HeadSup

Kia ora koutou

We are hitting our mid-semester stride, with teaching and learning in full swing. I have been getting familiar with what we offer across the school by browsing Canvas – if I had to do it all again there are some great courses to choose from. The quality of the Canvas homepages is fantastic – there’s lots of variety and also a high level of consistency in presentation of important and helpful information. Building Canvas sites takes a lot of work, especially the first time – thanks everyone who was involved for the Semester 1 courses, great work.

In between getting to know my new job I’ve been having fun with the Earthsci 703 crowd. I hope to pop along to other classes in the second half of the semester to meet students at different levels and in different parts of the school. If you have a field trip or interesting lab coming up and don’t mind a hanger-on please let me know.

You would think mainstream media would know that these are sensitive times. But instead, last week UOA got coverage as a growth area for white supremacy: it is not (Vice Chancellor’s media release). Spinoff did a better job of discussing the issue. White supremacy has no place here. Neither does any other form of bigotry or harassment. Feel free to get in touch with me or Annie Bartos directly if you notice unacceptable behaviour (a.bartos@auckland.ac.nz: Chair Equity Committee). It is important that we are united in projecting ourselves, our School and this University as inclusive and welcoming of diversity. 

The mid-semester break is upon us. Don’t forget (especially our international newcomers), on Tuesday 22 Apr (Easter) and Thursday 25 Apr (ANZAC Day) the University will be closed. Have a wonderful time if you are taking leave. For those who are chipping away at theses, marking, or running or participating in field/short courses, please be sure to enjoy the Easter break. 

Ngā mihi – JR

For Your Diary 

Deadlines
2020 CapEx applications to Blair	19 Apr
Research and Study Leave applications – to JR	30 Apr
Sponsorship Acknowledgement Form – see details below	3 May
Seminars
Scaffolding Student Learning: Forest Floor Example	15 Apr, 4pm in 302-551
AusIMM Seminar, Malcolm Taylor: Electricity in NZ, past, present, future	16 Apr, 5:30-7:00pm, Boardroom Anderson Lloyd, Level 3, Australis Nathan Building, 37 Galway Street, Britomart
PhD research proposal: Valentine Ibeka ‘Education, migration and development…’	17 Apr, 12 pm in 302-551
Professor Ben Horton: Sea-level rise past, present and future (should be a cracker for all!)	18 Apr, 12:30 pm in 302-G20
Dr George Slim MBIE Research Programme/Smart Idea – what is MBIE looking for?	7 May, 1:30-3:00 pm in 303-B05
Other Events
Science Graduation Celebration Breakfast	1 May, 7:30am in Pavilion, OGH
Science Graduation	1 May, meet at OGH at 9:00am for the procession, Session One starts 10.30am and Session Two starts at 1pm, Aotea Centre.
Arts Graduation	29 Apr, meet at OGH at 9:00am for the procession, Session One starts 10.30am and Session Two starts at 1pm, Aotea Centre.
ENV Graduation Afternoon Tea	1 May, 4pm, Level 6 Breakout Space, 302
Dr George Slim MBIE Endeavour 1:1 discussions, requires RSVP	14 May OR 20 May, 10:00-4:00pm in 302-603
Workshop: The Writing Habits of Successful Academics	18 Jun, 1pm in 302-140
ENV Research Forum – more to come on this event	21 May, 12-2pm, lunch included, venue to be confirmed
ENV Staff Retreat	12 June, 8.30-5pm, venue to be confirmed

 

Whakawhanaungatanga – communities

Autumn Graduation 2019

The 2019 Autumn Graduation for the Faculty of Science will take place at the Aotea Centre on Wednesday 1 May. The Faculty of Arts Graduation takes place a couple of days earlier on Monday 29 April.

School of Environment Graduation Afternoon Tea Newly capped graduates together with their companions and family are cordially invited to join staff at the School of Environment Graduation Afternoon Tea on Wednesday 1 May. We’d love you to come by and celebrate with your peers, teachers, family and friends. Graduands and staff please register for the event here by Wednesday 17 April

A note to staff    We’d love to see a good show of staff from ENV in the formal proceedings of both graduation ceremonies to celebrate the success and hard work of our Science and Arts graduands.  This entails joining in the street procession from the University to the Aotea Centre and sitting on stage. To participate in the graduation ceremonies you will need to register your attendance online.  Click here to log in and complete the registration form by 15 April.

