Inaugural Professorial Lecture– Professor Christoph Matthaei

Life in troubled waters
About Professor Christoph Matthaei's research
Christoph’s earlier research (at ETH/Eawag Zurich, universities of Otago and Munich) focused on how flood disturbances shape stream communities.

After permanently moving to New Zealand, investigating the impacts of multiple stressors on running-water ecosystems became another key focus. These stressors include nutrient enrichment, sedimentation, water abstraction, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and climate change.

Christoph has provided expert advice to several ministries; Environmental Protection Authority, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Department of Conservation and many regional councils. His research has been supported by grants from Switzerland, Germany, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry for Primary Industries. In 2017 his team received the ‘NZ River Story Award’ for research aimed at improving the health of our rivers.

Christoph has 35 international collaborations, the latest being a €10M multiple-stressor project led by German researchers. He has supervised 69 postgraduates and was named Supervisor of the Year (Sciences) by Otago’s Student Association in 2011. He has published more than 100 scientific articles and is Director of the cross-departmental Ecology Degree Programme.

This lecture will be followed with light refreshments, tea, coffee and juice.