Aspiring ‘environmental GP’ wins Waikato scholarship

A University of Waikato master’s student has been awarded a scholarship that will support her research into back-to-back rainfall events in Aotearoa New Zealand.

At Waikato Regional Council’s October meeting the scholarship was presented to Morgan Harris, a 22-year-old from Patetonga with a love for the planet and desire to help others. 

For the past two years Morgan has been completing a Master of Science (Research) in Environmental Science, with her work part of the Climate Extremes and Societal Impacts research team. Her thesis has looked to investigate the ability of traditional approaches to detect impactful years of rainfall and found that future risks are severely underestimated when analysis does not account for event sequencing.

“As we plan for the impacts of climate change we must consider not just the intensification of single-day rainfall extremes, but account for the compounding of impacts from back-to-back moderate rainfall events,” Morgan said. “Severe rainfall events in the North Island at the start of 2023 are just one example of the importance of this. 

“My thesis has also investigated how the vulnerability of communities and their capacity to recover influences the potential impacts of these back-to-back rainfall events. When a community is still recovering from the last flood, it can be harder to cope with the next event, and the impacts can be much greater. By bringing together projected changes in back-to-back rainfall events and differences in community recovery, my research aims to better understand how we assess and prepare for impacts of repeated flooding in Aotearoa.”

Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher applauded the work.

“The Waikato is already experiencing the impacts of more frequent and intense rainfall events, and we know these can have significant consequences for our communities.

“We’re proud to support emerging researchers whose work has real-world benefits. I’m sure Morgan’s work will contribute to our understanding of flood risk and community resilience, providing valuable insights that can inform future planning and decision-making across the region,” he said.

Morgan has been a key member of the Our Plains Our Future Community Panel over the past two years, providing a strong voice on the adaptation planning process.

Morgan said: “It's very exciting to have received an award honouring such an incredible person, I have heard such lovely stories about Dr Stella Francis. The way she thought about connected systems and had such a heart for community is something I aim to do throughout my research and career.” 

On hearing that Dr Frances described herself as a ‘GP for the environment’, Morgan said it was a term she often used to describe her own aspirations. “From very early on I knew I wanted to look after the health of our planet, and all who call it home. With the challenges our planet faces, including biodiversity loss and climate change, it is a very important time to nurture and encourage more ‘environmental GPs’.

“Awards like this one are critical in this. They help students stay in research, contribute to answering some of the big, important questions and ultimately help build more resilient communities and environments for the future.”

In 2025, Morgan received the Water Science Prize, which is awarded by Waikato Regional Council annually to the student who shows outstanding ability in water science papers taught in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Waikato.  

The Dr Stella Frances Scholarship is jointly sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Waikato Regional Council and awarded annually to a student in the final year of a master’s degree at the University of Waikato.

The scholarship, to the value of $6000 per year, is available to students studying environmental issues in the Waikato region and is intended to pay for research expenses.

Dr Frances (1948-2003) was a Waikato regional councillor and then Waikato Conservator for the Department of Conservation. She was a constant source of inspiration to staff and people in the community who worked with her, in both her personal and professional life. Her commitment to the environment is perpetuated in this scholarship.

More information on the Dr Stella Frances Scholarship is available on our website.

Dr Stella Frances Scholarship winner, Morgan Harris, with Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher.