The German-born marine biologist and STEMFest ambassador, Natalie Prinz, aims to inspire a new generation of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.
Surrounded by water and spending months travelling the world with a father who worked as a cruise ship director, it’s no wonder Natalie Prinz fell in love with ocean life.
But the German-born marine biologist and STEMFest ambassador recalls it was a family visit to the forest that sparked her career path.
“I have a very strong memory of my parents taking me on a forest walk one weekend,” Natalie says. “I asked, ‘What can I be that has to do with nature?’ Mum said I could be a natural scientist. From that moment on and without really knowing what it meant, I told people that’s what I would be.”
Following her dream and wanting to understand more about oceanography and how animals interact with the environment, she studied in Perth and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Science. Natalie spent a year working in science and tourism in Western Australia before returning to Germany to do an International Master’s Degree in Tropical Marine Ecology. This took her to the Cook Islands where she investigated the impact of tourism practices on coral reef fish.
After later working alongside researchers on an Arctic expedition vessel and other scientists in Saudi Arabia and Italy, she arrived in Tauranga in April 2020 to start a five-year PhD and teach at The University of Waikato.
This year she helped the Tauranga campus host more than 400 scientists for the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society conference – the first time the city has hosted the group in 40 years. The event highlighted the broad range of marine science topics and strengthened Natalie’s passion for science and its ability to restore valuable marine ecosystems, including estuaries that line New Zealand’s coastlines, which are the focus of her PhD study. Her thesis will test the idea that two endemic shellfish (tuangi/New Zealand cockle and hanikura/wedge shell) can short-circuit the recovery of degraded estuaries. Her experiments are underway at Tuapiro Point near Katikati and are likely to extend to other estuaries over the next two years.
It’s her passion and bubbly personality that led to the 30-year- old’s appointment as the STEMFest ambassador. The family-focused festival – the only event of its kind in New Zealand – aims to inspire a new generation of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians.
Natalie says it’s important to encourage more children with curious minds to pursue scientific careers.
“I’ve never reached any ceiling and I want to make it even easier for the next generation coming through to solve some big challenges. We need a diverse workforce that works together to create healthier, more sustainable environments.”
Get your free STEMFest tickets at stemfest.nz
