Research at Waikato
Learn about the research driving innovation at the University of Waikato. Discover our institutes and areas of expertise.
The University of Waikato is keen to develop new research partnerships with businesses, other research organisations and government. We have internationally recognised research capabilities and facilities across numerous disciplines, and strive to deliver pioneering, transferable research and cutting-edge new knowledge. If you have a project you would like to collaborate on, please contact us.
For external organisations interested in hosting a summer research scholar, expressions of interest open in May/June each year and close in early July (contact the Scholarships Office for more information).
Key research sectors
Āmiomio Aotearoa is a transdisciplinary research programme funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and hosted by the University of Waikato. Āmiomio Aotearoa is a novel socio-economic concept that is cyclical in nature and regenerative by design. Bringing together Mātauranga Māori and western science, the concept aims to move beyond linear extract-produce-use-dispose material and energy flow models in order to optimise the value and use of products, components and materials over time.
Leaders
Āmiomio Aotearoa is led by Professor Kim Pickering. The research team also includes Professors Les Oxley (Waikato), Trevor Drage (Waikato), Conan Fee (Canterbury), Barry Barton (Waikato), Richard Haverkamp (Massey), Associate Professors Sandy Morrison (Waikato), Tom Roa (Waikato), Sara Walton (Otago), Eva Collins (Waikato), Graham Saunders (Waikato), Michael Mucalo (Waikato), and Drs Florian Graichen (SCION), Alison Greenaway (Manaaki Whenua), Helena Quilter (SCION), Robert Joseph (Waikato), Tim Huber (Canterbury), Gradon Diproase (Maanaki Whenua), Zack Dorner (Waikato), Stuart Malthus (SCION), and Katharina Ruckstuhl (Otago).
Research & Enterprise Contacts
The Time-Evolving Data Science / Artificial Intelligence for Advanced Open Environmental Science (TAIAO) project is a collaboration between the Universities of Waikato, Auckland and Canterbury, Beca and MetService, and includes world-leading data scientists, data engineers and environmental scientists. This seven-year programme is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE).
Leaders
TAIAO is led by Professor Albert Bifet (Waikato). The research team also includes Professors Karin Bryan (Waikato), James Brasington (Canterbury), Bernhard Pfahringer (Waikato) and Eibe Frank (Waikato), and Drs Varvara Vetrova (Canterbury), Yun Sing Koh (Auckland), Jörg Wicker (Auckland), Sebastien Delaux and Greg Pearson (MetService) and Michael Howden (Beca).
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Waikato Centre for Advanced Materials (WaiCAM)
Waikato Robotics, Automation and Sensing (WaiRAS)
Waikato Research Centre for Resilient Infrastructure and Sustainable Construction (WaiRISC)
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Brian Cole (email, or see Brian's profile)
We are committed to supporting Māori and indigenous development through our research and our researchers. Whether you are an Iwi or Māori organisation looking for specific research expertise or a mainstream organisation looking for Māori research expertise, the University has a diverse range of scholars that can support your needs.
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Mata Punenga o Te Kotahi: Te Kotahi Research Institute
Te Mata Hautū Taketake: The Māori and Indigenous Governance Centre (MIGC)
Centre for Māori and Pacific Development Research (CMPDR)
Māori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU)
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Vanessa Clark (email, or see Vanessa's profile)
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Pūtahi Rangahau Taiao: Environmental Research Institute (ERI)
Te Pūtahi o te Ture Taiāo: Centre for Environmental, Resources and Energy Law (CEREL)
Lake Ecosystem Restoration New Zealand (LERNZ)
Waikato Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Dr John Tyrrell (email, or see John's profile)
As New Zealand’s leading Faculty of Education, we are committed to enhancing education through the three interconnected disciplines of teaching, research and professional learning. Our research institutes and centres support research that informs policy and practice, as well as contributing theoretical insights. We also offer professional learning programmes for educators and organisations, underpinned by current research findings. Whether you are looking for specific research or professional learning and development expertise or seeking partners for research collaborations, we have a diverse range of specialist researchers and practitioners to support your needs.
