Maren Wellenreuther

Maren Wellenreuther  is a German–New Zealand marine scientist, and is a full professor at the University of Auckland, specialising in the development of indigenous fish aquaculture.

Earl life and education
Wellenreuther was born in Gottingen. She earned a Master's degree in Australia before completing a PhD titled Ecological factors associated with speciation in New Zealand triplefin fishes (Family Tripterygiidae) at the University of Auckland. Her thesis won the Marian Cranwell Prize for best ecological PhD thesis.

Academic career
Wellenreuther undertook her post-doctoral research at Lund University, where she was on the faculty from 2014–2017 as an associate professor. Although Wellenreuther is based at Plant & Food Research in Nelson, she has a part-time position on the faculty of the University of Auckland, where she was appointed as full professor in 2024.

Wellenreuther is an evolutionary ecologist and marine scientist, who uses evolutionary theory and genomics to try to improve fish production for aquaculture. Wellenreuther leads an MBIE-funded project worth $5.5 million to develop a native species of fish for aquaculture. The research examines traits such as growth rate and disease resistance in domesticated finfish populations, and focuses on trevally and snapper.

Honours and awards
In 2013 Wellenreuther received a King Carl XVI Gustaf's 50-years award, which was given to "researchers who promote and contribute to the knowledge and preservation of biological diversity". In 2018 she was awarded the Royal Society Te Apārangi's Hamilton Award, an annual award for early career scientists.