Issue 117 – Monday 4 March 2024
Contents
HeadsUp
I recently lectured to an undergrad class for the first time in quite some months. The topic was geographical aspects of Covid-19. I encouraged students to reflect on their own Covid story from the times of lockdown. Such times seem both so recent and yet so long ago. Time is elastic. Or in the words of an American poet “time is a jet plane, it moves too fast’ (Dylan, 1975). Time is the inevitable sinew that forms and refines our collective and personal stories.
Our collective story as a School changes as new colleagues join us and others move on. This year we gain two new members of our team: Hyseop Shin in April and Karin Bryan in May. We look forward to being enriched. Our collective story also subtly changes as we embrace the imperatives of curriculum change: the upcoming final iterations of some Gen Ed courses and the gestation of new Stage 1 offerings, along with our engagement in Waipapa Taumata Rau and a new Transdisciplinary course on Environmental Futures. What we teach shapes our collective identity and reshapes our story as School. Change is rarely comfortable and invariably challenging. It adds texture to our story.
Our story is also shaped by ’values alignment’. As mentioned at the recent Staff Meeting, I am not infrequently asked what our School is doing or saying about various environment issues. Responses such as “we can’t do everything” are in a sense reasonable, but in an era when optics matter, we need to be doing something even its far from everything. Hence the discission in break-out groups to animate a conversation at the Staff Meeting. Last year’s tree planting day promoted by Emma Sharp was a great initiative. Closer to home, the seminar on 19th April animated by Nalalia Abrego (see this issue of p-Cubed) will take the deliberation further into areas such as greening our labs.
At a personal level, stories matter. They can help explain how we have arrived where we have career-wise and help us appreciate each other in a new light. On Joe Fagan’s initiative we begin a new section of p-cubed today that we’ll call, ENV-stories Of course if you propose something, you need to central to its founding story so Joe narrates some of his early days in this issue’s instalment. Be prepared to be shoulder-tapped for a later chapter!
So, when someone asks “what’s the story”, there’s plenty to say.
Have a great fortnight.
Robin
PS, And then there’s poetry. When a colleague expressed exasperation at the 350 word limit I placed on narrating achievements for the Salary review process, I said think of it as the discipline of a haiku poem. Hey presto, a few minutes later I received a three-part haiku coauthored with Chat GBT. Receipt of email offered me a smile on a Friday afternoon…
Announcements
Inspera Training for Semester One 2024
Kia ora Koutou, The Inspera team would like to advise you that we are now available for one-on-one and small group Inspera training upon request.
We strongly encourage new academics to reach out to learn the basics about Inspera. We also provide sessions for experienced users of Inspera, and academics who would like to discuss specific features and address individual needs.
The deadline for all training requests is April 4th, 2024. This is a great opportunity for academics and professional staff alike to become more familiar with Inspera before Semester One exams are due. The training sessions will be conducted over Zoom. To request a session, please fill out this Google form with your preferred times, and we will get back to you within two working days.
Additional Inspera resources
Our updated SharePoint site also has useful guides and resources to assist staff with their Inspera journey.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions can be found on this Staff Intranet page.
You can also email us anytime at inspera@auckland.ac.nz (staff only). All email responses will be sent between 8am and 4pm.
Ngā mihi,
Inspera Support Team
Research Grant/RDA finances:
SMR, the platform which allows you to check the finances of your Research Grants and RDA accounts has been migrated to the cloud. To access it, please use the link below or access via the ‘Quick Links’ dropdown on the Staff Intranet. It also has been renamed – EIP (Enterprise Insights Portal), and the landing page has changed appearance. Please reach out to either Sophie (sophie.yu@auckland.ac.nz) or Kelly (kelly.kilpin@auckland.ac.nz) if you have any issues, or would like a quick walk through of the system.
https://microstrategy.auckland.ac.nz/
ENV-stories
As a child, I had a crippling fear of heights. When sailing in the Bay of Islands (where I was born) my mother would climb to the top of the mast, while I remained whimpering on the deck. I was petrified she would fall, but I also longed to have her courage.
