Meet our scholarship recipients

In early April, we awarded four scholarships to students in the seaweed aquaculture industry to promote the growth of the industry.  

• Two scholarships with a value of $2000 were awarded to students completing post-graduate studies in marine science, with a specific focus on seaweed aquaculture.  

• Two scholarships with a value of $1000 were awarded to Māori youth looking to complete diving (or other relevant) certifications to enter the industry.  

We had a lot of interest from exceptional young people applying for Greenwave scholarships and wish to thank everyone who applied and wish you all well for your future.

We have secured and awarded scholarships to recipients Juliet Linzmeier, Tahu Rhodes, Pia Kahui-McConnell, Branson Neilsen and Ashton Budd.  

Tahu Rhodes and Branson Neilsen (Ngāi Tahu) are from Akaroa, and Tahu shared that he sees seaweed as vital for helping to restore harbour health. Branson, whose grandfather was a fisherman in Akaroa Harbour, is studying a career in aquaculture and wants to help protect the marine ecosystem, with traditional values and modern sustainable practices.

“This scholarship will help me to deepen my knowledge of marine biology and sustainable aquaculture technologies. What inspires me most about sustainable aquaculture is the impact on the environment, our communities, and the Kaimoana the ocean provides for our whanau.” 

Pia Kahui-McConnell is a Marine Scientist at Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Inc. and is passionate about understanding and embodying traditional Māori methods of preserving native and endemic species found within the marine environment. She plans to use the scholarship to gain her Certificate of Competency for Ngāi Tai Ki Tāmaki and her Rescue scuba diving qualification. She feels this will enable Ngāi Tai to ‘have eyes in the water, feel the mauri of the moana and support [her] passion of weaving mātauranga Māori and Western science together for marine restoration within the Hauraki Gulf’.  

Meanwhile, Juliet Linzmeier is currently pursuing a Master’s project on optimising hatchery protocols for cultivating the seaweed Ecklonia radiata. There’ll be more highlights from our recipients, to come.