Science news

Tofua Volcano oblique view from NE to SW

One year on from the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai eruption – what do we know

Science
16 Jan, 2023
On 15 January 2022 the active volcano Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai erupted, sending a shockwave around the world. One year later, what do we know?
Jack Chen

AUT Ventures awarded funding

Science
29 Nov, 2022
AUT Ventures has been awarded commercialisation funding for its green surfactant technology.
New professors and associate professors

New professors and associate professors

17 Nov, 2022
AUT is delighted to announce the promotion of 15 of its academics to the position of Professor and 30 to Associate Professor.
Marsden group photo

Marsden Fund success for AUT

09 Nov, 2022
The Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences had two grants approved with total funding of $1.6 million in the 2022 round of Marsden funding.
Calling time on the imperial lawn

Calling time on the imperial lawn

02 Nov, 2022
By planting trees on third of the world’s city lawns, we could absorb 6 billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere over 20 years.
First AUT STEM Camp a success

First AUT STEM Camp a success

19 Oct, 2022
The three-day camp aimed to empower Māori high school students through science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Record ranking for AUT

Record ranking for AUT

12 Oct, 2022
AUT has claimed its highest-ever place among New Zealand universities in the latest global rankings.
Racism for STEM

Racism, exclusion and tokenism

12 Aug, 2022
Given most universities have goals for increasing Māori and Pacific student and staff, we need to ask why numbers still remain low in the research sector.
A screenshot of the video, showing islanders fishing and selling seafood in a market.

Cook Islands Language Week 2022

Science
01 Aug, 2022
Episode four of AUT’s 2022 Pacific Language Week Video series – AUT Focus on Sustainability – is now live.
Anchor

Anchors cause damage to seafloor

Science
18 May, 2022
High-resolution mapping has produced the first ever global estimates of coastal habitat damage caused by anchoring.
Nz Trees App

NZ Tree intel in your pocket, even offline

16 Mar, 2022
AUT’s popular NZ Trees app has been updated with more than double the number of native plants now included as well as an offline feature.
IWD Science

Breaking bias must take effort

Science
04 Mar, 2022
In New Zealand, attracting women into science is a major problem. The issue is retaining and enabling them to advance at the same rate as men.
‘Switching on’ drugs to target disease

‘Switching on’ drugs to target disease

Science
08 Feb, 2022
To improve drug treatment outcomes and reduce side effects, researchers are looking for ways to more accurately target drugs to work on diseased cells.
Supreme Winner Delta Waterways Team - Judges Q&A

AUT X Challenge 2021 – The Final Pitch

09 Dec, 2021
Eight teams pitched to win at X Challenge – The Final, competing for a share of the $20,000 cash prize pool and over $10,000 of goods and services.
Kay Vopel

Research a step to predict ocean future

Science
25 Nov, 2021
Research which sheds light on the response of coastal ecosystems to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide will help predict the future of coastal waters.
Ecology contribution

Reconsidering the ecological impact of introduced species in NZ

Science
23 Nov, 2021
Considering climate change and species loss, fighting all exotics maybe counterproductive to the ecosystems we’re trying to save, says AUT ecologist.
Dong-Xu Liu

Epigenetic research in breast cancer

15 Nov, 2021
The International Breast Cancer Consortium for Epigenetic Discovery will be announced at the opening of the AUT-hosted Breast Cancer Research Symposium.
Dr Syrie Hermans

Rutherford postdoctoral fellow award

Science
03 Nov, 2021
Dr Syrie Hermans, has been awarded a Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship to research how microbes in the soil benefit agricultural ecosystems.
A composite image showing the four AUT Marsden grant recipients.

Four Marsden fund grants for AUT

03 Nov, 2021
Four AUT research projects have been granted more than $2.8 million in the 2021 Marsden Fund round.
New AUT Professors

New Professors and Associate Professors 3

01 Nov, 2021
Eight AUT academics have been promoted to the position of Professor, and a further 22 have been appointed as Associate Professors.
Offshore fish farms

Research: offshore fish farms

Science
19 Oct, 2021
AUT is leading a large 36-month international project to develop a technique to assess the environmental impact of offshore aquaculture.
Dr Armgan Sabetian, Dr Jingjing Zhang, Dr Julian Lilkendey

Ancient fish bones reveal lost habitats

Science
19 Oct, 2021
AUT scientists combine satellite tracking and chemical analysis to reveal ancient habitats of Hauraki Gulf snapper.
Steve Henry

Should I get vaccinated?

