Dr Richard McKenzie
Position: Emeritus Researcher, NIWA.
Field: Atmospheric radiation.
Dr Richard McKenzie is a research scientist with the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and is based at Lauder in Central Otago. He has worked at Lauder for the better part of 35 years, beginning back when the laboratory was part of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).
Dr Richard McKenzie undertaking fieldwork
Dr Richard McKenzie from NIWA, undertaking fieldwork on UV.
Richard’s research focuses on UV radiation. He is New Zealand’s foremost scientist in the study of UV and its effects. In 2006, he hosted the fourth in a series of international workshops on UV and to this day continues to be involved in conferences and workshops on UV radiation.
How I became a physicist
Dr Richard McKenzie, talks about how he came to study atmospheric physics.
Richard sees the study of UV to be central to many other areas of health and science.
UV research is the intersection point for many areas of study – climate, ozone, plant growth and effects on humans.
The value of physics
Dr Richard McKenzie explains what an exciting subject physics is.
Richard and his family live in Alexandra, 40 kilometres from Lauder. “Quite a few of us from NIWA commute from Alex. It’s a slice of paradise – the driest place in the country, hottest in summer, and invigoratingly cold in winter.”
Useful links
For a more personal view see this blog article, which includes a series of photos of Richard from childhood to now.
Listen to this Kim Hill interview on RNZ, where Ruchard talks about how much ultra-violet exposure is required to get enough vitamin D.
This article is based on information current in 2008 and updated in 2018.
