Bay of Plenty science student Rebecca Gibson is ready to set out on a 25-day NIWA Deep-sea science expedition after being selected to be a young Blake Ambassador.

Rebecca was selected along with Auckland student Lucy van Oosterom from more than 100 applicants.

Rebecca feels at home below the surface in the marine environment.

Rebecca says being one of Sir Peter Blake's NIWA Ambassadors is an honour and a privilege.

'It's something which gives me immense pride and confidence in what I hope to achieve in the years to come.”

Rebecca and Lucy will leave Wellington on January 1, destined for New Zealand's west coast.

They will join the crew of the RV Tangaroa, New Zealand's only deep-sea water ice-strengthened research vessel.

The vessel is equipped for a wide range of environmental survey and ocean science work - including fisheries surveys and voyages throughout the South Pacific, Southern Ocean, and Antarctica.

After completing a Kelly Tarlton's shark dive she was given for her birthday, Rebecca read about a marine studies course in Tauranga.

'I packed my bags and was welcomed into a new world of education, practical experience and an even bigger love for the ocean,” says Rebecca.

Rebecca completed the Diploma of Marine Studies at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.

She was also part of the volunteer clean up team during the Rena oil spill in 2011 - scraping oil from beaches and working with the wildlife crew searching for oiled and injured wildlife, as well as monitoring Little Blue Penguin colonies around Mount Maunganui.

'This experience allowed me to see local residents working side by side together, in less than ideal conditions, and working towards one common restorative and conservation goal."

NIWA general manager Rob Murdoch says Rebecca and Lucy will be working with scientists on the annual Chatham Rise survey.

'The main aim is to estimate the abundance of New Zealand's largest fish export hoki and also other commercially important species - as well as other aspects of deep water biodiversity including fish distribution, abundance, and ecology."