Making a difference: Meet Sarah Killick
Doctoral candidate Sarah Killick is pursuing conservation, because she wants to make a difference.
Sarah Killick (she/her) is the first in her family to attend University and was inspired to pursue conservation through volunteering at a koala sanctuary after her family moved to Australia when she was 16. She wanted to make a difference.
First, Sarah did a number of jobs including computer technician, bookstore manager, nanny and cake baker. A year of volunteering at Auckland Zoo sealed her desire to pursue conservation.
Sarah did undergraduate study at Unitec, graduating with a bachelors of applied Science, then moved to the University of Auckland for a Postgraduate Diploma, then Master of Science focussing on biosecurity and studying the invasive species, moth plant.
In mid 2018, Sarah returned to University, on the strength of a University of Auckland doctoral scholarship, to undertake research on the cause of kauri dieback.
Covid-19 lockdowns have posed a significant challenge in 2020, as Sarah couldn’t travel to conduct field research on kauri in a north Auckland forest.
She needs to collect measurements from kauri with dieback disease, kauri without the disease and kauri that have been treated with phosphite. Her research aims to find out how the pathogen, Phytophthora agathidicida, actually kills the trees.
As a queer student and staff member, Sarah has found the the LGBTQITakatāpui+ Staff and Student Network, which is open to all staff and students, particularly valuable.
It’s about the University providing visible support for queer students, whether or not they attend,” she says.
“It’s especially important for young students who are just coming out, to know there’s a safe place and safe people to talk to at the University.
“It was crucial for me, when I was coming out as an undergraduate, knowing there were queer people around I could check in with and chat with.”
It’s especially important for young students who are just coming out, to know there’s a safe place and safe people to talk to at the University.
In 2020, participating in the University’s Sweat with Pride team has helped Sarah connect with queer colleagues.
By working up a sweat for 21 minutes every day through August, the team raised more than
$3740 for the AIDS Foundation and Rainbow Youth.
Taking part in the University team also started conversations with colleagues, Sarah says.
“It’s been easy to get sidetracked by Covid-19 and the election, but these Rainbow issues are important,” she says.
As a teacher, Sarah has a first tutorial of the year where, as well as explaining laboratory safety protocols, she displays an equity banner, introduces her pronouns and talks about the lab being a safe space, where intolerance is banned.
Because of the lockdowns, she now has gaps in her data, plus experiments have had to be put on hold.
Those delays came on top of the challenges of working and teaching from home, meaning Sarah was ending 2020 scrambling to catch up.
Through it all, she has found the University to be a supportive place, where the Rainbow Network offers visibility and connection for the queer community.