With her master’s degree under her belt, Kirsten
Westwood is progressing to doctorate studies.

EIT’s Head of School for Health and Sport Science Kirsten Westwood viewed graduation from a different vantage point this year, crossing the stage to be capped with the Master in Health Science.

The life-long learner says she always intended to study for a master’s degree and also wanted to support EIT’s new degree. “In my position, it’s nice to understand the working of it as well.”

Kirsten had previously completed bachelor degrees in law and commerce but never felt keen on pursuing a career in law.

Nonetheless, after heading off to London within two days of her admission to the bar, she accepted a position with the world’s biggest law firm, Clifford Chance. Her next career step was to global investment bankers Goldman Sachs’ legal department.

“Then I moved into legal recruitment and just loved it,” she says of her last two years of OE.

After six years in the UK, Kirsten returned to New Zealand. With three daughters and a demanding role at EIT, taking on study for a master’s degree as
a single parent was a big ask. Kirsten managed, with the support of family, to keep all the life, work and study balls in the air.

“The trick is to focus on what you need to do at that time, not tomorrow or next week,” she says.

She intends to follow her own advice as she launches into a PhD, with vaccinations as her topic of study. It’s a contentious issue but, as with the
fluoridation discourse completed for her master’s degree, the focus will be on social change rather than outcomes.

“You have to try to be objective, parking your personal position,” she explains. “Coming from a law background helps with that.”

The doctorate requires three years of full-time study, but Kirsten is relaxed about how long it might take her to complete.

“I have the luxury of time,” she says. “It’s not scary.”