Health and Safety Update

The School Health and Safety team is currently creating guidelines for travelling in convoy; these should be published in the next few weeks.  The School has also purchased six new handheld radios to support communication while travelling in convoy and also in the field.

Laboratory phones are all working now.  Let Blair know if you find one that’s not.

Student Representative Wanted for Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee

The School HSW Committee is looking for a new student representative.  Please contact Blair (b.sowman@auckland.ac.nz) if you are interested.

Sustainability Research Awards for Students

It is time to apply for the Faculty of Science Student Sustainability Research Awards. Awards of up to $2,000 each are available to students within the Faculty of Science to support the student’s living costs. $2,000 will be awarded for full year project that is located within a formal qualification, for example an honours dissertation or a masters project. For shorter projects up to $500 will be awarded. The awards are open to applications from postgraduate students who are undertaking a research project and are enrolled (or have recently completed) in the Faculty of Science (or whose primary discipline is administered through the FoS). Supervisors with a project can identify a suitable student and encourage them to apply. Applications for small projects that are not a formal part of the student’s degree or diploma programme will be considered. Preference will be given to non-doctoral students and those without an existing stipend.

Applications will be accepted in two rounds (funds permitting). The first round opens on 15 April  and closes 15 May 2019.

For more details please check this link.

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School of Environment Soccer Tournament

The fledgling Geospatial Club (GC) took out the SoE Soccer Tournament defeating the more established Geography Association (GA) 1-nil in a closely fought final. In a tournament full of goals, laughs, cramps and the occasional red card, three teams of students and staff (thanks Tom and Nick R.) played a number of round robin games to determine the two finalists. The Auckland University Geoscience Association (AUGA) were rock solid, played hard and looked good in their Obsidian coloured shirts, and it must be said were unlucky not to make the final (going down 2-1 to the Geospatial Club when a draw would have seen them through). The Geography Association were unbeaten until the final and had beaten the Geospatial Club 2-1 in the opening game, however in the final the impact of distance decay was evident. In contrast, the Geospatial Club, using their superior spatial awareness and visualization tools, won their last two games in a row to take the title. Unfortunately, a lack of players meant that the Environmental Science Association (ESA) were unable to compete (there must have been a Climate Change conference on at the same time), but hopefully they will be better represented at the next sporting event. There will be four such events during the year (each half semester), after which… one discipline will be crowned the overall ENV sporting champion.

Final standings:

1. Geospatial Club
2. Geography Association
3. Auckland University Geoscience Association

DEVORA / AUGA / QuakeCoRE outreach success!

Our energetic outreach team rose to the challenge of engaging children and the young at heart at MOTAT on Sunday, April 7th. We wowed 2083 visitors with volcanoes popping and gushing and earthquakes knocking down toothpick-marshmallow seismically engineered buildings. Many thanks to all of our fantastic partners and volunteers: AUGA outreach co-leaders Anna Gallagher and Shannen Mills, Mirja Heinrich, Ben Simons and son Elai, Elaine Smid, Gina Swanney, Alec Wild, and Evert Duran Quintero, and QuakeCoRE outreach coordinator Shannon Abeling and her volunteer team!!

DEVORA is DEtermining VOlcanic Risk in Auckland

AUGA is Auckland University Geoscience Association

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Here’s a link to the latest EAP Services e-Flyer. Highlights of this edition are:

• mental clutter and tips on how to declutter
• Making 2019 resolutions stick
• Introducing EAP MOW
• Reminder that EAP Services is here 24/7

Taking Environment photos for website and publications

Thanks to those staff who had the time to join the University’s senior designer, Ashley Marshall, for her presentation last Tuesday about the guidelines we need to keep in mind for our images to be considered for use on University webpages and in publications. For those who were not able to make it, below are the presentation, and also a tip sheet that you can keep handy – as well as the student photography release form that field trip participants will need to fill out if they are being photographed.

