College of Sciences
Te Wāhanga Pūtaiao
Study
Massey University offers world-leading and unique programmes across our specialities. Our agriculture programme is no.1 in New Zealand according to global rankings and we offer the only veterinary programme in New Zealand ranked in the top 25 in the world.
Research
Massey University demands excellence in our sciences-related research. The College of Sciences brings together experts from several disciplines to further knowledge and make a difference in New Zealand and the world.
Accreditation and rankings
Our programmes are ranked as some of the best in the world, and we are accredited by major industry bodies internationally. Below is a selection of accreditations for sciences at Massey.
Massey is world-ranked and New Zealand’s No 1 university in agriculture according to QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) rankings.
The Bachelor of Engineering with Honours programme is accredited by Engineering NZ, under the Washington Accord, allowing our graduates to work internationally.
Massey University’s veterinary programme is ranked 19th in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
Both majors of the BFoodTech (Hons) are approved by the US-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).
The BVSc programme is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Staff
Professor Ray Geor
Pro Vice-Chancellor
Professor Geor is an internationally-recognised veterinary and agricultural science specialist, with expertise in equine medicine, nutrition and sport science. After spending nearly 30 years teaching and researching in America, he returned to New Zealand to take up the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Sciences in 2015.
Professor Simon Hall
Deputy PVC (Academic)
Professor Hall is the Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic) for the College of Sciences. His expertise is in chemistry. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry he was a founding principal investigator in the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.
Professor Dianne Brunton
Head of School of Natural and Computational Sciences
Professor Brunton is the head of School of Natural and Computational Sciences
Her research expertise is in social behaviour and the evolution and ecology of animal communication with her main research interest in the evolution of song.
Professor Julian Heyes
Head of School of Food and Advanced Technology
A professor of postharvest technology, Professor Heyes' research background is in cell physiology, with more recent research focusing on connecting science to growth of the horticulture sector based on novel, high-value niche products.
Professor Jon Huxley
Head of School of Veterinary Science
Professor Huxley joined Massey University in May 2018, from the University of Nottingham. His research expertise is in dairy cow health and endemic diseases of dairy cattle, particularly lameness and the impact of the housed environment on animal health and welfare.
Professor Paul Plieger
Acting Head of School of Fundamental Sciences
Professor Plieger is currently the acting Head of the School for the School of Fundamental Sciences. He is a trained inorganic synthetic chemist specialising in ligand design, synthesis and functionality.
Professor Monty Sutrisna
Head of School of Built Environment
Professor Sutrisna has an extensive body of academic research as well as university leadership and practical experience as a leader in the construction industry in the UK, Australia and Indonesia.
Professor Claire Massey
Director Stakeholder Engagement, Associate Dean International
Claire works to leverage the College’s capability, networks, facilities and knowledge platforms in order to create a better future for New Zealand and the world. Claire is your contact if you are an organisation that wishes to work with the College of Sciences.
Professor Peter Lockhart
Associate Dean - Pacific Peoples
Professor Lockhart has been working closely with Pacific Island nations since 2004. HIs experience includes being the instigator of the UNESCO UNITWIN Network to create opportunities for Pacific Island students and co-supervision of several Pacific Island students.
Professor Paul Kenyon
Head of School
Professor Kenyon is the Head of the School of Agriculture and Environment. His area of expertise is sheep husbandry and undertakes a range of research at both the basic science and applied level. He has strong links with the sheep industry in New Zealand.
Meet our graduates
My degrees have opened doors and given me wonderful opportunities in this sector.
Hannah Bruce
Bachelor of AgriCommerce (Farm Management)
I came to Massey because it has a great reputation as being a leader in the agriculture industry. Studying at Massey was a fantastic experience. The lecturers were always available to assist us and the mix of practice and theory meant we gained rounded knowledge of each topic.
Dana Muir
Bachelor of AgriCommerce (International Agribusiness)
Completing my studies in plant science has opened up a wealth of opportunities, both in New Zealand and abroad.
Rowan Dickson
Bachelor of Science (Plant Science and Genetics)
I loved my experience at Massey University, keeping busy with sport, study and Massey Young Farmer’s Club. My time at Massey University gave me friendships and skills that will last the rest of my life.
Courtney Hill
Bachelor of Agriscience (now Bachelor of Agricultural Science)
My Massey study experience was excellent. I loved the interaction with the lecturers - especially in the smaller classes. Good lecturers along with interactive classes, field-trips and applicable assignments made for a great learning environment.
Luke Posthuma
Bachelor of Agricultural Science
The best part of Massey, in particular plant science, is how passionate the lecturers are about their subjects.
Emily Smith
Bachelor of Science (Plant Science)
Returning from fishing near Whangarei one day, I spotted a large pod of dolphins and a mother-calf pair of whales. It was then I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to working with whales and dolphins.
Blair Outhwaite
Bachelor of Science (Marine Ecology) (now Marine Biology)
My degrees at Massey gave me a good understanding the main components agricultural science – climate, soils, plants and animals – and how they interact
Todd White
Bachelor of AgriScience
I already had an overview of the business but my study has meant I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of what we are doing and why we are doing it.
Dean Tangiora
Diploma of Meat Technology
Massey is recognised as a top agricultural university and offers a vast range of papers.
Georgia Gavin
Bachelor of AgriCommerce (International Agribusiness)
I’ve been given unique opportunities and worked with a variety of species; from llamas to the iconic kiwi bird.
