Doctoral research excellence celebrated at Research Showcase 2026

2 November 2026

Research investigating early cardiovascular risk in young adults with type 1 diabetes, an AI-generated image exploring palliative care decision-making, and a striking visualisation of stroke recovery took out the top prizes at the SGS Research Showcase 2026.

The University of Auckland community came together to celebrate doctoral research excellence this month, with staff, students and supporters gathering to explore the fascinating academic posters and research images on display at the School of Graduate Studies Research Showcase 2026.

Prizes were awarded to the top-scoring entries and People’s Choice winners in the three categories: Academic Posters, Research Images (Own creation) and Research Images (AI-generated).

A hidden burden of cardiovascular disease in young adults with type 1 diabetes?

Tyler Elliott with his winning Academic Poster

Faculty of Science doctoral candidate Tyler Elliott won the Academic Poster category for his research investigating cardiometabolic risk and vascular health in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

Tyler's poster presented findings from a study comparing young adults with type 1 diabetes and non-diabetic controls. He hopes his research encourages people to think differently about the development of heart disease.

"The early signs of heart disease can develop much earlier in life than most people realise, often decades before symptoms appear. People with type 1 diabetes are at greater risk of developing heart disease, so we wanted to investigate whether these early changes were already present in young adults.”

Aiming for a career in academic teaching, Tyler says the Research Showcase was a great opportunity to develop his ability to communicate scientific research to a wider audience.

“I was genuinely surprised to win the Academic Poster category, particularly given the range of other interesting and engaging research posters. I feel honoured to receive the award.”

Academic Poster category results

Winner
Tyler Elliott (Faculty of Science) | A hidden burden of cardiovascular disease in young adults with type 1 diabetes?

Runner-up
Emma McGuigan (Faculty of Science) | Uncovering the Ocean's Hidden Heroes

People’s Choice

Mikki Shi (Faculty of Arts and Education) | When a Title is not Enough: Enacting Middle Leadership in Chinese Secondary Schools

Not Yet

Top honours in the AI-generated Research Image category went to Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences doctoral candidate Qin Xu, whose image explores the complex conversations that shape palliative care decision-making among Chinese migrant families in Aotearoa New Zealand.

"My PhD explores how Chinese migrant patients with cancer and their families in New Zealand make decisions about palliative care," Qin says.

"These decisions are rarely made by one person at one moment. They unfold through conversations within families, between patients and their families, and between families and health professionals."

By creating the image with AI, Qin was able to communicate sensitive end-of-life experiences without photographing real patients. Every detail in the image was carefully considered, from the contrast between warm and cold light to the bilingual hospital signage and traditional Chinese symbols of family and good fortune.

“I am grateful to my supervisors, Associate Professor Jacqualine Robinson, Professor Merryn Gott and Dr Deborah Raphael, for their guidance and encouragement, and to Merryn for passing on the call in the first place.”

Research Image (AI-Generated) category results category results

Winner
Qin Xu (Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences) | Not Yet

Runner-up
Tran Anh Thu Ho (Faculty of Arts and Education) | The inquiry process into young children’s urban experiences of pollution in Hanoi from a New Materialist perspective, represented through Vietnamese lacquer art-making

People’s Choice

Anastasia Septya Titisari (Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences) | Decolonial Representation of Adolescent Sexual Identity

When Connections Matter

Simi Meledathu Sasidharan with her winning image

First place in the Research Image (Own Creation) category went to Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences doctoral candidate Simi Meledathu Sasidharan, whose image visualises differences in brain connectivity between stroke patients with better and poorer recovery outcomes.

The image uses colour to highlight patterns of disruption within the brain's networks, revealing how underlying brain health may play an important role in recovery.

"I have always enjoyed participating in research presentations, but as English is not my first language, I sometimes feel that I cannot express the value of my research as effectively as I would like," Simi says.

"When I came across the Research Images category in the Research Showcase, I thought this could be my chance to communicate my work in a way that feels more natural to me."

Simi hopes the image encourages people to think beyond the stroke itself when considering recovery outcomes.

"I wanted people to understand that every brain is different, and so is the journey of recovery after a stroke. Even when two people experience very similar strokes, their recovery can be completely different.”

Winning the category was a significant milestone in Simi's doctoral journey.

"I was incredibly happy and proud. This achievement means a lot to me, and I see it as a shared success with my supervisors, Dr Sibusiso Mdletshe and Associate Professor Alan Wang."