Student Projects

We offer two options for undergraduate and honours students to gain research skills and experience by working with Food Waste Innovation supervisors and University of Otago mentors at the forefront of food waste research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This paid internship is designed for undergraduate or honours-level students to engage in a dynamic 6-10-week industry-sponsored food waste-related research project. Sponsors collaborate closely with the students and expert Food Waste Innovation researchers to shape a research project and deliver a meaningful output. This internship is an excellent opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience conducting real-life research and contribute to industry knowledge.
This is a full-year project-based paper (FOSC311) for food science students to gain an understanding of the product development process and the role of food scientists/technologists in the food industry. The project is set to simulate the time, cost, quality and process issues faced when working within a company to develop new products. Projects are solicited from food manufacturing companies or research organisations. Groups of students go through the stages of concept development, prototype development, shelf-life assessment, consumer testing, packaging design and labelling to deliver on a project brief.

Find out more

2023-2024

Our Summer Interns

Cinamin Collins

Political Science & Environmental Management Student

Supplier Perceptions Towards Providing Surplus Food to a Social Enterprise
Cinamin’s project is in collaboration with The Bowling Club Dunedin. This project explores supplier perceptions towards providing surplus food to a social enterprise. The project will consist of interviews with food producers and suppliers in the Otago region to better understand barriers to and opportunities for a secondary market for surplus food.
To find out more:
https://patr.otago.ac.nz/patr/issue/view/3
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

Zahrah Hatraby

Human Nutrition Masters Student

Food Waste Audit in Aged Care Using Method Insight Technology
Zahrah’s pilot study tests Method Insight bins, employing smart scales for a non-manual food waste audit in a Dunedin aged care facility. Feedback will refine the final methodology and training package.
To find out more:
https://patr.otago.ac.nz/patr/issue/view/3
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

Trixie Croad

Sociology & Food Science Student

Food Waste in Aged Care
Trixie’s project, sponsored by Arvida Retirement Villages, aimed to understand how much and what food is wasted in aged care villages and identify key barriers to food waste.
Link to resource

Cameron Brewitt

Marketing & Finance Student

Worm Farming in Student Flats
Cameron’s project looked at the feasibility of a worm farming program in student flats.
Link to resource

Max Doyle

Economics & Accounting Student

Auckland Council Food Scraps Project
Max’s project, sponsored by the Auckland Council, covers two parts: 1) a review of international food scraps research and 2) helping to establish a reporting dashboard for disposal data.
To find out more:
https://patr.otago.ac.nz/patr/issue/view/3
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

Jackson McBreen

Botany & Agriculture Innovation Student

Review of On-Farm Food Waste and Loss
Jackson’s project, sponsored by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor (OPMCSA), reviews on-farm food waste and loss, looking into preventive technology, management practices and strategies that can be used on farms.
To find out more:
https://patr.otago.ac.nz/patr/issue/view/3
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

Demi Lawrence

Human Geography Student

Prevention and Mitigation of Food and Organic Waste in Hospitals
Demi’s project was sponsored by the Dunedin Public Hospital

Saffron Elliott

Entrepreneurship & Marketing Student

Consumers' Response to Food Date Labels
Saffron’s project, sponsored by the New Zealand-China Food Protection Network, targets consumer strategies to reduce food waste using eye tracking and facial analysis. It explores reactions to date labels, engaging participants, and analyzing quantitative data for insights.
To find out more:
https://patr.otago.ac.nz/patr/issue/view/3
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

Megan McKenzie

Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) & Psychology Student

International Policy Review of Organics Bans to Landfill
Megan’s project, sponsored by the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor (OPMCSA), conducts an internationally-based overview of policies designed to ban organics from reaching our landfills.

Sydney Collin

Food Science Student

Food Waste Reduction within the Carrot Production Industry
Sydney’s project looked at barriers and opportunities to food waste reduction within the carrot production industry, with a focus on opportunities for upcycling.

Charli May Christensen

Food Science & Human Nutrition Student

Workshop Analysis on Behaviour Changes Towards Minimising Food Waste
Charli is working alongside Waste-Ed with Kate to determine whether workshops on behaviour changes help participants minimise the amount of food they are wasting and the amount of waste they are throwing out.
To read her full report:
https://wastedkate.co.nz/pages/food-lovers-masterclass-evalutation
To see her present on her research at the Puhau ana te ra Tailwinds Summer Student Seminar:
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

Ana Gibson

Consumer Food Science & Human Nutrition Student

Food Waste Initiatives Across Tertiary Sectors in the Pacific Region
Ana’s project, sponsored by the Riddet Institute, aims to gather research and data on existing initiatives aimed at preventing food waste in universities within the Pacific region.
To find out more:
https://patr.otago.ac.nz/patr/issue/view/3
https://foodwaste-otago.org/resources/puhau-ana-te-ra-tailwinds-student-seminar-2024

2022-2023

Grace Petersen

Human Nutrition Student

Onion Loss and Waste Streams in Aotearoa
Grace’s project, sponsored by Onions NZ, investigated food waste in the onion-growing industry and the appetite for developing value-added streams.
Link to resource