Environment photography presentation

Science photography tip sheet

Science field trip student photography release form

 

Rangahau – Research

Welcome New PhD student – Kate Cocker

Kate Cocker started her PhD studies in March with Phil Shane. She will be working on the origin of magmas erupted at Tongariro and Ruapehu volcanoes. This involves quantifying the amount and rate of mantle-sourced magma into the crust via Sr-isotope work on plagioclase. The goal is to place the observed historic eruptions into a long-term context of volcano evolution. Kate has a UoA scholarship and is a UoA graduate.

Writing Workshop: The Writing Habits of Successful Academics

This is a great opportunity for staff and postgraduate students. Please register here asap, there is only room for 50 people.

About the speaker: Professor Helen Sword is a scholar, poet and award-winning teacher whose recent books include Stylish Academic Writing (Harvard 2012), The Writer’s Diet (Chicago 2016) and Air & Light & Time & Space: How Successful Academics Write (Harvard 2017).

Date and time: Tuesday 18 June. 1-4pm. Venue: Room 302-140 Click here to read more details.

Research highlights

In the media

Some of our volcanic research about Mt Taranaki was just written about in the NZ Herald. Check it out here.

Just published

• Wang, V., Gao, J., 2019. Importance of structural and spectral parameters in modelling the aboveground carbon stock of urban vegetation. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 78, pp. 93-101.
  
• Li, W., Wilson, D.J., Larkin, T.J., Black, P.M., 2019. Factors determining the optimum moisture content (OMC) of greywacke aggregates from northern New Zealand, Transportation Geotechnics, 19, pp. 35-43. 
• Sas, M., Kawasaki, N., Sakamoto, N., Shane, P., Zellmer, G.F., Kent, A.J.R., Yurimoto, H., 2019. The ion microprobe as a tool for obtaining strontium isotopes in magmatic plagioclase: A case study at Okataina Volcanic Centre, New Zealand, Chemical Geology, 513, pp. 153-166.
• Johnson, C., Baker, T., Collins, F.L., 2019. Imaginations of post-suburbia: Suburban change and imaginative practices in Auckland, New Zealand, Urban Studies, 56 (5), pp. 1042-1060.
• Dimabayao, J.J.T., Rowe, M.C., Barker, S., 2019. Stable isotope systematics of fluids and epidote in the Bacon-Manito Geothermal Field, Philippines: Indicators of fluid origin and evolution,  Geothermics, 80, pp. 31-43.

AusIMM Seminar: Electricity in New Zealand: Past, Present, Future

Malcolm Taylor of Contact Energy, Clyde, will present a history of the NZ electricity industry from early local privately operated power stations; the post-war intervention of government to develop a national coordinated infrastructure; the subsequent split up and privatisation of the generation and distribution industries; the introduction of the Electricity Market; the current push for more renewable generation and factors affecting the industry future. He will discuss how types of existing power generation fit into the national supply chain and their contribution to the reserve required for security of the grid. He will also contrast more recent types of renewables (solar and wind) which currently are unable to provide reserve supply. Malcolm will discuss developing trends in electricity storage which will be critical if wind and solar are to be the way of the future. He will also present  ideas on pumped-storage hydro and construction and permitting challenges in New Zealand.

Malcolm Taylor has been involved in the electricity industry since graduating from Otago University in 1972. He has worked at Whakamaru, Ohakuri, Tokaanu and Rangipo power stations before becoming a North Island System Controller. In 1992 when Transpower decided to move the control centre from Whakamaru to Hamilton Malcolm left the state system to work for a small company providing micro hydro plant for three years. More recently he joined Contact Energy at Clyde where he works as a Dispatch Trader maximizing the efficiency and profitability of Contact’s energy sources. Malcolm is also a PhD student at Waikato University.

 Apr 16, 5:30 (drinks/nibbles) for a 6:00pm start, Boardroom Anderson Lloyd, Level 3, Australis Nathan Building, 37 Galway Street, Britomart, Auckland.

