Fin Ross (Greenbank, 2013-16) - OC of the Month - December 2022
Thursday, 22 December 2022

Our ‘OC of the Month’ for December is Finn Ross (Greenbank, 2013-16), a 22 year old PhD candidate currently studying at Deakin University in Melbourne, researching seaweed as a nature based solution to climate change. Finn is passionate about Climate Change and the health of the world’s oceans. He has been involved in founding Live Ocean, Let Them Fish, Bomb Bucha, Future Farmers NZ, and Carbonz. Finn has also established the first carbon zero farm in Australasia, Lake Hawea Station, where he lives and works.
In the past year Finn, and King’s College friend Eve McCallum (Middlemore, 2016-17), set out to create a political podcast interview series. The series called Both Sides Now has received attention from across the globe and is definitely one to watch. You can check out Both Sides Now on Instagram, YouTube and Spotify.

In Finn’s ‘OC of the Month’ interview we hear about his early passion for Climate Change, happy memories of his time at King’s and a teacher that left an impression, and what he is doing now with work and studies.  
 
  • When you were at King’s College, what did you want to do for a career after you graduated?
Fight climate change and protect our oceans, I didn’t know what that would look like as a job.
  • What is your best memory of your time at King’s College?  
Organising Big House Music for Greenbank, that was an awesome couple of months.
  • Which staff member do you remember most favourably from King's College and why?
I had several teachers I remember fondly but Leith Menzies I had the best relationship with. He was a key supporter of the charity I started at King’s ‘Let Them Fish’ and generally had some great fishing yarns.
  • What advice would you give to your school age self?
Keep taking risks
  • Tell us about yourself now and what you do for a career?
I am currently writing my PhD on seaweed as a climate change solution and also running a start-up trading carbon credits called Carbonz. I am based between Melbourne and Hawea spending quite a bit of time travelling. I am also the Chair of Future Farmers New Zealand and am involved in several different environmental groups in an advisory role.
  • What does/did your job involve?   
For my PhD, nerd stuff! Taking sediment cores and working with scientists around the world on seaweed research. For my start-up, things are pretty varied but mostly centred on carbon credit methodologies.
  • What are the most challenging parts of your job?
Being able to set it aside while not working.
  • What would you say is your biggest achievement to date?
Publishing my first paper and winning the enterprise category at the food and fibre start-up challenge 2022.
  • What is the single thing that would most improve the quality of your life?
Getting a few big wins in my start-up
  • What are the three objects you would take with you to a desert island?
Speargun
Knife
Lighter
  • How would you like to be remembered?
Making a meaningful difference to global climate action.

If someone you know would make a great 'OC of the Month' then please get in touch to nominate them at; kcoca@kingscollege.school.nz