Georgia Third

"I’ve always known I wanted to be a scientist in an applied field, where the results of my research have the power to drive change for the better. I have always been passionate about marine science, particularly fishing, so the fisheries field just made sense! In fisheries science, knowledge is indeed power. The more we understand about our fisheries, the better we can manage them and the more likely we will have healthy fish populations for years to come. Pursuing a MSc in the Joint Graduate School with NIWA put me at the forefront of these management decisions. Studying at the Joint Graduate School meant I could get input directly from scientists who are already shaping management decisions, and their experience is invaluable. I also made the conscious decision to base myself at the NIWA office in Auckland to develop connections with staff and scientists and become a better scientist myself.

"I received the UoA Research Masters Scholarship which allowed me to focus much more of my time on my research. I still needed to work to supplement my scholarship, but it helped remove a lot of pressure on myself and my student loan.

"Since graduating, I have been working on my PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where I am a member of the Fisheries Collaborative Programme with the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (the equivalent of UoA’s JGS with NIWA). My research focuses on rainbow trout in both California and New Zealand.

"This qualification directly helped me get into my PhD programme and into the analogous Fisheries Collaborative Programme with NOAA. The scientific building blocks I assembled during my time in the JGS paved the way for completing further graduate research at an international standard."

"I love the variety of my job. I get to work outside in beautiful places, I get to perform hands-on work in the lab, I get to read the latest science research, and of course, I get to analyse my results and see the fruits of my field seasons and experiments. I love that I get to travel and study and that my colleagues are also close friends. I like the flexibility of being a PhD student and how self-driven it is. I like that I hold the power to shape my career and what my schedule looks like.

"I also really liked being based at the NIWA office. Although it meant I was a little disconnected from the University, my friendships with students from the main campus and university clubs helped me stay involved. At NIWA, I was treated like an employee which meant that I was able to treat my masters work like a job. This helped me maintain a great work-life balance. I also really liked the people I worked with at NIWA, their facilities and the networking.

"NIWA offered amazing support, particularly throughout a difficult time during the pandemic, where they made many accommodations so that I could continue with my research as effectively as possible. Darren Parsons is one of those incredibly rare and perfect supervisors, and without him, I wouldn’t have pursued my Fulbright scholarship and degree in the US. Studying overseas was definitely the right move for my career, but I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do it without Darren’s support. He continues to be a brilliant mentor for me, as do many other staff members at NIWA Auckland.

"Another thing I loved about my time at university was the Auckland University Underwater Club, which I was heavily involved in when I was an undergraduate student. I was also a part of the Marine Science Society, another key aspect of my university experience. The friendships I made during this time have persisted past graduation and I hope will continue for many years to come, as we form a great mutual support network."

Watch a video about Georgia Third's research at NIWA here.