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Exceptional PhD theses in the Division of Sciences

We like to celebrate excellence at every level, and we take great pleasure in announcing the following PhD candidates have presented a thesis of exceptional quality.

A thesis is of exceptional quality when all three examiners of a candidate's thesis agree that the thesis is of an exceptional standard in every respect – research content, originality, quality of expression and accuracy of presentation – and is amongst the top 10% of theses examined.

2024 Exceptional theses

Brandon Gerald Rasman, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences: Sensorimotor learning and self-motion perception in human balance control. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Chris Button). For more information on Brandon’s work, please contact the School by email: physical-education@otago.ac.nz

Anna Redmond, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: Statistical models for analysis of spatial patterns in muscle fibre type distributions. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Tilman Davies). For more information on Anna’s work, please contact the Department by email: mathsstats@otago.ac.nz

Emma Veltman, Department of Psychology: Elucidating successful manifestations of psychopathy. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Martin Sellbom). For more information on Emma’s work, please contact the Department by email: psy.postgrad@otago.ac.nz

Ben Wilks, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: Topics in resonant wave scattering: From rainbow reflection of water waves to time-domain scattering by acoustic resonators. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Fabien Montiel). For more information on Ben’s work, please contact the Department by email: mathsstats@otago.ac.nz

Melanie Young, Department of Zoology: Coping with nutritional stress: diet, dispersal and plasticity in the foraging strategies of hoiho. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Yolanda van Heezik). For more information on Melanie’s work, please contact the Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz

2023 Exceptional theses

Tiffany Brown, Department of Psychology:  Elucidating the validity and utility of the ICD-11 personality disorder diagnosis: A multi-method examination. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Martin Sellbom). For more information on Tiffany’s work, please contact the Department by email: psycadmin@otago.ac.nz

Carrie Clifford, Department of Psychology: Pūrākau tuku iho - honoring the stories of our tipūna: An exploration of the use of Māori and indigenous storytelling in mental health settings. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Harlene Hayne). For more information on Carrie's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Nicholas Foster, Department of Zoology:  Advancing invasive small mammal elimination in upland areas by identifying natural barriers to movement and exploiting seasonal shifts in space use and distribution. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Yolanda van Heezik). For more information on Nick's work, please contact the Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz

David Robert Johnston, Department of Marine Science: Dynamics of a recovering population of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis)” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Steve Dawson).
For more information on David’s work, please contact the Marine Science Department by email at marine-science@otago.ac.nz

Mohsin Ijaz, Department of Physics:  Plasmonically coupled semiconductors for energy conversion applications. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Richard Blaikie). For more information on Mohsin’s work, please contact the Department of Physics by email: physics-office@otago.ac.nz

Luke Macris, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences:  The contested terrain of New Zealand sport policy: Institutional theory and the constraints, conflicts, and challenges with a performance regime. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Mike Sam). For more information on Luke's work, please contact the School by email: physical-education@otago.ac.nz

Ngahuia Susannah Te Riunui Mita, Centre of Indigenous Science: Tairāwhiti Waka, Tairāwhiti Tāngata: Examining Tairāwhiti voyaging philosophies (Primary Supervisor: Professor Anne-Marie Jackson). For more information on Ngahuia’s work, please contact the Centre of Indigenous Science by email: IndigenousScience@otago.ac.nz

Emily Jane Scott, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences: “Primary school physical education: Why practice matters” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Lisette Burrows). For more information on Emily’s work, please contact the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences by email at physical-education@otago.ac.nz

Olivia Truax, Department of Geology: Holocene paleoceanography of the western Ross Sea, Antarctica. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Christina Riesselman). For more information on Olivia's work, please contact the Department by email: geology@otago.ac.nz

Nan Xin Wang, Department of Human Nutrition:  Balancing sodium and iodine intake in New Zealand adults. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Sheila Skeaff). For more information on Nan Xin's work, please contact the Department by email: human- nutrition@otago.ac.nz

2022 Exceptional theses

Sahar Abdolmaleki, Clothing and Textile Programme: Skin hydration under wet fabrics. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Cheryl Wilson). For more information on Sahar's work, please contact the Sciences Divisional Office by email: science@otago.ac.nz

Mirja Kaizer Ahmmed, Department of Food Science: Investigation of marine omega-3 phospholipids from New Zealand commercial fish co-products. (Primary Supervisor: Assoicate Professor Alaa Bekhit). For more information on Mirja's work, please contact the Department by email: food-science@otago.ac.nz

Brodie James Foster, Department of Zoology: Insights into the evolution of insect flight loss and melanism from a polymorphic stonefly. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Jon Waters). For more information on Brodie's work, please contact the Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz

Rachel Hickcox, Department of Zoology: Environmental, climatic, and biological interactions influencing the marine distribution of yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes). (Primary Supervisor: Professor Philip Seddon). For more information on Rachel's work, please contact the Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz

Shruthi Sateesh, Department of Psychology: Astrocyte-mediated trans-regional regulation of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Cliff Abraham). For more information on Shruthi's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Francesco Turco, Department of Geology:  Geophysical characterisation of gas hydrate systems on the southern Hikurangi margin of New Zealand. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Andrew Gorman). For more information on Francesco's work, please contact the Department by email: geology@otago.ac.nz

