STUDENT SUPERVISION

I am keen to hear from potential graduate students who are interested in exciting Antarctic environmental science- soil-related research projects.  I welcome new ideas, especially if they align with my current research.   I am particularly keen to hear from students with a strong soil chemistry or soil physics background, with an interest in environmental impact assessment, conservation, soil contaminants or environmental protection of sensitive (Antarctic, sub-Antarctic or other) environments. When you do contact me it is critical to be specific about your interests rather than asking for me to generically look at your CV.

I currently do not have funding for specific projects but there are limited post-graduate scholarships available for both New Zealanders and international students through the general MSc and PhD University of Waikato scholarships (more details here) but these are extremely competitive, especially for international students (where straight A grades or a very high GPA are usually required).

Possible topics

• Microplastics and anthropogenic contaminants in gannet colonies (MSc)
• The effects of foraging behaviour on microplastics and anthropogenic contaminants in little blue penguin colonies (MSc or PhD) 
• Soil microplastic contamination under different land-uses in New Zealand

I am also part of a research team known as WaiBER, led by Louis Schipper, Dave Campbell, and Aaron Wall from the University of Waikato. Our group works on a variety of projects covering soil quality, carbon exchange and budgets in pastures and wetlands and nitrogen removal from agricultural ecosystems.  Check out our webpage with possible projects.  We can only support a few applicants and our support does not guarantee success in obtaining a scholarship. Consequently, if you are interested in one of these projects it is important that you demonstrate to us that you understand and are genuinely engaged in the topic.