World champion and leading scientist join Te Papa Foundation as ambassadors

As Te Papa Foundation marks its tenth anniversary, it has appointed two distinguished New Zealanders as ambassadors: Beatrice Faumuinā ONZM OLY and Professor Michael Bunce.

The appointments bring together expertise in cultural leadership, scientific excellence, and a shared commitment to preserving Aotearoa New Zealand’s heritage for future generations. They join Lady Pippa Blake as Te Papa Foundation ambassadors.

Beatrice Faumuinā is internationally known for winning gold in discus at the 1997 World Championships in Athens, becoming the first New Zealander to win a world championship title. She has since built a distinguished career spanning diplomacy, governance, and public service. She has served as New Zealand’s Consul-General and Trade Commissioner in New York and held chief executive and board roles across sport, culture, and community organisations.

“Te Papa is more than a museum. It is a national institution entrusted with the care of our histories, cultures, and taonga, held for the benefit of present and future generations,” Ms Faumuinā said.

“My commitment to this role is grounded in service, to our cultural heritage, to our communities, and to the responsibility we hold to preserve what matters most with integrity and foresight.”

Professor Michael Bunce brings world-leading scientific expertise as Director of OceanOmics and Ecosystem Intelligence at Minderoo. His research career has focused on DNA techniques to characterise biological communities, spanning biodiversity assessment, conservation genetics, and endangered species detection.

“I first interacted with the collection at Te Papa over 20 years ago,” said Professor Bunce. “We were sampling some of the fossils in the collection for research on the genetics of the extinct moa. Through the lens of DNA, we discovered that what was thought to be different species were in fact different sexes, with the females being 2.5 times the size of males.”

Across the globe, Professor Bunce has collaborated with museum collections to characterise biodiversity and has a passion for the communication of science.

“It is a privilege to be appointed in this ambassadorial role,” said Professor Bunce. “Any contribution I can make to the Te Papa Foundation’s mission to support exhibits, research, and education is where I want to be – it’s why I got into science. Aotearoa is a special place for me and my whānau, and I look forward to contributing in this role to elevate the mission of Te Papa on the national and international stage.”

Aaron Hape, Chair of Te Papa Foundation, said: “As the Te Papa Foundation marks its tenth year, I’m delighted to welcome new ambassadors who will help champion the Foundation and the extraordinary work that happens behind the scenes at Te Papa.

“Ambassadors play an important role in helping us share the story of the museum’s research, conservation, and discovery, and in connecting more people to the impact that philanthropy can have. Their support helps strengthen the wider community around Te Papa and will be invaluable as we look to build the Foundation's next chapter.”

The ambassador appointments coincide with the final weeks of Te Papa Foundation’s 2026 Annual Appeal, which runs until 31 March. Each year, Te Papa must raise almost $40 million to continue delivering world-class exhibitions, conducting cutting-edge research, and providing access for all New Zealanders.

As ambassadors, Ms Faumuinā and Professor Bunce will advocate for the Foundation’s mission, support its philanthropic efforts, and help ensure Te Papa remains resilient, inclusive, and future-focused.

Donations to Te Papa Foundation’s Annual Appeal can be made at tepapa.nz/AnnualAppeal. All donations over $5 are tax-deductible.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

View and download images: NetX

For further information on the Te Papa Foundation or interviews with our new ambassadors, please contact:

Gillian Monahan, Marketing & Comms Lead for Te Papa Foundation

T: 022 000 7627; E: gillian.monahan@tepapa.govt.nz

For further information on Te Papa, please contact:

Kate Camp, Head of Marketing and Communications

T: 029 601 0180; E: kate.camp@tepapa.govt.nz

About Beatrice Faumuinā ONZM OLY

Beatrice Faumuinā is a New Zealand leader with a distinguished career spanning diplomacy, governance, public service, and elite sport. She won gold in discus at the 1997 World Championships in Athens, becoming the first New Zealander to win a world championship title. She also won two Commonwealth Games gold medals (1998, 2002) and a silver (1994), and competed at four Olympic Games (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008). She has since transitioned into senior leadership roles focused on governance, inclusion, and safeguarding legacy for future generations. She has served as Consul-General and Trade Commissioner in New York and held chief executive and board roles across sport, culture, and community organisations.

About Professor Michael Bunce

Professor Michael Bunce grew up in Ōtautahi Christchurch, before completing a PhD at the Australian National University. He developed skills in virology before applying them within the field of ancient and environmental DNA. He spent the last two decades at universities in Oxford, Canada and Australia extracting DNA from a wide variety of biological material, from fossils to seawater. Mike has published over 220 scientific papers. In 2019, he left the university system to take up the position of Chief Scientist at the EPA but in 2020 was seconded into Aotearoa's COVID-19 response. Mike served as Chief Science Advisor at DOC until the role was disestablished in June 2024. Mike is a director at the Minderoo Foundation, Australia's largest philanthropy, where his focus is on using DNA tools and community engagement to drive outcomes for marine ecosystems.

About Te Papa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, known as Te Papa, is Aotearoa New Zealand’s much-loved national museum, located in Wellington.

Te Papa houses the national art collection, a major research facility, and is kaitiaki (guardian) of over two million objects across Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), Natural History, Art, New Zealand Histories, and Pacific Cultures. Te Papa Collections Online offers access to over one million of these taonga (treasures).

Since opening in 1998, Te Papa has welcomed over 35 million visitors from around the world, and in July 2025, was recognised as TripAdvisor's top tourist attraction in New Zealand and top 1% worldwide. The museum is free for all New Zealanders.

Te Papa is also world-renowned for its foundation in biculturalism, research partnerships, and internationally significant work in the repatriation of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains from collections worldwide.

www.tepapa.govt.nz

About Te Papa Foundation

Te Papa Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Established in 2016, the Foundation raises funds to support the work of Te Papa across conservation, research, exhibitions, and education. All donations are tax-deductible. Te Papa Foundation is registered charity CC52173.

For more information, visit: www.tepapa.govt.nz/support-join/donate-to-te-papa