Science news

A UC Science graduate is confident her studies have equipped her to be a future environmental leader and changemaker.

The Ngāi Tahu Research Centre has appointed its first Professor, Dr Shaun Ogilvie, Te Arawa (Ngāti Whakahemo), Ngāti Awa (Ngāti Pūkeko) and Pākehā, as Professor of Ecology and the Environment, a co-appointment with the College of Science, at the University of Canterbury.

The University of Canterbury (UC) was proud to once again partner with the Christchurch City Council and Tūranga for KidsFest 2021.

He’s been a literal ‘posterboy’ for the University of Canterbury (UC), Les Mills, ChristchurchNZ, All Right? and Covid-19 vaccination campaigns – now UC doctoral student Suli Tuitaupe’s passion for wellbeing and health equity has earned him a research fellowship to improve health outcomes for Pacific people.

A nature-based approach to river management could bring greater protection against flooding than building bigger stop-banks, new research suggests.

Humble limpets clinging to rocky shores around Aotearoa are surprisingly savvy when it comes to climate change adaptation, a new University of Canterbury study shows.

A University of Canterbury-led project will map antimicrobial resistance across Aotearoa New Zealand to identify environmental hotspots.

The Red Zone in Christchurch—once a thriving residential neighbourhood—is offering UC students a rare opportunity to study climate impacts in real time.

Canterbury researchers are exploring how planting native shelterbelts and hedgerows on farms could deliver biodiversity benefits and make good business sense.

A freshwater fish species found only in New Zealand are having the spotlight shone on them through new UC research. 

A University of Canterbury animal behaviour expert is part of a global team launching pioneering research into the predatory behaviour of jumping spiders. 

A new UC study has looked at the evolutionary significance of super genes and their potential role in species survival.

If you think autumn and spring seem different now compared to how they used to be, you’d be right. 

New co-led UC research aims to make hybrid meat more affordable, flavoursome, and sustainable. 

NZ’s braided rivers are rare, endangered and losing their resilience. UC research is uncovering their hidden web of life to guide future conservation.

This year has been called a mega-mast, as more than half of all beech forests are seeding across New Zealand. The amount of seed and fruit available has been boosted even further by the simultaneous flowering of rimu and tussock. University of Canterbury Professor Dave Kelly, School of Biological Sciences, comments on what stage of the masting cycle we’re in now, and how the mega mast will affect native bird and predator numbers over summer.

An Iraqi woman with a PhD from the University of Canterbury (UC) is being recognised as a trailblazing graduate for her work in disease prevention and biosecurity in her home country.

A belief in effective teaching compelled Associate Professor Adrian Clark to gain his latest tertiary qualification.

Outstanding professors who have retired from the University of Canterbury (UC) over the past year but continue to contribute and inspire have been acknowledged at a celebration event.

What are the biggest influences on youth mental health and how does experiencing climate change-related events, such as floods and bushfires, affect young people?

Canterbury researchers have found that neither humans nor AI detection programmes are reliable or accurate for spotting the use of software used to manipulate online survey responses.

UC researchers are using drones and satellite remote sensing to track the health of eucalyptus trees from above and protect the future of New Zealand’s plantation forests. 

Lilly Eckhold is breaking through barriers as a student from a kura kaupapa Māori background and the first of her whānau to go to university.

Riley Payne is already putting his University of Canterbury (UC) degree into action, testing water quality in local rivers, beaches and lakes. He is one of the first graduates from UC’s new Environmental Science programme, which launched in 2017.

 Ideas to use more detailed customer segments and profiles to improve parking options have taken the top spots this evening after a 48 hour data hackathon held at the airport.

You don’t have to be an expert in sexuality education to help your young person make sense of relationships and sex, says University of Canterbury’s (UC) Health Sciences lecturer Tracy Clelland.

#Philanthropy@UC A world-leading University of Canterbury (UC) trial aims to tackle collisions in junior rugby and collision-related injuries on the rugby field.

Since founding natural healthcare company Artemis in 1998, Sandra Clair has played a key role in advocating for plant-based medicines to be recognised and regulated in New Zealand.