Science
04 Oct, 2021
A view from a bioengineer working on COVID-19: Professor Steve Henry went from hesitant to believing mRNA vaccines are the way of the future.
Climate explained - ice age

Climate explained: what is an ice age?

Science
29 Sep, 2021
AUT geology professor, Michael Petterson, on what they are and how often they happen.
Professor Jun Lu

The science behind health supplement NMN

Science
28 Sep, 2021
AUT and EZZ Life Science, have completed the world’s first review of research into the anti-aging supplement Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN).
Helius and AUT

Researching advanced medicinal cannabis

Science
14 Sep, 2021
AUT and Helius Therapeutics have partnered on the research and development of advanced medicinal cannabis products.
Acquaculture

Year 11 students try AUT research

Science
13 Sep, 2021
Year 11 students flex their research muscles at AUT on real-life problem of climate change impacting aquaculture under Prof. Andrea Alfaro’s leadership.
WF WG sky tower

AUT climbs up the global rankings

02 Sep, 2021
AUT continues to climb up the global university rankings joining the University of Otago in second place in NZ and the top 250 universities in the world.
Climate explained

Are we gaining or losing native forest?

Science
15 Jul, 2021
Ecology professor Sebastian Leuzinger on the question of whether Aotearoa is losing or gaining native forest.
Awanis Azizan

Tools to combat mussel threat

Science
06 Jul, 2021
A postgraduate student is providing insight into how mussels cope with disease and heat stress.
AUT Drone Lab group photo

AUT Drone Lab Antarctic Conservation

17 Jun, 2021
AUT’s Drone Lab is part of the Australian Research Council $A36m project Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF) project.
Professor Lindsey White

Five questions: Professor Lindsey White

Science
14 Jun, 2021
We asked Professor Lindsey White five questions about his research ahead of his Inaugural Professorial Address.
Professor Fiona Brooks

New Dean for Faculty of HES

08 Jun, 2021
Professor Fiona Brooks has been appointed to the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences.
HRC 2021

HRC Emerging Researchers First Grants

28 May, 2021
AUT picked up one third of Health Research Council Emerging Researchers First Grants this year.
Energy Efficiency

AUT: How we managed to kill the ‘bill’

13 May, 2021
Despite 2020 being peppered with COVID lockdowns, they were not the only contributor to impressive savings for AUT’s energy bill.
Kauri stump

Leafless Kauri stump

Science
16 Feb, 2021
Such undead tree stumps have been observed for almost 200 years, but the evolutionary and physiological processes leading to their existence remain a myste
Sebastian_L

Climate Science 2020 – 10 New Insights

Science
02 Feb, 2021
Professor Sebastian Leuzinger outlines some of 2020's significant findings within the field of climate science.
Beyond labs and lecture theatres 850

Beyond labs and lecture theatres

Science
29 Jan, 2021
Research opportunities and field trips to estuaries, zoos, marine parks and intertidal shores are key components of AUT’s marine science programmes.
Vavanga Island kids

Vavanga hospo returned

Science
15 Dec, 2020
Marine ecology staff have raised $4000 toward a new primary school in the Solomon Islands.
Dr Cassandra Fleming

AUT success with Marsden funding

12 Nov, 2020
Two AUT academics have won 2020 Marsden funding for research projects.
David Towns and Kath McPherson

David Towns awarded professor emeritus

Science
04 Nov, 2020
One of NZ’s most influential conservation scientists, Professor David Towns, has been awarded the title of professor emeritus.
Professor Sebastian Leuzinger

5 questions: Prof. Sebastian Leuzinger

Science
30 Oct, 2020
We asked Professor Sebastian Leuzinger five questions about his research ahead of his Inaugural Professorial Address.
Agathis australis

Indigenous names valuable to science

Science
27 Oct, 2020
Professor Len Gillman says indigenous names for plants and animals should be restored within the scientific naming system.
Dr Bradley Case

