Marine heatwave theory supported by historical temperature records
Friday 4 November 2022
Responding to climate change
Coastal People: Southern Skies is a Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) based at the University of Otago.
The collaboration connects communities with world-leading, cross-discipline research to support transformative change to rebuild coastal ecosystems.
The focus is on the changes resulting from ocean warming and acidification, sea-level rise, and climate change. Research includes responding to the decline in culture, local economy, and well-being of coastal people in New Zealand and across the Pacific.
Coastal connections Otago Magazine feature
Postgraduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships available
Applications are now open. For eligibility and application details, visit:
Our people
Coastal People: Southern Skies (CPSS) involves researchers from University of Otago, education programmes, government and community partners, University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, University of Canterbury, and Auckland University of Technology.
Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson and Associate Professor Chris Hepburn lead the Coastal People: Southern Skies collaboration.
Our researchers feature prominently in the University of Otago's prestigious publication, He Kitenga:
- Auckland Islands: Investigating past events and ocean health
- eDNA's species snapshot: Monitoring marine environments
- Empowering communities in heritage management
- Foundational change: Reviewing our laws for environmental governance
- Stemming the tide: Water-safety using Māori cultural knowledge
Vision and mission
Our vision is flourishing wellness (mauri ora), of coastal social-ecological systems and communities.
Our mission is to connect, understand and restore coastal marine environments and communities in New Zealand and the Pacific through transformative research, local action and unlocking potential through new pathways to learning.
The values that guide our approach are diversity, humility, integrity and respect which allow us to work in true partnership with our proud coastal communities.
University of Otago research partners
Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai
Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai promised to use the lessons learned from our previous program – Kia Mau te Tītī Mo Ake Tōnu Atu – to assist fellow kaitiaki to assert rangitiratanga and kaitiakitanga to re-establish and maintain customary use of mahinga kai throughout Aotearoa. Our work today focuses on research, community tools, and dialogue.
Meet our Project Co-ordinators:
Associate Professor Chris Hepburn
Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson
Te Koronga
Te Koronga refers to the yearning for esoteric knowledge for the betterment of our world. Our kaupapa is Māori research excellence based on the aspirations of Māori communities underpinned by a Kaupapa Māori ethos.
Meet our Co-Directors:
Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson
Dr Chanel Phillips
Department of Marine Science
The Department of Marine Science is a multidisciplinary department with research strengths in both biological and physical marine sciences. We have research facilities around the South Island of New Zealand but research is conducted from Fiji to Antarctica.
Meet our Director of the Aquaculture and Fisheries programme:
Associate Professor Chris Hepburn
Va'a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health
Va'a o Tautai – Centre for Pacific Health is home to a dedicated team of Pacific and non-Pacific researchers working and teaching in areas of importance to Pacific communities in New Zealand and internationally.
Meet our Deputy Director:
Associate Professor Rosalina Richards
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
The NZ Marine Studies Centre offers marine education programmes, and operates a research aquarium based in Portobello on the Otago Peninsula, where there has been a marine research station for over 100 years, starting with a fish hatchery in 1904.
Meet our Director:
Sally Carson
Future Ocean Research Theme
Future Ocean Research Theme works to understand human impact on our marine ecosystem and physical environment. We use biological and physical time series, controlled experiments, and modelling to establish the interactions between chemical, physical, and biological processes.
Meet our Director:
Associate Professor Linn Hoffmann
Research Centre for Oceanography
The Research Centre for Oceanography, a partnership between NIWA and the University of Otago, is at the forefront of aquatic and environmental marine research. The Centre explores a range of research areas to promote and enhance excellence in chemical and physical oceanography.
Meet our Directors:
Cliff Law
Professor Russell Frew
Southern Pacific Archaeological Research
Southern Pacific Archaeological Research uses archaeology's emerging technologies to provide extraordinary insight into human interactions with fauna and environments in New Zealand and the Pacific. Our research is producing answers to questions that traditional methods have not solved.
Meet our Directors:
Professor Richard Walter
Dr Karen Greig
