Otago’s Young Alumni Award winners full of heart and purpose

From Alzheimer’s research to opera, geopolitics to health equity, conservation leadership to advocacy for refugees and minority communities, the University of Otago 20Twenties Young Alumni Award winners for 2025 are an inspirational group, already making a real impact across diverse fields.

The thread that binds the 20 award recipients is their desire to contribute to society, face challenge and bring positive change.

The awards celebrate graduates in their twenties who have demonstrated outstanding achievements, contributed significantly to their communities, or shown leadership in a personal or professional capacity. Nominations for the awards are received from the wider Otago alumni community, friends, employers and colleagues.

“Being part of this panel has reminded me how powerfully an Otago education can help young people discover who they are and the impact they want to make,” – Dr Jackie Tagg

Judging panellist, Professional Practice Fellow Division of Health Sciences, Dr Jackie Tagg, says serving on the panel was a genuinely uplifting experience.

“Reading through the nominations, I was struck by the incredible variety of things our young alumni are doing – from health and community work to research, entrepreneurship, advocacy, and creative projects,” says Jackie.

“What impressed me most was their heart. Every nominee showed a strong sense of purpose and a desire to contribute in ways that matter, whether in their local communities or on a much wider scale. It was a privilege to sit with their stories, and I often found myself pausing just to appreciate how far they’ve already come.”

Jackie says as she read through the nominations, it was clear that the Otago experience had shaped them in special ways.

“Many talked about the support, encouragement, and confidence they gained here – both in the classroom and through the wider student experience. The blend of academic challenge, community, and opportunity seems to have given them not only strong professional foundations but also the values that guide their work today.

“Being part of this panel has reminded me how powerfully an Otago education can help young people discover who they are and the impact they want to make.”

Warmest congratulations all the winners. You can read more about them here:

Award winners for 2025

Omotola Oyesiji Amusan

(MIntSt with Distinction 2020, PhD 2023)

Omotola completed his doctoral research with the University of Otago’s Politics Programme in 2023. His work examines Chinese grand strategy, geoeconomics, and engagement with Africa, Southeast Asia, and the South Pacific. His research aims to uncover how trade, infrastructure investment, and financial flows are reshaping governance and development across these regions of the developing world.

He has contributed to international scholarship through peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, online commentary, and presentations at global workshops. Currently, he is a lecturer at the University of Waikato.

As an educator, he is committed to encouraging future generations to explore unconventional approaches to building a world where everyone has the opportunity to experience freedom, safety, and prosperity – an ethos that also underpins his research.

Omotola has demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening community cohesion. He served as Vice President of the Afro-Caribbean Society for Academics and Professionals, fostering intercultural exchanges between the Afro-Caribbean community and local iwi.

He was also a member of the Dunedin Multicultural Council, where, under the leadership of President Lux Selvanesan, he helped run a programme encouraging men from diverse cultural backgrounds to take greater responsibility in the kitchen and challenge gender stereotypes. Additionally, he engaged extensively with the Dunedin City Council under former Mayor, the late Jules Radich, to strengthen Dunedin’s sister-city relationships with cities in China.

Liam Arthur

(BA Philosophy, Politics, Economics 2020)

The Bowling Club founders Liam Arthur and his partner Jackie Bannon serve up thrifty and delicious meals at their community eatery in Dunedin.

Liam and Jackie founded The Bowling Club in 2023, with the aim of addressing food insecurity and social isolation in a way that is accessible to everyone. What started as a simple food truck providing $4 meals has grown into a beloved business.

Based at the South Dunedin Community Network, they are committing to feeding the people of Dunedin nutritious, hot, and cheap kai in a project which provides a clear community focus.

“To us, making food is to share and extend, and this is what the project is all about.”

Joseph Balfe

(MusB 2019, BSc Neuroscience 2022, MSc with Distinction Neuroscience 2024)

Joseph is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychiatry at the University of Oxford on a fully funded Clarendon Scholarship. He is working in Oxford’s Translational Neurostimulation Laboratory to develop new treatments for depression.

As a professional guitarist, Joseph initially completed a Bachelor of Music at Otago. However, he soon became fascinated by the idea of a career in neuroscience. During his master’s, he co-invented the VentiMate with Associate Professor Yusuf Cakmak, which is now a patented neurostimulation device to treat asthma attacks. With this, Joseph went on to become the Falling Walls Lab Aotearoa New Zealand overall winner and represented the country at the Global Summit in Berlin, Germany.

Joseph also spent four years in residential leadership within the Otago colleges during his studies, with one year as Senior Sub-Warden at University College. During his master’s, he was also a full-time Clinical Trials Associate at Pacific Edge Cancer Diagnostics to strengthen his passion for non-invasive health technology.