Laura van Galen, Department of Botany: Nothofagus forest restoration and mycorrhizal ecology. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Matt Larcombe). For more information on Laura's work, please contact the Department by email: botany@otago.ac.nz

2021 Exceptional theses

Abdullah Abudayyeh, Department of Chemistry:  Catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Sally Brooker). For more information on Abdullah's work, please contact the Department by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

Ashleigh Barrett-Young, Department of Psychology: Associations between retinal measurements, cognition, and psychosocial risk factors: A lifecourse study. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Richie Poulton). For more information on Ashleigh's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Kārlis Bērziņš, Department of Chemistry: Low-frequency Raman spectroscopy in pharmaceutical applications. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Keith Gordon). For more information on Kārlis' work, please contact the Department by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

Tracy Cameron, Department of Psychology: Risk and resilience in beginning reading in New Zealand. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Elizabeth Schaughency). For more information on Tracy's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Will Clark, Department of Psychology: Neural mechanisms of object coding in the avian visual system. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Mike Colombo). For more information on Will's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Lena Collienne, Department of Computer Science: Spaces of phylogenetic time trees. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Alex Gavryushkin). For more information on Lena's work, please contact the Department by email: computer-science@otago.ac.nz

Sheng Fan, Department of Geology: The evolution of deformation mechanisms during the mechanical weakening of polycrystalline ice: a quantitative microstructural study. (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Prior). For more information on Sheng's work, please contact the Department of Geology by email: geology@otago.ac.nz

Travis Gibbons, School of Physical Education: Sport and Exercise Sciences:  Brain blood flow and breathing control in extreme environments. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Jim Cotter). For more information on Travis' work, please contact the School by email: physical-education@otago.ac.nz

Rachel Ginieis, Department of Food Science:  Multi-sensory fingerprints and their links to hedonic eating. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Mei Peng). For more information on Rachel's work, please contact the Department by email: foodscience.office@otago.ac.nz

Nimesh Kankariya, Clothing and Textiles Programme:  Textiles and compression of the lower limb. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Raechel Laing). For more information on Nimesh's work, please contact the Programme by email: materials.enquiries@otago.ac.nz

Stina Kolodzey, Department of Marine Science:  Demographic and reproductive variability within and among subpopulations of temperate reef fishes. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Steve Wing). For more information on Stina's work, please contact the Department by email: marine-science@otago.ac.nz

Lynn Lisboa, Department of Chemistry:  Synthesis of heterometallic supramolecular cages. (Primary Supervisor: Professor James Crowley). For more information on Lynn's work, please contact the Department by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

Andrew Mills, Department of Psychology: The big picture: How the acts of taking and viewing photos can influence memory. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Rachel Zajac). For more information on Andrew's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Eunji Park, Department of Zoology:  Hidden diversity of two intracellular parasites, Microsporidia and Rickettsia, in New Zealand amphipod hosts: patterns and causes. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Robert Poulin). For more information on Eunji's work, please contact the Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz.

Jessica Riordan, Department of Psychology: Let's talk: Investigating adult-child interactions within the home-literacy environment to better support children's developing oral language and early-literacy skills. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Elaine Reese). For more information on Jessica's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Charlie Ruffman, Department of Chemistry: Enhancing hydrogen production on Earth-abundant electrocatalysts: A computational investigation. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Anna Garden). For more information on Charlie's work, please contact the Department by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

Patricio Saldivia Pérez, Department of Botany: Taxonomy of the Celmisia group (Asteraceae: Astereae). (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Janice Lord). For more information on Patricio's work, please contact the Department of Botany by email: botany@otago.ac.nz

Kevin Sheridan, Department of Botany: Phylogenetics of the D1 protein family in Cyanobacteria and the characterisation of novel D1 variants. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Tina Summerfield). For more information on Kevin's work, please contact the Department by email: botany@otago.ac.nz

Aroaro Tamati, Department of Psychology: He Piki Raukura (the flight feathers of the toroa): Understanding and assessing ao Māori child development constructs within kaupapa Māori early years education. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Richie Poulton). For more information on Aroaro's work, please contact the Department by email: psychology@otago.ac.nz

Melanie Thompson, Department of Human Nutrition:  Changes in intuitive eating in mid-age New Zealand women. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Sara Styles). For more information on Melanie's work, please contact the Department by email: human-nutrition@otago.ac.nz

Geoffrey Weal, Department of Chemistry:  Modelling the structures of metallic clusters. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Anna Garden). For more information on Geoffrey's work, please contact the Department by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

2020 Exceptional theses

James Berghan, School of Surveying:  Ecology of community: Exploring principles of socially-based tenure in urban papakāinga and cohousing communities. (Primary Supervisor: Dr David Goodwin). For more information on James' work, please contact the School of Surveying by email: surveying@otago.ac.nz

Timothy Bilton, Department of Mathematics and Statistics:  Developing statistical methods for genetic analysis of genotypes from genotyping-by-sequencing data. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Matt Schofield). For more information on Timothy's work, please contact the Department of Mathematics and Statistics by email: maths@otago.ac.nz

