What is your area of specialty/role at NIWA?
I am an Environmental Engineer at NIWA, specialising in the development and optimisation of Aquatic Mitigation Systems for agricultural, aquacultural, and municipal applications. My work encompasses both active and passive water treatment solutions, implemented across distributed and centralised wastewater treatment frameworks:
- Active Treatment Systems: Including advanced oxidation processes and membrane filtration technologies for high-efficiency contaminant removal.
- Passive Treatment Systems: Including enhanced woodchip bioreactors, specifically adapted for New Zealand's unique environmental conditions.
- Integrated Treatment Frameworks: Synthesising multiple mitigation approaches for enhanced system performance.
A core component of my role involves conducting comprehensive techno-economic analyses and developing cost-benefit models for mitigation systems, ensuring alignment with New Zealand's environmental regulatory framework, including NES-F and RMA requirements. I contribute to catchment-scale investigations following NPS-FM 2020 guidelines, with particular emphasis on contaminant transport pathways and intervention effectiveness metrics.
I maintain active involvement in multiple NIWA-led research programmes focused on advancing our understanding of New Zealand's freshwater quality and developing evidence-based approaches for its enhancement. This includes participation in large-scale monitoring initiatives and the development of predictive models for edge-of-field mitigation systems optimisation.
What made you want to work in that area?
My interest in environmental engineering began with studying chemical and bioprocess engineering. During my doctoral research at the University of Waikato, I focused on ways to improve denitrification processes in woodchip bioreactors. This research highlighted the complex challenges inherent in agricultural water treatment systems. What particularly drew me to NIWA was the opportunity to engage in large-scale projects that directly influence New Zealand's freshwater management strategies while bridging the gap between theoretical research and practical implementation.
What's the most rewarding thing you've done in your career so far?
The most rewarding aspect of my work has been developing innovative solutions that deliver quantifiable environmental benefits. A notable recent achievement has been spearheading the development of predictive models for NIWA's Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) water quality treatment processes. These models assist farm managers in optimising operational parameters while meeting waste management requirements during production scaling.
This work is a great example of the synergy between environmental protection and operational efficiency. I’ve also found contributing to technical reports that influence national environmental policy and funding allocation fulfilling, as it demonstrates the direct results of research outcomes to improved environmental management frameworks for New Zealand.
What do you like to do outside of your work at NIWA?
Outside of work, I find joy in playing nylon-string guitar, which provides a creative balance to my technical work. I also enjoy spending time in nature and swimming.
