Scholarships
Supporting future leaders in Antarctic research
Antarctica New Zealand works with a number of generous sponsors to award scholarships to postgraduate research students. These scholarships provide a means for new talent to enter New Zealand’s Antarctic research community. The scholarships are awarded annually, and include a stipend and logistics support to conduct or participate in research in Antarctica. The awards are competitive and attract students of a very high calibre.
Antarctica and the Southern Ocean - valued, protected, understood
Antarctica New Zealand recognises the value of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean as a unique environment for scientific research. We are committed to supporting the next generation of Antarctic scientists to make valuable contributions to the international knowledge base and understanding of Antarctic and global ecosystems and processes.
The Postgraduate Research Scholarship Programme is designed to support talented researchers to get off to the best possible start in their research careers, focussing on Antarctic and Southern Ocean systems. Antarctica New Zealand is generously supported in this scholarship programme by Ella Yelich-O’Connor and New Zealand Post.
Antarctica New Zealand Postgraduate Scholarships
Applications for these 2025 scholarships have closed
Key dates:
Register your intention to apply by Tuesday 18 March 2025
Applications and references are due by 5pm, Tuesday 25 March 2025
Ella Yelich-O’Connor Antarctic Doctoral Scholarship
Ella Yelich-O’Connor (Lorde) spent just over a week at Scott Base in 2019; visiting scientists in the field, learning more about Antarctica’s role in the global earth system and the impact climate change is having on the frozen continent. Following her trip, she has created a memoir and photo-book filled with photos and essays called ‘Going South’. Proceeds from the sale of the book fund the Ella Yelich-O’Connor Antarctic Doctoral Scholarship. The scholarship supports research that advances understanding, and promotes protection of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. In her own words, ‘this harsh environment feels eternal, but is dangerously vulnerable’.
- For doctoral research
- Stipend of $20,000 per annum over two years (total of $40,000); and
- Logistics support for one season of fieldwork in Antarctica (subject to programme availability, fieldwork must be aligned with an existing Antarctic field event)
New Zealand Post Antarctic Scholarship
New Zealand's presence in Antarctica is important to our nation and New Zealand Post has a long association with the continent – ever since Sir Edmund Hillary was postmaster at Scott Base in 1957. Supporting up-and-coming New Zealand scientists through this scholarship is a key way that New Zealand Post continues its close association with the white continent.
- For master’s or doctoral research
- Stipend of $10,000 over one year; and
- Logistics support for one season in Antarctica (subject to programme availability, fieldwork must be aligned with an existing Antarctic field event)
Important information on how to apply
2025 Scholars
Alexandra Strang - Ella Yelich-O’Connor Antarctic Doctoral Scholarship
University of Canterbury
Assessing population trends in an important Ross Sea sentinel, the Adélie penguin
Adélie penguins are key indicators of the health of the Southern Ocean, and about one-third of their global population lives in the Ross Sea. While some colonies have shown consistent trends over the past 40 years — others, even those close together — have responded differently to environmental changes, making it hard to understand what drives population change.
Monitoring of Ross Sea Adélie penguins has been extensive over the past 40 years. Recent major changes, such as declines in sea ice and the establishment of the Ross Sea Marine Protected Area make it timely to examine penguin population trends in the region.
During her PhD, Alexandra aims to study population change of Adélie penguins across 15 colonies in the Ross Sea from 2009 to 2023. Her research will look at both regional and local trends, link them to environmental change, and aims to predict future population trends based on observed changes.
She also aims to enhance the precision of very high-resolution satellite imagery for monitoring Adélie penguin colonies in the Ross Sea, alongside aerial census methods. Ultimately, this research will improve how we monitor Adélie penguin populations and help inform management of the Southern Ocean ecosystem as it undergoes rapid change.
The scholarship puts $20,000 towards her studies.
“I’m incredibly grateful for this support. This scholarship enables me to help ensure our monitoring of Adélie penguin populations keeps pace with environmental change and continues to inform effective conservation in the Ross Sea,” says Alexandra.
Natalie-Jane Reid (Ngāti Porou, Ngāpuhi) - Ella Yelich-O’Connor Antarctic Doctoral Scholarship
University of Otago
Reconstructing Antarctic Bottom Water production in the Ross Sea
Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), formed around Antarctica, is a key driver of global ocean circulation and climate. Despite its importance, long-term variability is poorly understood due to limited observational records. Models suggest AABW formation is vulnerable to climate change, but there are still large uncertainties with all model predictions. Palaeoceanographic records can reveal past AABW dynamics, but a reliable proxy for current speed is lacking. Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) measured on sediments offers a potential new technique which could be used to determine ancient sea-floor current speeds, as it records the alignment of magnetic minerals shaped by bottom currents.
Though widely accessible and easy to measure, AMS has not yet been calibrated to current velocity. Natalie's PhD project aims to develop a new paleocurrent proxy using AMS and apply it to reconstruct deep ocean current velocities in the Ross Embayment, which is an important place of AABW formation. As part of her PhD, she is developing a sediment flume in which she will simulate different deep ocean current speeds to see how these affect the AMS. In the second part of the study, she will measure AMS in sediment cores, including from SWAIS2C, to determine current strength since the last ice age.
The scholarship puts $10,000 towards her studies.
"This scholarship supports me in developing a new and ambitious approach to paleoceanography," says Natalie-Jane. "My Antarctic research is enriched by taking a Te Ao Māori approach to understanding the interconnectedness of ocean currents and climate."
Anna Hiew - New Zealand Post Antarctic Scholarship
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
How are Antarctic coastal benthic ecosystems affected by methane seep emergence?
At seafloor seeps, methane-rich fluids are released from reservoirs beneath the surface, supporting unique microbial and faunal communities. At these sites, microbes convert methane and sulphate into hard substrates and food, producing highly heterogeneous and complex ecosystems. Importantly, these microbes also regulate the release of methane, a strong greenhouse gas, from reaching the atmosphere.
While seeps in warmer regions are well studied, polar seeps, especially in Antarctica, are not. The first active Antarctic seep was observed in 2011 in the Ross Sea, an area surveyed for decades. Since then, additional seeps have been identified in the region. However, the formation and function of these new seeps are not yet understood. Early indications suggest that unique and endemic microorganisms may be involved, distinct from the expected microbial communities typically associated with seeps. Sea star wasting disease and large die-offs of sea creatures have also been seen near the seeps, possibly due to toxic chemicals released when the seep first forms.
Anna's research aims to understand how these seeps influence local life in the McMurdo Sound, and how seasonal changes in factors like light and food might shape Antarctic communities over time. As Antarctica continues to warm, it is crucial to study these seep ecosystems now to understand their impact, monitor change, and protect these sensitive environments.
The scholarship puts $10,000 towards her studies.
“I'm extremely thankful to receive this scholarship and Antarctica New Zealand's support,” says Anna. “I’m excited to help fill the knowledge gaps around methane seeps in Antarctica and contribute to the understanding of these extraordinary environments.”