Jayde Flett, Department of Psychology: The impact of mobile mindfulness meditation on mental health and well-being in university students. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Harlene Hayne). For more information on Jayde's work, please contact the Department of Psychology by email: psycadmin@otago.ac.nz

Leonardo Maia Durante, Department of Marine Science: Trophic structure through the history of exploitation in New Zealand fish communities. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Steve Wing). For more information on Leo's work, please contact the Department of Marine Science by email: marine-science@otago.ac.nz

Jordan Smith, Department of Chemistry: Carbon-rich cavitands from reduced-symmetry resorcin[4]arenes. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Nigel Lucas). For more information on Jordan's work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

Ana Stojanov, Department of Psychology:  Conspiracy theory beliefs: measurement and the role of perceived lack of control. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Jamin Halberstadt). For more information on Ana's work, please contact the Department of Psychology by email: psycadmin@otago.ac.nz

Dan Zhu, Department of Chemistry: Development of traceability tools based n metabolomics for milk products. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Russell Frew). For more information on Dan's work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz

2019 Exceptional theses

Rohan James Allen, Department of Botany:  Marine microbial community dynamics and responses to ocean acidification. (Primary Supervisor: Dr. Linn Hoffman). For more information on Rohan's work, please contact the Botany Department by email: botany@otago.ac.nz.

Marta Guerra Bobo, Department of Marine Science: Foraging ecology of sperm whales at Kaikōura. (Primary Supervisors: Dr. Will Rayment and Professor Steve Dawson). For more information on Marta's work, please contact the Department of Marine Science by email: marine.science@otago.ac.nz.

Rosemary Cole, Department of Geology: Andesitic glaciovolcanic interactions at Tongariro and Ruapehu volcanoes, New Zealand. (Primary Supervisor: Prof. James White). For more information on Rosemary's work, please contact the Department of Geology by email: geology@otago.ac.nz.

Tess Cole, Department of Zoology: Fire and ice: Genomic insights into the evolution, biogeography and extinction of modern penguins. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Jon Waters). For more information on Tess' work, please contact the Zoology Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz.

Boris Daszuta, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: Numerical scalar curvature deformation and a gluing construction. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Jörg Frauendiener). For more information on Boris' work, please contact the Mathematics and Statistics Department by email: office@maths.otago.ac.nz .

James Findlay, Department of Chemistry: Click functionalised ferrocene-based molecular actuators. (Primary Supervisor: Prof. James Crowley). For more information on James' work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz.

Chanel Phillips, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences: A journey to belonging: explorations of Māori perspectives of water safety. (Primary Supervisor: Dr. Anne-Marie Jackson). For more information on Chanel's work, please contact the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences by email: physical-education@otago.ac.nz.

Alistair Richardson, Department of Chemistry: Chemistry of a stable vitamin C glycoside in apples (malus spp.) and other fruit crops. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Nigel Perry). For more information on Alistair's work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz .

Georgina Shillito, Department of Chemistry: Interaction of charge transfer states in transition metal complexes. (Primary Supervisor: Prof. Keith Gordon). For more information on Georgina's work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz.

Luke Symes, Department of Physics: Exact nonlinear dynamics of Spinor BECs applied to nematic quenches. (Primary Supervisor: Prof. Blair Blakie). For more information on Luke's work, please contact the Physics Department by email: physics@otago.ac.nz.

Matthew Tarling, Department of Geology: The structure, petrology and mechanics of a plate-boundary-scale serpentinite shear zone: The Livingstone fault, New Zealand. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Steven Smith). For more information on Matthew's work, please contact the Geology Department by email: geology@otago.ac.nz.

Rebecca Zitoun, Department of Chemistry: Copper speciation in different marine ecosystems around New Zealand. (Primary Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Sylvia Sander). For more information on Rebecca's work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email: chemistry@otago.ac.nz.

