Reflecting on Paul Dalziel’s outstanding career at Lincoln University as he retires from AERU

Long-serving member of the Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit (AERU), Professor Paul Dalziel is retiring from Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University after an influential career specialising in wellbeing economics and regional economic development.

After beginning his academic career at the Universities of Otago and Canterbury, Professor Dalziel joined Lincoln University as a Senior Lecturer in Economics at a pivotal time in the University’s history.

“I arrived at Lincoln on 1 January 1990, the day Lincoln College became Lincoln University. Since then, I have received uncountable opportunities to engage in meaningful research,” says Professor Dalziel.

Professor Dalziel joined AERU in 2002 at the invitation of AERU Director, Distinguished Professor Caroline Saunders. Since then, his research has focused on AERU’s mission to exercise leadership in research for sustainable wellbeing.

“New Zealand is blessed with amazing natural resources. Our research has looked at how we can continue producing quality food and fibre products while investing in environmental stewardship and maintaining decent living standards for all New Zealanders.

“A feature of AERU has been our collaboration with an advisory board of public and private sector leaders in the land-based sector to guide our research. My career has been memorable for the passionate producers and other people in the industry I have worked alongside.”

According to Professor Dalziel, one of the joys of working at Lincoln University is the opportunity to positively influence government policy and industry best practice to improve the wellbeing of New Zealanders.

“Lincoln’s international standing has allowed me to contribute on the world stage. This included work for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris and the European Union’s International Urban and Regional Cooperation programme.”

Professor Dalziel has received many awards and honours during his career. Most recently, the AERU team was a Science & Research finalist at the 2024 Primary Industries New Zealand Awards. He is a Fellow of the Regional Studies Association which presented him with a Distinguished Service Award in 2022. The Australian and New Zealand Regional Science Association International awarded Professor Dalziel three awards: Distinguished Service in 2016, Life Member in 2020 and the John Dickinson Memorial Award (with Distinguished Professor Caroline Saunders and Andrew McCallum) for best paper in the 2021 Australasian Journal of Regional Studies. Lincoln University presented him with its inaugural Critic and Conscience of Society Award in 2019.

Among his 150 science publications, Professor Dalziel has co-authored 10 books, with three translated into Japanese. The most renowned is Wellbeing Economics: The capabilities approach to prosperity, written with Distinguished Professor Caroline Saunders and Dr Joe Saunders. The fifth most downloaded book in economics published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2018, its success demonstrates the ability of Lincoln University academics to contribute to global issues.

During his career, Professor Dalziel supervised 23 PhD and Masters students. He was recognised for his teaching by the Lincoln University Students Association in 2010 when they presented him with its Green Award for Excellence and Achievement in Teaching.

“I believed in using real-world examples to demonstrate to students that economics can contribute to addressing global challenges. New Zealand is recognised for producing innovative economic policy and I wanted to show students that a lifetime of research in this area can make a real difference.”

Reflecting on his career, Professor Dalziel says, “Lincoln stands out as a specialist land-based university with a strong focus on wise stewardship of our environment. This gave me opportunities to contribute through research, teaching and engagement.”

Professor Dalziel was farewelled by friends, colleagues and associates at a retirement function hosted by Lincoln University on Tuesday 3 December.

Visit research.lincoln.nz for more information on the industry-leading research work of the AERU team.

For media enquiries, email media@lincoln.ac.nz.