Sciences at University of Otago

04/06/2026

👩‍🎓 Mīharo Food Science graduate Adine Russell is defying expectations and making a positive difference.

🥗 Adine’s interest in studying Food Science was influenced by a childhood spent in Southland on a sheep and beef farm. She came to University knowing she wanted to study something that had the potential to contribute to the food industry and help make a difference.

“Part of the reason I love food science so much is because I want to give back to the industry in some way. Growing up on a farm really helped me understand the importance of getting food from pasture to products and out to market in the best possible condition to meet the needs and wants of consumers.”

💕 Adine faced more than the usual challenges when it came to getting her degree.

“I’m one of the youngest and one of very few people in New Zealand diagnosed with Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS),” she says.

🌟 Ka nui te mihi kia koe, Adine - we’re so proud of you.

You can read more about Adine’s story here ⬇️

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/food-science-grad-breaking-all-the-expectations

Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago

As Adine Russell bites into a chocolate chip cookie, she explains that lay people often get food science and nutrition confused.

03/06/2026

🌏 A team of international scientists have gathered at our Otago Repository for Core Analysis (ORCA) facility to analyse samples of the Earth’s core.

🔬 These mīharo samples will tell them when ice melted in the past and help us predict future sea level rise.

🧊 These aren’t just any samples – the layers of sediments and fossils were collected from Antarctica and are up to nine million years old.

You can find out more and watch the One News video here: https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/06/02/earths-core-revealed-after-millions-of-years-offering-climate-clues/

Otago Geology - University of Otago, New Zealand

Samples collected in one of the world's most remote sites in West Antarctica last summer, 700km from Scott Base, and flown back to New Zealand

03/06/2026

🥳 We’re proudly celebrating more than 20 alumni and staff recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. Special congratulations to our Science graduates Rodney Wong and Earle Kirton, both recognised as Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM). Kia mau te wehi! 🎉

🏅 Tautoko Rodney Wong (BSc; DipSci), who was honoured for services to business and community. Among his many achievements, Rodney co-founded the Wildbase Recovery Centre, a nationally significant native wildlife hospital and rehabilitation facility. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Chair of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust, where he was instrumental in promoting the history and contributions of Chinese New Zealanders.

🏅 Earle Kirton (BSc; BDS) was recognised for services to rugby. Earle has been devoted to first-class rugby on and off the field, as a player, selector, coach, administrator, and mentor for more than 60 years. He was only the second player to play 100 games for Otago in his time. He played 49 games for the All Blacks, including 13 tests. From 1992 to 1995, he was the All Blacks assistant and back coach with Laurie Mains, with their All Blacks making the Rugby World Cup final in 1995. Ka rawe!

You can read a full list of those honoured here ⬇️

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/breadth-of-otagos-impact-highlighted-in-kings-birthday-honours

School of Physical Education Sport & Exercise Sciences, University of Otago

The University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka is proudly celebrating more than 20 alumni and staff recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours.

02/06/2026

🙋 Why shouldn’t you go to the supermarket on an empty stomach?

🧠 Findings from a new study reveal that the way we think about kai changes if we are hungry or full – not just whether we want food, but how vividly we can imagine it.

🍎 Co-author Associate Professor Mei Peng, of Otago’s Sensory Neuroscience and Nutrition Lab, says participants were asked to imagine the smell, flavour, and texture of food when they were hungry and when they were full to see if these imagined sensory experiences changed with metabolic state.

“It seems intuitive that food thoughts might become stronger when we are hungry, but this study tested that idea experimentally.”

🍉 Mei was surprised to learn that it was easier for people to imagine the texture of a food rather than the flavour.

“This distinction is scientifically interesting because it suggests that different sensory aspects of food may be represented differently in the mind and may play different roles in appetite, craving and food decision-making.”

You can read the full story here ⬇️

We are often told not to go to the supermarket on an empty stomach.

01/06/2026

🧪 Fans of Critic Te Ārohi can thank science for their regular dose of campus news – or more specifically, science student Gryffin Blockley, who along with juggling a Master of Science in Genetics is co-editor of the student magazine.

🫣 Gryffin collaborates with Law and Commerce student Hanna Varrs to serve up the weekly dish of horoscopes, reviews, games, hard-hitting investigations, tauira artwork and humorous features.

“Critic has just entered its 101st year – it has been around long before our time, and will continue to be once we’re done with our studies,” Gryffin says.

“One of Critic’s values is kaitiakitanga – we have guardianship over this special part of the University culture, and we want to make sure future generations of students are able to enjoy it for years to come.

“I’m hopeful we can continue to build Critic’s presence on campus, uplift the voices of a wide range of students and ensure that behind the scenes, Critic can continue for another hundred years!”

💕 Tautoko Griffyn and Hanna for your fantastic mahi.

2026 has been a rollercoaster for the team at Critic Te Ārohi – and it’s only May.

28/05/2026

🎶 Five-piece alternative rock metal band Ammonita, who release their debut single, Walnut, on all major streaming platforms today, had a world of possible band names at their fingertips thanks to their science studies.

“We were studying environmental science and thought it would be cool to have a name that reflected that. I had a poster with the names of mushrooms, and one was from the amanita genus,” says guitar player and Ecology student Iván Fernandez.

