Conference Prizes are awarded for outstanding student presentations during the NZMSS annual conference.
Best Overall Student Talks
Timothy Thomson (left) with NZMSS President Anna Madarasz-Smith (right).First place: Tim Thompson – University of Waikato
“Unearthing the drivers of organic matter degradation in mangrove soils of the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel regions”
Runner-up: Shinae Montie – University of Canterbury
“Trends in coastal marine heatwaves across seasons and bioregions and a case study of ecological impacts in southern New Zealand”
Best Posters
First place: Jack Carter – Auckland University of Technology
“Investigating the effect of bacterial co-infections on juvenile and adult green-lipped mussels: A laboratory study“
Runner-up: Xuelei Zhang – University of Auckland
“Habitat use of New Zealand southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in southern New Zealand Marine Protected Areas”
Best Student Presentations - Special Topics
Coastal Marine Science and Resource Management
Sponsored by: Coastal Special Interest Group (CSIG)
Saskia Foreman – University of Otago
“Cumulative effects of microplastics and nitrogen loading on microphytobenthos and sediment-dwelling infauna”
Dr Roger Grace Scientific Diving Award
Sponsored by: University of Auckland
Celia Balemi – University of Otago
“Subtropical sea urchin poses novel threat to diverse rock wall assemblages in northern New Zealand”
Marine Conservation and Restoration
Sponsored by: Department of Conservation
Hayley Nessia – University of Auckland
“Using marine reserves to assess the status of crayfish/koura Jasus edwardsii populations in the Hauraki Gulf, northeastern New Zealand”
Mātauranga Māori Research
Sponsored by: MUSA Environmental
Sarah Rewi – University of Auckland
“Seabirds as Tohu of Ocean State”