Awards and Grants
2024 GeoDiscoveryNZ and ANZIC Continent and Ocean Research & Education (CORE) Funding awarded.
The GeoDiscoveryNZ and ANZIC Continent and Ocean Research & Education (CORE) Funding programme provides grants for projects designed to exploit the wealth of samples, data and data products generated through 50+ years of ocean and continental drilling. The grants are aimed at supporting the cost of sample processing and data analysis. This year, GeoDiscoveryNZ and ANZIC announce four exciting CORE grants within Aotearoa New Zealand:
Greer Gilmer (GNS Science), Kate Clark (GNS Science), Lorna Strachan (University of Auckland); Chris Rollins (GNS Science); Marcus Vandergoes (GNS Science): Do Fiordland (NZ) sediment cores contain an untapped record of past earthquakes?
Sediment cores from Fiordland’s fjord basins show considerable potential as continuous records of past earthquakes. By examining whether these cores capture significant seismic events, such as the 2003 (M7.2) and 2009 (M7.8) earthquakes, Greer and the research team aim to evaluate the effectiveness of sediment cores as paleoearthquake archives, essential for refining hazard predictions. Through precise dating techniques on existing cores, the team will analyse sedimentary signatures of event deposits to determine their connections to documented earthquakes. This pilot study serves as a foundational step for the Fiordland Assessment of Climate, Environment, and Tectonics (FACET) ICDP project.
Catherine Ginnane (GNS Science), Jocelyn Turnbull (GNS Science), Sebastian Naeher (GNS Science), Greer Gilmer (GNS Science), Jess Hillman (NIWA), Scott Nodder (NIWA), Christian Lewis (GNS Science), Marcus Vandergoes (GNS Science): Exploring the long-term fate of organic carbon exported from New Zealand fjords.
Despite the importance of fjords in global carbon sequestration, the fate of terrestrial carbon within these systems remains poorly understood. Catherine and colleagues will expand the characterization of sequestered organic carbon from New Zealand fjords to offshore sediments to determine the fate of carbon exported to the ocean. By employing advanced radiocarbon and geochemical methods, the team will trace carbon from its terrestrial sources through fjords to its eventual export and burial offshore. The research aims to reveal potential carbon budget implications of fjord carbon sequestration processes.
Lorna Strachan (University of Auckland), Helen Bostock (U. of Queensland), Martin Crundwell (GNS Science), Margaret Norris (GNS Science), Morgane Brunet (Université du Québec à Rimouski): Has the Hikurangi Subduction Margin undergone profound changes in accelerated Pacific Plate subduction during the last 1M years?
Lorna’s project aims to test the hypothesis that the Hikurangi Subduction Margin has experienced significant changes in the rate of Pacific Plate subduction over the past 1 million years. Utilizing data from the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expeditions 372 and 375, the project team will develop a novel transect across the subduction margin, combining high-resolution sedimentological and oxygen-isotope analyses. This approach will create a comprehensive set of multiproxy age models and depositional facies schemes, providing the framework needed to evaluate the proposed changes in subduction dynamics.
Jess Hillman (NIWA), Sally Watson (NIWA), Joseph Prebble, Kyle Bland, Te Aomania Te Koha (GNS Science): Unboxing the Ocean: a hands-on bathymetry exploration kit.
Jess and the project team aim to enhance ocean science literacy across diverse audiences by creating accessible, portable, hands-on resources. These activities will introduce basic principles of seafloor mapping, highlighting the unique challenges of marine exploration. Dual-language materials will explain core marine geoscience concepts, including seafloor and water sampling, subseafloor profiling techniques and their research applications. Additionally, these resources will showcase recent scientific drilling expeditions around Aotearoa, Australia, and Antarctica, using real-world data and examples to bring scientific concepts to life.
Summer Schools participation
GeoDiscoveryNZ & ANZIC support tertiary students from member universities in participating in Summer Schools focusing on ocean and continental scientific drilling research. The Summer Schools offer unique in-depth opportunities for students to build up their knowledge, experience and academic networks.
