Annette Bolton
Annette Bolton is a senior scientist with the Environmental Health & Resilience team. Her role is quite varied and includes work in the climate, health, environment, and wellbeing space.
Annette has been interested in climate health impacts for some time and one project she is involved with is working in collaboration with the University of Auckland, University of Waikato, University of Canterbury and the University of Otago to understand how heat exposure affects child health.
Her other key project is about groundwater ecosystems, specifically understanding the ecology of groundwater invertebrates called stygofauna. This work is with the groundwater team and involves looking at the water system as a whole—from the nutrients and contaminants in freshwater to the small microbes and larger invertebrates that inhabit groundwater systems.
Field work has been a highlight of Annette’s time at ESR. She feels privileged to have been able to visit various Pacific, Māori, and agricultural communities to talk about their areas of interest such as environmental degradation or climate change.
Annette is also an artist. She developed a passion for watercolour painting when she lived in Singapore. Her speciality is portraits but she also loves to sketch cityscapes and nature. Watch out for her stygofauna t-shirts!