School of Agriculture and Environment staff
Head of School
Head of School, School of Agriculture & Environment/Professor in Sheep Husbandry - School of Agriculture and Environment
Email:
Ph: ext +6469518176
Staff
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Return to topProfessor in Environmental Science/Director - Farmed Landscape Research Centre - School of Agriculture and Environment
I define myself as a soil chemist, with specific expertise in the subject area of environmental geochemistry.
I have significant experience in the application of new environmental chemistry techniques (analytical and technology-based) to current science and technology problems. A key focus of my research is the use of plants to extract, degrade or immobilise contaminants in soil. My research has been dominated by attention to trace elements, but extends to organic contaminants. Underpinning my research is a quest to understand the flux of contaminants within the soil-plant-animal biogeochemical system.
Senior Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Research Officer - Seed Bank Co-ordinator - School of Agriculture and Environment
Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topAssociate Professor Penny Back
Associate Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technician - PC1 and PC2 Lab Compliance and Management - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technician - School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences
Professor in Geostatistics - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor in Geostatistics/SB Group Leader - School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences
I'm Professor in Geostatistics, in the Statistics Group and in Volcanic Risk Solutions at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. My research is focussed on estimation of hazard from volcanoes and earthquakes, with interests in related problems from survival analysis and process control.
I moonlight as an Associate Editor for the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Statistics and for Statistics in Volcanology (https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/siv/), and am a member of the New Zealand Volcano Science Advisory PanelSenior Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Lucy Burkitt
Associate Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
I have spent 20 years researching soil and nutrient management issues in agriculture, with a specific focus on water quality and phosphorus loss from intensive and hill country pasture systems and nutrient loss and attenuation/mitigation in hill country landscapes. I also co-ordinate the Intermediate and Advanced Freshwater Farm Planning professional development courses and teach in to both the Intermediate and Advanced Sustainable Nutrient Management courses at Massey University.
Technical Manager - Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technical Officer - Feline Unit - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topSenior Research Field Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer - Horticultural Science & Production - School of Agriculture and Environment
Donita is a Senior Lecturer in Horticultural Science and Production within the School of Agriculture and Environment. She obtained her MS and PhD degrees (Horticulture) from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. Her main areas of research focus on nursery, greenhouse, orchard, and open-field production practices and environmental plant physiology. She is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and the International Society for Horticultural Science. She is also certified through ISA for Tree Risk Assessment (TRAQ).
Trevor Ellett Senior Lecturer in Grassland Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Short Course Development Tutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Rene Corner-Thomas
Associate Professor - Sheep Research Centre - School of Agriculture and Environment
Dr Rene Corner-Thomas is an Associate Professor in sheep production in the School of AGriculture and Environment. After completing a PhD at Massey University in 2007 she worked as a Research Officer at Estendart Ltd before returning to the University in 2012. Rene joined the Sheep Research Centre as a research officer to work on projects ranging from large flock studies of hogget breeding, to feeding hogget ewes on alternative herbages during lambing to an investigation of ewe longevity.
Senior Lecturer in Sheep production Systems - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topTutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer in Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Passionate about sustainable agriculture, I specialize in ruminant nutrition and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategies.
Technical Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Paul Dijkwel
Associate Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Director - Academic Centre - Massey Genome Service
Professor of Dairy Production Systems and joint Deputy Head of School/ Director of Strategy - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer in Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Horticulture Stakeholder Development Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topProfessor of Postharvest Engineering/Team Leader - Post Harvest Technology Team - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topProfessor in Physical Geography - School of Agriculture and Environment
Focused in fluvial geomorphology, my research and teaching concentrates on: (i) river channel dynamics and interaction with river habitat; (ii) flood histories and catchment response to environmental change; (iii) slope-channel coupling and catchment connectivity. Within this platform of research there is considerable breadth and diversity, including hazard assessment and impacts on stream ecology. I co-direct Massey's Innovative River Solutions Centre. I also actively engage in pedagogic research and the scholarship of teaching, and was awarded a Vice Chancellor's Teaching Excellence Award in 2015.
Senior Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topAssociate Professor Elena Garnevska
Associate Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer in Precision Agriculture - School of Agriculture and Environment
Miles Grafton worked as a Management Accountant and GIS technician in the agricultural aviation industry for a number of years. His Ph.D research was in identifying causes of material flow problems in aircraft. He has also been involved in developing computer controlled automated delivery systems for variable rate application of bulk solids from agricultural aircraft.
He works in Precision Agriculture (PA) and has been involved in modelling fertiliser ballistics for improved application accuracy and quantifying the benefits of PA.
