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Sciences at University of Otago

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The University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka is New Zealand’s first university Otago is also NZ's most science-intensive University.

The University of Otago is New Zealand’s first university and a vibrant international centre of learning. Today the University of Otago has about 20,000 students, from all over New Zealand and from nearly 100 countries around the world. We welcome your interaction with this page, but the Division of Humanities reserves the right to moderate and remove posts that it deems inappropriate, or harmful to others.

18/10/2026

🏆 Tautoko Dr Ana Stojanov, who has won an Early Career Award for Distinction in Research 🎉

👩‍🚀 A high school interest in astronomy led Ana, who is now a Senior Lecturer in Science Communication, to become one of the first psychologists in the world to study conspiracy theories.

“You have probably heard the conspiracy that the moon landing was fake?” Ana asks.

“My classmates and I were debating how people can believe that, when all the reasons for the conspiracy have been debunked by science. I became interested in why people would believe conspiracy theories.”

🧠 In our post-pandemic era conspiracy theories abound, but scientific knowledge about why some people are more likely to believe them was low when Ana embarked upon her research.

You can read Ana's story – and her tips for combatting disinformation – here 👇
https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/science-communication-in-the-post-truth-era

Department of Psychology, University of Otago

16/10/2026

🏆 Kia mau te wehi! Professor Phillip Wilcox, of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Department of Bioethics, received a highly prestigious award from the Royal Society Te Apārangi at a ceremony last night 🎉

🏅 Phillip (pictured below, left) won the Thomson Medal for outstanding leadership in genetics and genomics that has underpinned development of a system for ethical, collaborative and impactful genomic sciences in New Zealand.

🌲🩷🖤 His expertise has aided everything from commercial forestry to Māori health.

“This is not my achievement alone,” Phillip says. “The whakatauki ‘ehara tēnei toa he toa takitahi, a, he toa takitini ke’ is so, so apt here.

“There’s also a little sadness, too, actually. Some of those involved in this journey who have contributed significantly have passed beyond the veil – my parents, other whānau, my tupuna, koroua who mentored me in te ao Māori, a few researchers I've worked with and some friends I’ve made along the way.

“I’m deeply, deeply grateful to everyone that has contributed, from the very moment I started my science career till now.”

💞 Congratulations, Phillip - we're extremely proud of you and your mahi. Ka nui te mihi kia koe 💫

Read more: https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/otago-researchers-humbled-and-honoured-by-national-awards

15/10/2026

🚀 If third-year Physics and Māori Studies tauira Rachel Eckhold (Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu) could go anywhere in space and survive, she would choose to explore a dark, spinning place where matter is crushed and not even light can escape.

“I would go inside a black a hole, because they’re so mysterious and the way they behave breaks a million rules of physics,” Rachel says.

💫 Exploring dark, galactic realms might not be everyone’s destiny, but Rachel’s interest in cosmology was written in the stars by her atua.

🩷 🖤 She recently collaborated with Professional Practice Fellow Kiringāua Cassidy to translate a cosmology poster into Te Reo. Kia mau te wehi!

You can read more about Rachel's story here 👇

https://www.otago.ac.nz/about/news/newsroom/te-reo-maori-exerts-gravitational-pull

PhysicsOtago

14/10/2026

💵 Tautoko Professor Melanie Bussey, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, who won $100,000 of startup investment in this year's Proof of Concept competition 🥳

🏉 The investment will support the formation of a startup company to commercialise a decision support analytics tool to manage head impact risk in contact sports.

⚽ Proper prevention and timely treatment of sports-related head injuries are essential to ensure athletes’ long-term health and performance.

🧠 To support better interventions and return-to-play decisions, Melanie and her team have created a decision support analytics tool backed by years of research into the science of head impacts.

“The research underpinning this venture centres on instrumented mouthguard technology and head impact biomechanics in contact sport, particularly community and youth rugby," Melanie says.

🧑‍💻 Congratulations also to Ford Iammongkol, from the School of Computing, who won a Postgraduate Researcher Award to support the planning, market research, customer discovery, competitor analysis and business case development for his project. Kia mau te wehi! 🎉

You can read the full story here 👇

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/proof-of-concept-winners-tackle-chronic-pain-and-head-impact-risk

School of Physical Education Sport & Exercise Sciences, University of Otago School of Computing, University of Otago

13/10/2026

🥇 He had the lead role in his school play The Highwayman in Year 5, he won a speech competition in Year 10, and now Department of Psychology PhD candidate Jim Davies has put that training to good use, winning the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Grand Final. Ka rawe! 🎉

🧠 Jim's presentation ‘Of Mice and Men: Modelling Alzheimer’s’, investigated whether gene therapy could strengthen the brain’s resilience to Alzheimer’s disease.

🎤 He says winning 3MT® has really cemented the idea that he should pursue a career involved in either science communication or lecturing.

“I love the science or the art of communication. I love that emotional connection when somebody’s excited while listening to you, or talking about themselves," Jim says.

“Connecting with somebody and getting them excited about what you're excited about is one of the most satisfying things, just a wonderful thing.”

You can read the full story here 👇

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/modelling-alzheimers-and-defining-success-at-3mt-finals

Department of Psychology, University of Otago

12/10/2026

🏆 Tautoko former Botany PhD student Karri Hartley for gaining first place in the University's photography competition, and current Botany PhD student Quan Tay for third. Ka rawe! 🎉

📸 This year’s competition theme – “Small things: overlooked details and ordinary moments” – invited photographers to explore how larger meanings can emerge and reverberate from minor details.

