Tay Ririnui

Observing the impacts of sea level rise and land slips on his marae, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) student Tay Ririnui decided to pursue a degree that offers solutions to climate change.  

 “Seeing those impacts firsthand on my whenua showed me this is going to happen to everybody across the world. I wanted to set myself up in a career where I could help make a difference.”  

Following his experience in the Climate Ambassador Programme at high school – a course for Year 13 students to connect with climate study at the University – Tay decided Waikato offered what he was looking for. 

It’s the only university in the country that offers the environmental engineering major. I was always passionate about the environment and numbers oriented so I wanted to do something where I could apply both aspects. 

Tay recently spent six months on a STEM Overseas Exchange at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) which has added to his positive study experience.  

“It was awesome to get such a diverse range of courses and to study at a different, bigger university – it’s about four times the size of Waikato. I’ve got a broad network of people I know now.” 

Tay says studying a degree that combines his skills and passions has been “perfect”. 

I didn't know exactly where I wanted to go with my career, but I wanted to make a difference environmentally and be guided by principles of problem-solving and practical solutions. It's easy to work hard when you're so passionate about what you're doing.