Issue 59 – Monday 5th July 2021
Contents
HeadsUp
Most of us are slow learners when it comes to mātauranga Māori. Research or ethics applications these days appear to demand otherwise. But I’m convinced that slowing down is the only way. We need to be slow learners. There is no quick fix.
Where I live on Waiheke Island, there are large billboards near each of the ferry terminals that proclaim ‘SLOW DOWN, YOU’RE HERE”. Sadly fewer people than ever seem to honour that exhortation. But from time to time there’s a reminder that slowing down is not just about driving and cars.
Recently on the motu we’ve had a return visit from tohunga taiao (environmental healer) from Okarito in south Westland. Ramari Stewart was awarded the NZ Order of Merit in 2020 for her services to Māori culture, wildlife conservation and research. She is a whale expert, with extensive expertise in the traditional knowledge systems of mātauranga Māori. Among other things she trains others in safe and effective tikanga-based methods conducting research with cetaceans. I say with because, as you listen to her, it’s clear that she has a deep relationship with whales and dolphins, dead or alive. Working on them, rather than with them, would be anathema to her world view.
Ramari’s attention has turned to birds of late, prompted in part by the outcry over the seven hectare floating marina ‘development’ underway at Pūtiki Bay on Waiheke. In recent talks at Piritahi Marae and the Community Art Gallery she spoke of her mātauranga-informed investigations of birdlife at the Bay. Two characteristics shone through in her perspective: first, the need to slow down and be still in their presence. For her, clock time needs to be suspended as we observe the ‘natural ‘world. Second, the need to acknowledge diversity. Rather than all being homogenous and enumerated ‘adults’ or ‘juveniles’ of a species such as torea (variable oystercatchers), she spoke of each family having its own ‘culture’ as its adapted to local coastal conditions.
In reflecting on the gift of time with whaea Ramari, what struck me is that mātauranga Māori itself can so easily be colonised (in the sense of presumed to be known) and commodified (confined to a box on a form). It also struck me that knowing the world in this way requires something of a suspension of the clock time (‘deadlines’ and schedules etc) our work lives are driven by (what the Greeks called chronos) and an openness to the unstructured ‘now’ (what they call kairos). In times of knowing kairos, other rhythms such as tides, sun, moon take precedence over minutes and hours. In the case of the avian world, observable rhythms such as birds feeding, roosting, teaching their young become apparent.
Ideally, perhaps, our time away from the chronos-based attention to the screens, lectures and clock-time of meetings at work can allow for an occasional immersion in the kairos of slowing down. Perhaps that’s the gift of weekends and times in the field: a greater awareness of the world and people around us. Perhaps too, mātauranga is less about embracing a set of constructs and more about a deep attentiveness to relationality, time and place. We need guides, and when people like whaea Ramari appear, their presence is a gift worth slowing down for.
He waka eke noa! We’re all in this together.
On more immediate matters:
- This week we have examiner’s meetings and the finalisation of grades. Big thanks to all who have adapted to Inspera and worked through the on-screen scripts. I hope you can all give your eyes a rest soon!
- The School Review process proceeds: Recall that input to the narrative JR’s been working on has now closed, and it’s a time to be gathering your thoughts for an independent or group submission.
- Earlier in the year, we were invited to participate in a university-wide wellbeing survey that focused on recent Covid-year experience. Please expect notice of a zoom-based presentation on School-specific results soon.
- July sees Karen Fisher assume the role of Head of Geography from Jenny Salmond, and Nick Lewis assume Luitgard’s Postgraduate Chair position.
- In a further appointment, Murray Ford has been invited to join a 5-strong Faculty Curriculum Taskforce chaired by Duncan McGillvray. David Hayward will offer a link between this process and our school as our ‘Curriculum Champion’ in addition his Head of Academic Operations portfolio.
- I am aware of at least three colleagues dealing with difficult situations with ailing parents. My, and I’m everyone’s, thoughts are with you as you balance family and work imperatives and deal with “the should I stay or should I go?” question;
- I’m not sure if I congratulated the parents of new arrivals earlier: Emma Ryan’s welcomed Kate, Joe’s welcomed Freddie and Blair’s welcomed Brielle. Wonderful!
- And, lastly, happy Matariki! May the turning of the year bring new horizons.
Whakawhanugatanga – Communities
Tino pai! Congratulations to the winners of our 3MT Science heat and well done to everybody who took part!
