Conference Prizes are awarded for outstanding student presentations during the NZMSS annual conference.
Best Overall Student Talks
First place (sponsored by: the Auckland Museum): Ashley Flood – University of Auckland
“Gut instinct: feeding eco-physiology of the spiny lobster, Jasus edwardsii“
Runner-up (sponsored by: the Auckland Museum): Isla Twigg – University of Otago
“Propagating a cellular stress into the environment: revealing hydrogen peroxide as an external stressor in coastal ecosystems”
Best Student Poster
Sponsored by: the Auckland Museum
Gustav Kessel – Victoria University
“Deadman’s fingers point to new species of endemic octocorals”
Best Student Presentations - Special Topic
Conservation Biology
Sponsored by: the Society for Conservation Biology
Matthew Bennion – University of Waikato
“Disease in a threatened NZ surf clam”
Use of Quantitative Methodology (Talk)
Sponsored by: MPI Fisheries
Michelle Marraffini – University of Canterbury
“Quantifying species interactions and coexistence in marine fouling communities”
Use of Quantitative Methodology (Poster)
Sponsored by: MPI Fisheries
Wayne Dillon – University of Otago
“Monitoring calcium carbonate stability: development of a deployable detection system”
Marine Biosecurity
Sponsored by: MPI Biosecurity
Hayley Nessia – University of Auckland
“Invasion of the Japanese Mantis shrimp in NZ”
Research in Marine Protected Areas
Sponsored by: Department of Conservation
Henry (Harry) Allard – University of Auckland
“The varied effects of protection on reef fish assemblages in three NZ marine reserves”
Marine Ecology
Sponsored by: Boffa Miskell
Spencer Virgin – University of Canterbury
“Managed realignment in the upper Bay of Fundy, Canada: community dynamics during salt marsh restoration”
In honor of Dr. Roger Grace
Scientific Diving Award
Sponsored by: University of Auckland
Ohad Peleg – University of Auckland
“Assessing changes in health of shallow urban reef ecosystems: results from 12 years of monitoring”
Battle of the Labs
University of Waikato
This prize is awarded to the university that achieved the highest average score across all of their student presentations/posters