phd extension auckland uni

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Doctoral scholarships

Our PhD students are at the heart of AUT’s research culture. To attract and recognise highly achieving research students and stimulate doctoral research in areas that enhance AUT’s capability, AUT offers a number of doctoral scholarships.

To qualify for a doctoral scholarship, you must have gained admission into an approved doctoral programme at AUT before applying for the scholarship.

2024 AUT doctoral scholarships you can apply for

Doctoral scholarships are awarded to applicants with an excellent academic record (normally first-class honours), strong academic references and the potential for high-quality research.

Each Vice-Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarship consists of an annual stipend of $33,000, plus tuition fees and compulsory student services fee for up to three years.

Who can apply for an AUT Vice-Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarship

To qualify, you must:

Be applying as a new doctoral candidate
Have an unconditional Offer of Place in the AUT doctoral programme
Have a GPA of 8.0 or above in your most recent qualifying programme completed at a New Zealand tertiary institution
Māori and domestic Pacific applicants: have a GPA of 7.5 or above from your most recent qualifying programme completed at a New Zealand tertiary institution, and be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
You must enrol into the doctoral programme within three months after being offered the scholarship

Full AUT doctoral scholarship regulations

When to apply

Applications for a Vice-Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarship are accepted at any stage during the year, apart from between 1 December to 15 January.

Each AUT Doctoral Scholarship consists of an annual stipend of $33,000, plus tuition fees and compulsory student services fee for up to three years.

Who can apply for an AUT Doctoral Scholarship

Open to all applicants including those from countries other than New Zealand who meet the admission requirements for a doctoral programme
You must have received an Offer of Place for the doctoral programme at AUT

Other scholarships you will be considered for

If you’re applying for an AUT Doctoral Scholarship you will also be considered for one of the following faculty or school funded options:

A full fee scholarship
Full fees plus an annual stipend equivalent to at least $20,000 or the minimum living cost criteria for Immigration NZ student visa, whichever is the highest

These faculty doctoral scholarships include:

AUT Doctoral Scholarships – Business Economics and Law
AUT Doctoral Scholarships – School of Future Environments (Māori and Pacific)
AUT Doctoral Scholarships – Faculty of Culture and Society (fees only)
AUT Doctoral Scholarships - Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences (fees only)
AUT Doctoral Scholarships – School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences

There are three closing dates to apply for an AUT Doctoral Scholarship in 2024:

Applications open one month before the closing dates.

If you haven’t already applied for admission into the doctoral programme at AUT you must complete both steps below. If you’re a current PhD student at AUT or already have an Offer of Place to start your PhD at AUT, go directly to step 2.

1) Apply for admission into the doctoral programme at AUT

You need to have been accepted into the AUT doctoral programme to qualify for a doctoral scholarship. The admissions process may take up to two months, so you need to apply for admission to the doctoral programme at least two months prior to applying for this scholarship.

If you haven’t completed the process of applying for admission into the doctoral programme, you won’t be eligible to apply for the scholarship.

For information on how to start your application for admission to the doctoral programme email the AUT Graduate Research School at [email protected]

2) Apply for a doctoral scholarship

Download the AUT doctoral scholarship regulations and familiarise yourself with the eligibility criteria and the conditions of acceptance
Apply through the AUT online scholarships application portal – you need to register and select which AUT scholarship(s) to apply for
Upload a two-page statement outlining your proposed research in up to 1,000 words plus references (longer documents won’t be accepted)
Upload a brief CV (up to three A4 pages)
Upload your academic transcript(s) for any tertiary study that was completed at a university other than AUT
Upload a copy of your conditional or unconditional Offer of Place
Provide details of your two academic referees and, via the scholarship application portal, ask them to submit a confidential report directly to the portal by the closing date
If your proposed AUT primary supervisor or head of school isn’t one of your referees, provide a letter or evidence of AUT faculty support. If your supervisor is also a referee they need to provide only one statement covering both purposes. Your application will not be provided to the panel unless you can demonstrate that the AUT faculty support your application
Submit your completed application via the online scholarships application portal once you have completed all the required sections. This can be done before your referees have submitted their reports

Application portal and supporting documents you may need

AUT online scholarships application portal
AUT doctoral scholarship regulations
Thesis proposal *

*You can find a thesis proposal template in the application portal or can upload the proposal document yourself.