Sheep and beef farms near carbon neutral

Science
09 Oct, 2020
AUT research has found New Zealand’s sheep and beef farms are already close to being carbon neutral.
Blue Economy research

$2.7m for offshore aquaculture

Science
29 Sep, 2020
AUT ecologist Dr Kay Vopel is leading a project to develop new protocols for offshore fish farming.
Professor Jun Lu

Five questions with Professor Jun Lu

Science
29 Sep, 2020
We asked Professor Jun Lu five questions about his research ahead of his Inaugural Professorial Address.
Swimming with whales

Swimming with whales know the risks

Science
23 Sep, 2020
Swimming with whales: you must know the risks and when it’s best to keep your distance
Matilda billboard

AUT launches new advertising campaign

04 Sep, 2020
AUT graduates are telling the story in their own words of how their AUT experience inspired them and shaped their lives and futures.
A pair of anemonefish hiding from divers in tentacles of their host anemone. Picture by Evan Brown, Auckland University of Technology, taken during an AUT marine biology fieldtrip for Pacific Island Ecosystems to the Solomon Islands

Scaring Nemo

Science
03 Sep, 2020
How do clownfish on coral reefs react to encounters with humans?
AUT Team with Jacinda Ardern (Backrow L-R: Gregory Bennett, Julia King, Lee Jackson, Len Gillman, Ryan Smith, Rose Nichol-Foster and Ashray Doshi. Front row L-R: Barbara Bollard, Katarina Markovic, Jacinda Ardern)

Thousands set to ‘explore’ Antarctica through VR

30 Jul, 2020
Step inside Sir Edmund Hillary’s Hut in Antarctica with a new virtual reality experience developed by AUT scientists and digital designers
Associate Professor Barbara Bollard in Antarctica

Q&A with Assoc Professor Bollard: Collecting data in Antarctica

30 Jul, 2020
Q&A with Associate Professor Bollard about collecting data in Antarctica.
Prof Andrea Alfaro_1

AUT and Ocean Beach: Bluff aquaculture

Science
27 Jul, 2020
The owners of the former Ocean Beach freezing works have partnered with AUT to turn its Southland site into a centre of excellence for aquaculture.
Kat Bolstad

Scientists dissect squid named by alum

Science
24 Jul, 2020
For his PhD, AUT alumnus Dr Jesse Kelly described and named a rare genus of deep-sea squid; a specimen of which was recently dissected by NZ scientists.
Replacing farm animals with crops

Switching farm animals for crops?

Science
21 Jul, 2020
Climate Explained: What if we took all farm animals off the land and planted crops and trees instead? Professor Sebastian Leuzinger investigates.
AUT Ecologist Dr Bradley Case

Study - Non-crop vegetation helps farms

Science
17 Jun, 2020
Non-productive vegetation on farms can increase ecosystem services such as decomposition and nitrogen mineralisation, according to a recent study.
Lindsey White

AUT research guides Blue Economy project

Science
12 Jun, 2020
AUT has commenced work on five studies which will guide international research on using the ocean for aquaculture and energy production.
Fabrice Merien mask

Professor helps on Covid testing

Science
22 May, 2020
AUT’s Professor Fabrice Merien has been seconded to assist Roche Diagnostics New Zealand increase capacity for COVID-19 testing in New Zealand.
Ali Seyfoddin

AUT offers medicinal cannabis course

Science
18 May, 2020
AUT is the first university in New Zealand to offer a comprehensive postgraduate paper on medicinal cannabis from semester 2 (starting July 20).
Antarctica funding granted

AUT team joins global Antarctic project

Science
06 May, 2020
The Australian Government has awarded AUD $36 million to a research program, Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF).
Life on land

Recloaking the land

Science
10 Mar, 2020
AUT Science project Living Labs, is researching the best ways to reintroduce native forest to marginal land across New Zealand.
Giant squid dissection

PhD student makes the cut with big squid

Science
26 Feb, 2020
Being hauled from his sleep to dissect a just-caught giant squid was a dream come true for AUT PhD student Ryan Howard.
QS stars 2019

