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Faculty of Science, University of Auckland

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Faculty of Science, University of Auckland

Official account for Te whare Pūtaiao, Faculty of Science at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is the largest science faculty in New Zealand.

More than 7,000 students study in our 10 schools and departments. Te whare Pūtaiao | the Faculty of Science at The University of Auckland is the largest and highest ranked science faculty in New Zealand. More than 7,000 students study in our 10 schools and departments, learning from internationally-renowned lecturers.

03/06/2026

Ever wondered why young New Zealanders are starting to say ‘pehn’ instead of ‘pin’? A new research is shedding light on how the Kiwi accent is evolving.

By comparing the vowel sounds of Gen Z Aucklanders to older generations, researchers Professor Catherine Watson, Dr. Brooke Ross, and Associate Professor Elaine Ballard discovered that the traditional, tight-jawed "DRESS" vowel (which often made 'pen' sound like 'pin' to outsiders) is opening up.

Here are a few key takeaways from the study:

🗨️ The Power of Diversity: Between 1986 and 2006, Auckland's overseas-born population grew from 23% to 37% (and sits around 43% today). This super-diversity means young people from vast cultural backgrounds are subconsciously shifting their speech to better understand one another.

🗨️A Shared Identity: The shift in pronunciation was found across diverse suburbs, from Mt Roskill to Papatoetoe and Titirangi regardless of ethnic or migrant demographics.

🗨️The Trickle-Down Effect: While the rest of Aotearoa is adopting these changes too, it’s happening more slowly in the regions due to less population density. Essentially, Auckland is leading the linguistic trend!

As Associate Professor Elaine Ballard notes, accent is deeply tied to identity and community belonging. No matter what a child looks like or where their parents came from, growing up in New Zealand creates a shared linguistic fellowship.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/06/02/kiwi-accent-research.html

01/06/2026

New Zealand is sitting on a goldmine of energy, yet we’re barely scratching the surface.

Despite solar power being the cheapest form of energy globally, only about 1% of New Zealand’s electricity comes from the sun. While countries like Australia and Germany are skyrocketing, our solar uptake is flatlining.

So, what’s holding us back?

A new piece by Rebekah White, featuring insights from Professor Emeritus Ralph Cooney, breaks down the barriers and the massive opportunities we’re missing:

The Barriers
- Up-front Costs: The average household system sits at around $16,500. Without the government subsidies or tax credits seen overseas, many Kiwis find the initial hurdle too high.

- Red Tape: From resource consents to "stormwater consents" for rain dripping off panels on farms, the regulatory maze is slowing down our farmers.

- The "Payback" Mindset: We often ask, "When will it pay for itself?" We should be asking, "How much value am I adding to my home?" Solar is a capital improvement, just like adding a deck.

💡 The Opportunity
- Energy Security: Solar + EVs + Battery storage = a personal insurance policy. During events like Cyclone Gabrielle, decentralized power isn’t just a luxury, it’s a lifeline.

- Massive Savings: The average household could cut annual power bills by $1,000+. For farmers, it could halve energy costs while creating a new revenue stream by selling back to the grid.

- The "Germany" Lesson: If a country with notoriously low sunshine can lead the world in solar, New Zealand—with our massive potential—has no excuse.

As Professor Cooney puts it: "Solar’s the cheapest energy we’ve got... Why wouldn’t we actually embrace it?"

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/05/18/solar-cheapest-form-energy.html

28/05/2026

Take 10 Fridays | Featuring Associate Professor Kim Handley

For this week’s , we’re spotlighting Associate Professor Kim Handley from the School of Biological Sciences, whose research explores how microbial communities function and adapt across diverse environments.

1️⃣ Research in 10 words:
Understanding how microbial communities function and adapt to ecological niches.

2️⃣ In everyday terms:
I study how microorganisms such as bacteria acquire, transform and produce compounds in the environment or laboratory.

3️⃣ Day-to-day work:
A lot of my time is spent meeting with research students to discuss progress, challenges and exciting results. I also edit manuscripts and, when time allows, contribute to bioinformatics and genome analysis projects, helping develop workflows and share new approaches with my research group and students.

4️⃣ Favourite part:
Discovering something completely new after months of hard work is incredibly rewarding — especially when the findings are unexpected.

5️⃣ Surprising insight:
I’m continually amazed by the weird and wonderful traits bacteria possess. There is always something new to learn, which is one of the things I love most about this field.