Research at AUT

AUT research is focused on real-world impact, and we're proud of our reputation as a leading research university. We have more than 60 research centres and institutes delivering innovative research that addresses issues facing the environment, society and the world.

EXPLORE AUT RESEARCH

Meet some of our doctoral scholarship recipients

Claudine Nalesu

Tanuj Wadhi

Roxane de Waegh

Jasper Wong

Keegan Chessum

Su Myat Kyaw

Stefania Patrone Scholarships Officer [email protected]

How we assess applications

AUT uses a number of criteria when assessing scholarship applicants, including your GPA and research experience, and how your research aligns with AUT’s research priorities.

RANKING CRITERIA

Apply to study at AUT

Before applying for a scholarship you need to have gained admission into AUT’s doctoral programme.

Applying to AUT is easy – submit your application online today.

Apply online

Support for postgraduate research students

As a postgraduate research student at AUT you have access to a range of support and resources, including postgraduate study spaces, events and researcher development activities.

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PhDs and professional doctorates , Tohu Kairangi me ngā tohu tākuta ngaio

Learn about PhDs and professional doctorates at Massey. Discover how to apply and find a supervisor, and how we’ll support you to succeed.

What you can study

Find out about the types of doctoral degree you can study at Massey.

How to apply for a doctoral degree

Find out how to apply for a PhD or professional doctorate at Massey.

Find a supervisor

Explore Massey staff’s research expertise to find a supervisor.

Our doctoral community

Learn about the support you can get as a doctoral student at Massey.

Doctoral student achievements

Learn about our doctoral students’ achievements, including the Dean’s list of exceptional theses.

Contact the office

Doctoral applications.

+64 6 951 9440

Graduate Research School

Massey University

Tiritea House

Palmerston North 4410

New Zealand

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General Regulations – Masters Degrees

The following regulations apply to all Masters degrees published in this Calendar unless otherwise stated. As far as possible they are to be read in conjunction with the specific degree regulations for each Masters degree.

(i) a Masters is a Research Masters if it includes a thesis or research portfolio of at least 90 points, otherwise it is a Taught Masters

(ii) a research essay or research project will normally be worth no more than 45 points

(iii) a dissertation will be worth at least 40 points and less than 90 points

(iv) a research portfolio or thesis will normally be worth 90 or 120 points

(v) for the purposes of these regulations only, full-time enrolment is 50 points or more in one semester or 25 points or more in one quarter, otherwise the semester or quarter enrolment (and any Summer School enrolment) is part-time.

General Requirements

1 A student enrolled for a Masters degree at this University must pass the full points value specified in the degree regulations. The total enrolment may not exceed the minimum points requirement for the degree by more than 40 points.

Duration of Enrolment

2 a The requirements for a Masters degree must be completed in accordance with the following time limits and the thesis or research portfolio due dates in Regulation 2e.

(i) The date of initial enrolment is deemed to be:

(a) the start date of the enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio where the programme commences with a thesis or research portfolio enrolment

(b) the first term in which a student enrolled for a course which is assigned or reassigned to the programme.

(ii) One period of Summer School enrolment counts towards the time limit as one semester of part-time enrolment, but is not counted if a thesis or research portfolio enrolment has already commenced.

(iii) Where a student’s enrolment is partially full-time and partially part-time, the part-time time limit applies, provided that:

(a) one semester of full-time enrolment counts as two semesters of part-time enrolment

(b) one quarter of full-time enrolment counts as two quarters of part-time enrolment.

(iv) Where a student’s enrolment is entirely full-time, it must be in consecutive semesters or quarters.

(v) Where a student’s enrolment is at least partially part-time, up to a maximum of four semesters or four quarters of non-enrolment may occur provided that:

(a) One semester of non-enrolment counts towards the time limit as one semester of part-time enrolment.

(b) One quarter of non-enrolment counts towards the time limit as one quarter of part-time enrolment.

b Enrolment in a Research Masters degree must conclude with the submission of the thesis or research portfolio.

c Enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio must commence on either 1 December, 1 March or 15 July and continue until the submission of the thesis or research portfolio.

d A student must enrol in thesis or research portfolio points in no fewer than two and no more than four consecutive semesters until the thesis or research portfolio points requirement is satisfied and subject to the time limits in Regulation 2a.

e A thesis or research portfolio must be submitted by the following due dates:

1 The final semester of enrolment depends on the start date of the thesis or research portfolio and the number of semesters (either two, three or four) in which a student is enrolled in thesis or research portfolio points before they satisfy the thesis or research portfolio points requirement.