AUT a 5-star university across all categories

13 Nov, 2019
AUT has received the maximum five stars for the first time in every category according to the global education analysts QS in their recent results.
New Professors announced in 2019

New Professors and Associate Professors

07 Nov, 2019
AUT has announced the promotion of 12 leading academics to the position of Professor. A further 15 academics have been appointed as Associate Professors.
Royal Society Award

Royal Society Award for AUT Professor

Science
24 Sep, 2019
AUT’s Professor Dave Towns has been awarded the 2019 Charles Fleming Award for Environmental Achievement by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.
AUT Living Labs - Orakei

AUT Living Labs raised at UN

23 Sep, 2019
AUT Living Laboratories, a project to restore native forest, will be presented at the UN Climate Action Assembly in New York.
THE Rankings Sep 2019

AUT moves up 50 places in world rankings

12 Sep, 2019
AUT is now in the top 1% of world universities and in the top 50 for research citations.
Woolf Fisher AUT scholarship Awards ceremony

19 first in family scholarships awarded

05 Sep, 2019
19 AUT students were awarded Woolf Fisher First-in-Family AUT Scholarships at a celebration event at the AUT South Campus on Thursday 29 August.
Ecologist Dr Nicola Day

Climate change article makes cover of Nature

Science
23 Aug, 2019
AUT applied ecologist Dr Nicola Day has published paper on climate change in Nature which features on the cover.  
Nadine Tupp Freemasons Scholarship

A scholarship to help existing students

Science
20 Aug, 2019
Applications for The Freemasons Scholarship are now open. For Nadine Tupp, the scholarship allowed them to continue pursuing their passion for learning.
Hamideh Gholizadeh and Mark Winger

Scholarships for today and tomorrow

Science
13 Aug, 2019
AUT student Hamideh Gholizadeh, has received not one, but two scholarships. Read her inspiring story.
Periodic table poster

Quest for the most boring chemical element not so boring

Science
09 Aug, 2019
Quest for the most boring chemical element not so boring
Left to right: Ripley Dean, ranger; Len Gillman, AUT; Eugenie Sage, Minister of Conservation; Adam Willetts ranger; Rod Gates, trustee; Greg Innes, Trust Chair; Annie Everson-Dawn, trust secretary.

AUT to work with Bream Head Conservation Trust’

Science
29 Jul, 2019
AUT’s School of Science will work with the Bream Head Conservation Trust to rid Bream Head Reserve of pests.
Sebastian Leuzinger and Martin Bader doing research with kauri trees

Younger trees keep nearby ‘grandpa’ kauri alive

Science
26 Jul, 2019
AUT scientists conduct study of how a kauri stump is keeping itself alive by holding onto the roots of neighbouring trees.
Whale and diver

Tongan whales affected by tourism

Science
18 Jul, 2019
AUT research shows that the intensive swim-with-whale tourism in Tonga is disturbing natural behaviour patterns.
Whale in Kaikoura

The future of NZ’s marine environment

Science
15 Jul, 2019
Two AUT researchers, Dr Rebecca Jarvis and Dr Tim Young, surveyed New Zealand’s marine scientists to discover the key areas where more research is needed.
AUT Roche Diagnostics Lab

To the future and beyond

Science
11 Jul, 2019
The AUT-Roche Diagnostics Laboratory is creating exceptional learning experiences and fostering industry connections.
Bottlenose dolphins

Study: safe altitude for flying drones over marine animals

Science
10 Jul, 2019
Researchers from the Auckland University of Technology have found the safest distance to fly drones over marine mammals.
Avocado

Reducing our avocado waste

Science
17 Jun, 2019
An AUT PhD student is working to convert avocado waste into compostable packaging in response to the large amount of waste sent to landfill every year.
Lindsey White Blue Economy CRC 1

AUT joins Australian research programme to utilise ocean resources

Science
16 May, 2019
AUT has joined 45 national and international partners on a 10-year research programme on ways to utilise the ocean for aquaculture and energy production.
khine-thida-research

Driven to discover new treatments

Science
14 May, 2019
Breast cancer research is close to her heart, says Khine Thida was awarded a $96,000 scholarship by the Cancer Research Trust New Zealand to pursue a PhD.
62% increase in AUT researchers

