DoctorKate Prendergast

Dr Kate Prendergast is a Lecturer in the Faculties of Health and Arts. She developed UC's cross-faculty postgraduate programme in Sustainable Futures and Innovation. Her research sits at the intersection of sustainability, wellbeing, and health, with a particular focus on how young people can flourish in sustainable, low-carbon ways in a rapidly changing climate. In 2025, she received an American Political Science Association award for her presentation of a co‑authored paper on re‑imagining civics education in chaotic climate futures.

Kate is a Research Fellow with Surrey University’s Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP), funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council. She’s a lead researcher for the international CYCLES (Children and Youth in Cities, Lifestyles Evaluation and Sustainability) project, which examines the everyday lives of young people across seven global cities through a sustainability and wellbeing lens.

She's also an investigator with the Mana Rangatahi: Climate Change and Decision Making project, funded by the National Science Challenge and UC's Child Well-Being Research Centre. 

In addition, Kate collaborates with the Sustainable Business Network on the annual Next Wave Barometer, which tracks the sentiment, confidence, and success factors shaping sustainable innovation in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr Prendergast has also contributed to organisational (e.g. FENZ) and national wellbeing projects aimed at monitoring and improving health and wellbeing outcomes.