The University of Canterbury (UC) has created a new doctoral degree specifically designed to suit working professionals with a background in health.

In a new article on The Conversation, UC's Professor Michael Plank writes that vaccinating young people is key to ensuring our community is protected from Covid-19.

UC's Professor Michael Plank, UoA's Professor Shaun Hendy and UoA's Nicholas Steyn argue that Aotearoa New Zealand needs to reach population immunity before any blanket border reopening. Find out more in their new article on The Conversation.

With the trans-Tasman travel bubble burst, now is the time to upgrade our Covid response against the threat of a Delta variant outbreak. Read more from University of Canterbury's Dr Matt Hobbs in a new article on The Conversation.

New Zealanders are back in their bubbles after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a three day alert level 4 lockdown for the entire country, and a seven day period for Auckland, following the confirmation of a community case — most likely infected with the Delta variant.

A culture of complacency, new variants and vulnerability at the border - we are more susceptible to a Covid-19 outbreak than ever before. Less than an hour after Wellington's precautionary move to alert level 2, University of Canterbury academics Matthew Hobbs, Malcolm Campbell and University of Otago's Lesley Gray published an article to The Conversation, explaining the current risks to our community.

Five UC academics who have built international careers have been recognised for their contributions and elected as Royal Society Te Apārangi Fellows today. 

A team of researchers from the University of Canterbury are developing a new diagnostic platform that could make early disease detection faster, cheaper, and more accessible.

Fast-spreading lowland weeds are invading NZ’s high-country springs, but UC researchers are working to protect these once-pristine biodiversity hotspots.

Canterbury scientist says identifying a bacterial genus endemic to Aotearoa is like discovering a “microbial kiwi” among microorganisms.

Can animals feel emotions? When we look into the eyes of the creatures around us, even ones as distantly related to us as birds, we often feel there are emotions hidden beneath the surface. But is this intuition correct?

UC environmental microbiologist wins prestigious UC Research Medal for leading research and inspiring new discoveries from Earth’s most extreme environments.

Canterbury Distinguished Professor Roy Kerr is one of four winners of an international medal that recognises revolutionary work in the field of gravity.

University of Canterbury Professor Michael Plank, who has co-led essential Covid-19 modelling work in New Zealand, has won an Australasian award for outstanding research, expertise and distinguished service in the field of Applied Mathematics.

Students at the University of Canterbury are getting valuable, real-life experience working for one of the country’s leading rugby teams, the Crusaders.

University of Canterbury (UC) researchers are tackling the knock-on effects of playing rugby by engineering a better way to protect young players’ brains from concussion.

Canterbury tertiary students have come up with innovative ideas to reimagine New Zealand’s healthcare system.

Noticing inequalities in access to dental care, oral health therapist, Joanne Lee was inspired to complete her Masters.

University of Canterbury doctoral student Prerna Singh’s academic adventures in computer science have taken her from working with hospital sonographers on ultrasound image enhancement to her current job, data wrangling for Weta Digital in Wellington.

In only its first year offering massive open online courses (MOOCs), the University of Canterbury has won an international prize for an exceptional volcanic online course.

Two native planting and restoration projects in Canterbury have received support from the One Billion Trees Fund, including a unique project led by the University of Canterbury (UC).

Christchurch City Council contractors have uncovered standing kahikatea stumps, which will be subject to radiocarbon dating to establish their age. UC students – led by fossil plant specialist Dr Matiu Prebble – plan to explore the site to understand what has caused the demise of the buried forest.

New international rankings have placed three University of Canterbury (UC) subjects in the Top 100 of all universities globally.

Associate Professor Clemens Altaner discusses the local use of preservative linked to arsenic pollution.

UC researchers are pioneering the use of treated sewage to restore native plants on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula.

Frontiers Abroad is a semester-long study abroad programme that provides students from the United States with an enriching academic and experiential adventure in New Zealand.

A University of Canterbury researcher has discovered microplastics are contaminating organic compost and biosolids in Aotearoa New Zealand.