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Pūtahi Rangahau Mātauranga o Wilf Malcolm: Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research (WMIER)
Te Whai Toi Tangata: Institute of Professional Learning (IPL)
Te Pūtahi Mātauranga ki te Ao: Centre for Global Studies in Education (CGSE)
Early Years Research Centre
Engineering Education Research Unit (EERU)
He Rangahau Toi Tangata: Technology, Environmental, Mathematics and Science Research Centre (TEMS)
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Puna Haumaru: New Zealand Institute for Security and Crime Science
Te Pūtahi o te Ture Taiāo: Centre for Environmental, Resources and Energy Law (CEREL)
Te Mata Hautū Taketake: The Māori and Indigenous Governance Centre (MIGC)
Waikato Public Law and Policy Research Unit
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Māori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU)
Medical Research Centre
Action Sports Research
Adams Centre for High Performance
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Puna Haumaru: New Zealand Institute for Security and Crime Science
Te Ngira: Institute for Population Research
Māori and Psychology Research Unit (MPRU)
Waikato Gender Research Network (WGRN)
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Jenny Robertson (email, or see Jenny's profile)
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Ipu o te Mahara: Artifical Intelligence Institute
Te Puna Haumaru: New Zealand Institute for Security and Crime Science
Cyber Security Research Group (CROW)
WAND Network Research Group (WAND)
Centre for Open Software Innovation (COSI)
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Brian Cole (email, or see Brian's profile)
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Tauranga: Shane Stuart (email, or see Shane's profile)
Our research expertise ranges from process engineering and plant efficiency, energy cultures, household energy and energy systems modelling, to the legal and regulatory frameworks for carbon capture and storage and geothermal resources.
Energy Law
The Centre for Environmental, Resources and Energy Law (CEREL) draws on the most substantial concentration of academic expertise in New Zealand in environmental law, natural resources law, and energy law. CEREL offers highly-skilled capability in providing research, educational and advisory services and is looking to work with a range of end-users, including government agencies, international agencies, non-government organisations, corporations and their legal advisers, professional institutions and local agencies.
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Pūtahi o te Ture Taiāo: Centre for Environmental, Resources and Energy Law (CEREL)
Ahuora Smart Energy Systems
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Brian Cole (email, or see Brian's profile)
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Audience Research Unit (ARU)
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Dr Simon Lovatt (email, or see Simon's profile)
Jenny Robertson (email, or see Jenny's profile)
The Waikato Management School is a Triple Crown accredited business school. Our research expertise covers accounting, economics, finance, management communication and management systems, marketing, strategy and human resource management, and tourism and hospitality management. We research at the regional, national and global scales, with impacts related to and including economic development, environmental sustainability, improving health delivery, managerial change, informed policy development and socio-cultural improvements.
Institutes, Centres, and Research Groups
Te Pūtahi Rangahau o Umanga o Aotearoa: New Zealand Institute for Business Research
The Institute offers a range of research, advisory and consultancy services to end-users, including commercial, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. The three research units are: the Responsible and Sustainable Management Unit, the Enterprise Innovation Unit, and the Leadership Unit.
Research & Enterprise Contacts
We have a focus on functional food/bioactive research as part of our biomedical capability. Whether you are looking for specific research expertise or seeking partners for collaboration, we have a diverse range of specialist researchers to support your needs.
Research & Enterprise Contacts
Research capabilities
University of Waikato staff and students undertake internationally recognised research in both sector-based and multi-disciplinary fields.
- Research Institutes, Centres, Units and Groups
- University Research Capabilities by School:
- Research Commons (Database of research publications and digital repository for scholarly outputs)
- Staff Research Areas (University of Waikato "Experts' File")
- See the University's press releases for the latest research (and other) news.
The University also provides specialist analytical and technical facilities.
If you have a project you would like to collaborate on, please contact us.