Scientist Highlight: Juliet Linzmeier
- Vicki Alderson-Wallace
- Jul 7
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Restoring Oceans, Right Here: Local Science Making Waves with Seaweed
Juliet Linzmeier, a Master of Environmental Science student at the University of Waikato, is helping lay the groundwork for New Zealand’s emerging seaweed aquaculture industry. Based in Tauranga's Coastal Marine Field Station (CMFS) for her research, Juliet has been working hands-on in the hatchery, tackling one of the industry's most critical bottlenecks: producing reliable juvenile seaweed.
Her thesis focuses on refining hatchery techniques for Ecklonia radiata, a native kelp species commonly known as golden kelp, which plays a vital role in coastal ecosystems. By experimenting with different nutrient and lighting regimes, Juliet aims to improve early-stage growth and seedling consistency which she says are essential steps toward scaling up cultivation for ecological restoration and sustainable production.
While scientific progress is underway, Juliet notes that the biggest hurdles now come from regulatory limitations.
In New Zealand, guidelines for seaweed farming are not yet well defined, creating uncertainty that slows the growth of this promising sector. Her work highlights the need for both robust biological methods and clear policy frameworks to unlock the full potential of seaweed as a climate-friendly, regenerative resource.
After the juvenile sporophytes are grown, Juliet examines sections of twine and uses a digital microscope to make measurements. Source: Images supplied. © Juliet Linzmeier.
To understand more about what led Juliet to pursue a career in marine aquaculture, we asked her about her experiences with science at an early age.
1) What did you enjoy about science when you were at school, and why?
I enjoyed that science was a realm devoted to discovering the truth about the world, which seemed easy. Science is the pursuit of knowledge more than any other field; a reminder that it’s cool to not know everything, and the more lost you are in a world of unknown, the wider and more exciting our perspectives are. I think it all comes down to my high school marine teacher’s favourite quote, that “You only see what you know.” And it’s true, the more you learn about a topic, the more you can see how it makes the world operate. That makes you feel smart, and it feels cool to feel smart.
2) What led you to consider science as a career path?
I actually didn’t think too much about my career path, which I regret! We’ll see if I can make a career out of my passion for seaweed products now, but I think there should always be an investment in science and technology. I highly recommend for high school students to ask adults about their jobs, and to find out what sort of work they enjoy, and just get good at whatever you enjoy. You will find success there!
3) What do you see as key learning experiences for students in science?
Try to see beyond the grade for the opportunities available to you. School is like any program or job, where you get out what you put in. You can do internships, you can jump onto programs that introduce you to career paths, there are SO many programs designed to engage students, so take advantage!
The best introduction to real science in high school was this week long trip down in Baja California (Mexico), where us students slept on the sand under the stars and during the day did experiments on mangrove crabs, in the mud flats, and in the desert. Super cool, and looking back it was very much what we do as postgraduate students! Science is definitely cool if you want to be in the field to collect natural data, so if that appeals to you then science is the right direction.
Perspectives from local researchers like Juliet offer valuable insight for kaiako looking to learn more about the interface of science education and real-world research. Her mahi demonstrates how local science research enables Aotearoa New Zealand to contribute towards addressing some of the biggest global challenges of our time.
Juliet’s research also reflects activities familiar to many kaiako: making measurements at different scales, using microscopes, and investigating factors such as light intensity on plant growth. However, Juliet also identified the value of getting out and amongst the environment as one of her key learning experiences — and the encouragement of teachers who helped her build a positive relationship with science.
She also underscores the importance for rangatahi to find out what’s out there. Kaiako looking to help their classes do this could get in touch with the Coastal Marine Field Station to find out about the variety of research projects and how the University of Waikato can support a pathway into marine science.
For kaiako who would like to find out how Juliet's research could broaden teaching and learning science, we have collated the following links and suggestions for learning experiences:
Curriculum and NCEA Links
Some but not limited to:
NZC Living World - Ecology
NZC NOS - Understanding about Science, Investigating in Science
Science AS 91921(1.2) Demonstrate understanding of the use of a range of scientific investigative approaches in a context
Biology AS 91153 (2.1) - Carry out a practical investigation in a biology context with supervision
Biology AS 91156 (2.4) - Demonstrate understanding of life processes at a cellular level
Biology AS 91160 (2.8) - Investigate biological material at the microscopic level
Biology AS 91601 (3.1) Carry out a practical investigation in a biological context with guidance
Biology AS 91603 (3.3) Demonstrate understanding of the responses of plants and animals to their external environment
Suggested Learning Experiences
Exploring and observing seaweed under the microscope. Use this guide made by Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust for seaweed harvest and storage prior to microscope work.
Making a herbarium of seaweed species collected from local beaches and estuaries - use this method created by Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust
Investigating photosynthesis and factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis in seaweed - use this method created by Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust
Design a quiz activity on seaweed using these 50 fun facts about seaweed created by Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust
Resources from Love Rimurimu, a community-led project in Wellington, New Zealand, aimed at restoring native seaweed forests to improve marine biodiversity and combat climate change. Funded by Mountains to Sea Wellington Trust, the project combines science, mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), and public engagement to regenerate kelp ecosystems and foster sustainable ocean stewardship
Support citizen science by logging observations of seaweeds on iNaturalist and Floating Forests
More seaweed resources from the Science Learning Hub
Acknowledgements: Thank you, Juliet, for taking the time to share your work with us. This article has been published with permission from Professor Chris Battershill.
Please contact info@bayscience.nz in the event of any errors/suggestions or if you would like to contribute a spotlight article.