By uprooting carbon trapped in soil, wild pigs are releasing around 4.9 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually across the globe, the equivalent of 1.1 million cars

A University of Canterbury-led international study, published today in Global Change Biology, reveals how climate change may impact seals in one of the world’s most remote ocean regions, Antarctica’s Weddell Sea.

University of Canterbury's School of Earth and Environment lecturer Lindsey Conrow discusses the Tarāpuka | Black-billed gulls and their contention with urban developers over an Armagh Street site in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

A new article on The Conversation from Adjunct Professor Paul Schofield and UC Fellow Vanesa De Pietri sheds light on the 200 year old mystery surrounding where the first kiwi specimen was collected, and the repercussions this could have for kiwi conservation.

University of Canterbury Dr Tom Logan's call for action asks for governments to prepare better for uninsurable properties related to rising sea levels in a new article on The Conversation.

A first-of-its-kind research project will use data collected from high-resolution satellite images to help scientists gain insights into Weddell Seal populations in Antarctica’s Ross Sea region.

Sea-level changes caused by melting ice sheets hundreds of thousands of years ago triggered the formation of K’gari (Fraser Island) – the world’s largest sand island – and the creation of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef, a new study has found.

A passion for the environment and problem-solving sparked Professor Ann Brower’s interest in New Zealand’s land tenure review process, research that culminated in the passing of new legislation earlier this year.

Dr Jonathan Tonkin has won the 2022 Te Puiaki Kaipūtaiao Maea, Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize, it was announced last night.

Delving into Australia's fire history: Insights from Dr Patton and Professor Shulmeister on The Conversation.

Valuable new information about the future risk of wildfires has been discovered in Australian sand dunes where researchers have uncovered the remnants of fires lit thousands of years ago.

The University of Canterbury (UC) and Environment Canterbury are teaming up to tackle some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time.

Pine slash – a major problem after recent flooding events – could be chipped and used to rehabilitate soil, new research from the University of Canterbury and ESR suggests.

Timber slash and debris from flooding events is decimating Aotearoa New Zealand’s vital underwater kelp forests, a nationwide study shows.

Over 40,000 dried and pressed plants neatly filed in the University of Canterbury Herbarium make up a vital botanical library that dates back over 150 years.

Two UC research projects have received funding to investigate specific impacts of Parkinson’s disease and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Pinpointing summer solstice as a trigger for mast seeding events could help prevent predators from ravaging New Zealand’s native species. 

A Canterbury student is becoming an expert on “extremophile” microorganisms as part of a unique study into underground hydrogen storage.

When assessing a patient’s health, one of the first things a doctor does is measure the patient’s vital signs. But how do you measure vital signs when your patient is a huge, endangered paikea humpback whale?

UC Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase is working on world-first insulin sensor technology to enable ‘right now’ measurement for those managing type 2 diabetes.

Associate Professor Tammy Steeves, University of Canterbury, College of Science, School of Biological Sciences, comments on the new DOC biodiversity strategy.

A new study will explore for the first time whether babies with hearing loss could also benefit from being tested for balance problems at an early age.

New research into whitebait fishing will address whether whitebait are in decline and assess the impact of commercial and recreational whitebaiting on the long-term sustainability of the species.

Christchurch scientist, University of Canterbury Lecturer Dr Essie Rodgers has been awarded the 2022 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science New Zealand fellowship to further her research into conservation and how the quality of waterways impacts human mental health and wellbeing.

As a child Elissa Cameron loved to sit and watch animals in her Christchurch backyard, and her dream job was to study giraffes in Africa.

Urban gardens across Ōtautahi Christchurch are buzzing with life, and that’s good news for our pollinators.

UC continues to produce top quality research despite challenges resulting from the Canterbury earthquakes.

As the world turns its attention to the UN Climate Change Conference, political scientist Professor Bronwyn Hayward comments for the Science Media Centre on what she sees on the horizon for this event.