Senior Research Programme Manager - School of Agriculture and Environment
I am currently working as the Programme Manager for the Whenua Haumanu programme. I have a reserach background in production animal scienc, animal welfare and behaviour. I have also spent several years in industry, running GCP and GLP clinical veterinary studies.
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Return to topSenior Lecturer in Soil Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Short Course Development Tutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technical Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Research Officer in Companion Animal Nutrition - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer in Environmental Management - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topSenior Tutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
I specialise in Geospatial technology!
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Return to topSenior Technical Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Research Technician - Horticulture - School of Agriculture and Environment
Postharvest Technologist / Technical Infrastructure Manager - School of Agriculture and Environment
Research Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
SENIOR TECHNICIAN - SCIENCE - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topHead of School, School of Agriculture & Environment/Professor in Sheep Husbandry - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Gabor Kereszturi
Associate Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
My research focuses on geospatial mapping and quantifying geological and environmental processes using remote sensing and field-based approaches. In particular, I have shown strong research leadership in developing new hyperspectral remote sensing applications in Earth Science and Agriculture. Currently as a Rutherford Discovery Fellow, I have been working on understanding volcanic hydrothermal systems using hyperspectral remote sensing.
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Return to topSenior Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
I am a research officer working at the Massey AgriTech Partnership, College of Sciences. I completed my PhD in Postharvest Technology at Massey University. My research focuses on applying nondestructive optical techniques and advanced machine learning methods to solve industrial problems in the horticulture sector. My PhD focused on predicting kiwifruit storage potential by developing mathematical predictive models based on nondestructive measurements of the same fruit. I am particularly interested in visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging, laser backscattering imaging and optical coherent tomography (OCT). I am also currently investigating the performance of consumer scale sensors for fruit quality prediction.
Professor in Animal Genetics - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor of Molecular Evolution - School of Agriculture and Environment
Peter's reserach interests concern adaptation and plasticity of animal and plant populations, invertebrates from wetlands in Fiji and Samoa, and bioactive bacteria lurking in the caves of Oceania. His scientific achievements earned him an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship and New Zealand Royal Society Fellowship.
Senior Research Officer - Bioinformatics - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Ignacio Lopez Campbell
Associate Professor in Pasture Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor Nicolas Lopez-Villalobos
Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor in Volcanology and Research Lead - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topLecturer in Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Natalia completed an agronomy degree at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, and came to New Zealand to work in agriculture. She worked in technical and field research positions at Massey University’s sheep, beef and dairy farms for several years. She did a Masters in foetal development in sheep and completed a PhD evaluating the finishing performance of beef sires in a dairy–beef system. She started working as a Lecturer in Animal Science for the School of Agriculture and Environment in 2022. Her research interests include farm animal growth, meat quality, husbandry and genetics, with particular focus on cattle.
Postdoctoral Researcher - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Craig Is a Senior Research Officer in Seed Science and Technology with a research focus on seed of both introduced and indigenous plant species. Craig’s work on indigenous flora centres around seed conservation though ex situ storage of seed as part of the New Zealand Indigenous Seed Bank project, for which Craig is project leader. This work includes research into seed desiccation tolerance, storage and germination, and the use of imaging technologies for seed quality asurance. Craig also has expertise in seed biosecurity and the movement of seed nationally and internationally.
Professor in Life Cycle Management - School of Agriculture and Environment
Sarah is Director of the New Zealand Life Cycle Management Centre (NZLCM Centre), and Associate Professor in Life Cycle Management at Massey University. Her research focuses on development and application of Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) and related approaches such as carbon and water footprinting, and particularly on (a) methods for LCA and related techniques and (b) the relationship between LCA and decision-making. Currently Sarah is Chair of the Standards New Zealand International Review Group on LCA, New Zealand representative on the ISO 14046 Water Footprint Working Group, and a Committee member of the Life Cycle Association of New Zealand (LCANZ).Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Carl Mesarich
Associate Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Dr. Carl Mesarich joined Massey University in 2016. He obtained his M.Sc. (Biological Sciences) and Ph.D. (Molecular Plant Pathology) degrees from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, in 2007 and 2012, respectively. Following the completion of his Ph.D., he held postdoctoral postpositions at Wageningen University, the Netherlands (Laboratory of Phytopathology, 2012–2014), and the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research in Auckland (Bioprotection Group, 2015).