👀 Coming across the tiny golden-brown jumping spider in their home, Karri couldn’t resist capturing a shot. Titled “Through different eyes”, the photo has a deeper meaning, Karri says.

“Beyond our instinctive fear are creatures of extraordinary complexity and beauty.”

🌸 In third place, Quan found inspiration in a different country. Travelling to Singapore for a family reunion, Quan had the opportunity to explore the city’s famous Gardens by the Bay.

“A faux tilt-shift effect, combined with the play of colour, shadow, and movement, turns the scene into a vivid miniature, inviting the viewer to find and consider the extraordinary within the ordinary,” Quan says.

You can read the full story and view Quan’s mīharo photo here 👇
https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/eight-eyes-on-the-prize

Department of Botany, University of Otago

11/10/2026

📻 Tune into the University of Otago Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka’s new podcast: 30 with the VC, and join Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson as he chats with Otago academics about the mahi undertaken and discoveries made at the University 💫

🧪 The latest episode's guest is Professor Moana Theodore, Director of the Dunedin Study - the most detailed study of human health and development in the world.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 In this episode of 30 with the VC, she talks to Vice-Chancellor Grant Robertson about a day in the life of a Study Member undergoing testing, what keeps them coming back after 50 years and important findings throughout the decades.

📺 You can find 30 with the VC on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and on the University website and YouTube.

Website: https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/30-with-the-vc-professor-moana-theodore
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsjuVQnMsOI
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2b9tf9z735y2U2PcvSP98u
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/professor-moana-theodore-on-the-dunedin-study-its/id6815017757?i=1000793514210

08/10/2026

🙌 Tautoko Cullen Mackay, who's finishing up his Master's in Geology, and who was awarded a $10,000 Antarctica New Zealand Scholarship in recognition of his research's potential to advance our understanding of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean 🎉

☎️ But in a classic Gen Z move, he didn't answer the phone when Antarctica New Zealand rang to let him know.

"I got called by this random number I didn't know and I didn't answer it, so I got a text saying I'd been awarded the scholarship and I rang them back," Cullen says.

"It was amazing, I'm very honoured to receive an award like this."

🌊 Cullen's looking at samples collected from the Ross Sea to identify and quantify the sources of dissolved iron entering the region as a result of climate warming, and understand how these inputs could influence the future trajectory of the Ross Sea ecosystem.

"I just finished the iron system on Saturday, so that’s really exciting for me," Cullen says, explaining that he's been in the lab since January.

"Now I'm processing the data, writing it up, and I hope to present what I've worked on at a conference."

🌟 Ka rawe, Cullen!

You can find more about Cullen's work here 👇
https://www.antarcticanz.govt.nz/media/news/antarctic-scholarships-2026

Otago Geology - University of Otago, New Zealand Antarctica New Zealand

06/10/2026

💞 Mathematics Master’s tauira Megan Macdiarmid’s love of maths was kindled by her Scottish grandfather, a statistician.

“When I was a kid he would always play little maths games with me, and it would seem like a magic trick,” Megan says.

“I guess that’s what got me interested in it. It’s always been something I really enjoy, and I was lucky to have really good mentors.”

🏆 Megan has won eight scholarships and awards since beginning her studies at Otago, with the John Clark Memorial Prize having special significance for the former Logan Park High School student.

“John’s widow, Dr Austina Clark, established the prize. Austina has been one of my lecturers, and I’m really grateful to her. It was a big confidence boost,” Megan says.

You can read more about Megan's story here 👇

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/one-magic-granddad-equals-passion-for-maths

05/10/2026

🙌 Tautoko Dr Kate Campbell, pictured here at a Diabetes and Nutrition conference in Spain, whose Human Nutrition PhD thesis was named an Exceptional Thesis! 🎉

🏅 This rare honour is bestowed upon a handful of Science theses each year. We caught up with Kate to find out what it means for her.

Q: What is your thesis about? 🧁
A: How changing people’s diets (what, when, or how much we eat) can help New Zealanders to manage health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. My research took a “mixed-methods” approach, meaning I didn’t just look at the numbers; I got to explore people’s perspectives and lived experiences, too.

Q: How does it feel to have your thesis named an Exceptional Thesis? 🥳
A: It’s an honour! A huge amount of time and energy went into my PhD, so having my thesis recognised in this way feels like a really meaningful way to close that chapter. I can’t take all the credit, though – doing a PhD really is a team effort! I’m particularly grateful to my incredible supervisors (Associate Professor Andrew Reynolds, Dr Meredith Peddie, and Dr Ella Iosua) who provided endless support and always pushed me to do my very best work.

Q: What was the best thing about your Otago experience? 💞
A: So many things! I’ve been lucky to work with such supportive supervisors, other researchers and students, and some awesome study participants. I’ve also loved being part of research that I hope can make a real difference to people’s health. Dunedin itself will always hold a special place in my heart too.

Q: What do you hope to do next? 🚀
A: My plan is to continue building my career in academia, with a focus on research that contributes to better health outcomes and greater health equity in Aotearoa. Watch this space!

✨ Find the full list of exceptional Science theses here:
https://www.otago.ac.nz/sciences/research/student-research-and-awards

Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago

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