Get hands-on with real-world experiences
The learnings from these activities and experiences add to each student’s toolkit of transferable skills to be applied in their future career, and life as a scientifically literate citizen.
Real life situations
As part of Advanced Microbiology (), students write a scientific report, about a microbe that they isolate, in the format used by water monitoring officials.
Laboratory classes are complemented by an open lab that allows students to individually plan and conduct experiments.
The open labs allow students to develop time management skills and valuable hands-on experiences under real life situations to develop their skills.
This specifically includes experimental failure and good microbiological laboratory practise.
A global view
Investigating contemporary global genetic engineering projects of plants is part of Plant Development and Biotechnology ().
Students reflect on environmental and food safety issues as well as public perceptions of genetic modifications of plants.
By the end of the course they are prepared to make an informed difference in contributing to public debates on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
With a New سԹcontext
The Global Change and Biosecurity () course has a two-day research workshop in which students work in teams to assess the ability of potentially invasive species to survive in NZ, both now and with a changing climate.
They then consider and model the possible impacts of that invader on a New سԹecosystem.
Work ready skills
Students in Marine Ecosystems () develop hands-on sampling techniques that are used in contract work on biodiversity monitoring of near-shore marine communities, such as for the Department of Conservation.
Students write reports based on industry standards, and give presentations that stress problems, avenues to solutions and results of experimental testing.
The combination of species identification, structured sampling, and oral and written reporting provides good grounding for applied research and future employment.
