NZ and US deepen Antarctic science partnership
New joint research initiatives focused on climate and ecosystem change expand the long-standing collaboration between New Zealand and the United States on Antarctic science and logistics.
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today that New Zealand and the US will partner on three scientific projects with up to $5 million from the Catalyst Fund over five years, building on over 60 years of logistics cooperation between the countries.
“Our researchers will work alongside leading US scientists supported by the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs, tackling some of the most urgent environmental questions facing the planet," Dr Reti said.
“This is a significant step in our Antarctic science cooperation and will also help to unlock science-driven innovation and growth in New Zealand.”
The programme follows the first Memorandum of Cooperation recently signed between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Antarctica New Zealand, and the US National Science Foundation.
It advances three pilot projects that will contribute to Antarctica InSync, a global initiative to coordinate environmental observation across the region.
Antarctica New Zealand chief executive Professor Jordy Hendrikx said it was a fantastic development for Antarctic science and a milestone in an enduring relationship with the United States.
"It’s the first time our collaboration has been formally framed through a science agreement, and it opens the door to even deeper partnership. We’re looking forward to combining our strengths to understand a rapidly changing Antarctic environment.”
Jean Cottam Allen, Director of the US Office of Polar Program said partnerships between US and New Zealand-based researchers had for decades provided the world with groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
“We are excited to continue that legacy through these three novel pilot projects that will enhance our ability to observe, understand and predict physical, biological, and geological changes in the Antarctic region and contribute to the globally coordinated scientific initiative, Antarctica InSync.”
The new projects are:
Antarctic Groundwater–Ecosystem Connectivity University of Otago and Earth Sciences NZ
This project will provide the first integrated mapping and analysis of Antarctic groundwater flows to understand how subsurface water moves carbon, nutrients, and microbes between land, ice, and ocean, improving environmental management in the Ross Sea region.
Spectra of Sentinels: Mapping Ecosystem Change from Ground, Air, and Space University of Waikato
This project will create New Zealand’s first combined UAV, helicopter, and satellite monitoring system to track changes in Antarctic moss and microbial communities, with tools that also benefit ecological and agricultural monitoring at home.
Drivers and Implications of Rapid Sea Ice Decline in the Ross Sea University of Otago
This project will use innovative buoys, remote sensing, and modelling to uncover why Ross Sea sea ice is shrinking and what it means for ecosystems and management of the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area.
New Zealand and US research teams will embark on joint field research during the 2026/27 season, supported by Antarctica New Zealand.