From Thesis to Fieldwork

A proud moment. Dr Fionnuala (Finn) Bulman celebrates successfully defending her PhD.

A few months ago, we congratulated Fionnula (Finn) Bulman on submitting her PhD thesis for examination. Now, we’re thrilled to share that she has successfully defended it, becoming the first PhD student to do so since Bioprotection Aotearoa launched in July 2021.

Her examiners recommended that she be awarded the PhD, subject to minor corrections to the satisfaction of her supervisors.

Supervised by Professor Eirian Jones, Dr Steve Wakelin (BSI-Scion), Professor Amanda Black, Professor Leo Condron, with her PhD research funded by Bioprotection Aotearoa.  Her thesis, Factors Affecting the Diversity and Assembly of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, explored how land use and climate shape these fungal communities, and how they, in turn, influence the resilience and resistance of the plants they support.

Walking into her oral defence, Finn was nervous and fully prepared to justify every decision in her research. Instead, she found the experience to be unexpectedly positive.

Finn and her supervisors and external examiner Dr Syrie Hermans (AUT), with the convenor Dr Gillian Lawson.

“It was such a high-pressure lead-up to submitting my PhD manuscript for examination, but the defence itself was friendly and constructive,” she recalls. “The examiners asked thoughtful questions about my methods and helped me strengthen the rationale behind my work. It was over within an hour.”

After months of second-guessing her research, Finn says the experience was affirming.

“It was nice to receive that external validation, that my PhD was valuable and has publication potential.”

With corrections now underway, Finn plans to prepare several papers for publication. She has also secured a new role with the Department of Conservation (DOC) as a Biodiversity Monitoring Ranger, a position that will take her across Te Waipounamu | the South Island, collecting field data and assessing long-term biodiversity monitoring sites.“This PhD has provided me with a pathway into environmental science,” she says. “My undergraduate background was in health sciences, so this new role lets me apply my skills while getting out into nature.”

Although an injury has delayed her official start date, Finn is already embracing her new title.

“It’s been five months since submitting my thesis, and it feels good to finally have that space to reflect and feel proud of my work, and yes, to call myself a Doctor Finn Bulman.”

Finn is especially grateful to the community of Te-Kahanui-a-Tikirākau (Te Kaha) where her research took place. The relationships formed through conversations with land managers, orchard growers, and the people of Te Whānau-ā-Te Ēhutu hapū, she says, have deepened her appreciation of the connections between people, place, and science.

As she progresses into the next stage of her career, Finn aims to draw on these experiences as she continues contributing to the field of environmental science.

More Information

• Research | Mycorrhizal Fungi in Resilient Plant-Soil Ecosystems

This project explores how mycorrhizal fungi shape plant-soil interactions and contribute to the resilience of ecosystems under stress.
Read the full project overview >>