Jamie Lange
Bachelor of Veterinary Science
The best thing about Massey's program is the emphasis on general veterinary medicine. It’s so important to be familiar with all species as you never know where life is going to take you.
Christie Balcomb
Bachelor of Veterinary Science
My study experience was flawless! I really enjoyed University life, because I was finally learning something that I was very passionate about. The University environment (and the lecturers) provided a very conducive, supportive and encouraging learning environment.
Magdeline Soo
Bachelor of Veterinary Science
My lifelong goal to become a veterinarian led me on the journey of a lifetime, to Massey University vet school in New Zealand.
Ren Garcia
Bachelor of Veterinary Science
The thing I enjoyed most once I had started my studies were the people. The lecturers were friendly, approachable, and represent people I aspire to be.
Kyle Taylor
Bachelor of Information Sciences (Double major in Information Technology and Computer Science)
Awards, funding and recognition
Some examples of the funding and recognition for College of Sciences staff and their work.
A Massey University engineering team won its category at a global competition in New York City for an air-quality project.
PhD students Baden Parr and Tyrel Glass, Bachelor of Engineering Honours graduates Madhav Kruthiventy and Darryn Wells.
Keysight Technologies (US)
A new model for studying cancer biology and regenerative medicine has been awarded a $150,000 Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) Explorer Grant.
Dr Tracy Hale, Associate Professor Vyacheslav Filichev and Professor Geoff Jameson
Health Research Council
A project led by Associate Professor Jennifer Tate received $929,000 for a project to determine if there are genomic "rules" to successful polyploid speciation.
Associate Professor Jennifer Tate
Royal Society Te Apārangi
A project to undertake a nationwide case-control study of the disease leptospirosis was awarded $1,199,841 from the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) in 2018. Massey's Associate Professor Jackie Benschop is Principal Investigator on this multi-university project.
Associate Professor Jackie Benschop
Health Research Council of New Zealand
Associate Professor Georg Zellmer was awarded $832,000 from the Royal Society's Marsden Fund for the project 'Water in spinel: a robust hygrometer for the Earth and Planetary Sciences'.
Associate Professor Georg Zellmer
Royal Society Te Apārangi
Associate Professor Gert Lube received $948,000 for research using Massey University's pyroclastic flow eruption simulator facility to investigate pyroclastic density currents.
Associate Professor Gert Lube
Royal Society Te Apārangi
Associate Professor Karen Stockin was appointed to the role of strandings coordinator within the Strandings Initiative at the International Whaling Commission.
Dr Karen Stockin
International Whaling Commission
Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh was the the first New Zealander to receive the 2018 American Dairy Science Association Distinguished Service Award. The award recognises unusually outstanding and consistent contributions to the welfare of the dairy industry.
Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh
American Dairy Science Association
Distinguished Professor Paul Moughan has been honoured with a Supreme Silver Medal from Wageningen University and Research Centre, one of the Netherlands' top universities.
Professor Moughan, a Fellow Laureate of the Riddet Institute, has a long and distinguished career in protein science both at Massey and at Wageningen, where he spends time working and teaching every year.
Distinguished Professor Paul Moughan
Wageningen University
Distinguished Professor Peter Schwerdtfeger and Dr Elke Pahl were awarded $910,000 from the Royal Society's of New Zealand's Marsden Fund to explore and extend the periodic table of elements towards the super-heavy region.
Distinguished Professor Peter Schwerdtfeger and Dr Elke Pahl
Royal Society Te Apārangi
Distinguished Professor Peter Schwerdtfeger has been awarded the Dan Walls medal by the New Zealand Institute of Physics. The award is presented annually to a physicist working in New Zealand for at least ten years who is deemed to have made the greatest impact both nationally and internationally in his or her field of research.
Peter Schwerdtfeger
New Zealand Institute of Physics
Dr Cami Sawyer was awarded a tertiary teaching award in 2019 from Ako Aotearoa, the National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence.
Dr Cami Sawyer
Ako Aotearoa, the National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence
Dr Carl Mesarich was awarded $300,000 from the Royal Society's Marsden Fund for the research project 'Making the switch: cell surface modifications that enable plant-pathogenic fungi to differentiate and maintain infection-related cellular morphotypes during host colonization'
Dr Carl Mesarich
Royal Society Te Apārangi
Dr David Aguirre, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, will develop a novel unified framework for reef ecosystems, and examine the forces governing transitions in the dominant species found on temperate and tropical reefs.
His research focuses on understanding how rapid change in the global climate over the last century affects marine biodiversity and, in turn, human populations.
Dr David Aguirre
Royal Society Te Apārangi
Dr David Simpson, along with Professor Paul Glendinning of the University of Manchester, received $500,000 for the project 'Organised chaos: Using geometry to explain robust chaotic dynamics in switched dynamical systems'.
Dr David Simpson
Royal Society Te Apārangi
Work with us
The College of Sciences has developed close relationships with industry across our areas of expertise.
We work with our partners on industry-relevant research and professional development and match final year students in some areas with companies to work on real world projects. Talk to us to find out how you can work with the College.
Location
Auckland campus
Massey University’s Auckland campus is in Albany on the North Shore of Auckland. College of Sciences are based on the main campus in the Mathematical Sciences building, with food technology, engineering and much of natural sciences on the nearby Otehe Rohe campus.
Manawatū campus
Massey University’s Manawatū campus is in Palmerston North. The College of Sciences is based in the Science Towers off the central concourse, Aghort buildings, Riddet Complex and other buildings around campus.