My grandparents were caretakers of the Austrian artist Frederik Hundertwasser’s ketch Regentag (Rainy Day). When I was ten years old, I decided to climb her tallest mast. I rowed out to Regentag, stood on her deck, and gazed up at her vertical shrouds and horizontal ratlines. While they looked like a train track destined for the clouds, that first day I only managed to get my shaking feet onto the bottom rung.
The next day I came back, then the next, and the next. Each day I made it one ratline higher. I hated it, everything wobbled, the shrouds, the ratlines, the horizon, my bowels, my heart, and my resolve. But each day I rowed out, counted, and climbed. It was just me, my fears, and one ratline a day.
Days passed, and eventually, the ratlines ended. With a deep breath, I rose like a newborn calf on unsteady legs and pulled myself onto the wooden platform at the top of the mast. I looked up, looked out, and looked down. Below me, Regentag had shrunk. She looked small, felt small, was small, and I felt different.
Since that moment, my perspective has changed. Today I enjoy climbing trees, hills, mountains, anything to get high. I even took up paragliding. Flying is incredible, a strange blend of progress and peace, of motion and motionlessness, but most of all, I love looking down. Drifting over contours, shapes, textures, and colours, observing patterns, processes and tiny people.
Is that why I studied geography?
Joe Fagan
Whakawhanaungatanga – Communities
Expert academic editor/proofreader service – Dr Pam Oliver, PhD (Psychology), PhD (Law) – 022 3727749 / pam.oliver.waiheke@gmail.com
I am a professional researcher and former academic (Psychology, Universities of Auckland and Waikato) now providing high calibre editing and proofreading services to academic writers, doctoral candidates and other graduate students across diverse disciplines. I’ve been an approved graduate proofreader for The University of Auckland for 9 years, and have undertaken editing for academic staff in the Schools of Environment, Medicine, Population Health, Commerce, and Engineering, and Ngā Pae o Te Maramatanga. My work is fast, thorough, accurate and timely. I can usually fit in short notice work. My website includes testimonials from both doctoral students and university staff. I continue to publish my own research (e.g. New Zealand Geographer 2021, 2023; NZMJ 2017) and am a regular reviewer for two high impact medical journals.
Join us for Kai and Korero at the Library
A postgraduate reception hosted by Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries and Learning Services
Date: Monday, March 18, 2024
Time: 12:30-1:30pm
Location: General Library, Building 109, Room G07, next to the Student Hubs help desk
RSVP: Registration opens March 11 at 8 AM. Register via Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/kai-and-korero-at-the-library-tickets-823153944607?aff=oddtdtcreator
Please place in your Calendar.
All staff and students of The School of Environment are invited to:
Sustainability Seminar – School of Environment
Date/time: 11 April 2004, 9-30 a.m. -12:00
Room: 303-102- 38 Princes St – MLT2 Lecture Teather
For catering purposes, an email invitation will come soon!
We hope to see you all there.
Landscape enthusiasts unite for the 2024 ANZGG Conference
The 20th biannual Australian and New Zealand Geomorphology Group conference was held in Tairāwhiti Gisborne from the 12th to 16th February. The meeting was organised by a team from the University of Auckland led by Jon Tunnicliffe, with the theme: ‘geomorphic disturbance and recovery’. Landscape enthusiasts were aggregated from across Australia, New Zealand and much further afield to learn about current geomorphological research – in particular to discuss what landscape recovery means in a region that is frequently devastated by disturbance events. 81 oral and 21 posters were presented, with topics that ranged from the impacts of geomorphic disturbance through to hazard assessment, applied geomorphology, methodological advances, aeolian systems and numerical modelling. Most importantly, six Masters and PhD students from the University of Auckland presented their research and all did an outstanding job!
The conference coincided with the anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle which devastated the area with flooding, extensive erosion and land instability that irrevocably changed the East Cape region and its river systems. The effects of the cyclone will persist for many years after the event, highlighting the importance of applied geomorphic research in characterising process areas, triggering factors, system connectivity and sensitivity, and landscape recovery times.