6️⃣ Handling challenges:
Research rarely goes exactly to plan, whether in the field or the laboratory. Sometimes adaptability is key, while other times perseverance leads to the best outcomes. Challenges can be frustrating, but they are also what makes research exciting and meaningful.

7️⃣ New questions:
Working with large genomic datasets often generates new predictions about how microorganisms function and adapt. Recently, one prediction made by a doctoral student in my group was later validated by a Nature paper reinforcing how many exciting questions still remain to be explored.

8️⃣ Impact goal:
I hope my research contributes to a deeper understanding of microbial ecology and supports future discoveries in the field. Seeing others build on our work or hearing that a paper from our group inspired someone else’s research is always rewarding.

9️⃣ Collaboration:
I collaborate with microbiologists and biologists across the University, as well as researchers nationally and internationally. These collaborations bring together diverse expertise and perspectives, particularly in studies involving microbial communities associated with plants, animals and extreme environments like hot springs.

🔟 Advice to younger self:
Get into science earlier, and don’t stress too much about work-life balance. It ebbs and flows — and that’s OK.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/our-research/take-10-with/take-10-with-biological-sciences/take-10-with-kim-handley.html

Follow our page for more researcher stories in Take 10 Fridays.

27/05/2026

Innovation with impact

Recent graduate Ella Fasciana is helping transform maritime search and rescue through Glint by Seascape - a start-up developing a lightweight, foldable marine radar reflector designed to make people lost at sea easier to locate using satellite radar technology.

Co-founded while Ella was studying a conjoint Bachelor of Environmental Science and Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), the SAR4SaR reflector is low-cost, portable and requires no batteries, offering a practical solution for small vessels and remote communities across the Pacific.

Now entering a PhD supported by the NZ Space Agency, Ella continues to work alongside researchers, Defence Science and Technology, and the University’s innovation ecosystem to bring this life-saving technology closer to commercialisation.

Her work is a powerful example of how science, engineering and entrepreneurship can come together to solve real-world challenges and create meaningful impact.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/05/12/inventors-simple-device-to-save-lives-at-sea.html

25/05/2026

New research is shedding new light on the role honeybees may play in the spread of myrtle rust, a fungal disease threatening New Zealand’s native trees.

A recently published study has found that honeybees can collect and use myrtle rust spores as a food source for their larvae, raising concerns that the introduced species may also be helping spread the fungal disease threatening New Zealand’s native trees.

Led by former University of Auckland master’s student Sacchi Shin-Clayton, now at Cambridge University, the research showed honeybee larvae grew just as successfully on myrtle rust spores as they did on pollen from common food sources.

The findings challenge previous assumptions about both honeybee behaviour and the spread of myrtle rust, highlighting the complex interactions between introduced species and native ecosystems.

Researchers say understanding these relationships is critical as myrtle rust continues to threaten species including pōhutukawa, rātā and mānuka across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/05/06/sacchi-shin-clayton-jacqueline-beggs-david-pattemore-honeybees-collect-myrtle-rust.html

21/05/2026

Take 10 Fridays | Featuring Dr Bartek Ewertowski

For this week’s , we’re spotlighting Dr Bartek Ewertowski from the Department of Mathematics.

1️⃣ Research in 10 words:
Parametrised cohomology of Cartan holonomy reductions.

2️⃣ In everyday terms:
I study how one geometry can transition into another. Some cosmological theories suggest that at the beginning of the universe, what we now experience as time may once have been a spatial dimension. My work explores mathematical models of similar geometric transitions and the relationships between them.

3️⃣ Day-to-day work:
A lot of reading and writing mathematics. I work through proofs by hand to understand them deeply, then document them properly in LaTeX for future reference.

4️⃣ Favourite part:
Discovering unexpected connections between mathematical ideas that seem unrelated at first - often through category theory, which helps reveal deeper structures beneath the surface.

5️⃣ Surprising insight:
While learning homotopy theory, I discovered that functional programming and geometry are deeply connected - a breakthrough that opened up an entirely new perspective on mathematics and computer science.

6️⃣ Handling challenges:
When I get stuck, I go back to fundamentals. Strong foundations make progress possible. And when creativity is the problem, stepping away for a walk or changing focus often helps new ideas emerge.

7️⃣ New questions:
There may be unexplored links between geometric transitions in projective differential geometry and cosmological models of the early universe. I think there’s exciting potential for new discoveries here.

8️⃣ Impact goal:
I hope my mathematical results can one day help cosmologists better understand the geometry of the universe and its origins.

9️⃣ Collaboration:
Attending the first international conference on homotopy type theory at Carnegie Mellon University brought together geometers, logicians and computer scientists.

