The University of Waikato Summer Research Programme

Shared pathways offer critical connections between local homes, schools, parks, and workplaces, and they play a vital role in promoting active transport and community well-being. This research project seeks to understand and improve the way the Tauranga community connects with its shared pathway infrastructure. The project has three core aims: 

1. Community Feedback Analysis – The student will review and analyse community surveys and consultation documentation related to shared pathways to better understand connection opportunities. 
 
2. Pathway network review and multi-criteria analysis – The student will conduct a systematic review of Tauranga’s current shared pathways, identifying missing links and opportunities for new or improved connections aligned with environmental (transport, ecological, recreational) and spatial equity outcomes.  
 
3. Development of a priority investment list – Applying multi-criteria/needs analysis, a priority investment list will be developed. Priorities will focus on creating opportunities for modal shifts by improving equitable access to social infrastructure such as schools, commuter routes, public amenities and recreation spaces.  

Project Tasks: 
• Review and summarise relevant community feedback provided to Tauranga City Council regarding shared pathways. 
• Assess the current shared pathway network and identify key connectivity opportunities. This will involve both desktop assessments and site visits. 
• Develop and undertake a multi-criteria/needs assessment of primary connectivity opportunities to produce a priority list. 
• Deliver a final report with recommendations and supporting evidence for future shared pathways planning. 
Student Prerequisites: 
The ideal student will have a background or interest in: 
• Environmental planning 
• Active modes of mobility, transport  
• Community engagement/public policy analysis 
• Basic spatial analysis skills (GIS beneficial) 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 
A full clean driver’s license is required.  

Skills to be Gained: 
During the project, the student will: 
• Be supported by a team of professionals and academic staff to develop the research project 
• Develop skills in policy and community feedback analysis 
• Gain experience in spatial planning and active mobility 
• Enhance their ability to communicate findings.  

The business of AI friends is booming. Many companies now offer AI friend services, and many of the general AI (ChatGPT etc.) and AI agents are becoming increasingly friendly and are certainly willing to play the role of friend if you ask them. The companies claim that these friends are good for you. We (the supervisors) have pushed back at some of these claims while endorsing others.

We also recently wrote a narrative review of the empirical research on AI-human friendship. We have been asked by Routledge to propose a book version of the paper with an expanded section on policy advice.

A student working with us will familiarise themselves with these services; the ways in which they operate; and the literature about their use, benefits and risks. The student will then, in collaboration with the supervisors, conduct a formal literature review to ensure we include all of the most recent research on this fast-moving topic. The student will gain valuable research experience and, if they prove themselves to be excellent, be invited to co-author the book or related outputs.

This proposed research project will assess how effectively climate adaptation and public health policies in Aotearoa New Zealand address the increasing risks of extreme heat for demographically and geographically vulnerable populations. With climate change driving more frequent and intense heatwaves, health risks will continue to increase – particularly for children, older adults, communities facing structural inequities, poor housing, rural isolation and socioeconomic disadvantage, including Māori and Pacific peoples.

The research will conduct a targeted review and thematic analysis of key policy documents such as the National Adaptation Plan, Ministry of Health strategies, and selected local climate action plans. It will assess the extent to which these frameworks recognise and respond to demographic and geographic vulnerabilities in the context of a warming climate. 

Guided by principles of climate justice and intergenerational equity, the research will evaluate whether current policies explicitly address age-specific needs, support localised and well-resourced climate-health strategies (particularly amid the health system’s recent shifts) and align local adaptation efforts with demographic data. It will also investigate the presence of tangible commitments, such as targeted funding or support programs for Māori and Pacific communities and explore the equitable deployment of heat-health early warning systems. 

By benchmarking New Zealand’s approach against international best practices, including the World Health Organisation’s Heat-Health Action Plans, this project aims to identify policy gaps and opportunities. The findings will inform evidence-based, equity focused policy recommendations to enhance the resilience of at-risk populations and improve New Zealand’s preparedness for the health impacts of a warming climate. 

Counting Ourselves: Aotearoa New Zealand Trans and Non-binary Health Survey is a comprehensive study that collects quantitative and qualitative data on health inequities and social determinants of health for transgender people. Māori transgender people may use specific terms to reflect the nuanced intertwining of Indigenous identity and gender diversity, such as irawhiti, whakawāhine, tāngata ira tāne, and takatāpui. The distinctiveness of Māori gender diversity, alongside the specific social outcomes shaped by settler-colonialism, racism, and transphobia, necessitates an intersectional approach when considering the health and wellbeing of irawhiti takatāpui in Aotearoa.

In this summer research project, the candidate will work alongside supervisors to analyse the responses of the Counting Ourselves 2022 survey. The main responsibility is to draft a research report that depicts the key issues affecting Māori transgender people and strengths linked to this identity (e.g., whānau, identity pride, and cultural connectedness). During this time, the candidate will be guided to grow their preferred quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (writing narratives, developing themes and/or creating data poems) research skills. There will also be opportunities for the candidate to connect with the other Counting Ourselves team members, particularly with Dr Logan Hamley and our other Māori colleagues and collaborators who will set up the framework for the report and review drafts. The supervisors can offer support if the candidate wishes to develop a proposal for Master’s or PhD research.

This project focuses on adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Aotearoa. There is growing recognition in many countries that ADHD is a neglected public health issue with wide-ranging adverse health impacts for individuals and communities that needs urgent attention.

In Aotearoa, systemic flaws in ADHD care, particularly for adults, have been recognized by Pharmac and other key stakeholders, and a parliamentary hui (2024) called for action to address barriers across the entire care pathway for ADHD. However, implementation is hampered by a critical lack of national research and evidence, particularly about ADHD in adults. There is a pressing need to understand how lack of access to ADHD care impacts health inequalities, particularly for Māori, LGBTQIA+ communities, and low socioeconomic groups. 

The summer student will conduct a scoping review to identify gaps in understanding about adult ADHD in Aotearoa. This will be used alongside other data being collected (stakeholder hui, survey data) to ascertain areas where research and policy initiatives need to be targeted.
This project will contribute to broader research on this issue, involving academic and community partners (e.g. ADHD New Zealand). 

Skills required:
• Literature search skills: using keyword searches across databases
• Ability to read academic articles and summarize key points. 
• Use of software including EndNote, spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel), and word processing.
• Through this project you will learn how to conduct scoping reviews, which are widely used in academic and policy research. You will develop evaluative skills, communication (written and oral), academic writing, and the ability to work independently.

Researchers often conceptualise coercive control as a pattern of controlling behaviours used over time to restrict or dominate the life of an intimate partner, causing significant harm as a result. But research on controlling behaviours often focusses on a single event, determining the presence or absence of control from a snapshot in time. In this project, we will examine archival records for cases with multiple intimate partner violence episodes reported to New Zealand Police for the presence of controlling behaviours over time. We will examine whether the behaviours coded from those reports can be used to understand and document patterns of coercive control.

The student selected to undertake this project will ideally have a background in forensic psychology, crime science, or psychology; attention to detail, experience using Microsoft Excel and R, and be based in Hamilton. 

It is well established that controlling and stalking behaviours cause significant harm within the context of intimate partner violence. But less is known about how, amidst recent and ongoing rapid advances in technology, people use online and technological devices to control and stalk their current or former intimate partners. In this project, we will examine archival records for intimate partner violence episodes reported to New Zealand Police and document the ways that technology-facilitated harm manifests.

The student selected to undertake this project will ideally have a background in forensic psychology, crime science, or psychology; attention to detail, experience using Microsoft Excel and R, and be based in Hamilton. 

This project involves a literature review on Te Pae Oranga—an alternative justice initiative grounded in restorative justice, and shaped by iwi and hapū leadership. It will critically examine how Te Pae Oranga is represented in academic and policy literature, particularly through Kaupapa Māori and criminological lenses, with a focus on community-based responses to harm. The review contributes to the Marsden Funded Tiaki Tāne programme, which explores the causes of crime for rangatahi tāne Māori through an Indigenous lens, using Te Whare Tapa Whā to identify pathways to reduce harm in our communities. Tuakana-teina is central to this project, supporting the capability and capacity building of promising students.

Drawing from criminology, Māori studies, policy analysis, and related fields, the student will undertake a structured review of academic and grey literature, government reports, evaluations and iwi-led publications, This will involve --searching academic databases, critical reading, and thematic synthesis. 

By the end of the project, the student will produce a thematically structured literature review on Te Pae Oranga, identifying key debates, knowledge gaps, and insights into how Kaupapa Māori approaches are shaping restorative justice practices.

The ideal student will be analytical, self-motivated, and be open to learning across disciplines. A background in Indigenous or Māori studies, Criminology, History, or Health is an advantage, but not required. Familiarity with tikanga is required. The project can be completed from any location with access to a university library. Weekly meetings with supervisors and the Crime Lab (based at University of Waikato) can be online. 

This project aims to explore how hara—a Māori concept often translated as social transgressions—has been defined, represented, and understood across diverse sources. It sits within the broader Marsden Funded research programme, Tiaki Tāne, which examines the causes of crime for rangatahi tāne Māori through an Indigenous lens, using Te Whare Tapa Whā to identify pathways to reduce harm in our communities. Tuakana-teina is prioritised in this project through capability and capacity building of promising students.

Under this model, the student will conduct a comprehensive literature review, potentially drawing from scholarly texts, news archives, visual and cultural material, and postgraduate theses.

The project will develop strong research and information literacy skills, particularly in systematic searching and working with diverse source types. A core feature is to imbue the student with the ‘tikanga of good research’, drawn from multidisciplinary best practice.

A key outcome of the project will be a well-structured, thematically organised literature review of existing knowledge on hara, including how it is conceptualised within Te Ao Māori.

The ideal student will be curious, detail-oriented, widely read, and open to learning across disciplines. A background in Indigenous or Māori studies, Criminology, History, or Health is an advantage, but not required. Familiarity with tikanga Māori is required. The project can be done from any location with access to a university library. Weekly meetings with supervisors and the Crime Lab (based at University of Waikato) can be online.

Aotearoa New Zealand has been experiencing teacher shortages across early childhood, primary and secondary sectors. International students in initial teacher education (ITE) programmes have become vital, especially in hard-to-staff subjects. At the University of Waikato, where this project is based, there has been a noticeable rise in international ITE applications.

While these students offer unique contributions to the teaching profession, they also face challenges, including unfamiliar education practices, diverse understandings of society and citizenship, and language barriers. These challenges are exacerbated by short visa durations, which means many arrive shortly before programmes begin, and some experience culture shock in their university programmes and during professional experience in schools and centres.

This project seeks to understand the role of the university in introducing international ITE students to Aotearoa New Zealand society by exploring international ITE students' experience of citizenship at university. A holistic approach will be used that considers citizenship spaces such as extracurricular groups, classrooms, volunteering, decision-making, leadership, and activism. The guiding research questions are:  How do international ITE students experience citizenship at university? and What is the role of these experiences for introducing them to Aotearoa New Zealand society and education?

The summer scholar will help to: review literature, develop interview questions, interview participants, analyse interviews, and summarise findings. They will gain experience in qualitative research methods, data analysis and academic writing. Outputs include a report for the School of Education and a potential journal contribution. This project suits students with an interest in ITE, citizenship and international students.