Masters category
1st place: Sebastian Dunn (Biological Science/Computer Science)
Runner up: Rachel Lawson (Environment)
Doctoral category
1st place: Luke Boyle (Statistics)
Runner up: Amy Renelle (Statistics)
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Course builder
Postgraduate Information on Coursebuilder!
https://www.coursebuilder.cad.auckland.ac.nz/flexicourses/4112/publish/1/index.html
PhD information on this page has been updated 30/6/21 and a new section on Wellbeing and Student Hardship Support added https://www.coursebuilder.cad.auckland.ac.nz/flexicourses/4112/publish/1/9_9.html but if you spot anything else out of date please contact j.eccles@auckland.ac.nz or env-pgadmin@auckland.ac.nz
Alumni Volunteering
It is now possible for colleagues across the University to report alumni that they have involved as volunteers to support programs or activities, such as career fairs, mentoring programs, marketing collateral, talking to students, and more.
a. One-off/individual volunteering – all staff can fill in the online form on an ongoing basis as individual alumni volunteer for one-off jobs
b. Multiple volunteers – for programs with several volunteers, you can use the Excel volunteering data template attached and then complete and upload a list of volunteers via the online form.
Events & Seminar
Erionite Webinar Series – A Review of Commercial Erionite Testing – 13 Jul 2021
We are delighted to invite you to a lecture in the Erionite Webinar Series hosted by the research team from the MBIE Endeavour Funded “Assessing and mitigating the risk of erionite in New Zealand” research programme. In this series, we invite distinguished international speakers from a range of different fields to share their expertise and latest research on erionite, and aim to promote opportunities for further discussion about erionite within New Zealand communities.
For this webinar, which will be held on zoom on Tuesday 13th July at 1300 NZST, we are pleased to present Will Riffe who will speak about “A Review of Commercial Erionite Testing, with supposed Parnell Volcaniclastic Conglomerate as Subject”. Will Riffe is from the International Asbestos Testing Laboratories in the USA, and is an expert in analytical methods for detecting erionite and understanding the challenges of identifying it in rock material.
Please register for this webinar by clicking on the link below or pasting it into your browser. More details are also included in the attached poster. We look forward to seeing you!
Register: https://auckland.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUuceGrqjMoE9QKkpLFaWhnKgL8_5jzUosK
If you would like further information about this webinar or others in the series, or would like to be added to our erionite mailing list, please contact Cody Lim (clim508@aucklanduni.ac.nz).
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The Faculty Of Science Pacific Research Symposium
The Faculty of Science is home to a growing number of Pacific researchers and Pacific-related research. This includes research with Pacific communities, environments, technologies, plants, animals, oceans, lands, skies, and more. Furthermore, this research is being produced amidst wider conversations about what Pacific research is, highlighting the dynamic nature of this interdisciplinary field. We aim to contribute to this wider conversation with a symposium highlighting the research of our Pacific postgraduate students and staff, and that of our non-Pacific peers conducting research relevant to the Pacific. This symposium will be a first for the Faculty of Science, and a unique opportunity to highlight the research capabilities of our Pacific colleagues and the dynamic research happening within the Pacific region.
We invite all Pacific postgraduate students and staff, and non-Pacific colleagues doing Pacific- relevant research within the Faculty of Science to submit an abstract (200 words max) to speak at the upcoming pacific research symposium.
Prizes for best student talks!!
Abstracts and registration for the event can be sent in via the QR code or the following link: https://forms.gle/6R6S5nFd5d6FVz6H9
Deadline for abstract submissions is 6 August 2021 5pm. We encourage graduate researchers to speak at this upcoming event.
School of Environment Ball
The annual School of Environment Ball is happening again on Saturday 7th August 7.30pm onwards at Phoenix Cabaret. Online ticket sales (https://forms.gle/esnCQrBaMEt4X6se6) have just started and the event is open to all undergraduates (r18+), postgraduates, staff and partners from SoE.
Prices:
School of Environment Students Ticket = $45pp
School of Environment Staff = $55 pp
Non SoE Ticket for friends and/or partners @ $55pp. (Limited availability)
Please see the event page on Facebook for further information or contact us via Email
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Geologize Practical Geocommunication online training course for staff and students
Following some leading UK and Australian universities, we have recently purchased a site-license allowing all UoA staff and students FREE access to Geologize’s critically acclaimed and widely accredited course, ‘Practical Geocommunication’. You also have FREE access to Geoscience Outreach in Schools mini-course (by Out There Learning Ltd) as part of the package. All together this is worth $720 NZD per person, so please take advantage of this.
The training helps geoscientists become more effective and powerful public ambassadors for our field, something the geosciences urgently need. It will also look great on your CV, so there is nothing to lose and everything to gain from this opportunity. And as Warren Buffet, the famous American investor said “The one easy way to become worth at least 50 percent more than you are now, is to hone your communication skills”.