🔟 Advice to younger self:
Stay broad in your interests. Sometimes the most valuable ideas come from outside your chosen specialty.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/our-research/take-10-with/take-10-with-mathematics/take-10-with-bartek-ewertowski.html

19/05/2026

Join the University of Auckland's Institute of Marine Science' open day on 13 June.

🌊 Expert Speaker Sessions: Hear from four leading researchers on aquaculture, shark physiology, rocky reef ecology, and ecosystem restoration.
🌊 Interactive Exhibits: Explore five bespoke stations across the Leigh Lab campus showcasing active research.
🌊 Community & Connection: Learn how we can better understand and protect our ocean.

🕙 Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Saturday, 13th June 2026
📍 Where: Institute of Marine Science, Leigh, Auckland
🎟️ Cost: FREE (Registration is essential)

You can register for general admission to visit anytime, or secure a spot in one of our limited-entry speaker sessions. These spots fill up fast, so don’t miss out on this unique experience!

🔗 Register her: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/dive-into-world-ocean-day-institute-of-marine-science-open-day-2026-tickets-1988802586072?aff=oddtdtcreator

18/05/2026

Representation matters, and research can be a powerful way to make invisible stories visible.

Doctoral candidate Kenya Kavanagh-Vincent is exploring the lived experiences of Caribbean communities in New Zealand, a community whose stories are often underrepresented in both academic research and wider social conversations.

Bringing her own Caribbean lens to the work, Kenya’s research explores identity, belonging, displacement, and the intergenerational impacts of colonisation, helping create space for Caribbean voices to be heard and recognised.

Her work is an important reminder that understanding diverse lived experiences strengthens how we think about wellbeing, equity, and culturally responsive care.

Alongside her doctoral research, Kenya is in the final stages of her Doctor of Clinical Psychology and has secured a 2026 internship with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Her story reflects resilience, purpose, and a strong commitment to social justice both in research and in practice.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/04/24/research-explores-the-caribbean-experience-in-aotearoa.html

12/05/2026

Important research from Dr Yuxi You is shining a light on the hidden impact of microplastics in our marine ecosystems.

Dr You’s latest study found that bamboo worms (Macroclymenella stewartensis), tiny but essential creatures living beneath seabed sediments, become less active when exposed to high levels of microplastics.

That matters because these “hidden heroes” play a vital role in keeping coastal ecosystems healthy by oxygenating sediments, recycling nutrients, supporting marine food webs, and helping regulate carbon storage.

Her research highlights a bigger issue: when these small but critical ecosystem engineers are disrupted, the effects can ripple through the food chain, increase the risk of algal blooms, and impact the wider health of our oceans.

A powerful reminder that some of the most important work in protecting our environment starts by understanding the smallest organisms.

Kudos to Dr Yuxi You and the marine science team for advancing this important work and helping shape the conversation around microplastic pollution and marine ecosystem resilience.

Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/04/29/yuxi-you-simon-thrush-microplastics-impact-on-marine-life.html

10/05/2026

Augmenting Scientific Discovery with AI

The Faculty of Science is proud to present the 2026 first Gibbons Lecture Series - a four-part public seminar exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming the way science is discovered, tested, and applied.

From environmental science to cognition, culture, and drug discovery, theseries brings together four leading voices at the forefront of AI-enabled research:

12 May, Jörg Wicker
AI as a Driver of Science: Making Sense of the Environmental Fate of Chemicals
Discover how AI is helping scientists predict the biodegradation of chemicals and tackle environmental challenges at scale.

19 May, Matthew Egbert
How does Artificial Intelligence Differ from Natural Intelligence?
A thought-provoking exploration of what separates machine intelligence from living minds — and what that reveals about both.

26 May, Steven Mills
Computing, Culture, and Choices: Why do we do what we do?
Reflecting on the role of AI in culture and heritage, and how we can place community and human values at the centre of technological progress.

2 June, Jonathan Swain
DIY AI: Open-source AI for Drug Discovery
Explore how open-source AI tools are democratising drug discovery and accelerating breakthroughs in global health.

📍 Library Lecture Theatre, University of Auckland
🎟 Free and open to the public

Join us for a timely conversation on the opportunities, challenges, and future of AI in science. Whether you’re a researcher, student, or simply curious about the future of discovery, this series offers insights across disciplines.

Register now: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/augmenting-scientific-discovery-with-ai-tickets-1976542291200?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

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http://www.science.auckland.ac.nz/

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