Research specialties
The University of Canterbury is New Zealand’s most research-intensive university and has generated a record amount of external research funding, including receiving 10 percent of government's Marsden Fund which supports research that benefits society as a whole.
Research areas
To become a research student, find a collaborator or look for research partners, explore our research areas below.
Our areas of research strength include:
UC’s advanced materials and nanotechnology researchers are working in the areas of:
- Nanotechnology and condensed matter
- Natural fibres and biocomposites
- Energy and fuel systems
Find out more about our research into advanced materials and nanotechnology.
UC's biotechnology and biological sciences researchers are working in the areas of:
- Biomolecular interactions
- Biosafety
- Biomedicine
- Bioengineering
- Antarctic studies
- Atmospheric processes
- Aquaculture and marine ecology
- Free Radical biochemistry
- Freshwater ecology and management
- Plant processes
Find out more about our research into biotechnology and biological sciences.
UC's chemical and process engineering researchers are working in the areas of:
- Biochemical processes
- Energy and fuel production
- Catalysis
- Food process engineering
- Resources and environmental processes
- Separation processes
- Simulation, control and computer modelling
Find out more about our research into chemical and process engineering.
UC's civil and natural resources engineering researchers are working in the areas of:
- Fire engineering
- Geotechnical engineering
- Fluid mechanics
- Hydrological and ecological engineering
- Environmental engineering
- Timber engineering
- Bridge engineering
- Earthquake engineering
- Structure engineering
- Transportation engineering
Find out more about our research into civil and natural resources engineering.
UC's earthquake, disaster and resilience researchers are working in the areas of:
- Earthquake resilience
- Natural and geological hazards
- Risk, resilience and renewal
- Hazard and disaster management
Find out more out our research into earthquakes, disasters and resilience.
UC's economics and law researchers are working in the areas of:
- Commercial and corporate law
- Socio-legal studies
- Biological economies
Find out more about our research into economics and law.
UC's electrical and computer engineering researchers are working in the areas of:
- Acoustics
- Communications, wireless and geospatial technology
- Computational imaging
- Power systems and electronics
- Neural engineering
Find out more about our research into electrical and computer engineering.
UC's forestry researchers are working in the areas of:
- Sustainable land management
- Forest engineering
- Forest variability
- Forestry business management
Find out more about our research into forestry.
UC's geology and geography researchers are working in the areas of:
- Geoarchaeology and forensic geology
- Tectonics and landscape evolution
- Engineering geology and hydrogeology
- Geothermal energy
Find out more about our research into geology and geography.
UC's health science, technology and psychology researchers are working in the areas of:
- Mathematics and statistics health and ageing research
- Health geography
- Health services collaboration and effectiveness
- Epidemiology
- Sleep problems
- Childhood development
- Employee resilience
- Mental health nutrition
- Stroke rehabilitation and recovery
- Sport and exercise research
- Intelligent and adaptive health systems
Find out more about our research into health science, technology and psychology.
UC's information and computer science researchers are working in the areas of:
- Theoretical computer science and software engineering
- Artificial intelligence and intelligent computer tutoring
- Computer networking
- Human-computer interaction and multimedia
- Computer vision, computer graphics and image processing
- Cybersecurity
Find out more about our research into information and computer sciences.
UC's learning and pedagogy researchers are working in the areas of:
- Inclusive and special education
- Language and literacy
- Creativity and educational change
- Early years development
- Science and technology education
- Educational theory, policy and practice
- Māori education
- Teacher learning and practice
- Language pedagogy
- e-learning
- Geoscience education
- Computer science education
Find out more about our research into learning and pedagogy.
UC's linguistics and communication disorders researchers are working in the areas of:
- Speech production and perception
- Auditory processing
- Child language development
- Language, brain and behaviour
Find out more about our research into linguistics and communication disorders.
UC's management, marketing and entrepreneurship researchers are working in the areas of:
- Energy sector modeling
- Sustainability and innovation
- Water market management
- Engineering leadership and management
Find out more about our research into management, marketing and entrepreneurship.
UC's Māori, Pacific and cultural studies researchers are working in the areas of:
- Ngāi Tahu studies
- Pacific studies
- Asian studies
- European studies
Find out more about our research into Māori, Pacific and cultural studies.
UC’s mathematics researchers are working in the areas of:
- Algebra, combinatorics, and logic
- Analysis and geometry
- Applied statistics
- Computational mathematics
- Dynamical systems and differential equations
- Financial and industrial mathematics
- History and philosophy of mathematics, and mathematics education
- Mathematical biology
- Theoretical and computational statistics
Find out more about our research into mathematics.
UC's mechanical engineering researchers are working in the areas of:
- Acoustics and vibrations
- Applied mechanics
- Design
- Electrospinning
- Fluid mechanics
- Manufacturing
- Materials science and engineering
- Robotics, control and instrumentation
- Thermodynamics and heat transfer
Find out more about our research into mechanical engineering.
UC's political science and international relations researchers are working in the areas of:
- Sustainable lifestyles and civic environments
- Conflict mediation and peace-building
- Future studies
- Defence and foreign policy
Find out more about our research into political science and international relations.
UC's sociology, anthropology and social work researchers are working in the areas of:
- Human-animal studies
- Social sciences
- Violence reduction, prevention, and intervention
Find out more about our research into sociology, anthropology and social work.