The History
Innovation Fund

The History Innovation Fund supports initiatives that achieve strong research outcomes and outputs that have a positive impact on building research capacity in the history disciplines.

The Barnes Whitehead History Innovation Fund was established in 2020 by Dr Felicity Barnes and Mr Michael Whitehead. Based in the history department at the University of Auckland, the History Innovation Fund aims to support research outputs at the university, especially in New Zealand history.

As well as being a senior lecturer in New Zealand history, Dr Felicity Barnes is a University of Auckland alumna. Her husband Mr Michael Whitehead, who did a BCom in management studies and computer science, went on to co-found global software company WhereScape and New Zealand services firm Now Consulting.

“We’d like to support an institution that has helped us succeed and we also both believe that, despite current trends towards vocational teaching, the world of work and beyond is best served by smart, adaptable thinkers who are encouraged to question the world around them.”