2010 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients

Principal Youth Court Judge of New Zealand since 2001 and a strong advocate on youth issues. Judge Becroft practised in Auckland with Fortune Manning & Partners, then in 1986 assisted with the establishment of the Mangere Community Law Centre where he worked as a senior solicitor until 1993. He was then a criminal barrister in South Auckland until his appointment to the Wanganui District Court in 1996, a role which he held for five years.

One of New Zealand’s leading and best-known dancers and choreographers with an international career spanning nearly 30 years. Michael’s choreography ranges from innovative solo works to large-scale opera-house productions. He directed his Commotion Company from 1990-2008 and has choreographed works for the Footnote Dance Company and the Royal New Zealand Ballet, collaborating with acclaimed New Zealand composers. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and is a renowned teacher and public speaker.

Ahorangi or Principal of Te Rau Kahikatea at the College of St John the Evangelist, Auckland, since 1995. She is the  first lay, indigenous and single woman ever to be appointed as head of an Anglican theological college throughout the Anglican Communion. The London Daily Telegraph named her 20th among its 50 most influential Anglicans globally, calling her “an influential voice in Anglican liberal circles” for her outspokenness in condemning  homophobia.

Recognised internationally for his pioneering research linking the structure of crustal fault zones to the mechanics of shallow earthquakes. Insights from related work are widely utilised by the mineral industry. Professor Sibson’s career spans appointments at Imperial College, London, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the University of Otago. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, London, and was involved in establishing The University of Auckland’s Institute of Earth Science and Engineering.

Founder and CEO/President of NVT Technologies, an engineering company spanning 13 states in the United States, and a notable philanthropist. Thanh began his studies at Auckland as a Vietnamese recipient of a Colombo Plan Scholarship and his postgraduate research earned him the joint award of the ER Cooper Medal by the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1978. After moving to the United States, he began NVT in 1980, working from modest beginnings in his garage.

Dr Jessie Jacobsen played a major role in generating a sheep model for studying Huntington’s Disease, which could lead to treatment and therapies for patients. Jessie was named MacDiarmid Young Scientist of the Year in 2007 for this work and, after graduating PhD, continued for eight months in the laboratory of esteemed Professor Richard Faull. She is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the United States.