With the increasing digitalisation of social life, digital risks from misinformation and cyberbullying through to radicalisation and cybercrime amongst younger populations have become a critical concern for national authorities, schools and communities worldwide. For policy makers, the option of banning social media use for young people under 16 has become a more plausible –yet highly controversial– way of dealing with the most pervasive effects of these risks. This has certainly been the case of Australia and, more recently, New Zealand (with a Bill proposal). These two countries have high flows of policy ideas, yet also significant differences in their approaches to online safety (Tan, 2022). This project builds upon our previous research on online safety (education) policies in New Zealand (Estellés & Doyle, 2025, forthcoming; Doyle, Estellés & Forbes, under review) and comparative work with the Australian context (Tan 2022, 2023). 

Focus 
In this research, we seek to explore and compare the Australian and New Zealand policies of social media ban for young people under 16 (key actors, rationales, public responses and forms of enforcement). Our inquiry will begin by collating all consultation, media coverage, and policy related documents to then interview key policy actors involved in the policy gestation processes. We will employ the methodology of network ethnography (Ball et al., 2020) and a discourse analysis of the policy texts and interview data.  

Opportunity 
Engaging with this research will provide a Summer Research Scholar with the opportunity to develop their understandings of global policy developments and online safety policies. The scholar will have the opportunity to contribute to academic publications and develop skills related to data curation, policy analysis, research writing, communication and dissemination. 

References 

Ball, S. J. (2020). Following policy: Networks, network ethnography and education policy mobilities. In B. Lingard (Ed.), Globalisation and Education (pp. 126–144). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429464454
Doyle, A., Estellés, M., & Forbes, D. (under review). Digital citizens at risk: Online safety policies, practices and the rise of private actors in New Zealand schools. 
Estellés, M., & Doyle, A. (2025). From safeguarding to critical digital citizenship? A systematic review of approaches to online safety education. Review of Education, 13(1), e70056. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.70056 
Estellés, M., & Doyle, A. (forthcoming). Educating Digital Citizens at Risk: Private Actors, Neoliberal Policies, and Individualising Narratives. In Jandrić, P. (Ed.), The Encyclopaedia of Postdigital Science and Education. Cham: Springer.
Tan, R. (2022). Social media platforms duty of care-regulating online hate speech. Australasian Parliamentary Review, 37(2), 143–161.
Tan, R. (2023). Legislative strategies to tackle misinformation and disinformation: Lessons from global jurisdictions. Australasian Parliamentary Review, 38, 231–50.

Over 70% of people will be affected by one or more potentially traumatic events during their lifetime. Some of these people will experience significant and ongoing trauma responses that affect how they experience the world and what they need to flourish and succeed. Past research confirms that universities have both staff and students who are affected by trauma. Given this, universities overseas are actively working to become more trauma-informed (see, for example, Griffith University’s Trauma-Informed Tertiary Learning and Teaching Practice Framework: https://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/1052308/FRAMEWORK-Quick-Reference.pdf).
 
As part of its current strategy, The University of Waikato seeks to develop “a culture of diversity and inclusivity.” Recognising the presence of people affected by trauma, and considering how the university can be increasingly trauma-informed, feeds into this wider goal and can contribute to making our university a safe and supportive place for diverse students and staff. 
 
This project aims to understand the extent to which our university is currently trauma-informed, and how we could improve. The summer research student will contribute to data collection (via desk-based research, key informant interviews, and focus groups) and analysis, mapping our current state and identifying recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term improvement. The successful student will have the opportunity to gain unique insights into higher education policy and practice while gaining hands-on research experience. The project would suit someone with background in education, social science, or health disciplines and/or someone with an interest in inclusive practice and/or lived experience as a member of an equity group in higher education.

Socio-scientific issues are of scientific and cultural importance. We are beginning to understand how learners at the knowledge world interface develop their positioning towards a socio-scientific issue. This project focuses on deepening our knowledge and understanding of the cultural interface (Nakata, 2007), specifically investigating the role the Locale of the Learner (LoTL) plays for students who operate at the interface of Western scientific and Indigenous knowledge worlds. 

The aim of this project will be to learn more about the role of the LoTL for diverse learners in science. A deeper knowledge of this locality potentially informs and enriches learning experiences and outcomes, scientific literacy, and our science teacher pedagogical content knowledge. 

References:
Nakata, M. (2007). The cultural interface. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 36 (Supplementary), 7–14 

Student skills:
• An interest in socio-scientific issues from both a scientific and cross-cultural standpoint
• Self-management and able to work independently and manage multiple deadlines
• Good academic, reading, and writing standard
• Digital fluency 

Project tasks:

1. Source, read, and review existing publications

2. Collaborative writing of a literature review

3. Collaborate with the researcher to identify emergent themes

4. Design and create a research poster for presentation at the conclusion of the scholarship 

Expected outcomes:
• Student research poster as required by the terms of the scholarship
• Literature review on the cultural interface and the Locale of the Learner
• Summary of emergent themes and potential future research avenues
• Draft paper to present the findings

This research further develops the 2021 pilot research into how sticker prompts can improve recognition of Māori Tamariki in a paediatric service (Pennell, et al., 2023). The research demonstrated that when the mangōpare stickers were placed on the front of Māori tamariki clinical notes there was increased awareness and dialogue about cultural needs. The sticker prompt research also concluded that most paediatric ward staff struggled with the challenge of creating a culturally safe environment, and that these challenges were predominantly associated with time constraints. 

This second phase of this research explores Tauranga Hospital and Whakatāne Hospital paediatric and neonatal services staff perceptions of their ability to provide care in a culturally responsive manner, to build on existing good practice and further consider barriers to improve health outcomes and promote patient-centred care. It is envisaged that this research will assist with gaining a deeper understanding of the perspectives and practices of paediatric and neonatal staff, shedding light on the conditions and factors that contribute to or hinder health equity for Māori tamariki and other minority groups. The primary research question is: What conditions and practices in paediatric and neonatal services are conducive to achieving health equity for Māori tamariki and other minority groups? The secondary research focus is: What is the role of family-centred inter-disciplinary care in improving health equity for Māori tamariki and minority groups in paediatrics and neonatal services?

The Summer Research Scholar will gain experience of working alongside an experienced research team, helping to manage and analyse interview and survey data via NVivo and conducting a literature review focused on culturally responsive care in paediatrics and neonatal services. 

Pennell, T., Calder, N., & Glubb-Smith, K. J. (2023). A quality improvement approach to improving recognition of Māori tamariki (children) and assessing barriers to culturally responsive care in a paediatric ward setting. Child: Care, Health and Development, 1-7.
https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.13176

This project aims to evaluate the impact of Post-entry Language Assessments (PELA) and related academic language support interventions on the academic success of students whose first language is not English. Since its implementation in 2020, the PELA has been offered to all incoming students at the University of Waikato, with recommendations directing students to tailored support services provided by the Centre for Tertiary Teaching and Learning (CeTTL), specifically the ENSLA academic English papers.

The research will use a mixed-methods approach to compare academic performance and progression data from 2020–2025 between students who completed the PELA and followed through with the recommended support, and those who did not. Key tasks include quantitative data analysis, developing and administering lecturer questionnaires, and conducting focus groups with ENSLA graduates. Thematic analysis will be used to interpret qualitative data.

Participating in this project will develop your skills in mixed-methods research, data collection and management, survey design, qualitative coding, and academic writing. Some prior knowledge of basic statistics or qualitative research methods is useful but not essential. Training and supervision will be provided.

The project is expected to produce insights into the effectiveness of PELA and the ENSLA English papers, potentially informing future improvements in student academic support and English language provision across the university. 

Self-reflexivity, the process of exploring how we come to understand our lived experiences, ontology, and epistemology, and how these perspectives inform everything we do, including whakawhanaungatanga and research, is key to forming positionality. However, there is a paucity of research in Aotearoa that explicitly addresses the lived experiences of Asians (broadly encompassing East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian communities) and our practice of reflexivity.

This gap is attributable to cultural assimilative pressures, model minority expectations, and the absence of meaningful engagement with Asian communities to discuss our place within the bicultural foundation established through Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This summer project seeks to challenge this status quo—drawing inspiration from kaupapa Māori transformative praxis—by amplifying narratives of building solidarity, resisting racism, and conscientising the racialised realities faced by Asians.

The selected candidates will receive guidance to work in a relational process with other Asian academics to draft a report outlining aspects essential for Asians to comprehend our positionality in Aotearoa. This process involves building on a prior scoping review, participating in reciprocal dialogues, and transcribing conversations. We welcome expressions of interest from candidates with skills in academic writing, digital art illustration, and/or the articulation of Asian philosophy.

Te Rā is the only known surviving woven waka sail, a remarkable 200-year-old taonga. Te Rā has previously been analysed through photogrammetry collecting digital data in high-quality photographs. This project is looking for a student to use this 3D photography to create interactive user experiences that showcase structure and mātauranga Māori (weaving and navigation knowledge) of Te Rā.

The student will have the unique opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary team (Computing, Design, Weaving, Kaupapa Māori).  They will apply their computing expertise while actively engaging in kaupapa Māori research. 

This summer research project builds on previous studies, further exploring ways to disseminate the significance of this taonga.

The successful candidate will produce interactive visualisations suitable for media such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, installations, and the Web. The specific solution will be co-designed and developed depending on the expertise and interest of the candidate. This project also involves cultural elements, in which the team considers how traditional narratives and perspectives are reflected in the 3D model. Throughout the summer project, the candidate will be co-located with the team and engage in design discussions to share relevant findings and insights.
 
Student tasks:
- Clarify the purpose of the 3D model (e.g. educational, cultural, weaving).
- Analysis of existing 3D dataset / model quality
- Co-design of interactive visualisation 
- Analyse how the dataset needs to be refined to support the visualisation
- Implementation and test of visualisation 
- Determine any limitations based on existing data or available technology.
- Summer research poster

Research outcomes:
- Evaluation of dataset
- Visualisation Design and implementation
- Discussion of limitations
- Research poster

Required skills:
- Skill 1: computing/programming abilities (ideally in VR or AR)
- Skill 2: willingness to communicate with a diverse team
- Skill 3: curiosity and playfulness 
- Skill 4: interest in Indigenous/Maori culture 
- Skill 5: creative mindset that fosters innovative approaches
- Skill 6: familiarity with Kaupapa Māori not essential but favourable

Te Pua Wānanga, the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato, has a legacy of producing and hosting prominent Indigenous scholars, whose work influences both local and global stages.

The Faculty's rangahau expertise ranges from Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori, raranga, to critical Indigenous studies. As the faculty continues to expand its research capability and excellence, we are looking for a summer scholar to conduct a thorough review of historical and contemporary taonga and published works from the Faculty.

This will involve cataloguing taonga including pukapuka, artworks, and audio and visual materials, so that these resources can become accessible for our staff and students. The role requires someone with strong organisational skills, and you will build on a framework that a previous summer scholar has initiated.

The selected candidate will also work with the Dean of Faculty to build on the research profile of the Faculty through whakawhanaungatanga, whakawhiti kōrero, and hui with faculty staff.

This is an exciting opportunity for a scholar to learn about research in a Kaupapa Māori context while embarking on the journey to revitalise Te Pua Wānanga's research aspirations.