Josephine Cook

(BSc Genetics, BCom Marketing 2022)

After graduating, Josie joined Nestlé’s NextGen Graduate Program, completing rotations in sales, commercial planning, and digital brand management. In 2024, she was appointed Assistant Brand & Shopper Manager for Confectionery and Original Kiwi Dip and in 2025, stepped into a new leadership role as Brand and Category Manager.

A finalist for the 2025 Marketer of the Future in the YouTube NZ Marketing Awards, Josie is a passionate advocate for young marketers.

Josie represented Otago in rowing at international regattas in China and medalled at the NZ Rowing Championships. She served as Secretary of the Otago Commerce Students’ Association, led initiatives at the Social Impact Studio, and was named in the Dean’s List in 2021 (Commerce). She also co-authored a scientific paper published in the prestigious international journal Molecular Microbiology.

Jim Davies

(BSc Hons, Neuroscience 2022)

Jim’s PhD research has centred on testing a gene therapy approach for treating Alzheimer’s disease, using a mouse model of the disorder. His work has been uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of the approach as a therapeutic option.

He is experienced in providing care to Dunedin families and older citizens as a support worker and as a mental health assistant at Wakari Hospital in Dunedin.

A skilled science communicator, he won the Otago Medical School Research Society award for his essay, Unlocking hope in treating Alzheimer’s, which was published in the ODT.

Jim has won oral presentation awards at the Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research and the Kiwicam conference, and recently won the best oral presentation at a national online symposium for early career neuroscience researchers.

Christina Deng

(MSc with Distinction Bioengineering 2020, PhD 2024)

Since completing her PhD in Bioengineering, Christina has been driving several projects that aim to improve patient care in dentistry and oral health. Her work includes developing advanced hydrogels for inflammation treatment, creating novel drug delivery systems, and leading research that bridges the gap between laboratory science and real clinical needs.

Despite being early in her career, Christina has stepped up to carry forward multiple research grants, mentored students, and built collaborations with clinicians and multidisciplinary teams. She thinks about how her work can genuinely benefit patients and communities, both in advanced healthcare settings and where resources are limited.

Christina’s vision is to make healthcare more effective, accessible, and forward-thinking.

Shania Fox

(BCom Management 2021)

During her time at Otago, Shania distinguished herself both academically and through leadership and service. She was President of Te Tai Tuarā (TTT), the association established to support Māori Commerce students, and championed a vibrant, supportive community for tauira Māori.

Shania is now Group HR Manager at VIP Group, overseeing HR across 17 entities and more than 500 employees, and her professional excellence has been recognised nationally, including her achievement as a Chartered Member of HRNZ (2025).

Shania has volunteered for organisations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Camp Quality, and has also mentored young professionals, offering encouragement and guidance to those at the start of their journeys.

Laura Gemmell-Sinnott

(Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Raukawa, Ngaruāhine and Waikato) (BHealSc Māori Health 2021)

Laura worked as a Teaching Fellow for the Hauora Māori major papers in the Bachelor of Health Sciences programme in 2022-2023. This included the first opportunity for undergraduate students in the programme to be introduced to sexual and reproductive health for rangatahi through a te ao Māori lens.

Laura’s doctoral work is focused on a kaupapa Māori analysis of New Zealand sexual health strategies and how the incorporation of mātauranga Māori could inform and strengthen those strategies.

She has presented at several conferences and received numerous awards and scholarships, including a Fulbright Scholarship, allowing her to carry out aspects of her doctoral research in the US.

Laura is an active contributor to her marae, a mama, and studying the reo Māori in her ‘spare time’.

Eman Ghandour

(BA Sociology 2017)

Eman is a career practitioner and community advocate whose work sits at the intersection of education, equity, and belonging. With more than a decade of experience working alongside young people and communities, her passion is rooted in supporting those who have historically been underrepresented in education and employment.

For the past seven years, Eman has worked at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), including time supporting learners in regional and rural communities such as Gisborne and Northland. She is now based at AUT South Campus, where her work focuses on community-centred recruitment and engagement, particularly with Māori, Pacific, migrant, and refugee communities. Completing a Graduate Diploma in Career Development strengthened her practice as a career practitioner, grounding her work in culturally responsive and reflective approaches.

Eman has led a community-focused event at AUT South Campus designed to centre and amplify migrant and refugee community voices, while supporting families and communities to better understand tertiary education pathways and experiences. She currently serves on the AUT South Campus Steering Group and has previously been involved with the Sir Robert Jones Refugee Daughters Scholarship Board. She was also selected as a Duffy Books in Homes Role Model, where she speaks with young people about the importance of literacy, education, and storytelling.