Postdoctoral Fellow - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Technician - Soil and Earth Sciences - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technician at the School of Agriculture and Environment, Soil and Earth Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North. As a technician, I am responsible and manager of the Earth Science Laboratories (e.g., microscopes, PSDA, EMP, FTIR, pycnometer, XRF, rock-cutting saws), teaching of undergraduate students during lab-classes, teaching of postgraduate students on specific instruments, support with their filed work and help during sample preparation and data interpretation.
Postdoctoral Fellow - Molecular Biosciences - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topResearch Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topTechnician Manager - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topSenior Lecturer in Pastoral Livestock Production - School of Agriculture and Environment
Prof of Environmental Management & Postgrad Co-ordinator & Director of Env Management - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technical Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Group Leader Earth Sci, Prof in Natural Hazards, Joint Deputy HoS, Dir of Strategy - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Dean - Maori - College of Sciences
Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topAssociate Professor Thiagarajah Ramilan
Associate Professor in Agribusiness - School of Agriculture and Environment
Ramilan is an Associate Professor in Agribusiness, programme leader for Agribusiness Value Chains course for ASEAN region. and is the former President for the New Zealand Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (NZARES) for 2020/21. He has many peer-reviewed outputs in the research areas of environmental policy, water economics, climate change and development agriculture. Besides New Zealand, he has worked in South Asia, East Asia, Africa and Australia. He was an international Scientist at CGIAR and currently a senior Honorary fellow at the University of Melbourne. He develops bioeconomic models to evaluate the implications of technology change in Agri-food value chains.
Senior Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professional Biography
Laboratory Manager and Senior Technician in the Agronomy and Horticulture Group.
Technical support in teaching and research for horticultural Science, plant science and plant physiology.
Specialist expertise – over 25 years working in plant physiology, particularly on plant water status, photosynthesis, plant hormone analysis, and the equipment/techniques used to measure these. Experiment development in undergraduate and post-graduate teaching.
Special Projects and Interests: Source/Sink relationship in fruit trees. Secondary plant metabolite analysis. Kiwifruit physiology, particularly in respect to polyamines in fruit.
Institute of Agriculture and the Environment Health and Safety Representative.
Lecturer in Soil Science (Pedology) - School of Agriculture and Environment
I am a earth and environmental scientist from Whanganui in the lower North Island. I focus on understanding how soils and landscapes form through time, what their key characteristics are and how we can use them sustainably. I have experience in applying field mapping and geographic information system (GIS) techniques to produce maps and farm plans. My research to date has centered around mapping physical resources on farm in the Pohangina and Rangitīkei valleys. Currently, I am investigating erosion and landscape forming processes in the Rangitīkei Valley and how western science can compliment Mātauranga Māori.
Group Leader/Senior Lecturer - Agricultural Systems - School of Agriculture and Environment
Technical Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
STREAM Site Developer Tutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Javier completed his PhD in 2017 and is currently the Senior Research Data Manager for the Whenua Haumanu programme. His role involves developing and implementing systems, procedures, and policies for efficient data management, as well as providing support and guidance to colleagues and students on data-related tasks. He is particularly interested in using meta-analytic tools for research synthesis, which allows for comprehensive and robust analyses of combined study data, driving more informed and impactful research outcomes.
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Return to topSenior Technical Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Eduardo Sandoval, Senior Technical Officer at Massey University's School of Food Technology, holds BSc degrees in Agriculture from UC, Chile (2001) and Business Management from UNAP, Chile (2006). He expanded his education, achieving a PGDip in AgriScience in 2012 and an MSc in AgriScience from Massey University, New Zealand, in 2014. Eduardo specializes in Precision Agriculture and GIS Spatial Analysis, focusing on remote sensing devices and hyperspectral data analysis. Field leader in the data collection all over New Zealand for the Precision Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) project, which enhances hill country fertilization assessment and precision fertilizer application via hyperspectral imagery.
Associate Professor Nicola Schreurs
Group Leader - Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Tutor in Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor of Farm & AgriBusiness Management - School of Agriculture and Environment
Delivering farm and agribusiness management research and education - risk, strategy, business analysis, cooperatives; Elected director of Fonterra Cooperative; Director of the International Food & Agribusiness Management Association and represents NZ in the International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) in Dairying. Editor of International Food and Agribusiness Management Review and International Journal of Agricultural Management. Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. An in-depth understanding of global farming and agribusiness. Awarded Officer of NZ Order of Merit for services to agribusiness in 2018.