This project explores the intersection of wairuatanga (spirituality) and wellbeing within a Māori worldview, with a focus on how spiritual concepts are visually represented and understood in health-related contexts. The rationale stems from the increasing recognition of holistic models of health, such as Te Whare Tapa Wha, which emphasise the importance of wairua (spirit) alongside physical, mental, and social dimensions of wellbeing.

Despite its significance, wairua is often the least understood and most abstract aspect, particularly in visual communication.The project invites a design student to conduct a visual literature review, analysing existing imagery, such as artworks, health campaigns, and cultural symbols, that depict wairua or spiritual wellbeing. The student will summarise the meanings, symbols, and visual strategies used to convey spiritual concepts, identifying recurring themes, metaphors, and cultural references. This includes examining how elements like light, nature, ancestral motifs, and abstract forms are used to express wairua.

Building on this analysis, the student will develop a series of original images that visually interpret wairuatanga in ways that support understanding and engagement in health contexts. These images will aim to bridge cultural knowledge and contemporary design, contributing to more inclusive and spiritually attuned health communication.

Working collaboratively with FMIS researchers on the Health Research Council project, “Spiritual Care in Healthcare” (https://www.spiritualwellbeing.nz/), this undertaking offers a unique opportunity to deepen cultural literacy, digital visual storytelling, and design thinking, while contributing to a growing body of work that supports broader public understanding of Māori approaches to wellbeing and the vital role of spirituality in health.

This research project invites a student to investigate the roles of wairua and mauri in health and hauora care systems, centring Indigenous approaches to wellbeing. Although wairua (spiritual wellbeing) is increasingly acknowledged as a key aspect of health, mainstream health systems often lack a nuanced understanding of how Te Ao Māori concepts shape care practices.

Māori whānau, hapū and iwi have drawn on mātauranga Māori to understand the role of hauora and mauri in wellbeing contexts. Te ao Māori concepts are noticeable in trauma work, healthcare systems, justice and education settings. This project offers students the opportunity to deepen knowledge of hauora Māori systems while gaining practical research experience in mixed research methodologies.

The student will undertake a systematic literature review, drawing on academic databases, the University of Waikato library archives (including creative and Indigenous-authored works), and grey literature such as iwi health reports from the Waikato region. The aim is to identify how wairua and mauri are defined, theorised, and applied across the wellbeing continuum.  

The student will collaborate with supervisors to define search terms, appraise sources, extract key concepts, and synthesise findings into a clear thematic overview.

Outcomes from this research will contribute to Indigenous-led health knowledge and support existing Māori wellbeing frameworks such as Te Whare Tapa Whā, He Hua Oranga, and other kaupapa Māori models that position hau, wairua and mauri as a central mechanism for healing and transformation.

• This project focuses on gathering and preserving the lived experiences of individuals from the Tauranga Moana region, with themes such as identity, continuity, and change. Interviews will be added to a protected archive for future research, education, and community access.

• The research position will support the following stages of the project: background research, preparing and conducting interviews, transcription, metadata entry, and archiving. They will also help produce a final output—such as a summary report or digital exhibit—that reflects key insights from the interviews.

• This project upholds Māori data sovereignty principles in line with Te Mana Raraunga. All data will be handled with care, ensuring that communities retain authority over how their kōrero is collected, stored, accessed, and used.

• Students should have strong communication skills, cultural awareness, awareness of kaupapa Māori research and good organisation. Experience with interviewing and audio equipment is helpful but not essential.

• The researcher will learn oral history methods, ethical research practices, interviewing techniques, and archiving skills. Training and guidance will be provided throughout, with an emphasis on tikanga and respectful engagement with participants and their stories.

• This is a valuable opportunity for students interested in history, Māori studies, or community research to gain hands-on experience while contributing to the protection and visibility of important local narratives.

A Unique Opportunity for Māori Students in Health Education

Are you a Māori student with a passion for Māori health and traditional knowledge? The University of Waikato is offering a unique opportunity to lead the foundational research for establishing a Rongoā Māori garden. This Kaupapa Māori research initiative aims to create a vital educational resource, integrating traditional Māori healing practices into the curriculum for Pharmacy, Midwifery, and other health students.

This project will immerse you in Kaupapa Māori research, allowing you to engage directly with local kaumātua and tohunga rongoā, conduct comprehensive literature reviews, and develop a detailed plan for the garden's establishment. You'll gain invaluable skills in cultural consultation, traditional knowledge integration, and project planning, ultimately contributing to the cultural responsiveness of health education in Aotearoa. Are you ready to help weave Mātauranga Māori into the fabric of our health programs? 

Enhancing Access to Traditional Māori Birthing Knowledge: "Find Your Wānanga"

Are you passionate about improving Māori maternal health outcomes and bridging traditional knowledge with modern healthcare? This project offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of "Find Your Wānanga," an innovative online database designed to connect Māori whānau and healthcare professionals with vital traditional Māori pregnancy and birthing practices (Hāputanga Wānanga).

As part of this community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiative, you'll conduct research on culturally sensitive digital platforms, develop research tools, co-design the database's user experience (UX), and help craft a communication plan. This experience will hone your skills in community engagement, qualitative research, cultural competency and safety, and UX design, making a tangible impact on the health and well-being of Māori whānau by enhancing access to crucial cultural resources.

Ko wai tātou? | Who are we? Join a diverse, friendly and passionate team of researchers in the Division of Health who are focused on impactful microbiology research.

He aha tā mātou mahi? | What do we work on? Bacterial pathogens are a major cause of disease and contributor to poor health outcomes in Aotearoa and globally. Combined with the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), many communities face significant health risks and impacts for which we are rapidly running out of treatment options. Our mahi focuses on the use of bacteriophages (phages) as therapies for bacterial infections, particularly for extensively drug-resistant pathogens.

Mā te kaupapa mo te raumati | About the summer project: The project will include isolation and characterisation of bacteriophages that infect clinical isolates, either from Aotearoa or Fiji (as part of a collaborative project with Fijian researchers to develop phage therapies against an ongoing Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak). Once suitable phages have been isolated, we will investigate the evolution of resistance against the phages and whether phages can resensitise drug-resistant bacteria to antibiotics.

Knowledge gained will further our understanding of how to develop efficacious phages therapies, and the phages isolated might be used for future clinical applications. The project is suited to anyone undertaking a general biology degree, with an interest in microbiology. 

Enhancing Health Equity Education for South and Southeast Asian Students

Are you passionate about health equity and making healthcare education relevant for all communities in Aotearoa? This project offers a unique opportunity to explore the initial experiences of South Asian and Southeast Asian students in the University of Waikato's new Midwifery and Pharmacy programs, specifically focusing on their engagement with health equity education. Your work will directly inform how these programs can become even more inclusive and empowering.

This qualitative "insider research" project involves self-reflection, journaling, and facilitating focus groups with students to gather their perspectives on curriculum relevance and teaching methods. You'll analyze the data to identify key themes and develop evidence-informed recommendations for curriculum adjustments and support services. This experience will hone your qualitative research expertise, cultural competence, and critical thinking skills, ultimately contributing to shaping the future of health education in Aotearoa to truly serve all communities.

The primary aim of the project is to update an existing literature review on Māori and indigenous health with a specific focus on holistic health models. The summer research scholar will undertake a systematic search of published academic and grey literature and assist the supervisors in drafting a manuscript suitable for submission in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

The student will also collaborate with the supervisors on creative dissemination of the literature review update, and may attend and/or present at conferences. Additionally, there is scope for the student to create a series of social media posts to promote the outputs of the summer scholarship.

The student will gain experience in library searching, data synthesis, critical appraisal, drafting academic publications and benefit from mentorship by the supervisory team who are experts in Māori health (MH) and public health (VE)

Priority will be given to candidates with demonstrable knowledge in the fields of Māori and indigenous health and associated methodologies and praxes.

Ideal candidates will be self-motivated and work well in teams. The successful scholar will join a vibrant and active health research community in the Division of Health.

Shaping Equitable Healthcare: Developing Case Studies for Pharmacy Education

Are you passionate about addressing health disparities and making a real difference in healthcare equity? This project offers an exciting opportunity to develop health equity case studies that will directly shape how future pharmacists in Aotearoa New Zealand understand and respond to the needs of Māori, Pacific, and other marginalised communities.

You'll conduct in-depth research into key health equity issues, collaborate with pharmacy faculty to identify crucial themes, and then create engaging, real-world case studies with accompanying teaching resources. This experience will deepen your health equity expertise, hone your curriculum development and critical thinking skills, and enhance your cultural competence, all while making a tangible impact on pharmacy education and fostering a more equitable healthcare system in Aotearoa.

Project Abstract: 
The role of the school nurse is crucial in promoting the health and well-being of children and young people, yet it is often underappreciated and misunderstood. Traditionally associated with vaccinations and sex education, there is a growing recognition of the vital role school-based health services and school nurses play in supporting students' mental health and addressing chronic and complex health issues.

This project has two main objectives. First, the completion of a literature review exploring the perceptions of parents and teachers regarding school-based health services and the role of school nurses. Second, the development of a geographical map and a working database of all schools in Waikato that have school-based health services and dedicated school nurses. These activities will inform scoping a future research project in which access to school-based health services and dedicated school nurses will be analysed across Waikato, and where teachers and parents in the region will be surveyed about their perceptions of the current service provision. 

Student Skills:
• Strong ability in writing literature reviews or essay writing
• An interest in children’s health or population health or teaching 
• Time management
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) 

Project Tasks:
1. Conduct a literature review on teacher and parent perceptions 
2. Desk audit and geographical mapping exercise completed
3. Production of a literature review in manuscript format 

Expected Outcomes:
• Poster as required for the scholarship 
• A literature review
• Desk audit and geographical mapping 
• Manuscript for submission to a journal
• Potential to join the research team in 2026

Exploring the Journey of Male Midwives in Aotearoa

Are you interested in challenging traditional gender roles and fostering a more inclusive healthcare system? This project offers an exciting opportunity to explore the unique experiences of male midwives in Aotearoa New Zealand. You'll delve into their motivations, challenges, and contributions, helping to shape a future where midwifery is welcoming to all genders.

Using a heuristic inquiry approach, you'll conduct in-depth interviews with male midwives, analyze their narratives, and synthesize your findings into a compelling research story. This project will equip you with strong qualitative research skills, including empathetic interviewing and data interpretation, while deepening your understanding of cultural sensitivity in healthcare. If you're eager to make a tangible impact on gender diversity and cultural responsiveness in midwifery, this project is for you!

This research project aims to calculate the incidence of miscarriage among women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Aotearoa New Zealand and to explore key clinical and demographic factors associated with pregnancy outcomes in this population. The expected outcomes include miscarriage rates in women with SLE, difference in rates between Māori, Pacific and other women, and a deeper understanding of pregnancy characteristics, treatments, and associated risk factors.

The study will link the 2,450 women with SLE in 2005-2021 from our previous project with the national health datasets including the National Minimum Dataset (NMDS), the National Maternity Collection (MAT), and the Pharmaceutical Collection (PHARMS). The student will extract and integrate demographic data (such as maternal age, ethnicity, and area-level deprivation (NZDep)) and clinical data (such as medication use during pregnancy, and whether patients were managed by rheumatology or obstetric services). Following data linkage and cleaning, the student will analyse the dataset using statistical methods under the guidance of the supervisors.

