Ruud Kleinpaste – The Bugman

Ruud Kleinpaste needs no introduction as he is known as The Bugman to a wide audience after an exceptional career in science communication that spans over three decades. His priority is Environmental Education, championing biodiversity and biosecurity and citizen science.

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Ruud Kleinpaste – The Bugman

Ruud has an MSc (Hons) in silviculture, animal ecology and conservation from Wageningen University. Entomology was always an important hobby that later became part of his media persona: the Bugman. Ruud is an advocate for teaching outside.

He mucked around for more than 30 years on radio and TV (Maggie’s Garden ShowWhat Now? to Buggin’ with Ruud on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel) and wrote stories for many different magazines, thus becoming the greatest advocate for bugs.

Environmental Education is now the most important facet of his activities.

“If we are serious about our Operating Space (The Planet) then we need to ensure that younger generations are trained to become science and nature-literate.”

Ruud Kleinpaste

Born in Indonesia, raised and educated in the Netherlands and migrated to New Zealand in 1978. 

Entomology was always an important hobby that later became part of his media persona: the Bugman.

Ruud advocates teaching outside; he’s championing biodiversity, biosecurity and environmental education projects from Fiordland, Southland, Christchurch to Hawke’s Bay (Cape to City) and Bay of Islands; engaging whole communities in citizen science.

Try stopping him!

Ruud Kleinpaste – The Bugman

we are a team of scientists and science communicators
WE DO FIELD WORK THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE ​

We grew up outside, connected with the nature and believe that our kids should go outside too.

Here, at Field-based STEM, we are all working as a big team. Tap into our collective expertise.  

"Unlike scientific community programmes that are expensive and require lots of investment, field work is done by individuals and is accessible to anyone. The skills gained during field work open up a huge area for everyone undertaking it."

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