HOW TO ENROL ON THE COURSE
UoA’s unique access code is: auck-pggz-2122
1) Head over to https://training.geologize.org/courses/auckland
2) Click on ‘UNIVERSITY ACCESS’
3) Register (Free. This MUST be your university address)
4) Click on the link ‘Have a coupon?’
5) Enter the code above. This will apply the discount.
6) Start learning!
The number of times this coupon can be used is limited to the those at UoA, so please do not share this code to those outside our institution. If you attempt to enrol with a non-UoA e-mail you will be unenrolled.
Learners follow the course at their own pace and you will have lessons, quizzes, assignments and the opportunity to interact directly Dr Haydon Mort, the course teacher through the forums. A certificate is provided at the end of the course, with the seals of the many international organisations who endorse this course.
Ako Innovation Committee
Teaching and learning innovation fund
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Rangahau – Research
Funding Calls:
Emma Waterhouse Award for Women in Natural Science
Opening date: 24th June
Closing Date: 5th August
Applicable study: UG or PG study in the natural sciences including Biological Science, Environmental Science, Marine Science, Geography and related areas
Value: $5,000
Link: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/scholarships-and-awards/find-a-scholarship/emma-waterhouse-award-1107-sci.html
Laura Bassi Scholarship
The Laura Bassi Scholarship, which awards a total of $8,000 thrice per annum, was established by Editing Press in 2018 with the aim of providing editorial assistance to postgraduates and junior academics whose research focuses on neglected topics of study, broadly construed. The scholarships are open to every discipline and the next round of funding will be awarded in Summer 2021:
Summer 2021
Application deadline: 31 July 2021
Results: 20 August 2021
All currently enrolled master’s and doctoral candidates are eligible to apply, as are academics in the first five years of full-time employment. Applicants are required to submit a completed application form along with their CV through the application portal by the relevant deadline. Further details, previous winners, and the application portal can be found at: https://editing.press/bassi
Waipapa Taumata Rau Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund
The University of Auckland is pleased to announce the Waipapa Taumata Rau Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund, a new internal research award designed to cultivate cross-faculty and transdisciplinary collaborations and generate new projects that respond to the four priority areas identified within Taumata Teitei: sustainability, health and well-being, justice, and ethical innovation and technology.
This award will provide up to $60,000 towards research costs for projects designed to take place in 2022. Two University-wide workshops provide an opportunity for you to connect with researchers from other Faculties and develop potential projects in thematic areas:
- Sustainability – 9 July 8:30am-1pm. Location: OGGB4 / 260-073. Register here.
- Health and Wellbeing – 16 July 8:30am-1pm. Location: 505-011. Register here.
Further information on the Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund, including guidelines and application/budget forms, can be found here: TIF Guidelines and Forms
Proposals must be submitted using the Application Template and emailed to internalawards@auckland.ac.nz by 30 September 2021.
John Templeton Foundation – Core Areas: Small and Large Grants
The John Templeton Foundation is interested in ideas for projects related to their Core Funding Areas.
SCIENCE AND THE BIG QUESTIONS – Supports innovative efforts to address the deepest questions facing humankind. Why are we here? How can we flourish? What are the fundamental structures of reality? What can we know about the nature and purposes of the divine? This area is divided into several subfields:
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Human Sciences
- Philosophy and Theology
- Science in Dialogue
CHARACTER VIRTUE DEVELOPMENT – Supports research focused on the universal truths of character development and on the roots of good character in human nature, whether understood from a scientific, philosophical or religious point of view
INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM & FREE MARKETS – Supports research and education intended to liberate the initiative of individuals and nations and to establish the necessary conditions for the success of profit-making enterprise.
EXCEPTIONAL COGNITIVE TALENT AND GENIUS – Supports research that assists to identify and nurture young people who demonstrate exceptional talent in mathematics and science.
GENETICS – Supports research in genetics that might serve to empower individuals, leading to spiritually beneficial social and cultural changes.
Grant Value:
- Projects are for a duration up to 33 months for a non-US based organisation.
- The award for a Small Grant is up to USD234,800 (circa NZD335,000)
- Large Grants have a minimum award of USD234,801 (circa NZD335,002).