Skills and Learning Opportunities:
This project is ideal for a student with an interest in epidemiology, public health, or reproductive health in autoimmune disease. Prerequisites include basic skills in R or another data analysis tool. During the project, the student will gain hands-on experience with large health datasets, data cleaning and linkage, and epidemiological analysis techniques, preparing them for future research or clinical informatics roles.

Background: Sex as a biological variable has historically been underappreciated in sport science research, with its importance gaining recognition only in recent years. Sex-related differences in physiological and anatomical systems influence the physical limits of human motor performance. As a result, males generally outperform females in physical performance tests, demonstrating greater speed, strength, and power. While these differences are widely acknowledged, the extent to which males and females respond differently to neuromuscular interventions remains underexplored.

In a recent study, I found that a single session of hot-water immersion at 42 °C enhanced vertical jump performance, including jump height, lower-limb power, and reactive strength index. This suggests a potential application for sports requiring explosive power. However, the study did not assess sex-based differences, and it is unknown whether females experience similar performance benefits.

Aim: This project aims to evaluate vertical jump performance in males and females and determine whether improvements in neuromuscular function occur to the same extent across sexes following a hot-water immersion session.

Methods: Twenty healthy participants (10 males, 10 females) will be recruited. Each participant will complete two sessions at the Human Performance Laboratory: one intervention and one control. In both sessions, participants will perform vertical jump tests immediately before and after 60 minutes of hot-water immersion, either at 42 °C (intervention) or 34 °C (control). The primary outcomes will be the changes in vertical jump performance (post minus pre-immersion) and whether these changes differ between sexes.

Prerequisites:
• A high level of commitment to research and working with study participants.
• Good communication skills and a strong willingness to learn new techniques.
• Professionalism and strict adherence to research ethics and participant safety protocols.
• Willingness to develop skills in passive heating interventions, vertical jump assessments, and data analysis.

What skills will you learn?
You will gain hands-on experience conducting state-of-the-art research, including:
• Participant recruitment and randomization procedures.
• Structured data collection using advanced equipment.
• Monitoring thermal stress sensations and body temperature using tympanic thermometry during passive heating sessions.
• Performing and analysing vertical jump assessments using our new Bertec force plates. This will include measuring different types of maximal lower-limb explosive contractions and processing data using specialized software.

Key tasks of the project:
• Task 1: Recruit participants and conduct initial interviews to confirm eligibility based on inclusion criteria.
• Task 2: Organize and prepare the laboratory for data collection, including setup of hot-water immersion baths and calibration of force plates.
• Task 3: Extract data using the Bertec Digital Acquire software and transfer it to an Excel spreadsheet for analysis.
• Task 4: Prepare and present a research poster summarizing the key findings of the project.

Humans walked and ran barefoot for millions of years, with most athletes still running barefoot or in minimal shoes until the 1970s. Today, wearing shoes is the social norm in industrialised countries, including schools. Unfortunately, the harmful effects of footwear on foot health have been documented since the 18th century. In Australia, nearly 50% of secondary school students report musculoskeletal pain, with 70% of these students believing school shoes worsen their pain (Mazzella et al., 2023).

Aotearoa is unique in that a large proportion of children are habitually barefoot, particularly in primary schools. However, several schools implement footwear policies as part of their school uniform guidelines. School uniforms are known to exacerbate gender inequalities in physical activities levels (Ryan et al., 2024), although the contribution of footwear policies remains largely unknown.

This study seeks to explore the footwear policies in Aotearoa primary, intermediate, and secondary schools. The project will mainly seek to collate footwear policies from school uniform policies and websites documented online. To ensure representations of different strata of the population in Aotearoa, we will seek to involve schools from different areas and socio-economic status (based on the Ministry of Educate Equity Index). Primary schools in Aotearoa typically do not have a footwear policy, which often comes in at intermediate schools. Therefore, we expect the prevalence of footwear prescription to increase from primary to intermediate to secondary. Based on the online exploration, a survey will be developed and piloted to determine the attitudes, beliefs, and reasons behind footwear prescription for children across primary, intermediate, and secondary schools.

Tasks
• Task 1 – Collect data on footwear policies from primary, intermediate, and secondary schools online.
• Task 2– Email schools to enquire regarding footwear policies from primary, intermediate, and secondary schools when not available online.
• Task 3 – Synthesise footwear policies from schools. Analyse data to determine whether differences exist between primary, intermediate, and secondary. Explore whether differences between regions and socio-economic status exist.
• Task 4 – Review scientific literature on school footwear policies and beliefs.
• Task 5 – Design a scientific poster and short scientific report that conveys the results.
• Task 6 – Design and test a preliminary survey (on Qualtrics) that could be used to explore the attitudes, beliefs, and reasons behind footwear prescription for school-aged children in Aeoteroa New Zealand.

Students will develop skills in data collection methods from online resources; interacting with key stakeholders in a professional manner; searching for, reviewing, and criticially analysing scientific literature; communicating research findings in various forms; and designing evidence-based surveys.

In this project the student will assemble and test a flow-chemistry system for organic synthesis.

For centuries synthetic chemistry has been carried out in batch reactions. Reagents are added to a vessel, stirred, the reaction is quenched and then dealt with as a bulk unit. If further output was needed, another independent experiment would be carried out. In contrast, many large-scale chemical manufacturing processes use continuous flow approaches. Over the last 20+ years researchers have developed continuous flow approaches on a laboratory scale, although replacement of batch procedures is limited due to the requirement for setting up new equipment and establishing new protocols. Still, flow chemistry offers many advantages, including more rapid scanning of reaction conditions, better control of heat transfer, improved scalability of output and much more.

While highly complex flow-chemical systems can be purchased, it is reasonably straightforward to create simple systems using common laboratory hardware. This project aims to build a simple flow reactor system and benchmark its performance against similar systems reported in the literature and against established batch processes. This flow system will then become the basis for future flow-chemistry based synthetic research at the University of Waikato.

Human-driven stressors, such as climate change and pollution, are reshaping the distribution and diversity of life around the globe. While these stressors are typically seen as harmful to ecosystems, their combined effects on species tend to differ from simple predictions (e.g., that the addition of more stressors will create more stressed individuals). In fact, although interactions between two or more stressors are often negative, exposure to multiple stressors can actually be beneficial for species in some cases. This may be particularly true for invasive species that can often already out-perform native species in a variety of traits. 

This project uses Calliphora stygia – an invasive blowfly species that invaded New Zealand from Australia and is now widespread throughout the country. This species exhibits a rapid life cycle (~3 weeks) and high fecundity (i.e., number of eggs laid), and is a primary agent of flystrike – an agricultural disease that causes mortality of livestock and costs millions of dollars to manage every year.

You will work with an established laboratory colony of this species, learning how to maintain the colony, conduct assays that expose larvae to various combinations of heat and pesticide stressors, and measure resulting blowfly fitness traits such as body size, fecundity, and lifespan. You will explore the hypothesis that C. stygia individuals exposed to multiple stressors have greater fitness, potentially providing them with a competitive edge in the face of global change.

Ultimately, your work will contribute to a greater understanding of how invasive species respond to multiple simultaneous environmental stressors, allowing us to better anticipate their consequences for biodiversity and ecosystems in the Anthropocene. 

New Zealand’s remaining wetlands face multiple threats posed by habitat loss, pollution, and invasive species. Swamps and fens in the Waikato and elsewhere in the North Island have recently been invaded by a fast-growing exotic fern (Osmunda regalis, royal fern), which is outcompeting slower-growing native wetland plants. In January 2025, Waikato University and Department of Conservation began a field experiment comparing the efficacy of several different methods of controlling royal fern invasion at Whangamarino and Lake Whangape in the north Waikato.

The successful applicant’s main tasks will be to assist in measuring the impact of the various control methods, to report the results to DOC, and to lead the writing of a paper to be submitted to NZ Journal of Botany. The student will also assist with fieldwork at other sites in the Waikato and elsewhere. The successful applicant will need plant identification skills, good writing skills, teamwork skills, physical fitness, and will need to enjoy fieldwork.

During the summer scholarship, the student can expect to learn a range of fieldwork skills, data management skills, and statistical analysis skills, as well as enhancing their writing skills and expanding their knowledge of New Zealand ecosystems and the threats they currently face.

The main outputs will be a research report to DOC, and a manuscript submitted to NZ J Botany.

Insects are declining, which has serious consequences for ecosystem function. The reasons behind their decline are complex—ranging from climate change and habitat loss to pollution and invasive species. 

This project investigates how pepeke nguturoa, the New Zealand giraffe weevil, copes with environmental stress while still managing to communicate effectively during mating. This project will focus on cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs), special waxy chemicals insects produce on their bodies. CHCs help prevent drying out in hot or dry conditions, but they also act as pheromones—signals used in mate choice and competition. That means CHCs are pulled in two directions: protecting the insect’s body and helping it attract a mate. We want to understand how giraffe weevils balance these demands, and how that balance might shift as the climate changes.

This summer project will involve working alongside a PhD student in the field and lab to characterise the CHCs of wild pepeke nguturoa and conduct experiments to understand how CHCs vary in relation to environmental conditions and behaviour. There is also scope for the student to conduct their own study exploring the costs of fighting behaviour, in our broader aim to understand the behavioural ecology of this species.

This project suits a student who likes insects, is happy to hang out in the forest for long hours observing beetle behaviour, and is willing to learn some new skills. The project would also suit someone with a passion for insect behavioural ecology, has good attention to detail and can show initiative in problem-solving. 

Ascidians (sea squirts) are an ecologically important component of Antarctic benthic communities, yet their diversity and evolutionary history remain poorly understood. Recent genetic studies on ascidians of the West Antarctic Peninsula have identified multiple genetically distinct lineages in what was long thought to be a single species. These findings underscore the prevalence of cryptic species in the Southern Ocean.

This project will analyse 61 tissue samples collected during the January-February 2025 NIWA Tangaroa expedition to the Ross Sea. These samples were obtained from four sites in the northwest Ross Sea, representing a unique and valuable collection of ascidians from an unexplored part of the Southern Ocean. In addition, the project will include COI sequencing of museum specimens representing known Antarctic ascidian species, providing a taxonomic anchor for comparisons.

You will extract DNA, perform PCR amplification of the COI gene, and conduct basic bioinformatic analyses, including searching GenBank and assigning species identities. You will also compare new sequences with existing reference data and evaluate intraspecific variation across the sampled locations.

You are required to quickly learn molecular biology techniques, particularly in a research laboratory with standard safety protocols. Strong organisational skills and attention to detail are essential, including the ability to maintain accurate lab notes and manage digital data. Basic computer literacy and willingness to learn sequence analysis software are also essential.

Your work will generate foundational genetic data for Antarctic ascidians and contribute to understanding species diversity and distribution in the Ross Sea – a region critical to global marine biodiversity.

Volcanoes emit large quantities of trace metals such as Cu, Pb and Zn in the form of aerosols, many of which are classified as environmental pollutants with implications for public health close to open vent volcanoes.

Recent research has shown how the emission of these elements is controlled by magma composition and volcanic gas chemistry, where volcanoes in different tectonic settings release distinct trace element “fingerprints”. However, far less is known about how emission of these elements varies between different eruptive vents at multi-vent volcanic systems, due to the challenges of collecting gas samples close to the active vents.