Professor in Environmental Hydrology - School of Agriculture and Environment
I define myself as an environmental hydrologist, with specific expertise in the subject area of catchment hydrology, water quality, irrigation and agricultural drainage systems, and water productivity and footprinting sciences. I specialize in integration of field observations, geographical information and hydrological models to study water use, attenuation of nutrient runoff and leaching from agricultural soils, and surface water and groundwater hydrology in rural and peri-urban landscapes
Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Kaitautoko Maori (Tutor) - School of Agriculture and Environment
Junior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Field Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer in Animal Breeding & Genetics - School of Agriculture and Environment
I Completed My PhD in animal breeding investigating the genetic and economic value of lactose to the New Zealand dairy industry in 2016.
I spent 5 years working in Industry at Fonterra as a Senior Business Analyst analysing data from Soil to Factory gate, then as a Senior Research Scientist running a genomics lab. My research interests cover all aspects of animal breeding and genetics but more recently have been in genome mining.
Senior Lecturer in Horticulture Production - School of Agriculture and Environment
Svetla is a Senior Lecturer in Production Horticulture at the School of Agriculture and Environment. She holds a degree in Horticulture and Viticlture, and her PhD is in plant breeding and seed production. Her research interests lie in the area of plant breeding with a focus on horticultural crops and researches to understand how the genetic potential of a variety could be fully expressed by cultural and agrnomical menas.
Svetla is teaching production horticulture and plant breeding to undergraduate and postgraduate students. SHe is an acredited doctoral supervisor.
Senior Tutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer - Quantitative Genetics - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Project Manager - School of Agriculture and Environment
Acting General Manager - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Lecturer in Plant Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topResearch Operations Manager - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor Jennifer Tate
Associate Professor in Plant Systematics & Evolution - School of Agriculture and Environment
Associate Professor in Plant Systematics & Evolution - School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences
Our research focuses on understanding the nature of plant speciation and diversification using a variety of approaches. We use molecular phylogenetics to test ideas of species relationships, taxonomy, biogeography, and character evolution. We also use morphological and molecular tools to understand different evolutionary processes affecting plant speciation, including hybridization and polyploidy (whole genome doubling) and plant mating systems. A recurrent theme of our research is to assess and understand the repeatability of evolution and its effects on morphological and genomic level traits.
Associate Professor David Thomas
Associate Professor in Companion Animal Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topResearch Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topSenior Tutor - School of Agriculture and Environment
Tutor in Farm Management - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topTechnical Assistant - School of Agriculture and Environment
Professor in Plant Photobiology - School of Agriculture and Environment
My research is principally focussed on understanding plant responses to environmental factors within the context of increased sustainability and quality in crop production. My key interest is focused on the role of sunlight, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation in particular. Whilst plant responses to UV are numerous, comparatively little is understood regarding the possible exploitation of such endpoints to drive quality within modern crop production. Our research encompasses fundamental plant science, and the application of that knowledge through commercialisation pathways.
Associate Professor Tim Wester
Associate Professor in Animal Nutrition and Metabolism - School of Agriculture and Environment
I hold a BS-Agriculture from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and MS and PhD from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I came to Massey in 2000 after postdocs in the US and Scotland. My expertise is in the effects of feed form and diet composition on nutrient digestion and metabolism. I've worked in many species including sheep, cows, crocodiles, and cats. I currently lead the Poultry Nutrition Research Team.
Senior Research Officer, Senior Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer, Senior Lecturer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Trevor Ellett Lecturer in Grassland Science - School of Agriculture and Environment
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Return to topSenior Lecturer in Farm Management/Agribusiness - School of Agriculture and Environment
I’m a trained economist working in the research field of agriculture and environment, with strong collaborations with national and international research institutes. I have over ten years of experience in conducting and leading multidisciplinary research projects, including OurLandand Water, Endeavour, and Catalyst Fund. I have published multiple papers in high-impact journals and presented my findings at national and international conferences. I am passionate about using data and evidence to inform policy and decision-making and to promote sustainable development and environmental stewardship. I have successfully finished several postgraduate students' supervision and held several visiting students and research fellowships.
Senior Lecturer in Animal Reproduction and Lactation - School of Agriculture and Environment
Jimena is a Lecturer in Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, with expertise in Animal Reproduction. She completed her veterinary medicine degree in Argentina and obtained her MSc and PhD in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. During her graduate program she focused on the development of oestrogen-free approaches for the control of oestrous cycle in cattle but has a great interest in comparative reproductive biology. Her current research projects include cattle, pigs, and cats.
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Return to topJunior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Senior Research Officer - School of Agriculture and Environment
Horticulture Technician - School of Agriculture and Environment
