Graduating from the University of Waikato was an opportunity for Caleb Crosbie (Ngāpuhi) to reflect on the roller-coaster of the year that's been.

A serious sports injury two weeks into his bachelor's degree left Caleb with a broken leg and unable to walk, and Covid-19 lockdowns and closed borders separated him and his family.

It made for a challenging final year, but on September 2, 2022, the 22-year-old celebrated his success when he graduated from the University's Tauranga Campus in the CBD with a Bachelor of Science (BSc).

He is part of the first bachelor's cohort to graduate since the campus opened in 2019.

Growing up, Caleb's dream was like any other Kiwi boy - to play rugby for the All Blacks. His fascination for nature and the natural world didn't develop until later in life.

'Funnily enough I never did very well in science at school and especially dreaded chemistry with a burning passion,” says Caleb.

'But once I realised I could use science as both a pathway and as a tool to better understand nature, it was as if a penny dropped.” There was also a heavy focus on sustainability and rehabilitation of the environment at high school so it was an easy decision to choose his major in Environmental Sciences.

Caleb was awarded the Summer Research Scholarship, a $6000 grant that provides opportunities to experience the challenges and rewards of research.

He presented his findings from his scholarship - investigating whether global change had an impact on marine sediment communities, such as tidal flats - at the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Conference hosted at the Tauranga Campus.

'I talked and rubbed shoulders with some of the leading experts in the marine environment and heard their perspectives on future challenges for New Zealand.”

Caleb is now a Master of Science (Research) in Environmental Sciences student researching the recovery of soft sediment communities following heat wave die-off events.

He is investigating whether there are specific juvenile-adult interactions between key cockle species and if they have any effect on the community's recovery. He is also demonstrating for at least two undergraduate papers each trimester to keep himself busy, helping run labs and field trips.

'I am still uncertain what I want my future to hold career wise. However, I believe that the skills and people I have met throughout the course of my degree have been hugely beneficial to my future.”