This project will analyse a suite of volcanic aerosol samples collected from the gas plumes of Stromboli volcano (Italy) using a unique drone-based sampling approach. The aim of the project is to determine if trace metal emissions vary between eruptive vents known to exhibit contrasting eruptive styles (explosive to passive). This will be a desktop study, requiring data analysis (using Python or similar) and thermochemical modelling using HSC Chemistry software.

Through this project, you will have the opportunity to develop your volcanological and geochemical knowledge as well as competency in working with a basic programming language and numerical modelling software.

The project has the potential to be developed into a research publication, which you would have the opportunity to lead. This project will suit you if you are interested in the environmental impacts of volcanoes and feel confident working with numerical data, preferably with some familiarity with Python although not essential. 

Some ocean processes, despite happening at depth, leave tell-tale signatures at the sea surface. Satellite imagery can therefore be used to infer their presence. However, not all imagery is created equal, and it is not trivial to link surface signatures to what's happening underwater. Rather, this requires a detective mindset to interpret clues and incomplete information.

The student will (i) identify which imagery is best suited to elucidating processes near the coast in the Bay of Plenty and (ii) apply simple oceanographic principles to make educated guesses on which underwater processes may be apparent.

Preferable student skills:

- Basic knowledge of oceanography, and an interest in learning more
- Comfortable using computers and interacting with large datasets
- Experience with, or willingness to try, a scientific computing language (e.g., Matlab, Python, or R) 

Project tasks:
- Explore freely available satellite imagery databases
- Document the workflows needed to obtain images in a reproducible way 
- Interpret imagery with respect to oceanographic principles

Peatlands are significant contributors to global climate regulation by storing large amounts of carbon sourced from the atmosphere via photosynthesis, despite only covering 3% of the Earth’s surface. Natural peat wetlands have been significantly reduced in size where artificial drainage has occurred, and this is particularly prominent in the Waikato region with 40% of the national peatland area, of which 80% has been drained, mainly for dairy farming.

The lowered water tables from drainage and water-deficits during summer result in increased peat oxidation and reductions in carbon storage from increased ecosystem respiration, leading to large carbon emissions.  It has been assumed that warming and drying consistent with climate change would result in greater water stress and reduced photosynthesis in undrained remnant peatlands.

However, ecosystem carbon and evaporation flux measurements over Kopuatai bog have revealed an intriguing trend of increased carbon storage in the unique Waikato peatland over the last 13 years of measurements, as well as highly resilient hydrology due to ecosystem water regulation functions.  

The scale of the increasing carbon sink is significant in terms of the emissions profile for our region and the prospects for future wetland restoration to achieve NZ’s emission reduction targets, but the underlying mechanism is unclear.  Using leaf-level gas exchange measurements, this project will test the hypothesis that the increase in the carbon sink at Kopuatai is due to increasing temperature, which pushes the photosynthetic rate closer to the thermal optimum for the dominant peat-forming wetland species forming the bog, the endemic wire rush, Empodisma robustum.

Geothermally heated soils on the world’s southernmost active volcano, Mt. Erebus, Antarctica, contain a multitude of highly novel and largely uncharacterized microorganisms. These microorganisms are not just taxonomically novel but may also harbour potentially novel metabolic pathways. Recent culturing efforts have resulted in the isolation of multiple new species of bacteria from Erebus. These new species are, for the most part, thermophiles, with growth at or above 60C. This project will involve physiological and taxonomical characterization of at least two of these novel thermophiles, with the goal of identifying distinguishing characteristics.

Student skills:
- General microbiology laboratory skills, including pipetting, basic microscopy, sterile technique, growing cultures

Project tasks:
1. Test for substrate utilization by and antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial species
2. Measure temperature, pH growth optima for bacterial species
3. Construct phylogenetic trees for taxonomic analyses
4. Create a research poster for the project

Expected outcomes:
- Student’s research poster
- pH and temperature growth optima determined for all species
- Better understanding of substrate utilization and antibiotic susceptibility for all species
- Phylogenetic tree(s) constructed for all species

Interest in medicinal inorganic chemistry has escalated following the discovery of the anticancer properties of platinum-based therapeutics such as DNA-targeting cisplatin, oxaliplatin and carboplatin. Despite their anticancer effects, their application in medicine is limited due to high toxicity (low selectivity). Resulting in unwanted side effects, immune suppression, and platinum drug resistance.

As a consequence, researchers are focusing on new therapeutics using non-platinum complexes that have antiproliferative properties and novel modes of action. Several metal complexes have shown promising cytotoxicity against cancer cells, including those based on ruthenium and iron.

This research will work towards the development of new complexes to delve deeper into understanding the behavior of metal complexes in cancer cells, which will ultimately have aid drug development in the future.

Overall aim and specific objectives:
To design, synthesize and evaluate the biological activity of novel metallo-anticancer agents. 
1. Design, synthesize and characterize new non-platinum complexes (knowledge of chemistry and spectroscopy ideal).
2. Investigate the DNA binding capability of the new complexes.
3. Investigate the cytotoxicity of the compounds in breast cancer cells using a colorimetric assay.

Overall, the project is multidisciplinary and skills in synthetic chemistry, characterization (spectroscopy and analytical techniques), biochemistry (assays) and cell biology (cell culture), data analysis and scientific writing will be gained by the end of the project.

Algal blooms in freshwater ecosystems have numerous detrimental effects, and their occurrence may be increasing in Aotearoa New Zealand along with increasing pressure from land use and climate change. Algal blooms, which occur in response to excess nutrient availability, pose major problems for human and ecosystem health, impacting both management agencies and the general public. While lake monitoring data to identify blooms is typically taken at a central location, nearshore areas could serve as first warnings of developing blooms, as these areas are more sensitive to human impacts, and are directly observed and interacted with more often. This project will help improve understanding of algal blooms in nearshore areas of lakes, providing critical information on algal blooms spatial dynamics. 

Lake Rotorua is one of the largest and most economically and culturally important lakes in New Zealand. However, algal blooms on the lake have led to beach and recreational closures, causing both economic damage and frustration by local communities. This project will collaborate with ongoing researchers to collect and analyse data around the shoreline of Lake Rotorua. This will directly aid in development of improved monitoring and predictive tools to protect Lake Rotorua.

This project will complement ongoing tri-weekly monitoring efforts around Lake Rotorua to estimate multiple metrics of algal biomass at 10+ locations. This will involve regular field trips to Lake Rotorua, guided laboratory analysis, and data analysis (in R or Excel) to explain patterns in algal blooms around the lake. 

The selected student will have familiarity with environmental data, freshwater ecology, and introductory data analysis (e.g., R or Excel) and will get hands-on experience with university academics, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and Te Arawa Lakes Trust.

Student Skills
• Interest in ecology and environmental science (e.g., coursework such as BIOEB202, CLIMT101, EARTH251, EARTH221)
• Knowledge of freshwater ecology 
• Experience with data analysis (especially R, but including Excel)
• Attention to detail

Project Tasks
• Participate in weekly field work collecting water quality data at 10+ sites along Lake Rotorua
• Prepare a literature review of nearshore algal blooms
• Perform laboratory processing of water samples (e.g., chlorophyll-a analysis)
• Analyse existing and student-collected data on relationships between sites in Lake Rotorua
• Create a final research poster
Expected Outcomes
• Student Research Poster (as per clause 6 of the Scholarship regulations)
• Contribute to an ongoing nearshore lake sampling program at Lake Rotorua
• Develop independent research skills in field, laboratory, and data science skills
• Create a new environmental dataset which will contribute to understanding algal blooms

Xeno Nucleic Acids (XNAs) are analogues of natural genetic material, DNA and RNA, but have modifications in either the phosphodiester backbone, or their nitrogenous bases. These modifications make them extremely useful for biotechnological and biomedical applications; unfortunately they also mean that the enzymes in the molecular biology 'toolbox' that use to clone DNA and RNA do not work properly with XNA.

One of the key enzymes in this toolbox is DNA ligase, an enzyme which joins pieces of nucleic acid. We have engineered several mutants of DNA ligase which we predict will work better with XNA: the aim of the Summer Project will be to evaluate these.

As a summer researcher, you will purify 2-5 of our engineered variants and then use fluorescence-based enzyme assays to measure its ability to join XNA fragments. You will also attempt to crystalize the mutant proteins together with XNA or DNA substrate to determine the 3-dimensional structure of the protein.

During this studentship, you will learn methodologies which are central to biochemistry (recombinant protein expression, enzyme assay and protein crystallization) and be part of our vibrant and supportive research team. You will also get a taste of ‘real-world’ research and gain confidence and competence in experimental planning and trouble-shooting. 

We are looking for applicants who enjoy ‘wet-lab’ biochemistry work and have an enthusiasm for biotechnology and enzymes. You would need to have completed 2nd year Biochemistry (e.g. BIOMO201) and (for 3rd year applicants) 3rd year Biochemistry (BIOMO301) as well.

Microbiomes play a vital role in ecosystem health but are often overlooked in restoration projects. This project aims to uncover how aboveground restoration efforts influence microbial communities across different habitats (soil, leaf litter, and air) at 30 restored sites in New Zealand. By analysing amplicon and metagenomic sequencing data, we will assess microbial diversity, composition, functional potential, and ecological interactions. The findings will provide critical insights into whether—and how—restoration shapes microbiomes.

The student will assist in processing and analysing microbial sequencing data and calculating diversity metrics, assessing community composition, and construct co-occurrence networks. Additionally, the student will perform statistical modelling to link microbial patterns with restoration age and environmental factors.

The student will also have the chance to explore specific research questions of interest within the dataset (e.g., keystone taxa, functional shifts).

This project will train the student in bioinformatics techniques, ecological data analysis, and working in high-performance computing environments. Some previous experience working in R and/or Python, familiarity with bash/command line, and an interest in microbiology, ecology, and/or bioinformatics would be important for this project.

This project offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge microbiome research while developing valuable computational and analytical skills.

Fast and accurate identification of key evidence such as biological fluids on fabrics or illicit drugs concealed in fabrics, is vital to swiftly identify or exclude potential suspects in criminal investigations. However, current forensics methods face limitations with complex fabrics (i.e. dark or patterned), whereby visually identifying potential evidence areas is challenging and time consuming, thus delaying or limiting the justice system.

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a promising non-destructive technology that could address these challenges by capturing detailed spectral information for each pixel of the imaged fabric, enabling the identification of spectral signatures of potential evidence, such as biological fluids or concealed drugs. The ability to see evidence that is traditionally invisible to the naked eye will be game-changing. This is because it will allow forensic crime experts to swiftly target key areas for evidence collection and provide a nondestructive
assessment of evidence distribution on fabrics, or within drug-ladened fabrics.

However, HSI in real-world forensic science presents significant challenges due to the complexity of data acquisition. Machine Learning (ML) and Image Analysis methods will be developed to identify the region of fabrics with unusual spectral signature automatically. Applicant taking up this project will be trained on the fundamental of applied machine learning, robust image processing techniques, basic optics and good practices in imaging. 

How will climate change affect our strategy and decision-making for NZ infrastructure maintenance? What is the key problem? What is the interest of industry and academia?