2024 ECORD Urbino Summer School in Paleoclimatology
In July, I had the privilege of attending the Urbino Summer School for Paleoclimatology in Urbino, Italy. The course combined lectures, practical sessions, and a field day covering all aspects of paleoclimatology, with this year’s focus specifically on climate modelling. I presented a poster on my PhD research, titled “Investigating the Role of Orbital Forcing on Antarctic Ice Sheet-Ocean Dynamics during the Miocene.”
The course gave me a solid foundation in paleoclimatology methods, deepening my understanding of how the data I work with is collected. Attending this summer school was a fantastic opportunity to connect with researchers whose work I've often read and to gain insight into their specialties. Coming from a background in geology and geophysics, it was invaluable to engage with experts from diverse fields and perspectives. I am very grateful to GeoDiscoveryNZ and ANZIC for enabling me to attend the Summer School - Julianne Burns (Te Herenga Waka VUW)
2024 GLAcial Sediment School (GLASS)
"With support from ANZIC and GeoDiscoveryNZ, I attended the GLAcial Sediment School (GLASS) in College Station, USA, from July 14-19, 2024, to enhance my knowledge of glacial sedimentation processes. Researchers, lab technicians, and tutors provided lectures to the School, and assigned each of us a polar sediment core to analyze. This hands-on learning approach was invaluable, allowing me to connect with fellow participants and gain insight into their research methods. The program encouraged meaningful discussions and motivated me daily. Studying deep-sea sediment cores, alongside my experience with Ross Ice Shelf sediments, has greatly enriched my PhD research and broadened my understanding of global sedimentation processes." - Linda Balfoort (Victoria University of Wellington)
2024 ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging
"My sincere thanks to GeoDiscoveryNZ, in association with ANZIC, for the support so that I had the privilege of attending the 2024 ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging for IODP Science at the University of Leicester, from July 27 to August 2, 2024. The 2024 ECORD Summer School was an enriching experience that deepened my understanding of downhole logging and its applications in marine geosciences. The combination of academic content, practical exercises, and networking opportunities has contributed significantly to my professional growth and has paved the way for my future career in marine geosciences, particularly in participating in future IODP expeditions. I am excited to see how this experience will shape my journey ahead!" - Hanifah Dina (University of Auckland)
JR Academy
ANZIC, in collaboration with the International Ocean Discovery Program's U.S. Science Support Program, is supporting three mentors and five students from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to join other indigenous peoples from America to participate in the 2024 JR Academy – Fire to flood.
The JR Academy, aboard the JOIDES Resolution, will be a transformative and exciting experience, bridging the gaps between Western and Indigenous sciences, benefiting First Nations Peoples. Participants will get the opportunity to grow their STEM skills, build networks, and contribute to international knowledge exchange.
The expedition will take place between the 10th and 25th of April 2024, during the JOIDES Resolution transition from Naples, Italy to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Students and mentors will immerse themselves in a rich tapestry of Earth and ocean science activities, complemented by hands-on experiences in science communication and career development.
GeoDiscoveryNZ and ANZIC are proud to support one mentor and two students from Aotearoa New Zealand: Jesse-James Pickery (in association with “Out There Leaning”), as the mentor position, and Pianina Kahui-McConnell (AUT/NIWA intern) and Rāwinia Wikaira (University of Otago) as the successful student placements.
Assoc. Prof. Brad Moggridge, Kamilaroi water scientist at the University of Canberra. Brad's achievements include extensive collaboration with Indigenous groups across Australia and New Zealand for an IPCC Report. He plans to write a paper with the mentors about the outcomes of the JR Academy.
Ann-Maree June Long, an expert in supporting Indigenous students in academia, whose proposed outreach activity, 'my story', promises to be engaging and unique.
Jesse-James Rehu Pickery, until recently with GNS Science, coordinated the design of the GeoDiscoveryNZ logo. He plans to use geological time to bridge Mātauranga Māori and Western Science.
GeoDiscoveryNZ, a consortium of Crown Research Institutes and Universities, advances scientific drilling in pursuit of discovery and exploration. GeoDiscoveryNZ advocates for strengthened national and international collaborations to advance knowledge of our land and seas to understand Earth System processes in our region.
“We are absolutely committed to growing capability and excited to provide opportunities for Māori participation”, says Stuart Henrys, Chair of GeoDiscoveryNZ.
You can keep up with the JR Academy on the IODP Facebook(external link) and Instagram(external link) channels, as well as on AuScope(external link).