Landcare Research John is the leading rat biologist in the Waikato. His most significant contribution to conservation at the national and international level was his team’s discovery that possums eat native birds and their eggs and young and are not just vegetarians. This revelation not only permanently refocused subsequent possum control throughout New Zealand, it…
University of Waikato Brendan began his research in the field of estimation of fish abundance by developing the systematic and quantitative use of drift diving, a direct counting technique of salmon and trout. He has used statistical analyses of fish abundance to produce a unique quantitative view of fish abundance in New Zealand’s lakes…
University of Waikato Dudley provides technical support for more than 100 postgraduate (Ph.D. and Masters) students, and with his technical experience, expertise and knowledge have helped to develop outstanding scientific facilities to support the University of Waikato. His role has been instrumental in the success of some groundbreaking scientific discoveries at the University. Dudley…
University of Waikato Aaron’s team identify farm management practices that either decreases soil carbon losses or increase gains. One of the major components of the carbon balance is the exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and the ecosystem. This exchange is measured using eddy covariance systems, which he installed and maintains. Aaron M. Wall…
Scientist at NIWA Brian is an aquatic entomologist, who’s research over the last two decades has produced a comprehensive identification guide to our caddisfly fauna. His identification guide provides a major taxonomic resource for the identification of New Zealand caddisflies, an important and unique component of our freshwater fauna. Brian Smith NIWA Back to…
Sacred Heart Girls’ College Michael is Head of Science at Sacred Heart Girls’ College and has developed a free learning hub called www.passbiology. co.nz, an interactive online learning platform for senior secondary biology teachers and students. It allows resource sharing and encourages social media interaction. Originally developed for teachers of the Waikato region, it is…
St Peter’s School Sarah teaches Chemistry to a high standard incorporating effective pedagogy. As the Head of Faculty, St Peter’s School, she also oversees a huge range of opportunities for students to engage in Science outside of the classroom. Sarah is the secretary of the Waikato Science Teachers Association (WSTA) and is one…
A cost-effective, MRI-safe design for neural implant leads. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a valuable diagnostic tool, which generates images and information without using radiation as with X-rays and CT scans. Unfortunately it cannot be used on patients who have a spinal-cord stimulator (SCS) or deep-brain stimulator (DBS) as the electrical leads of SCS and…
A significant contribution to the conservation of one of our rarest taonga species. New Zealand’s native lamprey, Geotria australis (a.k.a. piharau or kanakana) is classified as a “Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable” freshwater fish species. It is also a very elusive research subject. Tracking technology was either too big for the petite fish or, in the…
A revolutionary approach to lake water clarity monitoring. Professor Hicks and his team have developed an automated remote sensing technique using satellite pictures to assess and monitor key water clarity measures. The technique is significantly cheaper than on-site sampling, allowing scope for more lakes to be monitored, including those in hard to access areas. It…