Date:  21 August 2023

“We want to encourage fresh, innovative research to help Aotearoa New Zealand reach its conservation goals such as thriving indigenous species and ecosystems, and the enrichment of people’s lives through conservation,” DOC’s Chief Science Advisor Mike Bunce says.

“Applications that align research with DOC and LINZ’s Long-term Insights Briefing – which covers remote sensing, AI and genetic tools – will be of particular interest to DOC this year.”

Mike Bunce says both mainstream science and/or mātauranga Māori approaches that map onto the departments 2023 postgraduate scholarship research priorities are welcome.

Eight scholarships worth up to $15,000 each are being offered. DOC is funding six scholarships and the remaining two are funded in collaboration with Tiakina Kauri (the Kauri Protection Agency within Biosecurity New Zealand) and the Environmental Protection Authority.

“This is the fourth year this scholarship scheme has run and there are now a cohort of early career researchers that are kicking goals in conservation – there is a buzz across the Department that we are able to help support students across the University sector” said Mike Bunce.

Applications for the scholarship are open to fulltime or part time Master’s students enrolled at a New Zealand university or NZQA accredited tertiary institution, who plan to do research on a relevant topic in the 2024 academic year.

Applications close 2 October 2023.

For application information, visit the Postgraduate scholarship programme web page. 

Related links

• DOC and LINZ's Long-term Insights Briefing (PDF, 3,142K)
• 2023 postgraduate scholarship research priorities

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