Elinor Ostrom is an American political economist. She was awarded the 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, which she shared with Oliver E. Williamson, for "her analysis of economic governance, and in demonstrating how common property could be successfully managed by groups using it."  The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said Ostrom's “research brought this topic from the fringe to the forefront of scientific attention”. . ."by showing how common resources- forests, fisheries, oil fields or grazing lands can be managed successfully by the people who use them, rather than by governments or private companies". Ostrom's work in this regard, challenged conventional wisdom, showing that common-pool resources can be successfully managed without government regulation or privatization. She is the first woman to win the prize in this category.

Professor Sir Sidney (Hirini) Moko Mead (Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe, Tūwharetoa, Tūhourangi), is an esteemed scholar, traditional leader and innovative thinker who is responsible for establishing many ground-breaking initiatives to progress Māori culture, language and education.

He gained his PhD from Southern Illinois University (USA) in Anthropology, and commenced his university career teaching at The University of Auckland before moving overseas to take on a position as Associate Professor (visiting) at McMaster University (Ontario) and Canadian Commonwealth Fellow at the University of British Colombia.

On returning to New Zealand as professor of Māori at Victoria University of Wellington he created the first department of Māori studies in the country, separating Māori studies as a discipline in it's own right from Anthropology. In addition, he was responsible for building the first university-based marae on a mainstream campus – Te Herenga Waka Marae at Wellington and for establishing Marae graduation ceremonies for Māori students. When Professor Sir Hirini Mead retired from Victoria University, he established a tribal university,Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi at Whakatāne, among his people of Ngāti Awa.