Increased opioid and other drug use in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world is affecting children’s readiness for learning when they start school, according to a new five-year study by a leading child development expert at the University of Canterbury (UC).

New research led by the University of Canterbury (UC) takes a closer look at Aotearoa New Zealand’s COVID-19 response to determine whether our one-size-fits-all ‘lockdown’ policy is fit for purpose.

Wanting people to live healthier and happier lives is a big motivation for public health researcher Dr Matt Hobbs, who has been recognised for outstanding work in his field.

Senior Lecturer in Public Health Dr Matt Hobbs outlines the case for both changing the appeals process and restricting alcohol sponsorship of broadcast sports, in a collaborative article on The Conversation.

Senior Lecturer in Public Dr Health Matthew Hobbs discusses the consequences children might face after missing important immunisations together with colleagues from the University of Auckland on The Conversation.

A newly published UC study may help town planners and policymakers design better services for their communities.

People living with endometriosis may soon be able to use natural products to manage symptoms, thanks to a University of Canterbury (UC) student.

From volcanic hazards to student engagement in performing arts, the UC’s fast-paced Research Student Showcase highlighted a range of outstanding research topics.

The University of Canterbury is commemorating 150 years since the birth of one of its most famous scientists, academics and alumni, despite the postponement of some of the planned celebratory events due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

A new wildfire forecasting system that updates using real-time weather data could help firefighters protect lives and property from a growing global threat. 

A newly developed virtual reality (VR) tool could help communities understand flood risks, raise public awareness and give decision-makers clearer information for planning.

Businesses and community organisations are backing UC Connect Doctoral scholarships to tackle real-world challenges and deliver sustainable solutions for communities.

Two Canterbury tertiary institutions have signed an agreement to run postgraduate degree programmes as jointly awarded courses – a first in New Zealand.

A University of Canterbury Master's student in Mathematics is among the three New Zealand students chosen to take up a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University.

Research that benefits Māori helps all New Zealanders, say two Senior Kaiārahi Māori Research Advisors newly appointed at the University of Canterbury (UC).

Hundreds of new Māori and Pacific students are enrolling at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) this year, in a sharp increase from 2020.

Environmental science students at the University of Canterbury are learning to connect research with real-world decision-making through simulated Environment Court scenarios.

UC's Research Student Showcase celebrated the storytelling, creativity and real-world impact of emerging researchers in three quick-fire competitions.  

Do not underestimate the dangers of physical inactivity, warns University of Canterbury (UC) sports expert Professor Nick Draper, who has edited a new book to examine the causes of, and solutions to, physical inactivity.

Internships with professional sporting organisations are helping bridge the gap between study and work for UC Sport Coaching students. A strong relationship has developed between the University of Canterbury and the Crusaders in recent years, with UC interns learning on the job and making a valuable contribution.

While the prevalence of injuries doesn't necessarily predict outcomes at the elite level, there is no doubt that preventing injuries is in the interest of individual players and the international teams they play for.

When imagining the stereotypical surfer, skateboarder or snowboarder, we likely picture a young, fit, reckless male.

The University of Canterbury’s Head of the School of Forestry, Professor Bruce Manley, has won a Forestry Science Award for his dedication to, and leadership within, forestry research, and his innovative work on carbon forestry.

Being awarded a scholarship to study forestry at the University of Canterbury (UC) has brought more than financial benefits for first year student Anna Manning.

The tōtara and plaque were presented by FORSOC to commemorate 50 years of forestry education.

Professor Bruce Manley and UC alum Adrian Loo have been named as two of Aotearoa New Zealand’s 2020 forestry heroes.

More landowners will get access to expert advice on planting native trees with the expansion of a Restoration Ambassadors programme led by the University of Canterbury (UC).

New technology being developed by a research team at the University of Canterbury could lead to deeper understanding of New Zealand’s threatened and endangered insects, paving the way to more effective conservation management.

On The Conversation, Adjunct Senior Fellow Mark Bloomberg covers why NZ must change how it grows trees on fragile land.

Magnified 3D images of the inside of a maple tree could take Kiwi scientists from UC a step closer to making home-grown maple syrup.

