Our TEAM
Executive Team
Te Ao Mārama is headed by a fantastic team of ground breaking leaders in a diverse range of fields.
PROFESSOR KATHY CAMPBELL
School of Environment, Faculty of Science
PROFESSOR RICHARD EASTHER
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
DR DANIEL HIKUROA
Māori Studies, Faculty of Arts
DR NICHOLAS RATTENBURY
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
DR EMILY PARKE
School of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts
We are explorers
We are a team of educators interested in questions that promise to transcend disciplinary boundaries: what is the origin of life? Is our own universe part of a much larger multiverse? What types of planets circle other stars in our galaxy?
Other Team Members
DR MICHAEL ROWE
School of Environment, Faculty of Science
DR JOHN CATER
Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering
DR MATTHEW EGBERT
Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science
DR KIM HANDLEY
School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
PROFESSOR ANTHONY POOLE
School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
Associate PROFESSOR Jan Eldridge
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
Dr Nobuto Takeuchi
School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
PETER WILLS
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Christine Woods
Faculty of Business and Economics
Professor David Noone
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Kerry Loomes
Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science
Our Students
Postgraduate
- Michaela Dobson, PhD Geology, works with Director Kathy Campbell and Dr. Michael Rowe, Geology/ Astrobiology. Michaela studies the Earliest Evidence of Life on land and possible life on other planets.
- Kitty Sriaporn, PhD Microbiology, works with Dr Kim Handley and Director Kathy Campbell, Microbiology/ Astrobiology/ Extreme Life. Kitty looks at hot spring microbiology and their genetic adaptations to temperature, and how this relates to the origin of life.
- Isabella Kite, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science, works with Dr. Matthew Egbert, Computer Science/ Neuroscience. Isabella uses a VR environment to perform common psychology experiments used for studying cognitive control and to create a testing ground for the collection of data on the manual dynamics of the body.
- Amelia Cordwell, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physics, works with Dr. Nick Rattenbury, Physics/Astrophysics. Amelia applies data from a microlensing survey telescope to identify the physical properties of asteroids in our solar system.
- Ema Nersezova, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Earth Science, working with Director Kathy Campbell and Dr. Michael Rowe. Ema studies the textural and mechanical properties of hot spring digitate sinters with a broader context of sampling possible digitate sinter samples at Columbia Hills, Mars
Undergradute
- Samantha Abbott, Summer Research Student, works with Director Kathy Campbell, Geology/ Extreme Life. Samantha participated in a Summer Research Scholarship mapping Hot Spring deposits at Hells Gate/ Tikitere and relating this possible Hot Spring deposits on Mars.
- Stevie Katavich-Barton, Summer Research Student, works with Director Kathy Campbell and Dr Nick Rattenbury, Outreach/ Geology/ Physics. Stevie articipated in a Summer Research Scholarship creating Astrobiology Outreach material for school students. She is also very passonate about Astrophysics.
- Lalita Garg, Reseach Assistant, works with Director Kathy Campbell, Geology. Lalita developes 3D models of Astrobiology realated outcrops for Outreach and teaching purposes.
Past Students
- Ayrton Hamilton, PhD in Geology, works with Director Kathy Campbell, Geology/ Minerology. Ayrton evaluates the link between siliceous sinters and mineralisation at depth.