About Me

I am an interdisciplinary scholar whose work sits at the intersection of economic geography, science and technology studies (STS), more-than-human geography, and the environmental humanities. My PhD from Waipapa Taumata Rau (University of Auckland), titled Thinking with Microbes: A Multiplied Ethnography of Wine Production for a Probiotic Agriculture after the Anthropocene, is currently under examination.

I am based in Helsinki, Finland, and am open to postdoctoral opportunities, grants, and fellowships globally.

I have broad research interests, including: the social study of microbes; the politics of environmental knowledge; alcohol, drinking, and intoxication; diverse economies; and pesticides, agtech, and agroecology. Since 2022, I have conducted ethnographic fieldwork with wine producers in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Italy, France, and Finland. I’ve particularly spent time with those producers doing things differently, including biodynamic, natural wine, and regenerative producers.

A current list of my published works is available here, and more information about my research projects can be found here.

Beyond the academy, I have spent a decade working in wine production. I have 10 vintages under my belt (in New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada), and have worked across the sector from viticulture to distribution and hospitality.

I welcome conversation and collaboration with scholars, activists, and practitioners exploring wine, microbes, multispecies worlds, sensory methodologies, or speculative/fermented futures beyond capitalism. I am available for media commentary, podcasts, and interviews on these topics.

Get in touch with me:
email: nik [at] aucklandwine.co.nz