Transport Research Masters 2026 Winners

Two university students have been awarded scholarships from the Health and Safety Association of New Zealand (HASANZ). 

Julie Crahay and Maisie Foreman plan to use their scholarships to complete their master’s at New Zealand-based universities, while researching into topics surrounding workplace safety, and public transport.  

Julie Crahay graduated from Massey University with a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety and has now been awarded a scholarship with HASANZ, and is going to be working toward a Master of Health Science at Massey. 

Alongside her studies, Julie has volunteered with emergency services, where she has “seen firsthand how worker engagement can transform safety culture and reduce harm”. This has motivated her research, and she has “a deep commitment to improving health and safety outcomes in the transport industry”. 

Julie will combine and analyse data to discover a comprehensive understanding of how worker engagement influences occupational health outcomes”.  

She aims to uncover the engagement mechanisms that affect safety culture, communication, and compliance, and how these factors translate into measurable improvements in wellbeing and operational efficiency. 

Maisie Foreman graduated in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Canterbury. She will be using her scholarship to complete a Master of Urban Resilience and Renewal looking into how to increase the number of people catching buses to make services more cost-effective.  

She plans to do this by using a combination of spatial and temporal analysis to identify the impact of things like bus frequency and amenity values around bus stops and their surrounding areas. 

 Maisie says making buses more profitable by increasing passenger numbers will help the current government's goal of increasing value for money, utilising the current $22 billion being invested in the transport sector. 

As a frequent bus user, it’s a deeply important topic to Maisie. “I am passionate about buses and improving buses for all New Zealanders. I ultimately strive for a career in transport and transport planning and innovation”. 

 

The HASANZ scholarship was established in 2018 and is aimed at individuals who are currently working in health and safety, as well as those who wish to pursue a career in the field. 

Applications for the HASANZ scholarship open on 4 July and close in September.