Sarah Wakes

Sarah Jane Wakes is an English-born New Zealand applied mathematician and engineer, and is a full professor at the University of Otago. She is the first woman to be head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the university.

Academic career
Wakes was born in England. Wakes completed a PhD titled The development of a sand wave at the University of Nottingham in 1991. Wakes was a chartered engineer and marine engineer in the UK, and through the UK Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology is also a chartered engineer in New Zealand. Wakes joined the University of Otago in 2002, initially in the design department, then in applied sciences. Wakes has also been the director of the university's Clothing and Textile Sciences programme. In 2021 Wakes was appointed as the head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. She was the first woman to lead the department in the university's 150-year history. Wakes was appointed a full professor in 2024, and as of 2024 is a member of the university Senate.

Wakes is considered an expert on computational fluid dynamics, and has researched coastal management, engineering design and wind flow over geomorphology such as dunes. She is also interested in sedimentation effects. Wakes is part of a Plant & Food Research-led MBIE-funded project researching design of aquaculture structures for the open ocean. She also works on the sustainability of materials.

In 2022 Wakes was elected as a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand, in recognition of her contribution to engineering education.