2018 Exceptional theses and student research awards

2018 Exceptional Theses

  • Kate Brookie, Department of Psychology: Can an apple a day keep the psychologist away? The role of fruit and vegetable intake in mental well-being. (Primary Supervisor: Dr Tamlin Conner).For more information on Kate's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email psychology@otago.ac.nz
  • Aly Diana, Department of Human Nutrition: Adequacy of micronutrient intakes and status of breastfed Indonesian infants fed traditional complementary foods in Sumedang district, West Java: a longitudinal study. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Lisa Houghton). For more information on Aly's work, please contact the Human Nutrition Department by email at human-nutrition@otago.ac.nz.
  • Emma Douma, Department of Physics:  Realistic Electron Microbursts: Properties and Possible Plasma Wave Drivers” (Primary Supervisor: Professor. Craig Rodger). For more information on Emma's work, please contact the Physics Department at physics@otago.ac.nz
  • Thomas Elston, Department of Psychology: Adaptive motivational signals in the anterior cingulate cortex and ventral tegmental area. (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Bilkey). For more information on Thomas's work, please contact the Psychology Department psychology@otago.ac.nz
  • John Holmes, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: Modelling strategies to improve genetic evaluation for the New Zealand sheep industry. (Primary Supervisor:  Professor Richard Barker). For more information on John's work, please contact the Mathematics and Statistics Department maths@otago.ac.nz
  • Henry Lane, Department of Zoology: Studies on Bonamia parasites (Haplosporidia) in the New Zealand flat oyster Ostrea chilensis. (Primary Supervisor:  Professor Robert Poulin). For more information on Henry's work, please contact the Zoology Department zoology@otago.ac.nz
  • Johannes Mosig, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: Contemporary wave-ice interaction models. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Vernon Squire). For more information on Johannes's work, please contact the Mathematics and Statistics Department maths@otago.ac.nz
  • Kate Ryder, Department of Food Science:  Characterisation of a low value dairy co-product and evaluation of the production of bioplastic films. (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Azam Ali). For more information on Kate's work, please contact the Department of Food Science foodscience.postgrad@otago.ac.nz
  • Anurag Singh, Department of Psychology: Tumor necrosis factor α mediated heterodendritic metaplasticity in rats and Alzheimer's mice. (Primary Supervisor:  Prof. Cliff Abraham). For more information on Anurag's work, please contact the Department of Psychology psychology@otago.ac.nz
  • Minhyeok Tak, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences: Sports on the gambling table: An institutional approach to match-fixing. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Steve Jackson). For more information on Minhyeok's work, please contact the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences physical-education@otago.ac.nz
  • Pat Wongpan, Department of Physics: Columnar ice versus platelet ice: Differences, consequences, and significance. (Primary Supervisor:  Prof. Pat Langhorne). For more information on Pat's work, please contact the Department of Physics physics@otago.ac.nz
  • Weiwei Zhang, Department of Psychology: The effect of emotion on false memories in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. (Primary Supervisor:  Professor Harlene Hayne). For more information on Weiwei's work, please contact the Department of Psychology psychology@otago.ac.nz

2018 Student Research awards

  • Craig McDonnell, School of Surveying won the prestigious Australia Pacific Spatial Excellence Award after winning the New Zealand Spatial Excellence Award 2017 “undergrad student of the year” category for his role in the drone survey of Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua in November last year.

2017 Exceptional theses and student research awards

2017 Exceptional Theses

  • Ross Hogue, Department of Chemistry: Discrete polynuclear complexes: from spin crossover to hydrogen evolution. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Sally Brooker).
    For more information on Ross' work, please contact the Department of Chemistry by email chemistry@otago.ac.nz
  • Saleh Moradi, Department of Psychology: Flourishing and the world around: The role of personal and contextual moral guidance in improving the socio-moral outcomes of living a flourishing life. (Primary Supervisor:  Associate Professor Jackie Hunter).
    For more information on Saleh's work, please contact the Department of Psychology by email psychology@otago.ac.nz
  • Daniel Preston, Department of Chemistry: Tuning the characteristics of quadruply-stranded palladium(II) cages. (Primary Supervisor:  Associate. Professor James Crowley).
    For more information on Daniel's work, please contact the Department of Chemistry chemistry@otago.ac.nz
  • Ryan Thomas, Department of Physics:  Cold collisions of ultracold atoms. (Primary Supervisor:  Associate Professor Niels Kjaergaard).
    For more information on Ryan's work, please contact the Department of physics@otago.ac.nz
  • Daniel van Wyk, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: The structure of GCR and CCR groupoid C*-algebras. (Primary Supervisor: Professor Astrid an Huef).
    For more information on Daniel's work, please contact the Mathematics and Statistics Department by email maths@otago.ac.nz

2017 Student Research awards

Emma Douma - 2017 International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) Young Scientist Awards
Physics PhD candidate Emma Douma is the recipient of one-of-three prestigious International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) Young Scientist Awards for 2017. The award aims to recognise, motivate and acknowledge excellent and promising young scientists, whose research, presentation and overall performance at the most recent topical meeting reaches high international standards and represents immense potential for the future of IAGA. It also provides support to participate in the next IAGA Assembly.

Roisin Hegarty - Otago Medical School Research Society's Science Writing Competition
Psychology PhD candidate, Roisin Hegarty has won the Otago Medical School Research Society's Science Writing competition for her essay on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a helpful solution of fatigue in arthritis patients.

Jeremy Lee-Hand - 2017 Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awards
Jeremy Lee-Hand will complete a PhD in Physics specialising in Condensed Matter at Stoney Brook University in New York. Jeremy graduated with a BSc (Hons) from the University of Otago in 2015.

Andrew Pauling - 2017 Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awards
Andrew Pauling will research the impact of Antarctic ice sheet collapse on the global climate at the University of Washington in Seattle, towards a PhD in Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Otago.  Andrew graduated with a BSc (Hons) in 2014, and will graduate with an MSc in 2017, both in Physics, from the University of Otago.

Ben Riordan - 2017 Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Awards
Psychology PhD student Ben Riordan will be conducting research at Brown University, with a focus on interventions aimed at curbing alcohol consumption. Ben graduated with a BA in 2011 and an MSc in 2014 from the University of Otago and is currently completing a PhD in Psychology at the University of Otago.

