Nina de Jong

"I love plants and I'm very interested in exploring the way that forests work. It's an awesome field of research that tells fascinating stories about how plants relate to each other and the environment. I'm particularly interested in understanding forests in order to contribute to land stewardship strategies.

"For my Honours thesis I investigated the regeneration of kahikatea forest patches in the Waikato, and what might be causing the failure of kahikatea populations to replace themselves in agricultural landscapes.

"I really enjoyed the field trips in my ecology courses, as they were a fantastic way to meet other students and have hands-on learning experiences in the environments we were studying. I also enjoyed the flexibility of my Ecology major, which meant I could focus on the topics that really interested me. I deeply appreciated the enthusiasm and commitment of my lecturers to provide attentive learning experiences and interesting course content.

"I'm incredibly privileged to have the funding and support from the Woolf Fisher Trust to continue my studies at Cambridge, and now that I've had time to process being granted the scholarship, I'm really looking forward to starting my PhD.

"I am most looking forward to contributing to forest ecological research in Aotearoa in a way that is helpful for communities invested in forest health and landscape management.

"I received the Postgraduate Scholarship at UoA and it provided financial support that made it possible for me to continue my studies. Without it I would not have embarked on postgraduate study.

"It was a joy to study plant ecology and I felt very lucky to be able to follow my interests. I found that courses with content that interested me was where I received my best grades.

"I've realised through my time at university that you can't do everything, and that managing stress is a top priority for developing a sustainable work style. It's always been important to me to maintain my relationships and enjoy my social life, and it's an ongoing journey to developing the right balance!

"I am extremely grateful to the Tuākana programme for providing a space full of support and friendly faces throughout my time at university and particularly as a postgraduate student.

"Tuākana is an awesome programme. I also enjoyed the Science Scholars programme as a place to make friends and get a better understanding of what postgraduate study is like. It's also been a privilege to be taught by the lecturers, mentors and supervisors in the Ecology and Environmental Science departments who are so dedicated to the positive and inclusive learning of their students."