62% increase in AUT researchers

30 Apr, 2019
Growing expertise to help New Zealand and the world
They Are Us image - illustration by Ruby Jones

Christchurch

15 Mar, 2019
The tragic event in Christchurch today devastates us. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their friends and families.
Prototype rover

AUT research to find life on Mars

Science
14 Mar, 2019
AUT microbiologists are working with NASA to find signs of life on Mars.
Dr Jack Chen and Dr Marcus Jones

AUT scientists join MacDiarmid Institute

Science
11 Mar, 2019
Dr Marcus Jones and Dr Jack Chen have been made Associate Investigators at the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.
Rubbish on beach

Make waves at a beach clean-up

28 Feb, 2019
Student led sustainability group the Future Proofers want AUT staff and students to help clean up our beaches at Taumanu Reserve on Saturday 9 March.
Professor Allan Blackman

New podcast celebrates Periodic Table

Science
21 Feb, 2019
Professor Allan Blackman from the School of Science joins Radio New Zealand’s Alison Balance for Elemental – a podcast exploring the elements.
Seddon Memorial Technical College reunion

Celebrating AUT through the years

21 Jan, 2019
Over 50 of our oldest alumni came together for the 2018 Seddon Memorial Technical College reunion hosted by the alumni office.
AUT Edge Award winners

Gaining skills for the workplace

14 Dec, 2018
Auckland Council are proud to sponsor the overall achievement prize for the AUT Edge Award, an extra-curricular employability award at AUT.
Synchrotron to be used in research

Five AUT Marsden Fund grants

08 Nov, 2018
Five projects led by AUT researchers have been granted funding totalling $3.58 million in new research for the university, in this Marsden Fund round.
The Sustainability Taskforce at the Roadmap launch

Minister launches sustainable blueprint

24 Oct, 2018
The Minister for Climate Change, the Hon James Shaw officially launched AUT’s Sustainability Roadmap on Friday 19 October.
WF WG sky tower

THE rankings place AUT in NZ top three

27 Sep, 2018
AUT has significantly improved in global university rankings published today by the Times Higher Education.
AUT students sit in the WG lecture hall

AUT 2019 domestic and international fees

13 Sep, 2018
Tuition fees for new domestic students, and for domestic and international students currently enrolled in a programme will increase in 2019.
SBB_Falklands_small

PhD grad takes eco message to the world

Science
08 Aug, 2018
Environmental science and marine biology PhD graduate Stephanie Borrelle is taking on one of the world’s big problems – plastic pollution in the oceans.
Len Gillman in a tree

nztrees app puts natives on the map

Science
07 Jun, 2018
Do you know your mānuka from your kānuka, your pōhutukawa from your rātā or ever wonder which trees are native?
Associate Professor Hannah Buckley

UK science journal publishes in te reo

Science
30 May, 2018
NZ academics have taken a major step forward in encouraging the scientific community to recognise the importance of non-Western indigenous languages.
Michael Petterson

5 questions with Professor Michael Petterson

Science
03 May, 2018
We asked Professor Michael Petterson 5 questions about his research at the time of his Inaugural Professorial Address.
Triplets Chloe, Roselle and Chanel Samaratunga

AUT welcomes our new scholars

28 Feb, 2018
07_antonyvavia

Pacific youth leader in ocean conservation

Science
07 Jul, 2017

AUT Marine Biology student, Antony Vavia, was selected by the Aotearoa Youth Leadership Institute to attend the first United Nations Ocean Conference in New York last month.

AUT alumni receives seafood industry honour

AUT alumni receives seafood industry honour

Science
11 Nov, 2016

Seafood New Zealand has named AUT aquaculture alumni, Te Tane Trinick, as one of the seafood industry’s rising stars.

Why nature is good for us

Why nature is good for us

Science
13 Oct, 2016

New Zealanders increasingly live, work and play in human-built environments. Over 80% of our population lives in urban areas. For most of us, our food comes via supermarkets instead of growing our own, and we spend increasing amounts of time indoors – at home and at work. Conversely, we are seeing growing rates of mental health issues in our people. More and more of us seem to be struggling to live healthy and fulfilling lives, content with who we are and how we are living.

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