Victoria Sadie Mills is a New Zealand marine biologist and an invertebrate collection manager at New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research.[1][2][3] Mills specialises in the taxonomy of Ophiuroidea and has written a book titled Extraordinary echinoderms : a guide to the echinoderms of New Zealand.[4][5]

Sadie Mills
Born
Victoria Sadie Mills
CitizenshipNew Zealand
Scientific career
FieldsMarine biology and invertebrate collection manager
InstitutionsNational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

Early life and education

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Mills grew up in the United Kingdom.[6] She knew from a young age she wanted to be a marine biologist.[6] Mills family moved to Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand when she was a teenager, and she went on to study at Otago University.[6]

Mills qualified with a Master in Science from Otago University in 2006. Her thesis is: Benthic macrofauna assemblages of fragmented seagrass (Zostera capricorni) beds in two southern New Zealand inlets.[7]

Career

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NIWA research vessel RV Tangaroa

Mills is a marine biologist. In 2006 Mills started work with National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Taihoro Nukurangi (NIWA).[6] In 2014 she became Collections Manager of the NIWA Invertebrate Collection. This role heads a small team and is responsible for over 300,000 of preserved marine invertebrates specimens from around New Zealand, Antarctica and the South West Pacific.[6][4]

 
Ocean Census specimens

Mills has participated in over 20 biodiversity research expeditions while working for NIWA.[2][8] These expeditions include vayages to Antarctica and around New Zealand.[4] Mills has been on international research vessels and on the NIWA ship RV Tangaroa.[4]

Mills was the co-leader of the 2024 Ocean Census Bounty Trough research expedition.[9] The expedition gathered almost 1800 samples and discovered over 100 new ocean species including potentially three new species of fish.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Thomson, Jess (19 September 2023). "Mystery of Strange Marks on Sea Floor Solved by Scientists". News Week. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b McAvoy, Aimee (15 February 2024). "An Interview with Sadie Mills, Bounty Trough Expedition Leader". Ocean Census. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  3. ^ McDougall, Tia (15 January 2023). "NIWA scientists set sail for Antarctic to study plankton". Newshub. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Sadie Mills". NIWA. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Extraordinary echinoderms : a guide to the echinoderms of New Zealand". natlib.govt.nz. 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Queen of the critters". NIWA. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Alumni M". Otago University. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  8. ^ Crimp, Lauren (11 January 2023). "Packed research programme awaits Niwa team off to Antarctica". RNZ. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b "100 new ocean species discovered in New Zealand". Radio New Zealand. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
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  • Video recording of a tour of the NIWA invertebrate collection with Sadie Mills
  • Recording of Sadie Mills presenting on the mapping marine biodiversity