From this collective journey, Eman founded Khawat – meaning “sisters” in Arabic – a community-led, not-for-profit initiative established in 2023. Khawat was created to support women, particularly those from migrant and refugee backgrounds, through career development, mentoring, and holistic support across their life and career journeys.

Justin Havea

(BCom Marketing 2022)

Justin is currently Export Sales lead at Tropex Exports, developing marketing campaigns, analysing consumer behaviour, and fostering key relationships. Justin also manages a small team delivering photobooths across the Auckland region at Hotshotz Photobooth.

His earlier internship with Bunnings Limited through the Tupu Toa programme also highlights his capacity for strategic thinking and community engagement. He collaborated with NZ Touch and NZ Rugby to deliver community events aligned with Bunnings’ brand values.

Justin coaches the Mangere East Under 8 Mighty Hawks Rugby League team, is involved with the Onehunga Toastmasters Club and actively participates in his church.

Sarah Hubbard

(MusB Performance 2022)

Since graduating, Sarah has completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Opera at the Queensland Conservatorium at Griffith University, and is now pursuing a Masters in Opera at The Universität der Künste Berlin, one of the most prestigious opera training programmes in the world.

Her accolades include the Most Promising Female Singer award and the Robert Salzer Foundation Prize at the Australian National Liederfest; First Prize for the Canterbury Opera Foundation Aria competition; and finalist for the New Zealand Lexus Song Quest.

Her roles include Queen of the Night in Voxalis' production of The Magic Flute and Suor Angelica in Queensland Conservatorium's production of Suor Angelica. She has attended the prestigious New Zealand Opera School, and received the FAME award for emerging practitioners.

Jerwin Morcilla

(BCom Human Resource Management, Economics 2022, MIntBus with Distinction 2024)

After graduating, Jerwin found work at the Wellington City Mission as a Financial Mentor. Here, he supported individuals and whānau experiencing hardship by offering practical guidance and advocating for them. This also included working alongside other Wellington City Mission services to support clients’ overall wellbeing, and taking a holistic approach in recognising that their financial issues were often linked to wider life challenges.

Jerwin then moved into a new role as an analyst in the public sector. He is part of a team that assesses complaints about businesses and works to ensure markets operate well for New Zealanders. Jerwin analyses complex consumer issues, identifies regulatory risks, and contributes to enforcement outcomes. He enjoys the opportunity to help ensure commercial laws are followed and that consumers’ and the public’s rights are respected.

Sophia Niblock

(BA Politics, History 2024)

As a teenager, Sophia represented New Zealand through UN Youth, travelling to both Australia and Vanuatu. These experiences introduced her to global diplomacy, youth leadership, and cross-cultural collaboration, laying the foundation for her future in humanitarian work.

She is currently completing a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies.

As a Youth Ambassador for Leprosy Mission New Zealand, she travelled to Nepal, and has been raising money for a mobile hospital unit there since her return.

Sophia has been selected to spend eight months in Madagascar as a volunteer humanitarian photographer with Mercy Ships. This role brings together her peace and conflict expertise with her talent for documentary photography. Through this work, she will ethically document stories and amplify the voices of patients and communities served by Mercy Ships.

Catrin Ogilvie

(Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa) (BAppSc Molecular Biotechnology, Māori Studies 2024, BSc (Hons) Microbiology 2025)

Catrin was awarded a University of Otago Scholarship in Applied Science and the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences Māori Postgraduate Scholarship to undertake her Honours studies. Her current research focuses on tuberculosis in Māori communities, an area where her work has the potential to create meaningful and lasting impact.

She has been a tutor at the Pūhoro STEMM Academy, which improves rangatahi engagement in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and mātauranga Māori, and helps tauira navigating university entrance and scholarship applications.

Catrin is a member of both the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences Māori Strategic Framework Groups.

She has also represented New Zealand at the 2022 World Under-20 and 2025 World Under-24 Ultimate Championships.

Nathaniel Otley

(MusB (Hons) Composition, Musical Performance 2019)

After graduating, Nathaniel received a William Georgetti Scholarship to study composition at Sydney University. During this time, he worked alongside many world-leading composers and musicians.

Since then, he has won the 2024 SOUNZ Contemporary Music award, and gone on to compose and perform many original pieces, often inspired by his time in Dunedin.

His music is interested in exploring delicate and unusual sonic worlds. This includes working closely with instruments and performers to find unexpected and subversive ways of generating sound.

Nathaniel has also sampled sounds from the local environment in his music, and has a keen interest in climate change research and response.

He is currently studying towards a PhD in composition at the City University of New York.

