Amy Martain

“I’ve always had an interest in the natural world, discovering new things. I also saw this as a great opportunity to ‘work for myself’ in some ways, and develop a wide array of new skills, with support from my supervisors and the Joint Graduate School.

“My research topic was evolutionary ecology – looking at the maintenance of sexual deception.

“By working with Manaaki Whenua - Landcare research, I gained access to their entomology collections which was really valuable for my PhD. I made a lot of industry connections and was lucky to get to know a lot of great people. The experience also gave me an understanding of what it’s like to work at a Crown Research Institute (CRI) in contrast with a university atmosphere.

“The programme allowed me to take the time to gain a real understanding of my study topic, and focus on developing the required skills during my time there. Looking back, it was a nice period of life where I enjoyed the flexibility to set my own schedules and topics. This allowed me the freedom to explore things that really interested me. The experience teaches a great deal of perseverance, discipline and logical reasoning.

“The Guaranteed School of Biological Sciences (SBS) scholarship helped cover my fees and provided a $28,000 stipend. This was a great help in subsidising my expenses, but not nearly enough to cover living costs in Auckland. So I was really fortunate my parents were also able to support me during my PhD.

“I am currently working in research where I am about halfway through a post-doc at Manaaki Whenua - Landcare research. Ideally, this programme will help set me up for a future in science, leading to a permanent position with an organisation.

“My advice to anyone considering postgraduate study at a Joint Graduate School is to take it as an opportunity to meet a bunch of people from different backgrounds. You gain insight into what career options are out there that you might pursue post study. It will open many opportunities to you, outside of academia alone.

“It’s also an excellent opportunity to build a community with the other students around you. There are mixer events and presentations that provide a great opportunity to meet people with shared interests and postgraduate experiences that you can relate to and learn from.

“The yearly casual presentations are an excellent opportunity to share your research and get low-stress feedback. And the morning teas are also great!”