2 These due dates provide 12 months of continuous enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio for students completing their thesis or research portfolio points enrolment in two consecutive semesters, and 18 or 24 months of continuous enrolment for other students (by enrolment in thesis or research portfolio points in three or four consecutive semesters respectively).

3 This due date occurs within the final semester of enrolment.

4 This due date is in the same year as the final semester of enrolment

5 This due date is in the year following the final semester of enrolment.

f A student enrolled in a 240 point Research Masters must complete at least 105 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

g A student enrolled in a 300 point Research Masters must complete at least 180 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

h A student enrolled in a 360 point Research Masters must complete at least 240 points of coursework prior to enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio.

Completion of Requirements

3 a A student enrolled in a thesis or research portfolio must complete at least one progress review during their research. Failure to complete a progress review by the required due date may result in enrolment in the thesis or research portfolio being suspended.

b Thesis or Research Portfolio Extension of Time

(i) If, in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, a thesis or research portfolio has not been able to be completed by the due date specified in Regulation 2, the Supervisor may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding one month in total, and the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding eight months in total (including any extension approved by the Supervisor), for the work to be completed. The Supervisor may not decline an application for an extension but may refer it to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research with a recommendation that it be declined.

(ii) If an extension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final. 

(iii) If an application is received for an extension of beyond eight months, or the application is received more than two weeks after the deadline for submission of the research component to which it applies, then the application must be forwarded, with a recommendation from the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for a decision.

(iv) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a limited extension of time of up to eight months or more than eight months. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(v) If an extension is approved, a student will be enrolled in an extension course and pay tuition fees at the rate of 5 points for each one-month period or part thereof. This will only apply when the student’s current enrolment period in the thesis or research portfolio has ended.

(vi) In extraordinary circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve extensions of time beyond those permitted in 3b(i) for an individual or nominated group of students and may waive part or all of any tuition fees for extension courses related to theses or research portfolios for these students.

c Dissertation/Research Essay/Research Project

(i) The specified date for submission of a dissertation, research essay or research project that is included in a masters degree is the last day of the final term of enrolment in the dissertation, research essay or research project. If, in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, the dissertation, research essay or research project has not been able to be completed by the last day of the final term of enrolment in the dissertation, research essay or research project, the Supervisor may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding one month in total, and the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research may approve a limited extension of time, not exceeding two months in total (including any extension approved by the Supervisor), for the work to be completed. The Supervisor may not decline an application for an extension but may refer it to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research with a recommendation that it be declined.

(iii) If an application is received for an extension of beyond two months, or the application is received more than two weeks after the deadline for submission of the research component to which it applies, then the application must be forwarded, with a recommendation from the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, to the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) for a decision.

(iv) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a limited extension of time of up to two months or more than two months. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

(vi) In extraordinary circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve extensions of time beyond those permitted in 3c(i) for an individual or nominated group of students and may waive part or all of any tuition fees for extension courses related to dissertations, research essays or research projects for these students.

d  Other courses

Extensions of time to complete work in courses other than a dissertation, research essay, research portfolio, research project, or thesis will not be granted beyond the end of the semester(s) or quarter(s) of enrolment in the course.

e  Failed courses

A student who has failed a course or courses totalling no more than 40 points may be approved by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research to enrol for no more than one further consecutive semester or quarter beyond the duration of enrolment for completion specified in Regulation 2 in order to complete the degree.

4 a Where the specific degree regulations include a provision for Honours, a Masters degree may be awarded with Honours where a student’s overall grade is sufficiently high and where the student has passed a research component of at least 30 points, comprising a single identifiable course.

b There are two classes of Honours: First Class Honours and Second Class Honours. Second Class Honours are awarded in either First Division or Second Division.

c First Class Honours may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average of 7.0 or higher. Second Class Honours First Division may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 5.50 and 6.94. Second Class Honours Second Division may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 4.0 and 5.4. The overall Grade Point Average will be rounded to one decimal place for the purpose of this Honours calculation.

d For the purposes of the calculation of the award of Honours only courses completed at the University of Auckland will be included. Fail grades and Did Not Sit and Did Not Complete grades will count as zero.

e Where the requirements for a Masters degree including a research component of at least 30 points have been completed with an extension granted in accordance with Regulation 3, a student’s eligibility for honours will be retained.