Ryan Thomas - 2017 Hatherton Award from the NZ Royal Society
Physics PhD student, Ryan Thomas, won the RSNZ Hatherton Award for his paper on particle collisions that demonstrates and extends our understanding of the Pauli exclusion principle, which places fundamental constraints on where certain atomic particles can be located. Royal Society Te Apārangi presents this award to the best scientific paper by a PhD student at any New Zealand university, studying chemical, physical, mathematical or information sciences.

Charlotte Steel - NZCU South Young Achiever Award
Otago Neuroscience student, Charlotte Steel has won a $5000 scholarship in the recent annual Credit Union South (NZCU South) Young Achiever Awards. Charlotte has a Bachelor of Science majoring in Neuroscience at the University of Otago and is now doing Honours, focusing on science and applications in medicine.

Kate Turner - 2017 Fulbright Science and Innovation Graduate Awards
Kate Turner will complete a PhD in Geophysics specialising in sea ice geophysics within a collaborative research environment of scientific and indigenous knowledge at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Kate graduated with a BSc from the University of Otago in 2010, and a BSc (Hons) from Victoria University of Wellington in 2015.

2016 Exceptional theses and student research awards

2016 Exceptional Theses

  • Xiping Fu, Department of Computer Science: “Exploring geometrical structures in high-dimensional computer vision data” (Primary Supervisor:  Associate Professor Brendan McCane). For more information on Xiping's work, please contact the Department of Computer Science by email computer-science@otago.ac.nz.
  • Benedikt Holtmann, Department of Zoology: “The consequences and underlying mechanisms of animal personality in dunnocks (Prunella modularis).” (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Shinichi Nakagawa). For more information on Benedikt's work, please contact the Department of Zoology by email zoology@otago.ac.nz.

2016 Student Research awards

Mike McConachie - 2016 Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Award
Otago MAppSc GIS graduate Mike McConachie won the 2016 Asia-Pacific Spatial Excellence Award (APSEA) for Postgraduate Student of the Year for his project on classifying sand dune vegetation (at Mason Bay, Stewart Island) from drone-based imagery. The APSEA are the only spatial information and technology-specific awards for the Asia-Pacific region. Mike's award recognises the advances in knowledge made by the project, a collaboration between Surveying and Geography, both in the recent exploration of the potential of drones and the (classified) products that are derived from it. This establishes drone-mounted sensors and intelligent, object-based classification as valuable tools in coastal dune management. The research output revealed a significant improvement in classification accuracy, making this approach a valuable management and monitoring tool for dune management.

Adam Miles - Sport Psychologist 2016 Young Researcher Award

Adam Miles, PhD student in the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences, has been awarded the Sport Psychologist 2016 Young Researcher Award by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology Foundation (AASP). The Young Researcher Award recognizes the most outstanding research abstract submitted by a graduate student or early career scholar member for AASP's Annual Conference.

Judy Rodda - 2016 NZ Esri Young Scholar Award
Newly minted PhD Judy Rodda has been names ESRI Young Scholar of the year for her work mapping the distribution of Hector's Dolphins. Judges were impressed by Judy's innovative idea of analysis using the space-time cube, her rigorous use of spatial analysis within the ArcGIS Platform and fantastic use of GIS to further Scientific Knowledge.

2015 Exceptional theses and Student research awards

2015 Exceptional Theses

  • Robert Boessenecker, Department of Geology: “Anatomy, ontogeny, functional morphology, taphonomy, and phylogenetic relationships of archaic toothless mysticetes (Ecomysticetidae) from the Oligocene of New Zealand” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Ewan Fordyce). For more information on Robert's work, please contact the Geology Department by email geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Clara Bah, Department of Food Science: “Generation of bioactive compounds from slaughterhouse animal blood using enzymatic hydrolysis.” (Primary Supervisor: Dr Aladin Bekhit). For more information on Clara's work, please email the department food-science@otago.ac.nz.
  • Andrew Cross, Department of Geology: “Microstructural evolution under non-steady state deformation in mid-crustal ductile shear zones” (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Prior). For more information on Andrew's work, please contact the Geology Department by email geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Sarah Kafka, Department of Psychology: “Group identity and intergroup discrimination: Does importance to identity play a special role?” (Primary Supervisor: Dr Jackie Hunter). For more information on Sarah's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email psychology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Daniel Killeen, Department of Chemistry: “Quantitation and localization of bioactive natural products by spectroscopic methods” (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Nigel Perry). For more information on Daniel's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Katharina Lange, Department of Zoology: “Multiple stressors in agricultural streams: interactions between farming intensity and water abstraction” (Primary Supervisor: Dr Christoph Matthaei). For more information on Katharina's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email zoology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Kathryn Lister, Department of Botany: “The role of oxidative stress in the reproductive fitness of marine invertebrates exposed to environmental stressors” (Primary Supervisor: Dr David Burritt). For more information on Kathryn's work, please contact the Botany Department by email botany@otago.ac.nz.
  • Fanny Mondet, Department of Zoology: “Host-parasite interactions between the honey bee, Apis mellifera, and the mite Varroa destructor: Insights into virus infections and Varroa sensitive hygience” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Alison Mercer).For more information on Fanny's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Samuel Rooney, Department of Physics: “Implementation and applications of the stochastic projected gross-pitaevskii equation” (Primary Supervisor: Dr Ashton Bradley). For more information on Samuel's work, please contact the Physics Department by email physics@otago.ac.nz.
  • Andrew Webb, Department of Computer Science: "Actions of attention, and attention to action: investigating the relationship between visual attention, episodic representation, and language" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Alistair Knott). For more information about Andrew's work, please contact the Department of Computer Science by email computer-science@otago.ac.nz.