- Overheads can be up to a maximum of 15% of the award value
Internal Deadline: 5pm Wednesday 11 August 2021
Further information can be found on the funders website
Publications
Hughes AC, Orr MC, Ma K, Costello MJ, Waller J, Provoost P, Yang Q, Zhu C, Qiao H. 2021. Sampling biases shape our view of the natural world. Ecography 44, 1–11. doi: 10.1111/ecog.05926
Costello M.J. 2021. Advice to my younger self: Happiness is a life directed by reason. PeerJ Blog https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284884281/advice-to-my-younger-self-5-tips-for-early-career-researchers-mark-costello/
Costello M.J. 2021. The 5th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity: on schedule and online. PeerJ Life & Environment https://peerj.com/blog/post/115284883552/wcmb-on-schedule-and-online/
Fa’aea, A. M., Fonua, S. M., (2021). Se’i lua’i lou le ulu taumamao: privileging Pacific notions of success in higher education, Higher Education Research & Development, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2021.1937954
Fa’aea, A. M., Fonua, S. M., Chu-Fuluifaga, C., Ikiua-Pasi, J. (2021). Navigating the digital va-vā: Centring Moana/Pacific values in online tertiary settings during COVID-19. Journal of Global Indigeneity, 5(1) February 10, 2021. Link
Tim Baice, Betty Lealaiauloto, Selena Meiklejohn-Whiu, Sonia M. Fonua, Jean M. Allen, Jacoba Matapo, Fetaui Iosefo & David Fa’avae (2021) Responding to the call: talanoa, va-vā, early career network and enabling academic pathways at a university in New Zealand, Higher Education Research & Development, 40:1, 75-89, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2020.1852187
Costello M.J. 2021. A Better Way to Manage Species Names in IUCN – What’s in a name? A great deal, it turns out. Conservation Frontlines
Health & Safety Committee
For more information about what was discussed at the last H&S meeting please click here.
IT Committee
Please make sure to check that the software you need in S2 is working in the labs. or on FlexIT. There is not much time left for fixing any issues.
More Information
Need to store and share research data? Request Research storage or UoA Dropbox for research
Queries about virtual machines? Virtual machine consult or Nectar Research Cloud?
ResearchHub: connects people, resources, and services -research-hub.auckland.ac.nz
Remote working issues: Please refer to the remote working page. If you do not find the answers to your questions, please log a call on the IT Portal for any IT-related issues or contact the Staff Service Centre for other queries.
Two-factor Authentication : Authy
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about-us/about-the-university/identity-and-access-management/two-factor-authentication/download-authy-for-desktops.html
YubiKeys work but of course require a USB port.
VPN: Instructions on how to install
VPN, Linux: FortiClient is running fine on Linux. Check the VPN link listed above.
VPN, Mac desktops: (information from April, may be outdated). Students may need IT to make their machines mobile and install FortiClient directly from the website. They will also need to set-up two-factor authentication by downloading an app like “Authy” on their phones and then setting up their University of Auckland account. I suggest people do this part before IT gets to them to make the process faster. To do that, they can use the instructions on this page:
To get a mobile account set up, log a service request or go to one of the service kiosks. It is unclear how this is being done remotely but I am sure this can be done. Please let me Ingo (i.pecher@auckland.ac.nz) know if you have managed to install FortiClient on their macs remotely.
FlexIT and Remote Access
FlexIT is straight-forward for remote access to computing power and programs. Alternatively, check if your project/group or so has a virtual machine. Remote desktop access to specific machines can be set up by IT but may note be reliable. Check the Staff Service Center https://uoaprod.service-now.com/sp.
Remote access is possible to some workstations in the geocomputational lab for research, and on a needs basis. This may be a viable solution for specialized data analysis. Please look into alternatives: It is unclear however, if/how on-site desktops can be maintained, if needed..
FlexIT access and requests: Use the FlexIT form in the IT Portal to request access as a staff member, to ask for an application be added, or to report any issues or faults.
FlexIT, Linux: Please check FlexIT link: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/my-tools/flex-it.html. It does not have any information on Linux but should be useful for “translation”.
Depending on your browser (in particular, Firefox), you also need to do the following, from https://communities.vmware.com/thread/595554.
“…tested with the Horizon 4.8.x and 4.10.x clients and Firefox v64.0. Both are 64bit versions, running on Ubuntu 18.04.1
Download the client from the VMWare Horizon Client for 64-bit Linux
In Firefox, open about:config and click through the warning.
Add a new boolean entry called network.protocol-handler.expose.vmware-view and set the value to false
Create a file called `test.html` somewhere on your computer and put the following in it: test
Open the file in Firefox and click on the link, which should prompt you for a path to open the link.
Select /usr/bin/vmware-view and it should work for future uses! “
(1) was provided by UoA but I think it works with generic software from VMWare as well.
Check with Ingo (i.pecher@auckland.ac.nz) if you run into problems.
Software licenses: Software vendors have relaxed their licensing to allow students to install software at home, rather than relying on Flex IT. There is a running list here https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/my-tools/flex-it/install-software.html
Please email content to P-cubed-content for next edition of P-cubed by Friday