This project investigates how climate change affects structural degradation in metallic infrastructure, particularly in New Zealand’s coastal environments (including Tauranga). With changing humidity, airborne chlorides, and temperature variability, structural components of most metallic infrastructure are becoming more vulnerable to early failure, while the failure is hard to be identified. Even with identification of the failure, how safe the structures will be is still a hard question. Therefore, it is important to understand these climate-induced deterioration mechanisms and contribute to climate-resilient construction practices and the development of related industry standards.

This research also directly supports national infrastructure and climate adaptation priorities identified by the MBIE, particularly in the areas of sustainable infrastructure, asset resilience, and long-term performance under changing environmental conditions.

The student will be involved in activities including a comprehensive literature review/investigation, field data collection, and exciting laboratory experiments such as accelerated environment testing, scanning electron microscopy, and structural testing. As part of the final deliverables, the student will draft a research report summarizing key findings and present the results through an interactive VR platform. This presentation will support school outreach activities and can also be integrated into teaching materials for ENGEN 585 and ENGCV 351.

This project offers practical skills relevant to both industry and academia. The student will gain experience in exploring industry problems and academic problems. They will also develop communication skills with industry by participating in industry workshops and activities. This is a very good opportunity for students passionate about sustainability, infrastructure resilience, and applied engineering research.

Recirculated Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are used to farm fish species on land and are a key technology behind the rapidly growing global aquaculture industry. They provide opportunities for economic, highly productive, and environmentally sustainable fish farming.

This summer research project is proposed to enable research on new farmable fin-fish species at the University of Waikato. A pilot scale RAS is under development for the University to enable research on some of these species and their applicability for commercial farming. The student is expected to put their efforts towards research on the performance of this system for these key species. This work will include: a review of marine RAS systems, modelling of RAS performance, investigating key processing steps including waste management, determining how sensors can be used effectively to improve RAS efficiency.

Required skills:

- Ability to analyse and collate existing research

- Willingness to conduct hands on laboratory work

- Be able to follow procedures for testing and data analysis

- Good written and verbal communication

- Ability to work well with others

- Be self-motivated and keen to learn

During the project the student will have an opportunity to be involved in NZ’s rapidly growing aquaculture industry. This will likely include visits to commercial RAS facilities and hands on work with existing small-scale RAS currently operating at the universities coastal marine field-station.

This research project focuses on creating wearable devices and interfaces that can accurately record and analyze human movements to capture skilled actions. The goal is to design lightweight, comfortable interfaces that can track body motions with high precision, as well as capture human skill in tasks, enabling applications in robotics, data training, and medical practice. By combining flexible electronics, remote and onboard sensors, and clever interface design, the system will translate real-world human skills into digital models for teaching, automation, or performance enhancement.

Key challenges include minimising sensor interference with natural movement, ensuring real-time data processing, and developing intuitive interfaces for users. The project will explore novel sensor placements or synergies, user-centred design to maximise practicality, and task analysis. Outcomes will include a functional prototype validated through motion-capture comparisons and usability testing benchmarks.

Ideal candidates should have experience in wearable technology, embedded systems, or motion analysis, with skills in programming (C++/Python/ROS) and basic electronics. Familiarity with signal processing or machine learning is beneficial. This work bridges human-computer interaction and robotics, offering new ways to preserve, teach, and replicate expertise.

This research project explores how 3D printing technology can transform learning experiences across STEM and creative disciplines. By integrating affordable 3D printers into educational settings, we aim to develop hands-on teaching tools that make abstract concepts tangible: from hybrid deposition manufactured multimaterial models for medical studies to engineering prototypes and alternative uses of material behaviours. The project will design and test curriculum-linked 3d printable resources, evaluate their impact on student engagement and comprehension, and explore non-conventional and alternative uses of traditional practices.

The research also investigates hybrid methods, combining 3D printing with AR visualization for immersive learning. Outcomes will include a toolkit of printable educational models and evidence-based guidelines for implementation. Alternatively, outcomes can include alternative uses of material properties and demonstrating the effects using comparative scaled models for different compositions and applications.

Ideal candidates should have experience in 3D modelling (Fusion 360/Solidworks/Creo), rapid prototyping technologies, and maker culture. Skills in user-centered design, structural analysis or pedagogical research are valuable. 

New Zealand faces a well-recognised shortage of engineers, particularly in civil, structural, and infrastructure-related fields. To help address this challenge and increase engagement with STEM careers, the University of Waikato has developed a 12-metre mobile, demountable bridge as a hands-on educational outreach tool.

This research project aims to design and plan a second mobile outreach bridge, specifically for deployment in Tauranga. With a target material cost of approximately $5,000, the project will build on insights gained from the existing Waikato-based model. The focus will be on developing a more cost-effective, transportable, and scalable structure to enhance regional outreach and participation.

The bridge will be taken to schools, where students will work in teams to assemble it—simulating real-world construction processes and encouraging interest in engineering careers. Beyond hands-on construction, the bridge will serve as a multi-disciplinary teaching aid. It will demonstrate how civil and structural engineers ensure safety and load transfer, mechanical engineers design connections and lifting mechanisms, electrical and software engineers support instrumentation and automation, and environmental engineers contribute to sustainable design practices.

In addition, the project will engage with school career advisors, providing them with resources and knowledge to better promote engineering education and career pathways to students and their families.

Inspired by successful models in Auckland (AUT/ICE) and the UK, the project will be led by the University of Waikato School of Engineering Outreach team, in collaboration with external partners. Expected outcomes include fully tested bridge designs, strategies for delivery and implementation, and evaluation tools to support long-term outreach and engineering recruitment efforts.

Building on prior deep-learning efforts to classify offline EEG data, this project will develop a real-time pipeline that streams EEG signals via Lab Streaming Layer (LSL), preprocesses them on the fly, and classifies flow vs. non-flow states using optimized neural models. You will integrate LSL streaming, implement low-latency filtering and windowing, adapt a pretrained deep-learning classifier for online inference, and validate system performance in live driving-sim sessions. The outcome is a working prototype capable of fast end-to-end classification latency, laying the groundwork for closed‑loop neuroadaptive interfaces. 

Student Skills

- Proficiency in Python and PyTorch. 
- Experience with EEG preprocessing (filtering, artifact removal). 
- Knowledge of deep learning model deployment and latency optimization. 
- Basic understanding of signal processing and evaluation metrics. 

 Project Tasks 

1. Real-Time Streaming Pipeline
a) Set up LSL outlets for EEG and implement on-the-fly preprocessing (filtering, epoching). 
b) Measure end-to-end pipeline latency. 

2. Model Integration & Optimization 
a) Convert the pretrained offline EEG classifier (e.g., via TorchScript) for streaming use. 
b) Profile and optimize inference speed through pruning, quantization, or architecture tweaks to maintain low window latency. 

3. Live Driving-Sim Validation 
a) Conduct Assetto Corsa sessions with live EEG streaming and real-time flow detection overlay. 
b)Gather self-report markers for ground-truth comparison and accuracy assessment. 

4. Documentation & Handover 
a) Produce clear, user-friendly documentation and code wrappers to ensure seamless continuation by future researchers. 
b) Package scripts, dependencies, and usage instructions in a repository for easy deployment. 

This project will advance our neurotechnology platform by assembling, programming, and validating a newly miniaturised, wearable ultrasound transducer for non-invasive brain stimulation. 

You will integrate the transducer with compact function-generation and amplification circuitry, establish safe stimulation waveforms, and verify output using hydrophone measurements. 

The ultimate goal is to prepare a robust, portable system ready for closed-loop EEG-TUS experiments. 

Student Skills
- Proficiency with laboratory instrumentation: function generators, oscilloscopes, and signal amplifiers. 
- Familiarity with acoustic transducer operation and waveform parameters (duty cycle, PRF, pulse duration). 
- Hands-on experience in electronics assembly and set up. 
- Interest in bioengineering or acoustic physics. 

Project Tasks 

1. Transducer & Circuit Integration 
a) Assemble the wearable transducer module with the miniaturised amplifier and driver circuits. 
b) Verify voltage and impedance matching between function generator, amplifier, and transducer. 

2. Waveform Configuration & Testing 
a) Program frequency, duty cycle, pulse duration, and PRF on the function generator. 
b) Use an oscilloscope to confirm waveform fidelity at the transducer input. 

3. Hydrophone Validation 
a) Conduct pulse-echo and output-pressure measurements in a water tank using a calibrated hydrophone. 
b) Map acoustic field profiles to ensure focused delivery and safe operating thresholds. 

3. Documentation & Handover 
a) Develop comprehensive user documentation, including wiring diagrams, code scripts, and operating procedures. 
b) Package hardware schematics and software wrappers in a version-controlled repository for seamless transfer to future researchers. 

4. Conference Poster 
a) Design and prepare a poster showcasing the transducer’s integration, waveform performance, and hydrophone validation results for presentation at the summer research conference. 

Expected Outcomes 
- A fully integrated wearable transducer module with verified electronics and waveform control. 
- Detailed acoustic characterization data from hydrophone measurements. 
- Complete documentation suite enabling repeatable assembly and operation. 
- Research poster summarizing development and validation for the summer symposium. 

Unlock the secrets behind peak driving performance!

This summer research project aims to collect performance metrics for analysis in parallel with brain activity data during driving simulations.

Using the racing simulator Assetto Corsa, you will collect detailed driving performance metrics (e.g., lap times, reaction times) through the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL) software alongside real-time EEG brain activity recordings.

Your task will involve setting up the driving simulator software, and integrating and synchronizing these datasets to pinpoint correlations between brain activity and enhanced driving performance.

Student Skills:
• Interest and experience with driving simulators, data science, or engineering.
• Comfort with basic programming or scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB).

Project Tasks:
• Implement Lab Streaming Layer (LSL) software for capturing and timestamping driving simulator metrics.
• Organize data collection sessions where EEG and driving simulator data are recorded concurrently, ensuring synchronization with self-reported timestamps of flow states
• Validate that self-reported flow periods correspond to statistically significant improvements in performance metrics.
• Produce clear user documentation, code wrappers and dependencies for seamless continuation, and package scripts in repository
• Develop poster for Summer Research Conference

Expected Outcomes
- A reproducible, synchronised real-time streaming & analysis pipeline for driver performance and brain data
- Clear documentation and repositories for handover
- Student Research poster

Are bold titles really grabbing attention? Do bigger fonts actually make text feel more important? This project investigates how best to choose typographic emphasis that effectively conveys the hierarchy relationships between heading levels in a document.

This project continues exploration into how font size, weight, spacing, and style are best combined to create heading levels that are identifiable and intuitive.

We are planning to use eye-tracking technology to see exactly how people read and interact with these designs in real time. By watching where people look, how long they linger, and what they skip, we will better understand what really works when it comes to organising information visually.

This project is perfect for anyone curious about design, psychology, and how we process the written word. The student will begin by refining the study material and then conduct the eye-tracking study with a range of participants.

The outcome of the research will be an understanding of how heading levels should be presented so that they can easily be distinguished from each other and their relative importance easily determined.

LLMs have emerged as important tools in various industries and perform various language-based tasks. However, these models are susceptible to security attacks that can impact the model, the infrastructure, and the organization. 

This project is a continuation of an earlier one, where we identified and assessed the severity of various potential attacks on LLMs particularly when used in education and we determined the most critical attacks for the education sector.
  