2015 Student Awards

Minhyeok Tak - EASS Young Scholar of the Year, 2015

Minhyeok Tak, a PhD student in the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences , has won the 2015 Young Scholar Award for the European Association for Sociology of Sport (EASS). This is a significant achievement that reflects well on the School, the Division and the University of Otago.

EASS has invited Minhyeok to formally accept his award at a ceremony and to present a paper at the Association's annual conference in Dublin in June.

2014 Exceptional theses and student awards

2014 Exceptional Theses

  • Paula S Magalhaes S Correia, Department of Psychology: “An experimental  analysis of the effects of past choices on present choice: The sunk  cost effect” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Geoffrey White). For more information on Paula's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email psychology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Bethany R S Fox, Department of Geology: “Climate change at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Gary Wilson). For more information on Bethany's work, please contact the Geology Department by email: geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Yu-Hsun Hsu, Department of Zoology: “The causes and consequences of extra-pair mating in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)” (Primary Supervisor: Dr Shinichi Nakagawa). For more information on Yu-Hsun's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email: zoology@otago.ac.nz
  • Owen Jones, Department of Psychology: “Intercellular communication and  heterosynaptic metaplasticity in hippocampus” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Cliff Abraham). For more information on Owen's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email psychology@otago.ac.nz.
  • James Lewis, Department of Chemistry: “A metallosupramolecular approach to targeted cisplatin drug delivery” (Primary Supervisor:  Dr James Crowley). For more information on James' work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Philippa McDowall, Department of Psychology: “Parent involvement in children's reading development: Parent and teacher perceptions, and child reading outcomes” (Primary Supervisor: Dr Elizabeth Schaughency). For more information on Philippa's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email at psychology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Travis Monk, Department of Zoology: “The evolutionary origin of  nervous systems and implications for neural computation” (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Michael Paulin). For more information on Travis's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology@otago.ac.nz.
  • David  Savory, Department of Chemistry: “ATR-IR spectroscopic studies of  trapped electrons in titanium dioxide” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Jim McQuillan). For more information on David's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Catherine Smith, Department of Applied Sciences: “Pre-European Māori textiles from South Island New Zealand” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Raechel Laing). For more information on Catherine's work, please contact the Applied Sciences Department by email at applied.sciences.dept@otago.ac.nz.
  • Emily Weiser, Department of Zoology: “Informing genetic management of small populations of threatened species” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Ian Jamieson). For more information on Emily's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology@otago.ac.nz.

2014 Student research awards

Russell Bissett wins 2014 Hatherton Award

Dr Russell Bisset, formerly of the University of Otago but now doing a postdoc in the United States, has been awarded the 2014 Hatherton Award by the Royal Society of New Zealand, for his paper “Fingerprinting Rotons in a Dipolar Condensate: Super-Poissonian Peak in the Atom-Number Fluctuations” by R. N. Bisset and P. B. Blakie, Physical Review Letters 110, 265302 (2013). The award is for the best scientific paper by a student registered for the degree of PhD in Physical Sciences, Earth Sciences and Mathematical and Information Sciences at a New Zealand university.

2013 Exceptional theses

  • Nicolas Barth, Department of Geology: “A tectono-geomorphic study of the Alpine Fault, New Zealand” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Richard Norris). For more information on Nicolas's work, please contact the Geology Department by email geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Tina Bayer, Department of Zoology: “Effects of climate change on two large, deep oligotrophic lakes in New Zealand” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Carolyn Burns). For more information on Tina's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email to zoology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Kathryn Bradbury, Department of Human Nutrition: “Monitoring the impact of a voluntary bread folic acid fortification programme on the folate status of New Zealand women of childbearing age” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Murray Skeaff). For more information on Kathryn's work, please contact the Human Nutrition Department by email on human-nutrition@otago.ac.nz.
  • Desiree Dickerson, Department of Psychology: “Disrupted prefrontal-hippocampal synchrony in a neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia” (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Bilkey). For more information on Desiree's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email to psychology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Angela Kaltenbach, Department of Chemistry: “Uranium isotopic analysis of terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples" (Primary Supervisor: Dr Claudine Stirling). For more information on Angela's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email on chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Felix Marx, Department of Geology: “The evolutionary relationships and disparity of baleen whales (Mysticeti)” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Ewan Fordyce). For more information on Felix's work, please contact the Geology Department by email on geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Matthew Reish, Department of Chemistry: “Classification of organic photovoltaic and nonlinear optical materials” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Keith Gordon). For more information on Matthew's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email on chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Jolene Sutton, Department of Zoology: "Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and microsatellite genetic diversity in New Zealand passerines" (Primary Supervisor Prof. Ian G. Jamieson). For more information on Jolene's work, please contact teh department by email at zoology@otago.ac.nz.

