Karen Thompson’s technical career demonstrates an appetite for challenge. Aside from a two-year spell overseas, Karen Thompson has worked at NIWA since 2001, and is now manager of its Ecotoxicology and Chemistry Group. She has proved her skills in some demanding situations, from conducting assays on long oceanic voyages, to devising experimental setups for fish…
For many decades, Lynnette Rogers has been driving change and agency in grass roots science education. Lynnette is currently educator for the Kukutaaruhe Education Trust, which supports science, Maatauranga Maaori, environmental and community learning through The Fairfield Project on the grounds of Fairfield College. Her work utilises gully restoration and community gardens to provide education…
Dr Matthew Luckie’s work is supporting global efforts to make the internet safer and more transparent. As the internet grows organically and at pace, it is becoming the ‘wild frontier’ of the digital age. Dr Matthew Luckie is one of its prominent explorers, going beyond text-book accounts to observe and document its real-world operation at…
Farm Medix’s latest screening technology helps maintain milk quality, counter disease and reduce antibiotic use in cows, sheep and goats. High somatic cell counts (SCC) in milk prevent it from being sold, can incur penalties for the farmer and can indicate bacterial disease (like contagious mastitis) in animals. Managing SCC can be a frustrating business,…
By successfully accounting for movement in ‘time of flight’ range imaging, Dr Lee Streeter has revolutionised this technology and expanded its potential application. ‘Time of flight’ imaging allows for physical measurements to be captured by timing how long it takes a light wave to travel to an object and back. Multiple images can be compiled…
Marine ecologist, Dr Drew Lohrer is helping us protect and manage valuable coastal resources. Dr Lohrer’s research often focuses on nursery environments or early links in food chains where even small changes can have far-reaching ramifications. His research has informed conservation of seagrass beds which help manage nutrients and are a threatened habitat and food…
Kudos Lifetime Achievement award winner, Dr. Phil Elmer is a highly respected and passionate Waikato-based scientist who leads a plant research team with more patents and biological product success than any other in NZ. Dr. Elmer began his science career in the 1980s wanting to make a difference and find solutions to problems. While most…
Andrea Soanes is an innovative education leader and mentor, with 15 years experience in science and sustainability education. As Project Manager for the Science Learning Hub, she has positioned the Hub as the ‘go to’ place for quality science education resources and has strengthened relationships with key players in the sector. She has been instrumental…
Using ‘bugs to tackle bugs’ Plant & Food Research have fought off some serious threats to our fruit and wine industries. When the bacterial disease Psa struck our iconic kiwifruit, Ruakura Plant Pathology Team developed screening tests and a new bio-control yeast, which is being launched to market this spring. In 2017, a Prime Minister’s…
The world took a while to catch up with Dr Michael Kaplan’s evidence of adult nerve cell development. His trailblazing research in the 1970s challenged prevailing belief by suggesting that adults can grow new nerve cells. His theory is now one of the fundamental principles underlying rehabilitation programmes for those who have experienced a stroke…