In this project, the student is expected to build upon this foundation by 1) identifying LLM-based tools used in education such as those that come with Learning Management Systems 2) analysing the associated risks using well-defined criteria such as the CVSS score. The analysis will involve simulating attack scenarios on existing educational tools, and products that integrate LLMs, to identify vulnerabilities, assess the severity and suggest effective controls such as enforcing an educational LLM usage policy, etc. The outcome will be a sector-specific methodology to assess threats and risk in educational LLM usage. 

Indigenous communities often lack representation in software solutions that reflect their knowledge and needs. Extending existing collaborations, this project will document the growing partnerships between Māori communities (Whakatōhea and Ngāti Hine) and Waikato researchers, as well as a new partnership between Waikato and an indigenous community in Alberta, Canada (Blackfoot Nation). 

Developing expertise from these partnerships is often unrecorded and unreported, which makes communicating insights and learnings from these projects difficult. We aim to document the project development and create a collaborative model for co-designing and developing software specifically for indigenous communities.  At present, only simplistic models exist.

This project addresses a critical gap in existing software development models and collaborative partnerships. Two partnerships are well established with Whakatōhea (8 years), and Ngāti Hine (1+ year). The new collaboration with the Blackfoot Nation will allow the student to extend and build on our previous partnership experience and consider an international context. 

The case studies will be developed into a co-design model which empowers indigenous communities by fostering ownership over technology solutions, cultural preservation, and capability building. The case studies will provide researchers and communities with valuable guidance for collaborative co-design and development of software.

Student must have: an understanding of software development methodologies; excellent research, interview, and report writing skills. Preferred but not required: experience working with indigenous communities; cultural competency and interest in working with diverse cultures.

Students will have opportunities to improve their research, analytical, cross-cultural communication and writing skills; and engage/collaborate with diverse cultures.

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) operate within critical industrial environments. Due to increased digitisation and integration of heterogeneous cyber and physical components, ICS environments are considered major targets for cyberattacks. Unlike traditional IT environments, an attack on ICS can have physical consequences such as production downtime and loss of control.

This project aims to design, and implement a lightweight Zero Trust model for resource-constrained ICS devices like PLCs. A simulated ICS environment will be developed to test and perform the comparative analysis of the traditional perimeter-based security model and a proposed model, demonstrating the advantage of the zero-trust model in securing the ICS environment.  

Research Outcome:
1) Student’s Research Poster (as per clause 6 of the Scholarship regulations).
2) Comprehensive analysis of the state-of-the-art zero-trust frameworks. 
3) Development of a lightweight Zero Trust model for resource-constrained PLC.
4) Evaluation in a simulated ICS environment.

Project Tasks:
1) Performing a literature review of existing zero-trust techniques and frameworks.
2) Propose a lightweight Zero Trust model 3) Set up a controlled environment for a simulation
4) Prepare the poster and a brief report with the analysis and methodology.

Required Skills: 1)Understanding of cybersecurity concepts
2) Working knowledge of a programming language like Python.
3) Working knowledge of a PLC or similar device, such as Raspberry Pi.

This research explores the human factors influencing the adoption and daily use of smart kitchen technologies in workplace environments, using a human-centred design approach. As smart technologies increasingly enter shared and professional settings, understanding their impact on human behaviour, routines, and trust becomes crucial. This study focuses on how individuals interact with smart kitchen systems in real-life workplace contexts—spaces where cooking, collaboration, and social interaction often intersect.

The primary objectives are threefold: to understand how users engage with smart kitchen features during their day-to-day activities; to identify barriers to adoption, including usability issues, trust in automation, and perceived value; and to examine how such technologies shape workplace dynamics and routines. To address these aims, the study employs a mixed-methods approach. Wizard-of-Oz prototypes will be used to simulate smart kitchen features, allowing for early-stage user feedback without requiring full system implementation. Usability testing will be conducted in a controlled kitchen lab to evaluate interaction design, intuitiveness, and potential cognitive load. Additionally, surveys and semi-structured interviews will gather qualitative and quantitative insights from users regarding their perceptions, preferences, and concerns.

Expected contributions include a deeper understanding of behavioural patterns that affect the acceptance and use of smart kitchen technologies in communal or professional settings. The study also aims to highlight ethical considerations surrounding privacy, control, and agency in environments where automation blends with personal habits and routines. Ultimately, the findings will inform design guidelines for developing more inclusive, trustworthy, and context-sensitive smart kitchen systems.

Tauranga City Council aims to enhance community engagement and environmental awareness in Tauranga’s Central Business District (CBD). This project will investigate a centralised digital platform (Manu Meter) to educate residents about the water quality and tide conditions at The Strand wharf. A Manu is a type of bomb or dive into the water where the jumper aims to create the biggest splash possible (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuEGENqiyiQ). The Manu Meter will be used to automatically score Manu jumps focusing on splash size using AI-powered cameras and provide instant replays on local displays. 

In this project you will work on developing a proof-of-concept algorithm for scoring manu jumps. By using existing competition footage and scores, we aim to accurately score splash size using “out of the box” computer vision techniques. To our knowledge there are currently no existing algorithmic techniques for scoring Manus. Investigation into accuracy, performance, reliability, and correctness will be key to ensure consistency in the scores given. Furthermore, recommendations on camera features will be useful to understand the types of hardware to incorporate into the wider Internet of Things platform.  

This project extends Tauranga City Council’s smart cities project from the 2024/2025 summer research programme by building on designs generated with the community in a co-design approach and applying these directly to the waterfront in the CBD.    

The Z Manu World Champs are held at a variety of locations across NZ each year including at the The Strand in Tauranga. A Manu is a type of bomb or dive into the water where the jumper aims to create the biggest splash possible (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuEGENqiyiQ). The Strand is a known location for poor swimming conditions as a result of urban runoff and stormwater, especially after heavy rain. In addition, the strong tidal currents can make swimming difficult and potentially dangerous for inexperienced swimmers. The Tauranga City Council aims to enhance community awareness of these issues and promote water quality in the area with the installation of a Manu Meter, used provide guidance on whether or not it is “safe to Manu”.  

The council requires a proof-of-concept recommender system which provides safety guidance on swim conditions that can be incorporated into the Manu Meter. Using tidal conditions, water depth, water quality, wind and weather data, the system will be able to determine and share swimming and jump safety updates. The final system should operate similar to NZ fire danger rating systems (see https://environment.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Files/fire-risk-assessment.pdf) notifying users and raising awareness for water quality. 

This project extends Tauranga City Council’s smart cities project from the 2024/2025 summer research programme by building on designs generated with the community in a co-design approach and applying these directly to the waterfront in the CBD.    

Traditionally, analysis and explanation of cyber-attacks has been done by cyber security experts using domain knowledge. To automate the process, tools and toolchains have been developed, for example mapping attack actions to well-known security frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK. We are currently working on building a Large Language Model (LLM) based Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) visualisation platform. The platform presents an attack as a story, visualises attack actions and analyses attack sources and malicious payloads (i.e., malicious files). This work currently relies on open-source datasets for evaluation.

This summer project will continue this work. First, we will deploy a honeypot network in various geolocations across the world to capture world-wide attack data to evaluate, study and enhance the platform. The platform will be evaluated on performance, integrity, efficiency and usability. Then, the platform will be used to perform analysis and investigation of attacks on the attack data collected through the honeypots. Hypotheses such as on botnet proxies, attacker behaviour, attacker classification and attribution will be developed and tested using the platform.

This work has a number of potential short-term and long-terms outcomes. First, the project will equip us with new attack data set(s) for further studies. The development and testing of attack hypotheses on the attack data will result in new insights about attacks that can be reported through publications. The refined platform itself can be made available as a product.

"We will apply for an extension to previously approved ethics application if required for this project."

This project will support a student to explore the use of mobile apps in citizen science. Our app collects user rankings of ordinary locations throughout the city, such as a view, a park bench, or a tree. The data is analysed and visualized to show shared public perceptions of different environments.  

We already have a mobile app prototype that now requires refinement and further development before it can be tested in a pilot study with users. The summer research scholar joining this project will have the opportunity to co-design the app's user experience and implement additional features. Specifically, the student will help refine interactive data capture interfaces, ensure the mobile app is accessible to diverse user groups, and contribute to initial analytical interpretations of collected data.  

This project offers the scholar an opportunity to gain practical experience in mobile user experience (UX) design, human-computer interaction (HCI), participatory research methodologies, and citizen science. By bridging technological innovation and citizen engagement, the project develops a tool for enhancing community experience and engagement. 

This project investigates what would be required to make a smart home able to understand and act on Māori language commands. A smart home has been created using an OpenHAB network that controls a number of household devices, including windows, fans and lightning, with options available to also control electric blinds and garage roller doors.

The purpose of the research would be to develop the interface so that it accepts spoken commands, in te reo Māori. It time allows the interface should also be able to respond in te reo Māori using a speech synthesizer recently developed by the Computer Science department.

The key focus of this summer research project is in two main areas of sensor-based research: 1) the application of wearable sensors on various body segments throughout a singular movement (repetitive heel rises); and 2) the embedding of sensor technology into sports equipment (airless basketball). 

For the first area, biomechanic quantification is essential for making informed decisions when prescribing training interventions for improving performance and reducing injury risk. Movement data directly captured from the human body provides insight into how different segments of the body move in relation to space and time, and how different muscle groups work together to perform a movement. Repetitive heel rises are used to assess the endurance of the calf muscles, important across the age and ability spectrum from young athletes to older adults. Using technology allows quantification beyond what is possible in clinical settings. However, where to best place sensors and the quality of sensors needed to accurate quantification needs exploration. For widespread adoption, low-cost easy-to-place wearable sensors that provide immediate feedback are ideal.

For the second area, movement datum captured directly from a piece of sports equipment highlights how these biomechanics influence performance outcomes (e.g. how a specific movement pattern influences the motion of a ball). With the recent release of the “airless” technology in sports equipment there are different dynamics to consider when embedding sensors into sports equipment. This project will include hands-on experimentation with 3D-printed airless equipment, assessing how different designs affect both sensor integration and performance.

This project supports the development of an AI system to detect mandibular (jaw) fractures from standard X-ray images, with a focus on improving diagnostic support in rural and primary care settings. The expected research outcome is a clinically relevant, annotated dataset that contributes to training and validating a fracture detection model suitable for deployment on low-cost imaging hardware.

The student will join a multidisciplinary team and contribute to the preparation and annotation of the X-ray dataset. Key tasks include data cleaning and organisation, drawing and verifying bounding boxes on fracture images using annotation software, and assisting with model performance tracking and output verification.

This role is ideal for a student interested in AI, computer vision, or medical technologies. It offers hands-on experience with medical imaging data, exposure to clinical annotation protocols, and insights into how AI models are evaluated and integrated into health research workflows.

Prerequisites:
Some programming experience (e.g., Python) is helpful but not required.
Familiarity with image editing or data labelling tools is an advantage.
Strong attention to detail and an interest in health or technology is essential.

This research project explores how the Māori principle of kaitiakitanga (stewardship and guardianship of the environment) is applied in practice by Māori businesses to support biodiversity restoration and environmental sustainability in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kaitiakitanga embodies a way of managing natural resources based on the Māori worldview, emphasizing the deep kinship between humans and the natural world. Kaitiakitanga involves responsibility for the land (whenua), natural resources, and treasures (taonga), and is rooted in Māori ancestral knowledge (Mātauranga). It is not just about conservation but also about ensuring sustainability and safeguarding the future of the environment.