A Canterbury academic committed to the protection of freshwater and marine ecosystems is one of three sustainability award winners at the University of Canterbury.

A Canterbury professor who co-wrote a book about computer science for kids that has been translated into 30 languages has received a 2024 New Year Honour.

Aotearoa’s brightest young minds are setting out to revolutionise pest management, helping efforts to eradicate possums, stoats and rats from New Zealand by 2050, including a University of Canterbury doctoral student using audio lures for predators.

A Canterbury lecturer who fell in love with computers almost 60 years ago and has been riding the technology wave ever since, has won a national teaching excellence award.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) aka drones are revolutionising surveying and inspection tasks that once required manned aircraft. Two University of Canterbury academics are working to take this capability to the next level, to enable drones to use tools with high precision in mid-air in difficult changeable settings.

A University of Canterbury (UC) student has come up with a new computerised method of reading mammograms that could help radiologists detect warning signs of breast cancer.

In a new article on The Conversation, International Relations Associate Professor Jeremy Moses and Dr Geoffrey Ford write that we should remain wary of developers shaping our sentiment on quadrupeds.

Committed student volunteers are making the University of Canterbury’s Ilam campus safer for native birds by trapping pest predators.

Just in time for study break, UC’s biodiversity meadow is blooming back, building on the success of last year’s pilot project and boosting spirits on campus. 

What if the humble black soldier fly held the key to reducing our most challenging organic waste and could even help degrade plastics?

Call for applications - MA Scholarship: History of Canterbury Environmental and Conservation Leadership and Heritage

In collaboration with the University of Canterbury and the Institute for Environmental Science and Research (ESR), an opportunity is available to undertake a PhD project in the field of wastewater treatment/management.

In a new article on The Conversation, University of Canterbury's Dr Ian Mason looks at a proportion of dairy and meat farming could be replaced by "precision fermentation."

UC researchers are contributing to ambitious plans to produce commercially viable, low carbon biofeedstock using local geothermal resources and microorganisms.

Earlier this month, a rocket blasted off from the Waikato countryside, firing up through the clouds to an altitude of 31,000 feet – carrying with it the first biological experiments launched and recovered from a rocket in New Zealand.

Kiwis love gathering seafood, but one expert is calling for more consideration of the impacts of our enthusiasm in the wake of a summer of devastation for Kaikōura’s pāua population, combined with increasing stress on marine species.

An interdisciplinary team led by a stellar Canterbury academic is taking one giant leap into a new sector of the global aerospace industry.

Tuaopepe Abba Fidow is the Deputy Secretary, Service Delivery at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples. "I’ve been extremely blessed to have worked with and for passionate, intelligent and generous people, committed towards a single goal of improving the lives of New Zealanders" says Abba when reflecting on his career in the public service.

Jeff Bell is a political cartoonist and illustrator, currently working with the prominent New Zealand media organisation, Stuff. He was named Cartoonist of the Year in 2022 at the Voyager Media Awards and has recently illustrated two children's books, The Sad Banana and The Lonely Lemon. Jeff spoke to us about how he got started in this career and what is perhaps on the cards next.

Innovation is good for the world, and University of Canterbury (UC) researchers will explain how their innovative technological solutions are making a difference – from Antarctica to Africa – during Techweek on 22 and 23 May.

The High Commissioner of India, Muktesh K. Pardeshi, paid a special visit to the University of Canterbury (UC) campus recently. During the visit, a new $15,000 scholarship was announced.

Students at the University of Canterbury (UC) have organised a number of events to connect young voters with political candidates in the lead-up to the 2020 elections.

Prime Minister and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern and National Party leader Judith Collins have met for the first televised debate of the 2020 election campaign. UC's Professor Bronwyn Hayward was one of five experts watching the debate closely for what it revealed about policy, performance and the likely tone of the campaign to come.

The Hon Dr Austin Mitchell ONZM, a former academic member and friend of the University of Canterbury’s Political Science and International Relations department has died at the age of 86 in Grimsby, England, a city he served as a Member of Parliament for 38 years.

