Jacinda Ardern announced the new Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister earlier today.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed an Auckland biochemist expert as her new Chief Science Advisor.

Professor Juliet Gerrard will replace outgoing advisor professor Sir Peter Gluckman, Ardern announced on Tuesday at the University of Auckland.

Gerrard was the associate dean of research at the University of Auckland's faculty of science, but has retired from that role to take up the new appointment.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the new chief science advisor at the University of Auckland.

She was keen to promote women in science and be an inspiration to young people, during her tenure.

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She would continue to oversee her research teams one day a week, she said.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Professor Juliet Gerrard will take up the the role of chief science advisor.

"We work on protein science but most of my attention is going to be turned away from my specialist area and onto the issues that the Prime Minister is going to work on."

The professor of biochemistry was "delighted" to take up the role.

In the first weeks of her appointment, Gerrard would connect with the departmental science advisor network, key stakeholders and scientists around the country, she said.

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Outgoing Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman, welcomed Gerrard to the role at the end of his tenure in the position.

"I am very much looking forward to connecting with a cross section of scientists from all types of institutions, especially emerging scientists," Gerrard said.

She would then touch base with the Prime Minister once she was back from her parental leave to discuss what to tackle first.

Ardern said the unbiased scientific advice the role offers to policy makers is "really important".

ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY/STUFF Gerrard said she would set one day aside a week to check in with her research team (pictured) at the university.

"We've seen how important it is from everything including meth contamination to youth justice, and its great that we'll have that ongoing work happening for us."

She said issues the new Chief Science Advisor would potentially look into would be the spread of Mycoplasma bovis and climate change: "Where things crop up and we need that extra advise, they play a really critical role."

Gerrard said New Zealanders owe Sir Peter Gluckman, a great debt of gratitude for his "tireless" work as the country's first Chief Science Advisor.

"He will continue to make a contribution through his highly respected international and academic roles."

Gerrard trained at Oxford University where she studied chemistry and biological chemistry.

She was appointed lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Canterbury in 1998 and later became professor and director of the Biomolecular Interaction Centre until 2014.