Jessica Kennedy
Jessica, a Marine Science doctoral candidate from Canada, was drawn to the University of Auckland by a PhD project that aligned with her expertise and her passion for climate change mitigation.
“Climate change mitigation is one of the most impactful and fields of research you can be involved in right now,” she explains. Her decision was also influenced by her positive impression of her advisor and the glowing reviews from past students. “It was also a good excuse for a bit of an adventure!” she adds.
Jessica’s research explores the carbon sequestration capacity of macroalgae, with a focus on kelp. Her work combines field research, lab work, and computational analysis. “I enjoy getting out in the field and going SCUBA diving, as well as living in the beautiful, peaceful town of Leigh”.
Leigh is about an hour and a half north of Auckland by car. “I really enjoy being surrounded by nature, being so close to the beach, and being able to have my own garden and adopt a dog!”
However, rural living has its drawbacks, such as shopping, which can be limited compared to her experiences back home. “Some things you might have to live without, but that’s a small trade-off to be able to live in such a beautiful place”.
Exploring the North island is so cool though because you can find all these hidden gem beaches, lookouts and hikes where you’re the only person there!
Since moving to New Zealand, Jessica has enjoyed trying local cuisine like meat pies and fish & chips, and she’s keen to try kina (sea urchin) soon. One of her standout experiences was an encounter with a manta ray. “On our way back from doing fieldwork, we spotted a manta ray and were able to jump in and swim with it! Definitely a top 10 life moment”.
Jessica advises prospective students to take time to settle in before starting their programme. She experienced some administrative challenges at the start of her journey, but despite these initial frustrations, her experience in Leigh has been extremely positive. “The Leigh Marine Lab itself has been super welcoming and excellent to work at. My supervisor is amazing and easy to get a hold of, and all of the students at the marine lab are super friendly and always up for a chat”.