The Mountain Research Centre (MRC) is dedicated to providing research expertise on mountain environments for government, industry and recreationists. Mountain regions are complex social-ecological systems spanning a myriad of biological, social and physical processes. Our mission is to generate and disseminate knowledge that enables informed decisions and supports actions related to mountain environments.
Drawing together the University of Otago’s research expertise
Established in 2020, the Mountain Research Centre aims to foster high quality research to better understand our mountain regions in New Zealand and across the world, including but not limited to alpine meteorology and climatology, detection of surface changes and geo-hazards from space, snow avalanches and the impacts of climate change on seasonal snow and glaciers.
Our multi-disciplinary approach blends innovative scientific practice with on-the-ground application for a range of partners. We aim to build links with other research institutes, government and industry to support efforts to protect mountain environments, minimise harm to people and infrastructure from both extreme events and longer-term changes to these landscapes, as well as to maximise benefits to those who depend on mountain environments for their livelihoods.
Meet the team
The Mountain Research Centre is built on an equal opportunity platform, without a formal organisational structure. Each member is actively involved in upholding the mission to provide research expertise on mountain environments. The structure provides opportunities for researchers at all levels, including postgraduate students, to advance knowledge and engage with a broad range of stakeholders.
I am entering the thesis year of my MSc degree with my research focused on using remote sensing techniques to characterise how rivers, hillslopes, and glaciers in the Southern Alps are evolving over time. I am particularly interested in how landscapes are responding to climate change beyond obvious phenomena like glacial retreat. I enjoy solving programming problems and using data to quantitatively analyse the world. I'm passionate about conservation and preserving access to outdoor spaces. If I'm not at Uni, you'll most likely find me in my whitewater kayak, on my bike, or exploring the mountains.
I am entering the thesis year of my MSc degree with my research focused on using remote sensing techniques to characterise how rivers, hillslopes, and glaciers in the Southern Alps are evolving over time. I am particularly interested in how landscapes are responding to climate change beyond obvious phenomena like glacial retreat. I enjoy solving programming problems and using data to quantitatively analyse the world. I'm passionate about conservation and preserving access to outdoor spaces. If I'm not at Uni, you'll most likely find me in my whitewater kayak, on my bike, or exploring the mountains.
Kia ora! I am a student of the Otago University National School of Surveying and I am working towards completing my bachelors in surveying. I grew up on the west coast of the North Island in Whanganui. I was drawn to surveying for the balance of practical and office work. Since having begun my studies, I have taken a keen interest in all things geospatial, in particular remote sensing and photogrammetry. I have pursued research opportunities in these areas during my summers here in Dunedin and in 2022 I will begin my honours focusing on photogrammetry and its use in 3D change detection. I am passionate about exploring how far we can take this technology and the variety of applications for its use.
Hi, I am a Dutch PhD candidate at the School of Geography at University of Otago. In my PhD project I study the energy balance of glaciers in the Ross Sea Region of Antarctica. I am interested in what the meteorological drivers are for melt of these glaciers and will study that through modelling work and doing observations. My interest in the cryosphere was triggered during my bachelor's degree when I spent half a year at Svalbard. After that I focused my masters research on Arctic sea ice and climate interactions. Apart from this interest in ice I love to knit, play piano, draw or go hiking outdoors.
Hi! I'm a PhD candidate at the University of Otago School of Geography. I am working on modelling the impact of atmospheric forcing on glacial meltwater routing in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. I am interested in the interface between meteorology, hydrology and glaciology. This work is highly collaborative and contributes to Research Priority 3 of the Antarctic Science Platform, which hypothesizes that the Dry Valleys ecosystems will be impacted in a warming world. Outside of the office I enjoy skiing, hiking and any outdoor activity.
