Current PhD Projects
Our PhD students are currently working on the following Food Transition 2050 projects:
These projects already have a student involved. Students are invited to apply for available projects towards the end of each year.
Click on the Apply Now button at the top of the webpage for further information.
2025
| Project | Partners | Theme | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Future-Proofing Agriculture: Preserving Pollinator Services for Sustainable Food Production Under Climate Change | University of Canterbury, AgResearch, Plant & Food Research | Food and future landscapes | |
| Mechanisms of Membrane-Associated Effector Proteins in Phytopahogenic Oomycetes: Inhibition of NAC Transcription Factor Activation | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | ||
| Exploring DNA Methylation for Novel Food Development | Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research | Food consumer transitions | |
| How do farm types and management practices affect disease transmission among wild birds and poultry? | University of Canterbury, AgResearch, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food and future landscapes / Food Governance 2050 | |
| Impacts of seawater inundation on soil fertility and contaminant release in coastal areas of New Zealand. | Lincoln University, University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food and future landscapes | |
| The integration of mahinga kai and food forestry in a temperate biome | Lincoln University, AgResearch | Food and future landscapes | |
| Soil Microbial Dynamics in Agricultural Ecosystems: Investigating the Effects of Elevated CO2 on Microbial Composition and Function | Lincoln University, AgResearch | Food and future landscapes / Food for a zero carbon future | |
| Are microplastics a barrier to land application of food waste compost? | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | All | |
| Enhancing Consumer Nutritional Understanding and Practice through Co-play between Parents and Children in New Zealand | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food consumer transitions | |
| Creating Juiciness: Fabricating Juicy Perception Using Microcapsules for Future Foods | Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research | Food for a zero carbon future | |
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2024
| Project | Partners | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Linking farm and landscape habitat management with the costs and benefits of bird foraging on farm production. | University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
| Extension System Design: The Forgotten Foundation for Successful Food Transitions. | Lincoln University, AgResearch | |
| Understanding how urban landscapes influence pollinator communities for the better management of native pollinators and increased māra kai. | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
| Combining synthetic biology and plant cell cultures for the production of high-quality protein and metabolite resources. | University of Canterbury, AgResearch | Food Governance 2050 |
| Bioelectronics from winery and brewery co-products | University of Canterbury, AgResearch, Plant & Food Research | Food for a Zero Carbon Future |
| Green boundaries: Unleashing nature's power to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in dairy farming | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food and Future Landscapes / Food for a Zero Carbon Future |
| Nurturing Resilience: Harnessing Synthetic Microbial Communities from Root Microbiomes to Mitigate Drought Effects on Crop Production | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
| Impact of forage legume rhizobium community structures on nitrous oxide emissions; a case study in the Canterbury region | Lincoln University, University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
| Towards a carbon zero future: optimizing the role of bacteria to enhance insect bioconversion of NZ-generated organic waste and the effectiveness of insect frass for regenerative farming | Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research | Food for a Zero Carbon Future |
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2023
| Project | Partners | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Urbanism and Urban Food Sovereignty in peri-urban Aotearoa | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food Governance 2050 |
| What role do spiders play in pest suppression for future food production systems? | Tō te pūngāwerewere tūranga i te tāmoe riha mō ngā punaha whakaputa kai ā mua? | Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research | Food and Future Landscapes / Food for a Zero Carbon Future |
| An exploration of the role of sustainability labelling in consumer food transitions | Lincoln University, University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food Consumer Transitions |
| Are sustainable diets the key to a healthy future? An exploration of consumer insights in Aotearoa New Zealand | University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research | Food Consumer Transitions |
| Agricultural profitability, resilience, and sustainability in an uncertain future: a decision support tool for policy development in NZ | University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
| Bottom up or top down?: Potential impacts of drought on tri-trophic systems of relevance to NZ agriculture | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
| Creating Soilless Precision Farming via Ultraclean Water Production | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food for a Zero Carbon Future |
| Protecting New Zealand food crops in the molecular arms race against Phytophthora cinnamomi by understanding its pathogenicity | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food and Future Landscapes |
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2022
| Project | Partners | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Influence of pollinators’ microbiome on floral plant traits affecting fruit yield and quality | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research | Food and future landscapes |
