A decade of digging into what matters: Julie now graduates as a Doctor of soil science

Julie is completing the trifecta of Lincoln degrees, having already earned a Bachelor of Science majoring in Land, Water, and Environment and a Master of Science in Soil Physics.

Raised in Rolleston, Julie enjoyed environmental subjects in high school and found staying local at Lincoln was the best choice.

“Lincoln had exactly what I was after, and it was the friendly feel of the place that sold me - going to the open day and getting to know the staff and feeling like they actually wanted you there,” she said. 

Julie is one of the first PhD students graduating as part of the Food Transitions 2050 Joint Postgraduate School, a research initiative focused on creating sustainable, future-ready food systems.

Her thesis explored the connection between people and soil through food production, using the history of kūmara growing on Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula as a case study. 

Julie said people are becoming increasingly disconnected from where their food comes from. At the same time, the demand for fertile soil is putting pressure on food security.

To tackle this challenge, her work included developing a framework to help identify the strengths and weaknesses of various food production systems, allowing for better decision-making when addressing soil and food security in Aotearoa. 

Importantly, Julie’s research incorporates mātauraka Māori and aims to adapt science to align with traditional Māori practices, helping bridge the gap between scientific and indigenous knowledge.

Julie's garage research experiment during COVID lockdown

Before digging into the PhD, Julie’s Master’s research was all about pumice. Specifically, how this porous volcanic rock holds water and moves nutrients.

Thanks to the COVID-19 lockdowns, her carefully designed lab experiment relocated to her garage, with Sistema boxes standing in for lab gear, determined to keep her research moving forward.

Julie’s Lincoln years weren’t just about research. She made the most of every opportunity, from soil judging competitions across New Zealand and Australia to a last-minute flight to Vanuatu to help with an emergency soil survey.

“After a week’s notice we were traipsing through the jungle checking these soils, it was honestly such a whirlwind but so cool to be able to apply the skills we were learning.” 

She also took part in the 3-Minute Thesis competition (3MT), which challenges students to explain their research simply and succinctly in under three minutes. Julie took the challenge on and placed second. 

Julie working in Vanuatu

“There’s no point in having science and creating new knowledge if we can’t share it with those outside of our field of research.

“3MT was a fantastic event and an opportunity to really nail down the purpose of my work and explain it in a way that anyone can understand.”

Now, Julie is bringing her skills to Environment Canterbury as a Land Resources Scientist. It’s a role that lets her apply all she’s learned over her three degrees at Lincoln, while continuing to build her knowledge through research projects.

Julie said she’s already missing the people at Lincoln, and after so many years and contributions, we know the feeling’s mutual. Congratulations, Julie, we can’t wait to see how your mahi continues to shape the soil science world.