Funded positions will be advertised as they become available.
Scholarship available for MSc project on feral cat management
School of Biological Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/University of Auckland, New Zealand
Supervisor: Prof. Margaret Stanley (UoA)
Project advisors: Dr Helen Nathan (Boffa Miskell, Te Roroa), Dr Helen Blackie (Boffa Miskell)
Timing: PGDipSci in 2025, including BIOSCI 761 MSc proposal paper, with 120 pt MSc thesis research year start date either 1 Dec 2025 or Semester 1 (March) 2026
Funding
University of Auckland is offering an MSc opportunity, funded by an MBIE Smart Idea grant to Plant & Food Research, Boffa Miskell and University of Auckland.
Domestic University fees will be paid for the 120pt MSc research year and a NZ$15,000 tax-free stipend will also be paid for that year.
About the Project
This is a fantastic opportunity for a student wanting to apply behavioural ecology to feral cat management while gaining skills and experience in a variety of techniques and research processes. The project will be co-designed with our iwi and community partners and may include a mix of fieldwork (cat lure experimental trials), social science (understanding iwi and community attitudes to cat management) and video and image analysis (from previous pest control operations). This MSc will have beneficial outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand’s biodiversity, provide connections with researchers from other institutes and a range of community and agency partners.
Prerequisites and application process:
Māori candidates are preferred, but the position is open to all candidates with a Bachelor of Science that meets the entry requirements for a 240 pt MSc in Biosecurity & Conservation at the University of Auckland.
Applicants for this project are expected to have qualifications and experience in ecology. Kaupapa Māori researchers are encouraged to apply – potential for co-design of the project with our iwi partners to incorporate Māori values, tikanga and Te Ao Māori. Full drivers licence is desirable.
Enquiries about the project can be emailed to mc.stanley@auckland.ac.nz – we are happy to meet or zoom with you before you apply if you have questions about the project.
Please email applications (CV and transcript and an email that outlines why you are interested in the project) to mc.stanley@auckland.ac.nz before 15 Feb 2025.
Please contact Margaret for postgraduate and volunteer opportunities.