Allycia van de Laar

Allycia van de Laar had heard great things about the science department and the community at the University of Waikato which played a big part in her decision to study here, alongside the convenience of it being in her home town, Hamilton. “I had also heard that the university had amazing resources to help with learning and career support, which I found out was true.”

Allycia says her favourite subjects were the environmental sciences papers such as the greenhouse gas emissions and conservation/restoration masters papers.

“Finding like-minded people has definitely been a highlight of my degree and I also enjoyed working directly with high-up professionals (lecturers) on projects and feeling like an equal with valid input.

“I hope that my research has aided our understanding of the temperature response of microbial populations to a warming climate. This knowledge could make a difference to how we approach climate change mitigation, management and polices.”

Now that Allycia has completed her degree, she plans to find a position where she can protect, improve, and help the environment, either through active research or other means.

“I would also like to get involved in community education around environmental sustainability and to help the community have a sense of kaitiakitanga with the environment.

“My advice to others considering studying at Waikato is go for it, you won’t regret it! The university is offering lots of cool new courses and new majors/minors - I recommend chatting to a student course advisor about your options. Follow whatever you are passionate about, let that guide your paper choices and you will really enjoy your degree. This also helps you to discover more about yourself and what you might want to do in your future career.

“Both of my degrees at the University of Waikato have been an amazing experience and I so I highly recommend studying at a tertiary level to everyone.”