🎸 Recording the single was made possible after Ammonita won OUSA’s annual band competition, Bring the Noise, in October last year. The prize package included Radio One promotion, a music video, and the recording of a single at Sublime Studios in the Waitaki Valley. Kia mau te wehi!

“We had no expectations, but lo and behold, we made it to the finals and we won. We put our hearts out there, and people liked it.”

✨ Ka nui te mihi kia koe Zoe, Karl, Iván, Mason and Paige – we wish you all the best for both your science studies and your music careers.

Read the full story here: https://www.otago.ac.nz/about/news/newsroom/heartbreak-and-squid-inspire-debut-single-from-award-winning-band

Ecology Programme, University of Otago Marine Science Otago

27/05/2026

🦤 What is ‘de-extinction’, and how could emerging technologies be used to save threatened species from extinction?

🦖 Tautoko Associate Professor Nic Rawlence, Director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, who's done a deep dive into the topic in this article on The Conversation.

🔗 You can read the full story here: https://theconversation.com/de-extinction-company-says-its-made-an-artificial-egg-if-true-it-could-help-save-living-species-283138

Zoology Department, University of Otago - new

Colossal Biosciences’ artificial egg technology would deliver a useful tool for the conservation of threatened birds, but only if it’s made publicly available.

26/05/2026

🥇 The Ulrich Memorial Medal was first awarded in 1902, in honour of the late Professor Ulrich, Otago’s Professor of Mining from 1878 to 1900.

🌱 A former student of Ulrich’s, Edward Dunn, said he could “testify to his helpfulness to those who desired to learn. His influence will remain long after those who came into direct contact with him have departed.”

🫶 Edward was right, and 124 years later Ulrich continues to have a positive impact on Otago tauira, including Katie Melgren, the recipient of this year’s medal.

🪨 The award, which consists of a newly minted bronze medal and a cash prize, is given annually to the best student studying mineralogy in Geology classes at 200-level.

💕 Katie says, “I’m so grateful to have received the Ulrich Memorial Medal award, and very honoured to be the first recipient of the physical medal in so many years. It’s a wonderful testament to the staff and cohort that have helped me along the way.”

🏅 Katie’s in good company – an inaugural recipient of the medal, James Allan Thomson, went on to become New Zealand’s first Rhodes scholar. And in 1992, the prize was won by Professor Ulrich’s great-grandson, Sam Ulrich.

🎉 Ka nui te mihi kia koe, Katie – we're sure your future will be as bright as your gleaming new medal.

📸 Photo of Katie Melgren by Jae Oldham.

Otago Geology - University of Otago, New Zealand

24/05/2026

🥇 Tautoko Elena Piere, a PhD candidate working across Human Nutrition, Food Science and Management, whose ‘Waste less, care more: Reducing food waste in aged residential care’ project won the Research Excellence Award at the WasteMINZ Awards on Tuesday night! Ka rawe!

🥗 As part of the project, 14 aged care facilities co-designed and tested a food waste reduction toolkit over six months. Simple changes saw a 24 per cent reduction in kai waste, keeping more than 13 tonnes out of landfill.

🌱 “Imagine what that number could be if every aged care provider in NZ started using the toolkit to reduce their food waste!” Elena says.

🤝 “Our project demonstrates what’s possible when collaboration occurs at scale, with researchers, industry and government coming together to tackle a problem."

🫶"It's also a testament to all the incredible staff we worked with – kitchen and caregiving staff, village and sustainability managers, and our industry partner the Retirement Village Association.”

🍒 “I am really excited that the aged care sector now has a practical, evidence-based toolkit to help reduce food waste that they can take, adapt and embed into their standard operations.”

🎉 Kia mau te wehi – we're thrilled to see Elena making a positive difference.

📸 Photo L-R: Associate Professor Paula O’Kane (Department of Management), Ms Elena Piere, Dr Sara Styles (Department of Human Nutrition) and Professor Sheila Skeaff (Department of Human Nutrition).

👏 You can read more about the project here: https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/waste-less,-care-more-toolkit-launches

Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago University of Otago Business School

23/05/2026

🐻 From completing her Rescue Diver certification to hiking alongside grizzly bears while on a Tūrangawaewae Pōkai Whenua Indigenous Exchange to the University of British Columbia, Alex Ogilvie (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa) has a lot to be proud of in her time at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.

👩‍🎓 👩‍🎓 Alex graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Science on 16 May, the moment being extra special as her twin sister Catrin received a Bachelor of Sciences with Honours in Microbiology on the same day.

🫶 “It’s nice to be able to reach this milestone and celebrate it together,” Alex says.

🐬 Alex enjoyed her marine science, freshwater ecology, conservation biology and indigenous development papers.

🌊 “They covered the natural environment and ecological systems, an area I want to work in. Maybe one day I will be able to combine my science and dive training in a professional capacity.”

💕 Ka nui te mihi kia koe Alex and Catrin – we wish you all the best for the future.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/double-celebrations-for-twin-graduates

Zoology Department, University of Otago - new Ecology Programme, University of Otago

From helping the fight against tuberculosis to representing New Zealand in sport and creating lifelong connections along the way, twins Catrin and Alex Ogilvie (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa) have a lot to be proud of in their time at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.