The primary aim of the research is to identify practices, values, and approaches that are grounded in kaitiakitanga, and assess how these can inform and inspire other New Zealand-based businesses to adopt more sustainable and regenerative business models. Expected outcomes include a set of case studies, a summary of transferable insights, and practical recommendations for applying Māori environmental stewardship in wider business contexts.

Brief Details of Key Project Tasks

The student will undertake several key tasks as part of this project:

Engagement and communication with Māori businesses and communities: This involves reaching out, building relationships, and conducting respectful interviews or discussions with business owners, leaders, or representatives to learn how kaitiakitanga is integrated into their operations.

Research and literature review: The student will examine academic and policy literature on Indigenous environmental management, Māori enterprise, and biodiversity conservation in New Zealand.

Data collection and analysis: Insights from interviews and research will be analysed to identify common themes, successful strategies, and challenges faced in implementing kaitiakitanga.

Reporting findings: The student will contribute to a report and develop a poster that shares these insights with other businesses and stakeholders, offering recommendations for how these practices could be applied or adapted elsewhere.

Student Prerequisites and Skills to be Gained

This project is ideal for students with an interest in environmental science, Māori studies, sustainability, and business. Prior knowledge of te ao Māori (the Māori world view) is preferred, and a respectful attitude, cultural sensitivity, and willingness to learn are essential. Strong communication skills and an ability to engage with diverse stakeholders will be highly valuable.

Students will gain practical experience in qualitative research methods, stakeholder engagement, and cross-cultural communication. They will also develop a deeper understanding of Indigenous approaches to environmental management and sustainability.

This project offers a unique opportunity to learn from Māori-led initiatives and contribute to more inclusive and ecologically responsible business practices across Aotearoa New Zealand.

The purpose of the study is to examine perceptions of Raglan as a tourist destination. This study continues past research to develop a longitudinal perspective of changing patterns of demand. It requires you to distribute questionnaires and talk to tourists, asking about their holiday experiences. The outcome will be a report for the Raglan Community Board to aid them in developing their "Naturally Raglan" Planning - see https://raglannaturally.co.nz/about-raglan-naturally/.  

Your work is of importance to the community because tourism has significant impacts on this coastal town as it experiences significant changes imposed by both tourism and a new upmarket residential development.

You will be asked to set up the data derived from the questionnaires on an Excel spreadsheet.  We are aiming for 400 to 500 respondents to permit a detailed analysis. Past work has shown that samples of 400+ are quite achievable. You will then be given guidance on analysing data using SPSS. You will have access to past studies.

The study has proven sufficient for Master’s and final year projects, and past students have obtained published academic papers should this interest you. Your supervisor is an experienced researcher with more than 36,000 citations.  Support will be provided by the Community Board. Your work also contributes to the University’s strategic agenda by aiding one of Waikato’s communities to further their planning, while past outcomes have gained international recognition through contributions to UN Tourism Agency research.  It examines psychological concepts regarding mediation effects between motivation and behaviour.

Abstract

The existing literature largely supports a negative relationship between labour disputes and firm performance (Stef & Tisserand, 2021; Bisio et al., 2023). However, the extent to which labour disputes result in credit constraints for firms remains unclear. The relationship between labour disputes and access to finance is still underexplored. Access to finance is critical for the growth of firms (Pagano & Volpin, 2008), while labour disputes are often seen as indicators of internal instability within organisations (Remington et al., 2015), potentially sending negative signals to lenders and reducing their willingness to extend credit.

The study is grounded in stakeholder theory, which suggests that labour disputes can weaken stakeholder trust (Freeman, 2010), potentially reducing financial institutions' willingness to provide credit. In addition to examining the direct relationship between labour disputes and access to finance, this study will also explore the extent to which top managers’ experience and firm age influence this relationship.

Using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES), which includes interviews with business owners and top executives of unlisted firms, this study aims to investigate the relationship between labour disputes and access to finance in Southeast Asia. Specifically, the study seeks to determine whether firms involved in labour disputes face greater credit constraints. The dependent variables will capture different aspects of credit access, including loan approvals, collateral requirements, and loan amounts. Labour disputes will be proxied using firms' involvement in disputes and the costs incurred to resolve them. The study aims to use robust econometric techniques, such as logistic regression and the generalised method of moments (GMM), to address the research questions.

The findings aim to provide insights for policymakers and practitioners in Southeast Asia by highlighting the importance of internal labour relations in influencing firms’ access to finance.

Student tasks

- Downloading data from World Bank Webiste.
- Arranging, cleaning and standardising data for regressions.  
- Analysing the data using various quantitative techniques (e.g. Logistic and GMM).
- Conducting a literature review on labour disputes and access to finance.
- Preparing a poster summarising the research to be displayed at the Summer Research Scholarship event.

Student Skills

Skill 1: Familiarity with Microsoft Excel and statistical analysis skills.
Skill 2: Familiarity with quantitative research methods and analysis.
Skill 3: Familiarity with a statistical packages, such STATA.
Skill 4: Good interpersonal and communication skills

Project Summary:
A number of studies have investigated the impact of tax audits on corporate income and tax compliance (Kotsogiannis et al., 2024; Kotsogiannis & Mukamana, 2014); however, it is still unclear whether tax audits reduce access to finance. The research suggests that there is a connection between tax audits and financial irregularities or poor tax compliance (Blaufus & Trenn, 2023). This sends early warning signals to lenders and reduces their willingness to extend credit to firms that were visited by tax auditors.

Using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES), which includes interviews with business owners and top executives of unlisted firms, this study explores the impact of tax audits on credit constraints for unlisted firms in the Asia-Pacific region.

This study will use signaling theory to support the argument that tax audits reflect non-compliance and irregularities in firms, which send red signals to financial institutions and other lenders. This leads to increased credit constraints for the firms.

The dependent variables will capture different aspects of credit access, including loan approvals, loan facilities, and loan amounts. Tax audits will be proxied using information such as whether the firm was visited or inspected by tax officials and how many times the firm was visited by tax officials in a year. The study aims to use robust econometric techniques, such as logistic regression and the generalized method of moments (GMM), to address the research questions.

The findings aim to provide insights to lenders and firms in the Asia-Pacific region by highlighting the importance of tax audits in the lending decisions of financial institutions.

Keywords: Credit constraints; tax audits; access to finance; financial institutions

STUDENT TASKS
Task 1: Download data from World Bank website.
Task 2: Arranging, cleaning and standardising data for regressions.  
Task 3: Analysing the data using various quantitative techniques (e.g. Probit/Logistic and GMM).
Task 4: Conducting a literature review on tax audits and access to finance.
Task 5: Preparing a poster summarising the research to be displayed at the Summer Research Scholarship event.

STUDENT SKILLS
Skill 1: Expertise in Microsoft Excel.
Skill 2: Familiarity with quantitative research methods and analysis.
Skill 3: Good understanding of a statistical package Stata.
Skill 4: Good interpersonal and communication skills

RESEARCH OUTCOMES 
Expected Outcome 1: The research project will assist successful student to develop research capability especially in the empirical research related to Economics and Finance. 
Expected Outcome 2: The results will be summarised in the form of a written journal article to be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The potential journal to be targeted is Global Finance Journal.
Expected Outcome 3: The findings aim to provide insights to lenders and firms in the Asia-Pacific region by highlighting the importance of tax audits in the lending decisions of financial institutions.
Expected Outcome 4: A poster will be presented at a conference or seminar. 

The project aim is to compare key characteristics of perpetrators and the crimes themselves for three types of aggravated robbery. 

Key project tasks include:
1. Identifying additional cases in High Court sentencing notes (to add to an existing database)
2. Identifying any additional information in media records to add to the Court sources.
3. Developing coding for cases, and coding all new cases.
4. Creating a research poster and executive summary of the main findings.

The required skills for students include:
1. Knowledge of human behaviour from study in forensic psychology, psychology or crime science
2. Conceptual understanding of qualitative and quantitative data analysis
3. High attention to detail, personal organisation, and record keeping skills
4. Good written and oral communication skills
5. Good time management skills

This research project aims to develop an affordable and modular robotic gripper platform to enhance accessibility and versatility in automation for small-scale industries, medical settings, education, and research. Traditional robotic grippers are often costly and specialised, limiting their accessibility and versatility.

This project addresses these challenges by designing a low-cost, reconfigurable, modular gripper system using 3D-printed components, open-source electronics, and modular attachment designs for various tasks (e.g., grasping, suction, or precision handling). The platform will integrate customizable actuators, sensors, and control interfaces, focusing on adaptation to different applications. 

Key objectives include optimizing mechanical design, electronic and actuator design or interfacing, and validating performance through grasp stability and model validation feedback. The outcome will be a scalable, user-friendly gripper platform that reduces barriers to robotic automation.

Main skills exposed during the project includes: 3D printing, Hybrid deposition manufacturing, ROS2 programming, CAD, mechanical and electronic design.

Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of multiple, co-occurring disturbances such as warming and drought, raising a critical ecological question: does exposure to one disturbance heighten ecosystem vulnerability to another?

This project addresses that question by examining how long-term soil warming influences the response of soil invertebrate communities and their associated ecosystem functions to experimental drought. Using a unique geothermal gradient as a proxy for climate warming, the study leverages an extensive archive of soil invertebrate samples collected during a summer drought treatment in the previous year.

The student will be trained to identify and quantify key soil invertebrates—including mites, springtails, and insects—and will analyse their diversity and abundance in relation to both warming and drought stress. In addition to invertebrate analysis, the student will contribute to evaluating in situ decomposition rates, maintain environmental monitoring of soil temperature and moisture, and participate in final field sampling at geothermal sites in 2026. In doing so, the student will contribute to one of the first studies to assess how global warming may impact biodiversity and ecosystem functioning under emerging climate-related disturbances.

This work is conducted in close partnership with Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whaoa, the kaitiaki of the study area, with whom all findings will be shared. Some previous experience in invertebrate identification or a keen willingness to learn this skill will be important for this project. More generally, experience in ecology or field biology, a strong attention to detail, experience working in a lab, and a good level of fitness with some field experience would be advantageous.

Endometriosis is a common condition affecting up to 10% of young women. It is characterised by the presence of uterine tissue outside the uterine cavity, causing cyclical pain and discomfort, irregular menstrual bleeding and often reduced fertility. People with endometriosis are at risk of developing persistent pain that may impact their mental health and wellbeing.

A clinical diagnosis can be made based on the patient’s symptoms and evaluation of risk factors, although laparoscopy is required for definitive diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis is a significant problem for those with endometriosis – estimated to be between of 4–11 years. In general practice, endometriosis is diagnosed through a clinical history and physical examination and ruling out other possible diagnoses. Treatment then usually involves offering pain relief and/or hormonal treatment.

Further testing, like pelvic ultrasound, and referral to a gynaecologist is recommended for confirmation of the diagnosis and more specialized management. Unfortunately there is often a long waiting list to see a specialist in the public sector and so many women have to resort to private treatment or continue with symptomatic treatment from their GP without a definitive diagnosis.

Our aim is to research the prevalence of endometriosis in a large GP practice (approx 50k patients) and to see how many of these patients have received a specialist diagnosis. We will assess whether referral rates differ based on ethnicity or social deprivation.