Christina Painting

Dr Painting received her PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Auckland. She joined the University of Waikato as a Senior Lecturer in 2019, following postdoctoral positions at the University of Auckland and the National University of Singapore. She was awarded a Kate Edger scholarship (2013), a Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2018) and a Marsden Fund Fast-Start grant (2022). She is also a Principal Investigator at the Centre of Research Excellence Te Pūnaha Matatini, the Vice President of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour, the Senior Editor for the New Zealand Journal of Zoology and an Associate Editor of Insect Conservation & Diversity.

The global decline of insects due to pollution, climate change, and other factors has gained widespread media attention. This is not just an ecological disaster. Insects play key roles in pollination and pest control in the agricultural industry, and insect loss could heavily impact this pillar of the Aotearoa New Zealand economy. Dr Painting will examine how insects use their body chemistry, specifically a waxy coating of hydrocarbons on their body surface, to ensure the survival of their species. This waxy coating changes its chemical composition in response to hot, dry conditions to prevent an insect from drying out, but it can also be used to send chemical signals that attract mates. Studying the New Zealand native pepeke nguturoa (giraffe weevil; Lasiorhynchus barbicornis), Dr Painting will investigate how the different factors of climate change and mate selection shape the use of this layer of hydrocarbons. Ultimately, this research will explore the resilience of insects worldwide to climate change and help us preserve critical insect populations.

Dr Chrissie Painting (Supplied)