Sustainability Network Research Awards
Each year, the Faculty of Science Sustainability Network grants ten awards, of up to $2,000 each, to support eligible science students with their living costs.
About the award
Applicable study: Postgraduate students who are undertaking an Honours, Masters or PhD research project and are enrolled in the Faculty of Science (or whose primary discipline is administered through the Faculty of Science).
Applications
- Application dates: The 2024 round has now closed. Dates for the 2025 round will be available here in due course.
- Tenure: One year
- For: Living costs
- Number on offer: Up to 10 per year
- Value: Up to $2,000 for a full-year project within a formal postgraduate Honours, Masters or PhD qualification.
To encourage and support student projects involving a specific piece of research related to either sustainability at the University or a broader sustainability issue.
The award aims to boost the profile of sustainability and improve sustainable practices at the University.
Regulations
Students will need to be currently conducting their research project and enrolled in a Science postgraduate Honours, Masters or PhD degree.
Preference will be given to projects that are likely to lead to tangible impacts such as changes in culture, practice or process, or in facilities and capabilities that improve sustainable outcomes.
Preference will be given to non-doctoral students and those without an existing stipend.
How to apply
If you have any questions about the application process please contact Charlotte Jones-Todd (c.jonestodd@auckland.ac.nz).
Your application must include a summary of the intended project. You should also outline how your research relates to sustainability and follows the University's sustainability-related goals. You should also provide your CV and your most recent academic transcript alongside your project proposal.
Click the link below to fill out an online application form by 5pm on the closing date. This form will be available from the opening date.
Selection process
A selection panel will grant awards based on the following criteria:
- The quality of the proposal.
- How likely it is to inform sustainability initiatives within the University of Auckland.
- Relevance to topic and practice of sustainability at the University of Auckland.
- The capacity of the student/supervisor team to conduct the research (includes consideration of the student's academic performance).
All students who receive an award will be required to give a presentation of their research.
Past awardees
2024
| Awardee | Project |
|---|---|
| Kate Pitches | Enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste |
| Joanne Elizebeth Daniel | Promoting Sustainable Transport: Encouraging Mode Shift from Driving to Non-Driving Modes in Auckland |
| Sian-Kai Yang | Quantifying Plastic Ingestion in Auckland Seabirds: A Multi-Species Sensory Approach |
| Megha Thuruthel Kuriakose | Switchable Solvents for the Selective Isolation of Natural Products from Algae |
| Victoria Mary Brosnahan | Factors influencing avian abundance in the central North Island |
| Biying Cao | Community Garden and Māra Kai Soil Quality Project |
2023
| Awardee | Project |
| Cindy Zhaoyi Yi | Predicting the Solubility of Biomass Components in Deep Eutectic Solvents using Polarity Parameters |
| Diana Borse | The Interactions and Impacts of Co-occurring Weeds in Restoration Plantings |
| Sarah Morrison | Exploring How Perceptions of Personal Responsibility Impact Experiences of Climate Anxiety |
| Sophie Palmer Dale | The potential for plastic-degrading microorganisms in hot spring environments |
| Veronica Rotman | Ki uta ki tai (Mountains to Sea): Microplastics in Southern Aotearoa |
| Rachel Seo | Electrochemical Investigation of Hydroxytyrosol: Utilisation of Sustainable Phenolic Compounds |
| Irisa Hudson | Totally Zostera! Floral mechanisms and flowering regimes in the intertidal seagrass Zostera muelleri |
| Rosa-O-Sarona Latu | “Humpback Whales in the Pacific: Determining whale habitat use and Pacific cultural connections in a recovering population”. |
| Hayden Austin | Investigating Perceived Ease of Climate Action Behaviours and its Relationship to Climate Actions Taken by New Zealand Households |
If you have any questions or need further information about this award please contact Charlotte Jones-Todd.