2026 Zonta Science Award Presentation Ceremony

Join the Zonta Club of Wellington to present the 2026 Zonta Science Award to Dr Stephanie Waller.

With Guest Speaker Di Tracey Scientist Emerita at Earth Sciences Aotearoa NZ

The Zonta Club of Wellington Science Award celebrates the potential of emerging women scientists at the early stages of their careers.

It supports recent PhD graduates to advance their research and build international networks that open new opportunities.

 ​​The Award is proudly offered by the Zonta Club of Wellington through The Zonta Club of Wellington Science Award Trust (CC59918).

Read more about the award on our website - zontawellington.org.nz/science-award

2026 Zonta Science Award Winner Dr Stephanie Waller is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Otago, specialising in viral ecology and genomics. Her research applies metatranscriptomic approaches to characterise the diversity, evolution, and transmission of viruses in wildlife, with a particular focus on birds and other ecologically important species in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her current work examines how ecological processes, including foraging behaviour, migration, and habitat use, influence patterns of viral diversity and transmission risk.

 2026 The Christine Reardon-Stonyer Guest Speaker, Di Tracey has spent her career exploring and protecting our ocean environments. She has a strong history of advocacy for and mentoring of women working in science. She was the 2021 NZ Association of Women in Science Miriam Dell Award recipient and is the 2025 NZ Association of Marine Sciences awardee.