Personal journeys of New Zealand researchers

Listen to New Zealand researchers share their personal career journey and thoughts on what progress has been made to promote diversity and what more can be done.

Dr Serean Adams, Aquaculture Group Manager, Cawthron Institute

 Dr Serean Adams, Aquaculture Group Manager, Cawthron Institute

Dr Serean Adams manages the Aquaculture Group at the Cawthron Institute, New Zealand's largest independent science organisation which offers a broad spectrum of services to help protect the environment and support sustainable development of primary industries.

Associate Professor / Manukura Māui Hudson, University of Waikato

Associate Professor / Manukura Māui Hudson, University of Waikato

Assoc Prof Māui Hudson is the Director of the Te Kotahi Research Institute at the University of Waikato. Māui is an interdisciplinary researcher who focuses on the application of mātauranga Māori to decision-making across a range of contemporary contexts from new technologies to health, the environment to innovation.

Dr Siân Halcrow, Associate Professor of Biological Anthropology at the University of Otago

Sian Halcrow

Siân Halcrow works in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago. Read about how she transitioned into a full-time academic career and her thoughts on what we should do to encourage more diversity in science and academia.

Professor Kate McGrath, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research) at Sydney University of Technology

Kate McGrath

Before her current role, Pofessor Kate McGrath held the position of Vice-Provost (Research) at Victoria University of Wellington, and previously was the Director of the McDiarmid Institute.

Dr Margaret Hyland: Vice-Provost (Research) Victoria University of Wellington

Until recently, Dr Margaret Hyland was our chief science advisor from 2017 to July 2018 and a lecturer at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering. Hear Margaret talk about her experience in the New Zealand Science System and how she made the transition from studying a PhD to her career today. Margaret also shares her thoughts what is being done to encourage diversity in the science system and what we should focus on going forward.

Dr Lucy Stewart, Marine Microbiologist, GNS Science

Dr Lucy Stewart is an early career researcher and a Marine Microbiologist at GNS Science, She is also a member of the early career research forum hosted by the Royal Society.

Hear Lucy talk about her current research, how she made the transition from studying her PhD, to a full-time career in research science and what further support she feels is needed to increase diversity in New Zealand’s science system.

Dr Kelly Dombroski, Senior Lecturer at University of Canterbury, College of Science

Dr Kelly Dombroski is a senior lecturer in the college of sciences at the University of Canterbury. We caught up with Kelly to ask about her journey from studying a PhD to working in the science and research workforce. You can watch Kelly talk about her experience and what she recommends to help early career researchers make the transition into the workforce.

Dr Gradon Diprose, Senior Lecturer at Massey University in the School of People, Environment and Planning

Dr Gradon Dipose

Dr Gradon Diprose is an Environmental Social Science Researcher at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. We caught up with Gradon and asked him to share his journey with us.

Dr Victoria Metcalf, National Coordinator of the Participatory Science Platform

Dr Victoria Metcalf currently works in the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor as the National Coordinator of the Participatory Science Platform.

Listen to Victoria speak about her background, the barriers she faced when she was studying for her PhD and what she believes we need to do to improve diversity in the science system.

Last updated: 09 December 2022