Environmental Science department

Known for its ground-breaking research, the Department of Environmental Science is part of science at AUT.

Our programmes range from applied conservation and environmental studies to marine biology. The ability to understand issues about environmental resources and applying knowledge and research in practice are important components of this discipline.

Research in environmental science

The Department of Environmental Science is known for its ground-breaking research. Using a holistic Earth system science approach, our research unravels the ecological and social processes that connect terrestrial with aquatic ecosystems.

More about our research
Cecilia Mimi Lay
Deshaun Martin-Clarke
Shaye Va
Ruchira Sandeep Sawant
Ryan Ouderkirk

Contact us

Associate Professor Kay C. Vopel
Head of Environmental Science
Phone: +64 9 921 9999 ext 6461

kay.vopel@aut.ac.nz

News
Photo: NZ King Salmon
Whānau gather at Kenana urupā for the unveiling of the pou at the experimental urupā tautaiao.
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Group photo of members of Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation, Tax Management NZ, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the Vice-Chancellor's Office and the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences.
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Photo: NZ King Salmon
AUT’s kaupapa moana in the blue economy
12 Dec, 2023
AUT is one of the leading research partners in the Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre, which addresses the challenges facing blue economy industries.
Whānau gather at Kenana urupā for the unveiling of the pou at the experimental urupā tautaiao.
Decolonising Māori death practices
14 Nov, 2023
Marsden-funded research is revitalising and adapting ancient Māori burial customs and practices for modern life.
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Rare squid found
02 Aug, 2023
AUT’s resident squid expert Kat Bolstad appeared on RNZ Nights last week to talk about the Squid Squad and their annual Squidmas research trip.
Group photo of members of Whakatupu Aotearoa Foundation, Tax Management NZ, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the Vice-Chancellor's Office and the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences.
‘Living classroom’ nurtures young minds
03 May, 2023
AUT has received a gift to see restoration sites used as living classrooms for rangatahi
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Anchors cause damage to seafloor
18 May, 2022
High-resolution mapping has produced the first ever global estimates of coastal habitat damage caused by anchoring.