For staff

Research and Consulting Project Scholarships

Scholarships Office implemented a new set up process and the previous scholarship form is no longer accepted.

There is a new e-form RO-15 scholarship and other 2 options if intellectual property is involved.

RO-15    Research Project Scholarship (no Intellectual Property)

RO-15A   Request a Research Project Scholarship Variation or Retention Payment

RO-15B   Research Project Scholarship (student assigns IP to UoA)

RO-15C   Research Project Scholarship (student licensed IP to UoA)

Please contact your local research support for more information.

Amy Weir: amy.weir@auckland.ac.nz

Ivana Mlinac: i.mlinac@auckland.ac.nz

Vanessa Castro: v.castro@auckland.ac.nz

Funding call for EQC – Biennial Grants Programme 2020

Click here to read further information

Call for Hood Fellowships

Click here to read further information

Sustainable Future Research Theme Seed Funding Opportunity

$10,000 of seed funding is available to nurture and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers within the Sustainable Future Research Theme. Interdisciplinary teams are invited to apply for funds via lightning presentations, which follow the format of one slide and a three minute talk. The lightning presentation event will be held on Thursday 6 June from 2pm.  Teams can apply for between $2,000 and $5,000. 

Please register for the lighting presentations event, noting whether you just have an idea you want to present or if you are going to present a seed funding proposal here by 30 May 2019.  (If you have problems using this link, please try logging in using your University google account – upi@aucklanduni.ac.nz or just reply to this email indicating your interest in this opportunity)  

If you have any queries, please contact Kathryn Howard (Kathryn.howard@auckland.ac.nz)

National Science Challenge

If you are receiving funding from the second round of the NSC please get in touch with your RPC Amy Weir (amy.weir@auckland.ac.nz).

MBIE Research Programme or Smart Idea

The Faculty Research Support team is organising a series of events for staff interested in applying for an MBIE Research Programme or Smart Idea over the next 1-3 years. These sessions are to help you find out more about MBIE and if your research idea is a good fit for MBIE funding.  

If you are interested in attending the following sessions please RSVP by the 3^rd May.

• MBIE & the NZ Science funding system – Dr George Slim: What are MBIE looking for – does my research “fit” with MBIE? Tuesday 7 May 1.30-3:00 pm, 303-B05

• 1:1 Discussion with Dr George Slim: Is my research idea a Smart Idea or a Research Programme? How could I develop it further? Tuesday 14 May 10:00-4:00 pm, 302-603 OR Monday 20 May 10:00-4:00 pm (book for a 30 min session),  302-603

Dr George Slim has a PhD in chemistry from the University of Otago and undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge.  He has previously worked at Industrial Research Limited and one of MBIE’s precursors – the former Ministry of Research, Science and Technology.  He now works with life science companies to develop and commercialise their research and intellectual property, and the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor in connecting research and policy.

Further events and support, including an Ideas workshop and pitch sessions, Vision Mātauranga advice and other support will be held throughout the year.  Please register your interest.

Invitation to Participate in PhD Research

Joshua Sarpong is a PhD candidate in the Centre for Learning and Research in Higher Education (CLeaR), The University of Auckland. He is conducting interviews as part of his research study to explore how a sample of university administrators and academics at two Auckland institutions (University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology) perceive their ability to maintain research autonomy in an era of marketisation in higher education. Academics are in an ideal position to give him valuable first-hand information.

If you are willing to participate, please suggest a day and time that suits you to Joshua (jsar891@aucklanduni.ac.nz).

Click here to read more details.

Update on Sponsorship  Policy

The University has launched a new approach to managing sponsorships right across the board. The Sponsorship Policy and Guidelines are now available on the Policy Hub section of our website. They clarify the process for all our sponsorship activities across the University. The goal of the policy is to ensure that when staff enter into a sponsorship agreement, it is directly associated with an activity or event that mutually supports the University’s wider strategic plan and aligns with its core values.

One of the major benefits of a coordinated approach is that a central registry of all University sponsorships will be created, ensuring no clashes or double ups with sponsorship arrangements between sections or faculties. Also, if we know others are sponsoring particular things, we can explore the possibility of a unified approach if applicable.

