Staff Spotlight: Barbara Manighetti, Head of Department – Middle Years Programme Science

Barbara Manighetti has spent a lifetime following her curiosity – from a PhD in geochemistry at Cambridge to cycling across Russia to Antarctic expeditions to a decade working as a clinical psychologist. Now Head of Department for Middle Years Programme Science at Scots College, she brings a depth of experience to the classroom that few teachers anywhere could match.

From the Negev Desert to the Classroom

There are teachers whose careers follow a clear, straight line. Barbara Manighetti's is rather different.

The Head of Department for Middle Years Programme Science at Scots College came to teaching after one of the more extraordinary careers you are likely to encounter – a journey that took her from the deserts of Israel to the ice sheets of Antarctica, from a Cambridge geochemistry laboratory to the therapy rooms of Wellington.

She joined Scots College in 2016.

Growing Up: Adversity as a Foundation

Barbara grew up in London in the 1960s and 70s, and by her own account, school was not a happy experience. "I experienced a lot of bullying, mainly for being a good student. It was not okay to work hard in my school, and being top of the class was an invitation for trouble," she remembers.

It was an early lesson in resilience – one that would quietly shape everything that followed.

After leaving school, she worked across a range of roles: driving school assistant, tax collector, and airport check-in agent. "In all these jobs, there were people in charge of me who did not seem to be much cleverer than I was, but were in higher-level positions because they had university degrees," she recalls.

At 24, she decided to do something about it.

The Road to Science: A Degree, a Desert, and a Cambridge Breakthrough

Returning to education after not completing Year 12 or 13, Barbara needed a subject with flexible entry requirements. She chose Geology. "Geology touches on Physics, Chemistry, and Biology – from a microscopic to a planetary scale. It was perfect for someone who did not yet know what they preferred."

Her honours project took her to Israel's Negev Desert for three months, where she earned the top award in her year. That recognition led to PhD opportunities, and she chose to study igneous geochemistry under a leading Cambridge University researcher, beginning with a three-month field trip to New Zealand.

When her supervisor left to take up a new position, Barbara moved into climate change research, joining a team studying ocean sediments. "Global warming was just starting to make headlines," she says. Her work examined deep ocean currents during the last glacial period, uncovering ancient climate patterns.

Cycling Russia, Reaching Antarctica

After completing her PhD, Barbara stayed on for postdoctoral research in the Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics department – and claims the distinction of having once danced with Stephen Hawking at his Christmas party.

Then came the adventure that would test her in an entirely different way. Barbara cycled across Russia, from Murmansk to Vladivostok. "I had never cycled more than 100 miles before," she admits. "We camped in forests, cooked over fires, and faced temperatures from minus 20 to over 40 degrees. I thought it would make me tough, but I still prefer chairs and beds!"

After Russia, Barbara moved to Wellington, where she continued her climate research at NIWA. She also spent time on cruises to Antarctica, lecturing on topics ranging from volcanology to shellfish. Among her most profound experiences was joining an Antarctic expedition with Robert Swan, the first person to walk to both poles. The voyage brought together young people from conflict zones: Israelis and Palestinians, Catholics and Protestants, Russians and Chechens. "It was about global cooperation," Barbara says. "Working with those young explorers was deeply rewarding."

A Shift Towards People: Psychology and the Path to Teaching

Over time, Barbara found herself drawn increasingly towards understanding people rather than ancient climates. "Research on things that happened 20,000 years ago started to feel remote," she reflects.

She studied psychology part-time while still at NIWA, and later earned a place on a Clinical Psychology programme. In her therapy work, she regularly saw young people who had left school early or had very bad experiences at school. "Often they found themselves in a similar position to me at their age – held back by lack of education but with plenty of potential. Encouraging these people to resume studies or take steps into fulfilling careers was incredibly rewarding," says Barbara.

That experience pointed her in a new direction. "I wished I could somehow be 'at the top of the cliff' rather than having to pick up the pieces at the bottom." She decided to retrain as a teacher and eventually joined Scots College in 2016.

In the Classroom at Scots College

Barbara speaks about her students with quiet conviction. "The students here are truly amazing," she reflects. "A Year 7 whose kindness is an inspiration. A Year 11 student whose intellect is a shining beacon. A Year 12 with such a breadth of talent and wisdom that I can only hope they will take charge of the country eventually. I have great hope for the future."

Her advice to her students is simple: "Keep interested in what you do – and if not, try something else. I think I am living proof that it is never too late to change your mind."