DoctorMike Hickford

As an Adjunct Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury, my research centres on the early life history of fish and the ecological processes that shape their survival and distribution. My work explores larval and juvenile stages, diadromous life cycles, and the environmental factors influencing population connectivity and resilience. My academic path has been closely tied to UC, where I completed my BSc, MSc, and PhD before undertaking a postdoctoral fellowship in marine ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

I have contributed to a wide range of research on freshwater and coastal species, including Galaxias maculatus (whitebait), with publications spanning larval dispersal, habitat quality, population dynamics, and biodiversity time‑series datasets. 

Beyond research, I engage in science communication and leadership within New Zealand’s marine science community, including council service for the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and media outreach on whitebait conservation. 

My current role is as a Freshwater Ecologist at Earth Sciences New Zealand (Foremerly NIWA)