Distinction or Merit

5 a Where the specific degree regulations include a provision for Distinction or Merit, and Honours has not been awarded, the Masters degree may be awarded with Distinction or Merit where a student’s grade is sufficiently high.

b Distinction may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average of 7.0 or higher. Merit may be awarded where a student has achieved an overall Grade Point Average between and including 5.50 and 6.94. The overall Grade Point Average will be rounded to one decimal place for the purpose of this Honours calculation.

c For the purposes of the calculation of the award of Distinction or Merit only courses completed at the University of Auckland will be included. Did Not Sit and Did Not Complete grades will count as zero.

6 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their thesis to the relevant faculty in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The digital thesis shall be formatted as specified in the Guidelines for Formatting a Digital Thesis at the University of Auckland.

c The Associate Dean Postgraduate Research (or nominee) of the faculty is responsible for transmitting copies of the thesis to the examiners.

d Where the outcome of the examination is to award a thesis a passing grade:

(i) Within one month of being advised of the outcome of the examination, the student must complete any minor corrections required to the satisfaction of the supervisor and deposit a digital copy of the thesis in ResearchSpace in the University Library. The relevant faculty will confirm that the thesis has been deposited in ResearchSpace.

(ii) The thesis will be accessible through the University’s digital repository unless embargoed under Regulation 25 of the Examination Regulations.

e Where the outcome of the examination is to award a thesis a fail grade the thesis will not be held in the University’s digital repository.

Research Portfolios

7 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their research portfolio to the relevant faculty in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The Associate Dean Postgraduate Research (or nominee) of the faculty is responsible for transmitting copies to the examiners.

c Copies of research portfolios are not deposited in the University’s digital repository.

Dissertations/Research Essays/Research Projects

8 a The student is to submit a digital copy of their dissertation, research essay or research projects to the supervisor or department in accordance with Regulations 2 and 3.

b The relevant academic unit is responsible for transmitting copies to the examiners.

c Copies of dissertations, research essays and research projects are not deposited with the University’s digital repository.

Substitutions and Failed Courses

9 Masters students may not change their enrolment in a course after the last date approved for Changes to Current Enrolment except as outlined in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations.

10 A Masters student may not normally re-enrol in a failed course except as provided for in the regulations relating to aegrotat and compassionate passes. In exceptional circumstances, the student may apply to the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, on the recommendation of the Programme Director, for permission to re-enrol in the course.

11 a (i) In exceptional circumstances the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, on the recommendation of the Programme Director, may grant a period of suspension from enrolment not normally exceeding one year for enrolment in a thesis or research portfolio or two consecutive semesters, or four quarters, for enrolment in other courses. In such cases the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree.

(ii) If a suspension application is declined by the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, the student may make an application for a review of that decision. An application for review must be made in writing to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) within one month of the decline being officially communicated to the student. The application must clearly set out the grounds for the review, and all relevant documents relied upon must be submitted with the application for review. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

b In exceptional circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) may approve a period of suspension of enrolment exceeding two consecutive terms on the recommendation of the Associate Dean Postgraduate Research. In such cases the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree. The decision of the Pro-Vice Chancellor will be final.

c If a suspension application is received from a student after an extension application for the same research component has been approved, or for a term prior to the current term of enrolment, the application must be forwarded to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) for a decision. If approved the period of suspension will not count towards the time limits for the degree. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) will be final.

Transfer Credits, Cross-credits and Reassignments

12 a Transfer credits

(i) Transfer credits may be awarded for a Taught Masters degree or the taught component of a Research Masters degree with a total points value of more than 120 points as specified in the Credit Regulations.

(ii) Except as provided for in the Credit Regulations, transfer credits may not be awarded for a Research Masters degree.

b Cross-credits

Courses may not be cross-credited into or from a Masters degree.

c Reassignments

(i) With the approval of the Programme Director, courses may be reassigned as specified in the Credit Regulations.

(ii) If enrolment in the Masters degree is not being discontinued, approval to reassign must not be given if the courses proposed to be reassigned meet the requirements for the Masters degree and the reassignment will result in an increase in the grade point average for the Masters degree. 

