Student and alumni profiles

Find out what postgraduate study is like—read what our current and past students have to say about their experiences.

Brettelemani wears a lab coat and sits in a chemistry lab. He is laughing at something off camera and holding equipment. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Brettelemani Manaia

Brettelemani completed a Bachelor of Science and is now studying towards a PGDipSc in Chemistry.
Matthew, wearing safety goggles and a lab coat, sits at a bench in a chemistry lab. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Matthew Brett

After completing a Bachelor of Science, Matthew realised that he wasn’t ready to stop learning.
Clarrie sits at a desk looking directly at the camera. Behind him, his computer screen shows models of a glacier. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Clarrie Macklin

Wanting to keep his options open, Clarrie started off his time at university with a BSc in Geophysics and English Literature.
Naomi Puketapu-Waite. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Naomi Puketapu-Waite

“Through my Master’s I have a better understanding of the different ways people interact with, and rely on, science.”
Master of Environmental Studies graduate Chantal Mawer. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Chantal Mawer

Currently employed as a Researcher/Analyst for the Waitangi Tribunal, Chantal says her Master of Environmental Studies opened doors to many job opportunities.
Portrait of Harry Warring standing in front of his workplace, Rocket Lab. Image copyright Rocket Lab, used with permission.

Harry Warring

A grounding in physics at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington set Harry Warring up for a career solving the world's most pressing problems.
Oliver Donaldson. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Oliver Donaldson

Oliver Donaldson has a passion for improving mental health outcomes in LGBTQIA+ and takatāpui communities, which led him to a Master of Science in Psychology.
Poppy McGuigan Hay. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Poppy McGuigan Hay

A summer internship with the Ministry for the Environment was instrumental in Poppy McGuigan Hay’s decision to pursue a Master of Science in Society.
Lisa Wolf, Masters student, stands in a lab wearing a lab coat, pulling seaweed out of a tank. Image copyright Victoria University of Wellington.

Lisa Wolf

Master of Science student Lisa Wolf might have taken the long route in pursuit of her marine biology passion, but she has followed her dream around the globe.