Alongside the policy, a new page on the staff intranet has been set up to hold all supporting documentation.

Key policy points to note:

• All sponsorships need to be registered via the Sponsorship Acknowledgement Form. This is to ensure that there is a central register of all sponsorship activity across the University.
• There are new approval lines for sponsorship sign-offs.
• All new sponsorships (as at 19 March 2019) will need to use the Sponsorship Contract Templates. These were created by the University Legal Team.

STAFF RESPONSE REQUIRED: Any existing/current sponsorships within the faculty are reported using the  Sponsorship Acknowledgement Form. This is so the University has a view of all of the current sponsorship activity around the University, in addition to all new sponsorships being recorded on this form too. Please submit this form, attaching the current agreement, for each sponsorship arrangement by 3 May.

Ako – Teaching and Learning

Earthsci 703 at Sailor’s Grave, Coromandel: learning to read the landscape from a structural geology perspective

Seminar – Scaffolding Student Learning: Forest Floor Example

The Ako Innovation Committee of the School of Environment would like to invite you to a seminar on Scaffolding Student Learning using the Forest Floor as an example.

Date and time: Monday 15 April, 4-5pm

Venue: Ontology Lab, Room 302-551

About the speaker: Dr Maja Krzic – Faculty of Land and Food Systems/Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia

Click here to read more details.

For Staff

Scheduling 2020 Courses

This is underway and our Academic Services Coordinator is collecting details for the 2020 timetable. Currently this is Chris but he will be handing over on the 24^th of April to Mikael Johannisson-Wallman mjoh223@aucklanduni.ac.nz).

Course Coordinators – please check and confirm your courses for 2020; specifically, the following steps:

1. Check the master plan here.

1.1 Semester we are planning to offer the course.

1.2 Status in 2020 – this has 4 options:

a.Rollover – the course will be repeated much as it was in 2019 (but still needs checking)

b.Change – courses that are switching semester

c.New – any courses not offered in 2019

d.Not offered – courses that will not be offered in 2020

1.3 It’s a long list but you can filter by Subject or Group and…

1.4 …there are some comments in the right-hand column for guidance.

1.5  If you spot any errors or omissions please contact the relevant Disciplinary lead (Jenny S, Paul or George) or David H.

2. Confirm the specific timetabling details for your course here.

2.1 There are 4 worksheets for the different subjects. Note that courses are on separate worksheets.

2.2 Check the delivery information for your individual course and let the ASC know:

EITHER a. The data can be “rolled-over” from 2019 to 2020. In which case send the ASC an email with the following:

Subject: COURSE XXX/Semester X

Text: Course delivery data for COURSE XXX to be rolled over for 2020.

OR b. The delivery details are incorrect and/or should be changed for 2020 then send these in an Excel file using the same format (copy and pasting is a good way to start this). Refer to the 2020 Teaching Days for specific weeks, if necessary.

Please let the ASC or David Hayward know if you have any questions regarding this activity and thank you for your cooperation.

Changes to Courses and Programmes

Formal changes follow an annual cycle and we have a number of proposed changes to courses (aka ‘papers’) and degree programmes. These have been discussed in the various academic groups and so please consult the Disciplinary Leads (Jenny S, George or Paul) or David Hayward if you have queries.

The Amendment documents

• 2019-703 – this includes several changes to undergraduate programmes and courses. This is a draft and will be submitted to the Science Academic Committee on 8 May.
• 2019-705 – this is a General Education Amendment to create a new course, EARTHSCI 206G. This was due last month and has been submitted already.
• 2019-757 – this includes several changes to postgraduate programmes and courses. This is a draft and will be submitted to the Science Academic Committee on 8 May.

A guide to the changes

The Amendment documents are a bit arcane and so the changes are summarised in this Overview.

ENV Classifieds

A Job Opportunity for Students

There’s a great part time position available at Conservation Volunteers NZ. It’s a casual role and perfect for anyone who wants to pick up a day here and there to get some practical conservation/ environment work experience. It’s very flexible as the role allows you to pick and choose the days you work. Click here to view the job description and how to apply.