Lachie Scarsbrook

(BSc Geology, Zoology 2018, MSc with Distinction Zoology 2021)

Lachie recently completed his DPhil at Oxford (Merton College) on a Clarendon Scholarship and is now a Junior Research Fellow (Somerville College) undertaking postdoctoral research in palaeogenomics. In 2023, he was named as one of four Merton Prize Scholars.

Lachie uses ancient DNA to investigate the role that humans and the environment have played in shaping global animal populations. During his MSc at Otago, he co-developed a new method of DNA extraction that avoids damaging small and fragile ancient bones. As part of this work, he described a new species of gecko, which was named through collaboration with local Māori iwi (Te Āti Awa).

Lachie’s current research is unravelling the 20,000-year history of humans and their closest evolutionary companion, dogs. Lachie has also supported Hands-On at Otago and was an RA in his second year (Cumberland College).

Tara Shepherd

(BAppSc Environmental Management, Politics 2024)

Tara is a policy advisor at the Ministry for the Environment contributing to the Natural Hazard Policy Team. In her previous local government roles for the Buller District Council, she contributed to long-term planning and town adaptation projects. Her focus sits at the intersection of mobilising people, accessibility in development, rural communities and climate-resilient infrastructure.

As Waste Management Co-ordinator during the 2021 Westport floods, Tara wrote and implemented the waste recovery plan that removed more than 1,100 tonnes of flood-affected waste in six days.

Tara has contributed lived-experience to education policy that spans from early learning through to tertiary. She led the Let’s Get Accessible interagency research project, advancing accessibility in tertiary education.

Her governance roles include Co-President of the National Disabled Students’ Association (2023 and 2024) and National Executive Committee Member for the Disabled Persons Assembly. She also served as Welfare & Equity Representative for the Otago University Students’ Association.

Tara has represented Aotearoa New Zealand at the Commonwealth Youth Parliament and the Conference for Pacific Education Ministers, and was selected as a UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leader for 2025 and 2026.

Jim Smith

(Te Ātiawa – Te Waipounamu) (BMedSc (Hons) 2018, MB ChB 2021)

After graduating, Jim joined Te Whatu Ora – Southern, where he works as a General Surgery and Urology Registrar, and the University of Otago’s Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, where he is a key member of the Chatterjee laboratory and holds honorary positions as a Research Fellow and Clinical Lecturer.

As the 2024 Roche Translational Cancer Research Fellow, Jim leads pioneering projects that integrate molecular biology and clinical practice to improve outcomes for men with prostate and pancreatic cancer.

His early establishment of CRISPR-based epigenetic-editing systems in New Zealand marked a genuine technical breakthrough for the country’s biomedical research capacity.

He now applies his experience in cancer epigenetics to advance multi-omic biomarker discovery for early cancer detection.

Jim supervises PhD students, mentors trainee interns, and contributes to equitable participation in health research. He has presented his findings at international conferences across Europe and Australasia and his recent Fellowship and Maurice Wilkins Centre grants reflect national recognition of his research leadership.

Nicole Thomson

(BSc (Hons) Genetics, 2021)

Nicole is currently completing her PhD at the University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on the structural dynamics and interactions of the LEUNIG regulatory complex in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This complex is shown to play a significant role in the early stage of plant development, known as embryogenesis. Additionally, it is fundamental to controlling root architecture and growth, and as such, Nicole’s research aims to further the understanding of plant development.

Nicole has been widely recognised for her research excellence through awards and scholarships. Highlights include presenting her research at international conferences and collaborating with geneticists at the Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf during a research visit to Germany.  

She is also focused on science outreach. In 2024, she was the co-president of the Melbourne University Genetics Postgraduate Society. In this role she mentored new graduate students and organised events promoting genetics research.

Maioha Watson

(Waikato, Tūhoe, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Manawa) (BA (Hons) Māori Studies 2024)

As Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa for the Office of Māori Development, Maioha leads and supports the delivery of mihi whakatau and whakawātea on campus. He also serves as a kaikōrero representative for the University during off-campus visits.

A champion of te reo Māori, Maioha has completed the Toi Reo Māori | Māori Translating License. He has also served as a Te Mana Ākonga Te Huinga Tauira Kaiwhakawā (National Māori Student Association judge).

Maioha was an Aspiring Leaders Forum Delegate for Ngāti Mutunga in 2025 and received a Prime Minister’s Scholarship, participating in a cultural exchange to Taiwan in 2025.

He was a composer for the Te Rōpū Māori 30th Anniversary EP/Album, and also served as an executive member of Te Rōpū Māori in the role of Recreation and Welfare Officer.

Maioha is currently studying toward a Master of Arts in Māori Studies and is set to graduate at the end of this year.