Milford School - Morgan McKeen
2025 | Ecosystem monitoring with AUT Living Laboratories Programme
Name: Morgan McKeen
School: Milford School
Region: Auckland, New Zealand
Programme: Ecosystem monitoring with AUT Living Laboratories Programme
Host Organisation: Auckland University of Technology
Blog: https://stemwithm.weebly.com/blog
Morgan McKeen is a STEM specialist teacher at Milford School who aims to inspire her students to see science not only as an academic subject but as a way to connect with their everyday life and experiences. Milford School delivers the curriculum through the PYP framework, a transdisciplinary learning approach. Students actively engage with real-world science through various environmental initiatives and hands-on, practical learning experiences fostered by the school's Green Gold Enviro status and unique location on the edge of Lake Pupuke. Through the Science Teaching Leadership Programme (STLP), Morgan hopes to further develop her leadership in science education, enabling her to continue contributing to the school’s sustainability goals and foster a deeper understanding of the local environment among her students.
Morgan will be working with Auckland University of Technology’s Living Laboratories team to engage in ecosystem monitoring. This program is an ecological research initiative focused on addressing climate change and biodiversity loss through Nature-based Solutions. These solutions mimic or work with nature to restore ecosystems, including wetlands, estuaries, and forests, with a particular focus on revegetating retired farmland.
Morgan will support the development and implementation of ecosystem monitoring protocols across experimental restoration sites in Auckland and North Waikato. She will gain hands-on experience in areas such as invertebrate sampling, soil and water monitoring, bird counts, and plant sampling. Working alongside landowners, including mana whenua and local authorities, Morgan will deepen her understanding of ecosystem restoration. Additionally, she will contribute to developing educational resources that translate scientific findings into materials for educators, promoting awareness of Nature-based Solutions and their role in addressing climate challenges.
By the end of Phase One, Morgan hopes to have gained a deeper understanding of the Nature of Science in addition to key aspects of environmental science and how it can be explored at Milford School. Morgan is looking forward to developing the capabilities required to lead innovative science initiatives, enriching the school’s already strong environmental focus and deepening students' connection to the natural world around them.