Certificate of Proficiency

13 a The Certificate of Proficiency regulations under ‘Other Programmes’ apply.

b A course passed for a Certificate of Proficiency may be reassigned to a Taught Masters degree, or the taught component of a Research Masters degree with a total points value of more than 120 points as specified in the Credit Regulations.

c A course passed for a Certificate of Proficiency may not be reassigned to a Research Masters degree except as specified in 13b above.

Transitional Certificate

14 The Transitional Certificate regulations under ‘Other Programmes’ apply. A Transitional Certificate course may not be reassigned to a Masters degree.

Appeal of Thesis, Research Portfolio, Dissertation, Research Essay or Research Essay examination outcome

15 a A student may appeal the outcome of a thesis, research portfolio, dissertation, research essay or research project examination only on the grounds that the result was materially impacted by a procedural flaw in the examination process.

b Any application for appeal must be lodged within three months of the result of the examination being officially communicated to the student.

c Appeals will be considered in accordance with the Examination of Sub-Doctoral Postgraduate Research Components of 30 Points and Above Procedures.

Delegation of decision-making

16 a The decision makers named in these regulations may delegate their decision-making power under these regulations to another nominated role. This delegation must be in writing.

b Where decision-making authority is delegated:

(i) The delegated authority can be exercised in the same way and to the same effect as if the original listed decision maker performed or exercised it .

(ii) The decision maker that made the original delegation remains responsible for the performance or exercise of the authority. 

17 In exceptional circumstances the Provost may approve a variation to the General Regulations – Masters Degrees.

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Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences - Postgraduate Students' Association

Increase the UOA Doctoral Stipend

FMHS-PGSA has campaigned tirelessly for an increase to the doctoral stipend. The Marsden Fund, Heart Foundation, and Cancer Society responded to our call with a $5000+ per annum increase, but the University of Auckland refuses to do the same.

What is the issue?

Currently, students on the UOA doctoral scholarship receive $28,800 per year + paid fees. This stipend amount is not enough to support an individual living in Auckland in 2022. The estimated cost of living for an individual living in Auckland at the time of writing in March 2022 is $4405 per month. The stipend provides only half of this amount. Other issues linked to the low stipend amount include:

A severe lack of Māori and other marginalised perspectives in the research space , including in the current UOA doctoral cohort. Te Tiriti o Waitangi states that any policy or practice should not prejudicially affect Māori. Given that Māori often do not have the financial privileges of Pākehā, it is unlikely that Māori would view doctoral study as a viable option. Indeed this appears to be the case; Māori are notably underrepresented in the current UOA doctoral cohort. So the cycle continues and Māori continue to be ignored in research outputs.
Doctoral students experience higher rates of mental health issues. Globally doctoral students have higher rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms than others. This is no surprise, considering the financial stress borne by many doctoral students.
The skills of doctoral students are devalued. To be eligible for a PhD, one must complete an honours degree or masters degree. These are high level qualifications, yet doctoral students are paid an amount that equates to less than minimum wage.
Doctoral students are susceptible to abuse. Because doctoral students are paid so little, they are an attractive option to supervisors and staff ahead of a postdoctoral research fellow who may cost more than $80,000 per annum. Doctoral students provide cheap labour, so supervisors may obstruct PhD completion and/or encourage prolonged PhD study unnecessarily. This is not an old wive’s tale, this is the reality for current PhD candidates.

What are the arguments against the stipend increase?

The research work students do would not be the sort of work that would ordinarily be done by an employed researcher. The work of PhD students in medical research are published in peer-reviewed academic journals. To suggest that this work is not expected to be on par with professional research would be disingenuous considering the expected research output of PhD students. For example, the authors of this response are all in the process or have published in academic journals.
Postgraduate student researchers are inexperienced. In order to enrol in a PhD, you need to have completed either an Honours degree or a Masters degree. To say that a Masters degree graduate is then worth below the minimum wage severely denigrates the entire research profession. Furthermore, the suggestion that the educational benefits of a PhD justifies paying below minimum wage is absurd. Does this mean no on-the-job learning is expected in any other research role?
We can promote equity and diversity in the research workforce whilst paying PhD students below the minimum wage. Any suggestion that we must increase the representation of Māori research staff cannot begin without raising the PhD stipend as that is a current huge bottleneck which disincentivises the entry into the research profession. As the Green Paper has rightly said, Māori researchers are often expected to work a double-shift as a researcher and a “cultural expert”. To alleviate the workloads of these double-shifted Māori academics, we must increase the number of Māori PhD students particularly in areas of national research priority.
The allowable 500 hours/year additional work (without paying secondary tax) is a reasonable way to cover other costs and certainly is an earning opportunity that would not be so attractive to a minimum wage workers who would be paying secondary tax on that 500 hours. Despite the fact that this would mean PhD students are expected to work 50 hours per week to make ends meet. Excessive tax (from secondary tax) is paid back to the taxpayer’s bank account at the end of the tax year. This shows a complete lack of understanding from senior University staff.

