Welcome to the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology & Evolution

The Allan Wilson Centre advances knowledge of the evolution and ecology of New Zealand and Pacific plant and animal life, and human history in the Pacific.  We are a network of 100 researchers at seven institutions, committed to securing the future of New Zealand’s biodiversity and improving human and environmental health. 

How did the evolutionary trajectory unfold in New Zealand’s unique conditions?  Why are plants and animals so different here?  What can the diversity and history of life in New Zealand tell the world about evolutionary processes generally?  And how did humans arrive in New Zealand, learn to thrive here, and create conditions for our future?  We use forefront tools in genomics and biomathematics to answer these questions and uncover our history. 

The Allan Wilson Centre is named after Allan Wilson (1934 - 1991), whose Out of Africa hypothesis - that all human beings share a common female ancestor only 10,000 generations ago - awed and excited both scientists and the public.