Hay For services to the Cambodian community Mrs Katerina Hauhaua Hepi For services to Māori language education ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Nicola Linda Hickey (Nicky Rawlings) For services to Victim Support Mrs Luen Nanette Hoani For services to Māori language education Mrs Parminder Kaur, JP ADVERTISEMENT For services to multicultural communities Mr Kevin Francis Loe, JP For services to the community and agriculture Mr Timothy Peter Marshall For services to the community and waka ama ADVERTISEMENT Ms Audrey Myra Mattinson For services to Scottish Country Dancing and the community Mrs Annie Elizabeth McCracken For services to the community Reverend Rosemary McMillan ADVERTISEMENT For services to the community Mr Clem Burnard Mellish For services to Māori art and music Mr Graham Frederick Charles Milligan, MStJ For services to the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association ADVERTISEMENT Mr Fergus Charles Denis More For services to the community and the law Mr Graham (Kereama) Douglas Nathan For services to Māori ADVERTISEMENT Mr Terence John O'Regan For services to nursing and the community Mrs Alison Isabel Perrin, JP For services to the community and music Mr Narayanan Kutty Pulloothpadath ADVERTISEMENT For services to ethnic communities Mrs Berry Jane Rangi For services to the community, particularly Pacific peoples Mrs Karen Elizabeth Richards For services to textiles history and conservation ADVERTISEMENT Papali'i Seiuli Johnny Siaosi For services to health and the Pacific community Ms Rosemary Jan Sloman, JP For services to the community ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Roberta Jane Smallfield, JP For services to historical research and the community Mr Alan (Curly) Rex Troon For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand Mrs Jacqueline June Watson ADVERTISEMENT For services to the community and the arts Dr Glenys Margaret Weir For services to health Miss Merrilyn Joy Withers For services to youth and the Baptist movement ADVERTISEMENT Mr Yuanyong Yang For services to bonsai and the Chinese community HONORARY KING'S SERVICE MEDAL Mr Eteuati Fa'avae For services to the Pacific community ADVERTISEMENT Mrs Siesina Ofahelotu Latu For services to the Pacific community
Scoop
01-06-2025
- Science
- Scoop
Congratulations…Dame Alison Stewart
Press Release – Foundation for Arable Research – FAR This Honour, which recognises her pre-eminent contribution to plant science and the arable sector, is well deserved and recognises years of commitment. It seems fitting that it is announced just a few weeks before she steps down from her role with FAR. The Board and staff of the Foundation for Arable Research are delighted to congratulate FAR CEO, Alison Stewart, on her appointment as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This Honour, which recognises her pre-eminent contribution to plant science and the arable sector, is well deserved and recognises years of commitment. It seems fitting that it is announced just a few weeks before she steps down from her role with FAR. In response to the appointment, Professor Stewart, whose full title is Emeritus Distinguished Professor, says she is absolutely thrilled. 'It seems redundant to say it, but it really is a great honour. And it's an honour I'm pleased to share with the plant science community and the arable sector, both huge, but often unrecognised contributors to New Zealand's agriculture and horticulture industries. 'I've been involved with plant science and plant pathology for my whole working career, with the shift to arable coming about when I joined FAR in 2018. Working in the arable industry has been an absolute pleasure and privilege. The sector is an exemplar of a sustainable and resilient farming system, and we should be really proud of it.' Dame Alison was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of services to biology in 2009. Other career honours and achievements include: PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Stirling (1984) First female Professor at Lincoln University (1998) Bayer – NZ Innovators Award (2012) Founding Director of the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University (2003-2011) AgResearch Technology Transfer Award (2002) Agricom Significant Achievement Award for Research Excellence (2001) MAFBNZ Biosecurity Award for Excellence (2008) Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology, Lincoln University (2011) Fellow of the NZ Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Science (2006) Fellow of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (2011)