Further arguments are outlined here.

What have we done?

We have sent a petition with >700 signatures to UOA, HRC, MFAT, The Royal Society Te Apārangi (Marsden), MBIE, Heart Foundation, and Cancer Society, The Royal Society Te Apārangi (Marsden), Heart Foundation, and Cancer Society increased their PhD scholarship stipend.
We contacted Hon Chris Hipkins (Minister of Education) and Hon Dr Megan Woods (Minister of Research, Science, and Innovation). Both reported it was not their responsibility.
We contacted MP David Seymour, MP Chlõe Swarbrick, and MP Paul Goldsmith.
We raised the issue at faculty and university wide committee meetings including the Student Consultative Group with the Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater.

What’s next?

We continue to raise the issue in university forums and in the wider community.
We are in the process of a new submission to MBIE.
We are in the process of a feedback report in response to the Scholarships Review Scheme proposed by Dean of Graduate Studies Caroline Daley.

We will keep you updated with our progress. If you want to support our plight, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Better Postgraduate Support is Our Mission

[email protected], university of auckland, grafton campus.

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News and opinion

How a sister's fear of needles became a PhD success

07 May 2024

Auckland Bioengineering Institute , Health and medicine , Graduation

When Michael Hoffman graduates with his PhD this month, he knows his research is part of a potential revolution in how we take blood from reluctant patients. But the story behind it is far more personal.

Michael Hoffman wears his PhD regalia in front of greenery

It’s a vivid memory: Michael Hoffman as an undergraduate helping support his younger sister when she is given a blood test. She is a 16-year-old with Down Syndrome and autism, and faced with an approaching needle, is frightened and recalcitrant. It takes more than one person to hold her down while the phlebotomist takes the sample.

It is not a fun experience, but for the young student it turns out to be life-changing.

A year or so later, during his final year at the University of Auckland where he was specialising in biomedical engineering, Michael started talking to Professor Andrew Taberner from the Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI) about the latter's research into using needle-free jet injection technology to deliver drugs directly into the skin.

Andrew Taberner's jet injectors created a hair-thin jet of fluid travelling at 200 metres per second and able to deliver drugs though skin and tissue.

Michael thought about his sister and how difficult it is to get blood from someone who is uncooperative. The problem, if you are using a needle, is that you have to keep the needle still and inside someone’s vein for the whole length of the procedure.

“I had reflected at the time that there had to be a better way to get information from blood. And hearing about Andrew’s jet injection technology got me excited about potential applications for quick, needle-free blood sampling.”

Michael Hoffman and his mother and father in front of celebratory balloons

In December last year, Michael successfully defended his PhD thesis, “Lancet and needle-free blood insulin therapy using a controllable jet injector.”

Starting with the idea that for needle-averse diabetics it might be easier to use jet injection for taking blood for glucose measurement (as well as for delivering insulin), Michael looked at ways to increase the amount of blood you could get out using this method.

In particular, he studied using a partial vacuum and found that could significantly increase the volume of blood.

I’m proud to have been able to demonstrate you can use jet injection technology to collect blood.

Michael Hoffman Auckland Bioengineering Institute PhD graduate

“My human trial was a success and I’m proud to have been able to demonstrate you can use jet injection technology to collect blood that could be used for glucose concentration measurement.”

More has to be done to bring it to real world use, Michael says, but it’s a good first step.

“Hopefully with the improvement of analysis techniques and jet injections, we will be able to get more blood and it will indicate more,” he says.

And the examiners were impressed too, with one saying his work was “of the highest quality I have seen from a PhD thesis”, and “commending the student for their work”.

Michael now works as a Professional Teaching Fellow for the Department of Engineering Science but is keen to be involved in jet injection research in the future.

Michael Hoffman is one of 13 ABI students graduating this month – 10 with PhDs and three with masters degrees.