| Identification of bioactive organic compounds to protect honeybees from the parasite Varroa mite | Lincoln University, University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, University of Otago | Food and future landscapes |
| From niche to mainstream: supporting sustainable land- use transitions | Lincoln University, AgResearch, Plant & Food Research | Food and future landscapes |
| Novel synbiotics via aerogel and cryogel delivery pathways | Lincoln University, AgResearch, Plant & Food Research | Food and future landscapes |
| The application of Aotearoa/ New Zealand extremophile populations for the detection of volatile sulphur compounds in winemaking | University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Bragato | Food and future landscapes |
| Food Protein Interactomics: how do proteins interact with other polymers in food crops? | University of Canterbury, AgResearch | Food and future landscapes |
| Substrate-borne animal communication signals for use in pest management | University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research | Food and future landscapes |
| Developing restorative farming practices to enhance the mauri of Kaitōrete spit/Kā Poupou a Te Rakihouia, Canterbury | Lincoln University, AgResearch, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu | Food and future landscapes |
| Closing the loop: nutrient enriched biowaste for improved dairy systems | Lincoln University, University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food consumer transitions |
| Future fit: transformations for resilient and equitable agri-food value chains | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food consumer transitions |
| Hyper-transparency of credence attributes along the food supply chain – Do consumers really care? | Lincoln University, AgResearch | Food consumer transitions |
| Understanding the effect of probiotic bacteria on Saccharomyces cerevisiae vitamin B consumption and its potential application in functional foods | Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research | Food consumer transitions |
| Effects of dietary protein supplementation on arterial stiffness in hypertensive Māori adults | Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research, ARA, Oceania Dairy/Westland Midlands Nutrition Ltd | Food consumer transitions |
| An Investigation into Living Systems Principles in the Food and Fibres Sector of Canterbury’s Economy. | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food for a carbon zero future |
| Transformational adaptation to climate change in Aotearoa-New Zealand’s agrifood systems | Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research | Food for a carbon zero future |
| 3D Bioprinting of Complex Food Structures | University of Canterbury, AgResearch | Food for a carbon zero future |
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2021
| Project | Partners | Theme |
|---|---|---|
|
Does Terroir Influence Food and Human Health Outcomes in New Zealand? |
Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research |
Food and future landscapes |
| Designing for Productivity in the Rural-Urban Continuum |
Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research |
Food and future landscapes |
| Using portfolio analysis to assess diverse agricultural landscapes under climate |
Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research |
Food and future landscapes |
| Designing landscapes for climate change and resilient food production: a social ecological systems approach |
University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research |
Food and future landscapes |
| Increasing crop yield through harnessing native pollinator diversity |
University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research |
Food and future landscapes |
| Plant waste by-product potential for fungi, food, and fodder |
University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research |
Food and future landscapes |
| An exploration of the socio-cultural dimensions and public perceptions of alternative proteins in Aotearoa New Zealand |
Lincoln University, AgResearch |
Food consumer transitions |
| Improving the bioavailability of polyphenols from NZ fruit extracts |
Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research |
Food consumer transitions |
| Prevention of cardiometabolic diseases with foods developed with upcycled processing water from peas |
Lincoln University, Plant & Food Research |
Food consumer transitions |
| Repairing metabolic rifts for societal transformation: decentralised community composting in Aotearoa New Zealand |
University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research |
Food for a carbon zero future |
| Edible insects, diet and proteins to explore the potential of a value-added product to improve human health |
Lincoln University, AgResearch |
Food for a carbon zero future |
| Impact of regenerative grazing practices on plant-soil interactions |
Lincoln University, AgResearch |
Food for a carbon zero future |
| Transforming industrial food waste for a carbon zero future |
Lincoln University, University of Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research |
Food for a carbon zero future |
| The role of bacterial cell-envelope proteinase enzymes in plantbased protein fermentations: Toward new foods |
University of Canterbury, Plant & Food Research |
Food for a carbon zero future |
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Research projects will aspire to an integrative transdisciplinary framework, and staff and student researchers in the School will learn from each other to enhance their collective experience and skill in transdisciplinary work.
The partners individually and collectively have a strong commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi as a bicultural partnership framework. As part of that commitment, the intention is to promote and support mātauranga Māori work conducted in line with Treaty Article 2 (by Māori, for Māori), including work that supports the aspirations of mana whenua rūnanga.
“Research projects will aspire to an integrative transdisciplinary framework”
Applications for projects are currently closed.
Applications for projects by supervisory teams are open in July each year, and prospective candidates will be able to apply for PhD positions within these projects from mid-November.
