Catherine Kirby
A six-month exchange to Canada, a handful of scholarships and excellent support from lecturers were just a few of the things that made study at Waikato an experience of a lifetime for graduate Catherine Kirby.
Communication and Relationships Manager at The Eco-index Programme
Qualification(s)
Catherine began her studies with a Bachelor of Science focusing on Earth Science and then she completed a Master of Science, where she altered her focus to Biological Sciences.
"For my masters I concentrated primarily on plant ecology, as I felt that this is an area where I could make more of a difference in terms of environmental conservation and restoration."
Since completing her qualifications, Catherine has worked as an Environmental Educator and as a Research Assistant at the University of Waikato. "My role as a research assistant was exciting. Sometimes I would jump in a van and head into the field to investigate vegetation patterns in areas such as the Erua, Taranaki and Waipoua forests. Other days I assisted with the Institute's research programmes helping MSc students with their thesis research."
Catherine is all about conservation and takes opportunities to share her passion through outreach projects, student supervision, talks and workshops to increase awareness of our world and to promote action.
Qualification(s)