University of Canterbury's Associate Professor Jeremy Moses, Dr Geoffrey Ford and Dr Sian Troath explore NZ's political and economic barriers to regulating autonomous weapons in a new article on The Conversation.

UC Head of Political Science Professor Alex Tan comments on the impeachment of Donald Trump.

In a new article on The Conversation, University of Canterbury's Dr Serena Kelly and Dr Mathew Doidge explain how the deal shows the EU's international ambitions.

Politics and social connections have played a big role in Pierce Crowley’s experience at the University of Canterbury so far.

The UC team beat 17 opponent universities on the Gold Coast to win the Oceania Qualifiers and earn a spot at the FISU World University Cup in China in November.

Designing a redress system for survivors of abuse in care is of utmost importance to achieve healing, new co-chair says.

Students are vaping more since nicotine-containing e-cigarettes became legal in New Zealand in 2018, a research team led by University of Canterbury Health Sciences Adjunct Fellow Dr Ben Wamamili has found.

Canterbury researchers are exploring how web-based support could benefit children on the autism spectrum and their families as demand for services grows.

In an article on The Conversation, University of Canterbury Professor Michael Plank and University of Auckland Professor Shaun Hendy take a look on the latest Covid-19 community case numbers and the related R number, and explain what it takes to move Auckland down to Alert Level 3.

Two internationally renowned academics at the University of Canterbury have been named as finalists in the Westpac Women of Influence Awards 2021, recognising women making a difference in the work they do, and paving the way for others to follow.

One in four children on the autism spectrum in Aotearoa New Zealand are given melatonin to help them sleep, a new University of Canterbury (UC) study has found.

The University of Canterbury is bringing an innovative sexuality education theatre show to the campus, giving educators and parents an insight into the cutting edge of how teenagers are being better helped to navigate relationships and sexuality.

In a new article on The Conversation, UC's Professor Michael Plank, UoA's Professor Shaun Hendy, Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles and Manaaki Whenua researcher Rachelle Binny explain we must stay the course to ensure we can eliminate the Covid-19 outbreak.

Assessing the threat of invasive species is an important tool to reducing carbon emissions, as researchers from the University of Canterbury, the University of Queensland and University of Canberra explain on The Conversation.

The government has announced sweeping changes to the health system. University of Canterbury public health expert, epidemiologist Associate Professor Arindam Basu comments on this major shake-up.

University of Canterbury researchers are leading innovative studies to research and improve child health in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our ability to connect and communicate helps us to thrive and contribute to society in meaningful ways. What can parents do today to ensure a bright future for our tamariki in a fast-changing digital world?

A new field trial investigating whether headgear can help prevent collision-related injuries in junior rugby players will kick off next year amid growing concern about health and safety in the sport.

New relationships and sexuality education (RSE) guidelines are out – and teachers and leaders are getting support to bring the guidelines to life in their schools.

Her first encounter with biomechanics was training humanoid robots to perform human-like motion – and since then Nina Pernus hasn’t looked back. The University of Canterbury (UC) Biomechanics in Sports Coaching teaching assistant, and Bioengineering PhD student, now wants to show young people - and especially young women - the many opportunities available in the multidisciplinary field of biomechanics.

From quality sleep to developing language, experts will share their expertise on many aspects of child well-being at a symposium at the University of Canterbury (UC) this week.

University of Canterbury mathematical modeller Professor Michael Plank looks at what the Government’s upcoming Budget announcement may mean for future pandemic response.

In a new article on The Conversation, UC's Associate Professor Arindam Basu examines how Aotearoa New Zealand has so far avoided a Covid-19 community outbreak.

Making sure translations of healthcare information make sense to linguistically diverse audiences has become more important than ever during Covid-19 outbreaks.

University of Canterbury's Dr Matt Hobbs and Dr Lukas Marek ask how the country's health system will cope with the predicted surge in seasonal viruses on The Conversation.

A therapeutic prevention service for adults sexually attracted to children