2012 Exceptional theses

  • Humphrey Feltham, Department of Chemistry: “Tetra- and octa-nuclear 3d-4f complexes of macrocyclic ligands as potential single-molecule magnets” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Sally Brooker). For more information on Humphrey's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Alex Gough, Department of Physics: "Sea ice near an ice shelf" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Pat Langhorne). For more information on Alex's work, please email the Physics Department: physics@otago.ac.nz.
  • Raphael Horvath, Department of Chemistry: “A photophysical investigation of d6 metal polypyridyl complexes” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Keith Gordon). For more information on Raphael's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Daniel Hutchinson, Department of Chemistry: “The coordination chemistry of modified pyrimidine-hydrazone strands and their incorporation into polymer gels” (Primary Supervisor: Lyall Hanton). For more information on Daniel's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Koji Kobayashi, School of Physical Education: “Globalisation, corporate nationalism and Japanese identity: advertising production and signifying practices of Nike and Asics” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Steve Jackson). For more information on Koji's work, please contact the School of Physical Education Department by email at physical-education@otago.ac.nz.
  • Pontus Lurcock, Department of Geology: “Palaeomagnetism of palaeogene strata from southern Zealandia: Implications for ice in the greenhouse” (Primary Supervisor: Professor Gary Wilson). For more information on Pontus's work, please contact the Geology Department by email at geology@otago.ac.nz .
  • Gregory Rankin, Department of Chemistry: "Synthesis and structural elucidation of fully lipidated phosphatidylinositol dimannosides" (Primary supervisor, Associate Professor Dave Larsen). For more information on Greg's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Natalie Robinson, Department of Marine Science: “Circulation, mixing and interactions in the ocean near the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica” (Supervisors: Dr Mike Williams (NIWA) and Dr Ross Vennell). For more information on Natalie's work, please contact the Department of Marine Science by email at marine.science@otago.ac.nz.

2011 Exceptional theses

  • Rory Gamble, Department of Physics: "The 17-19 January 2005 atmosphere electron precipitation event" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Craig Rodger). For more information on Rory's work, please contact the Physics Department by email at physics@otago.ac.nz.
  • Louise Mainvil, Department of Human Nutrition: "Applying the transtheoretical model to fruit and vegetable consumption" (Primary Supervisor: Emeritus Professor Rob Lawson). For more information on Louise's work, please contact the Human Nutrition Department by email at admin.humannutrition@otago.ac.nz.
  • Damian Scarf, Department of Psychology: "Representation of serial order in pigeons (Columba livia)" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Mike Colombo). For more information on Damian's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email at psycadmin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Anja Studer, Department of Zoology: "Paraitism in a changing world: The intertidal trematode Maritrema novazealandensis and its hosts" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Robert Poulin). For more information on Anja's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology.admin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Amy Wolff, Department of Psychology: "Brain and behaviour in an animal model of schizophrenia" (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Bilkey). For more information on Amy's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email at psycadmin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Janine Wright, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: "Incorporating genotype uncertainty into mark-recapture-type models for estimating abundance using DNA samples" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Richard Barker). For more information on Janine's work, please contact the Mathematics and Statistics Department by email at maths@otago.ac.nz.
  • Danilo Pecorino, Department of Marine Science: "Population biology and larval ecology of the sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii (Agassiz 1863) in New Zealand under the influence of global climate change" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Miles Lamare). For more information on Danilo's work, please contact the Marine Science Department by email at marine.science@otago.ac.nz.

2010 Exceptional theses

  • Catherine Grueber, Department of Zoology: "Inbreeding, heterozgosity and fitness in bottlenecked populations: a case study of takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri)" (Primary Supervisor: Emeritus Professor Ian Jamieson). For more information on Catherine's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology.admin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Enitan Ibisanmi, Department of Chemistry: "The biogeochemistry of iron-complexing ligands in the open ocean" (Primary Supervisor: Emeritus Professor Keith Hunter). For more information on Enitan's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Pascal Sirguey, Department of Surveying: "Monitoring snow cover and modelling catchment discharge with remote sensing in the upper Waitaki basin, New Zealand" (Primary Supervisor: Dr. Renaud Mathieu). For more information on Pascal's work, please contact the Surveying Department by email at surveying@otago.ac.nz.
  • Hayden Walles, Department of Computer Science: "A perceptual basis for noun phrase syntax" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Ali Knott). For more information on Hayden's work, please contact the Computer Science Department by email at csadmin@cs.otago.ac.nz.
  • Tod Wright, Department of Physics: "Dynamics of quantum vortices at finite temperature" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Rob Ballagh). For more information on Tod's work, please contact the Physics Department by email at physics@otago.ac.nz.

2009 Exceptional theses

  • Gareth Crutchley, Department of Geology: "Gas hydrates on New Zealand's Hikurangi Margin: the importance of focused fluid flow for highly-concentrated deposits, methane seepage and sea floor erosion" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Andrew Gorman). For more information on Gareth's work, please contact the Geology Department by email at geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Laura Haffert, Department of Geology: "Metalloid mobility at historic mine and industrial processing sites in the south Island of New Zealand" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Dave Craw). For more information on Laura's work, please contact the Geology Department by email at geology@otago.ac.nz .
  • Jonathan Kitchen, Department of Chemistry: "Iron(II)complexes of 1,2,4-triazole ligand systems: control and prediction of spin crossover" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Sally Brooker). For more information on Jonathan's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Lee-Ann Sharp, School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences: "The role of sport psychology consultant effectiveness within the consulting relationship" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Ken Hodge). For more information on Lee-Ann's work, please contact the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences by email at physical-education@otago.ac.nz.
  • Sebastian Suggate, Department of Psychology: "Response to reading and age-related development: Do later starters catch-up?" (Primary Supervisor: Dr. Elizabeth Schaughency). For more information on Sebastian's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email at psycadmin@otago.ac.nz.

2008 Exceptional theses

  • Victoria Adlam, Department of Chemistry: "Chemical investigations of mitochondria" (Primary Supervisor: Emeritus Professor Rob Smith). For more information on Victoria's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Gary Ainge, Department of Chemistry: "The synthesis of phosphatidylinositol mannans and their analogues" (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Larsen). For more information on Gary's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Blake Dyer, Department of Chemistry: "The synthesis and characterisation of phosphatidylinositol mannans" (Primary Supervisor: Professor David Larsen). For more information on Blake's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Clement Lagrue, Department of Zoology: "Alternative life- history strategies in the trematode Coitocaecum parvum (Opecoelidae): effects of environmental factors and within-host competition" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Robert Poulin). For more information on Clement's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology.admin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Daniel Leduc, Department of Marine Science: "The ecology and taxonomy of meiofauna at Papanui inlet, with particular emphasis on nematodes" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Keith Probert). For more information on Daniel's work, please contact the Marine Science Department by email at marine.science@otago.ac.nz.
  • Tommy Leung, Department of Zoology: "Interspecific and intraspecific interactions of trematodes parasitising the New Zealand cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Robert Poulin). For more information on Tommy's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology.admin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Cushla McGoverin, Department of Chemistry: "Raman spectroscopy of complex mixtures" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Keith Gordon). For more information on Cushla's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Rebecca McLeod, Department of Marine Science: "The roles of key species and functional guilds in facilitating fluxes of organic matter across habitat boundaries in Fiordland" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Steve Wing). For more information on Rebecca's work, please contact the Marine Science Department by email at marine.science@otago.ac.nz.
  • Bastiaan Star, Department of Zoology: "Space-matters: Modeling selection in spatially heterogeneous environments" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Hamish Spencer). For more information on Bastiaan's work, please contact the Zoology Department by email at zoology.admin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Virginia Toy, Department of Geology: "Rheology of the Alpine Fault Mylonite Zone: deformation processes at and below the base of the seismogenic zone in a major plate boundary structure" (Primary Supervisor: Emeritus Professor Richard Norris). For more information on Virginia's work, please contact the Geology Department by email at geology@otago.ac.nz.
  • Jamie Wood, Department of Geology: "Pre-settlement paleoecology of Central Otago's semi-arid lowlands, with emphasis on the pre-settlement role of avian herbivory in South Island dryland ecosystems, New Zealand" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor Daphne Lee). For more information on Jamie's work, please contact the Geology Department by email at  geology@otago.ac.nz.

2007 Exceptional theses

  • Toni Atkinson, Department of Botany: "Unexpected microfungal diversity: woody decay lasiosphaeriaceae, chaertosphaeriaceae and helminthosphaeriaceae of New Zealand" (Primary Supervisor: Associate Professor David Orlovich). For more information on Toni's work, please contact the Botany Department by email at botany@otago.ac.nz.
  • Cory Black, Department of Chemistry: "Supramolecular complexes of multimodal ligands" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Lyall Hanton). For more information on Cory's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Tracey Clarke, Department of Chemistry: "An investigation of polaron, bipolaron and exciton structures in oligothiophenes: a resonance raman and theoretical study" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Keith Gordon). For more information on Tracey's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.
  • Fiona Jack, Department of Psychology: "Childhood amnesia: retrospective studies, prospective studies and theoretical explanations" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Harlene Hayne). For more information on Fiona's work, please contact the Psychology Department by email at psycadmin@otago.ac.nz.
  • Rachel McQueen, Clothing and Textile Programme: "Axillary odour in apparel textiles" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Racheal Laing). For more information on Rachel's work, please contact the Clothing and Textile Programme by email at materials.enquiries@otago.ac.nz.
  • Matthew Schofield, Department of Mathematics and Statistics: "Hierarchical capture-recapture models" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Richard Barker). For more information on Matthew's work, please contact the Mathematics and Statistics Department by email at maths@otago.ac.nz.
  • Penelope Walsh, Department of Chemistry: "Modelling and spectroscopy of polypryridyl and porphyrin complexes for electroluminescence and solar cell applications" (Primary Supervisor: Professor Keith Gordon). For more information on Penelope's work, please contact the Chemistry Department by email at chemistry@otago.ac.nz.

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