The mid conference fieldtrip took delegates on a source to sink tour of the Waipaoa catchment to observe the impacts of disturbance events and land use changes on the riverbed. This was followed by a walk of the Gisborne beach front to explore the coastal processes that have shaped the region.
A community forum was hosted as part of the conference titled ‘Managing East Coast Landscape’ which shared local and international research that has be conducted in the region with the local community. The forum focussed on lessons learnt post Cyclone Bola and how we can use this knowledge to inform management applications to enact better futures. A panel discussion session was specifically structured to hear the voices of the community, who once again are living the reality of their dynamic landscape.
For those who wanted to explore more of the dramatic landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand, Jon Tunnicliffe and Paul Augustinus ran a pre-conference fieldtrip took delegates from Auckland to Gisborne, via the coastal East Coast road, to look at the long-term interaction of river and estuarine systems with tectonic movements. Highlights included the Waiapu River and Tapuaeroa River which have been dramatically affected by mass gully complexes causing high rates of aggradation to the rivers. A post-conference fieldtrip run by Mark Dickson explored landscapes the Māhia Peninsula, Manawatu coastal dunes and Kapiti Coast.
At the conference dinner, Professor Gary Brierley was the awarded the ANZGG medal. This is awarded to distinguished geomorphologists who have made a significant contribution to the ANZGG.
The conference and fieldtrips were a huge success. We extend our thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen.
Hood Fellowship Public Lecture
Planet, People, and Prosperity in an Era of Climate Change: A Case for the Social Sciences
Speaker: Chair of Human Geography Professor Jonathan Rigg (School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK)
Date/time: Thur, 14 March, 2024 from 4-5pm lecture followed by ½ hour Q & A Location: 17 Eden Crescent, Law Small Lecture Theatre (803-210, Level 2).
Find the location here: https://maps.auckland.ac.nz/auckland/39a7034bd4e04f49b06c6762/details/0a3e83b83bf84e35a7bba279
Chairperson: Jamie Gillen (University of Auckland, Global Studies)
Presentation Description:
Climate science has achieved much in detailing and substantiating the roots of climate change and the threats it poses for people and planet. Yet there are some areas of the broader climate change debate that the predictive sciences are either poorly equipped to tackle, or unwilling to confront. In this lecture, I identify a set of intersecting ‘reductionisms’ or ‘narrowings’, in climate science. These arise from the marginalisation of the interpretative social sciences and humanities in climate research and action and the siloing of climate as a driver of vulnerability. Opening up debates to recognise the role of the social sciences and humanities encourages a different perspective on the global challenge of climate change. This is characterised by deep interdisciplinarity, public engagement that is more than tokenistic, an appreciation of the distinct local signatures of global processes, and a recognition that exposure to climate change is about much more than the climate.
Speaker:
Jonathan Rigg is Chair of Human Geography in the School of Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol, UK, and was formerly Director of the Asia Research Institute (ARI) at the National University of Singapore. His research focuses on agrarian change and development in the Asian region and he has conducted fieldwork in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Jonathan was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2022 and awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Victoria Medal in 2020. He is the author of Rural development in Southeast Asia (Cambridge University Press, 2020) and More than rural: textures of Thailand’s agrarian transformation (Hawaii University Press, 2019).
28th AINSE Winter School: Expressions of Interest open (expressions of interest received until 15 May 2024) (flyer attached and available online)
The annual AINSE Winter School offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for senior undergraduate students to discover the potential for further research in nuclear science and related technologies. In the online week of the 2024 event, students can meet and engage with future research collaborators, gain deep insight into ANSTO’s landmark research facilities, and network with other like-minded students from all across Australia and New Zealand.
Online participants can apply for a further opportunity to explore two world-class ANSTO research facilities in person in September, after the online event concludes.
Expressions of Interest for the 28th AINSE Winter School, held online from 1-10 July 2024, are open to all senior undergraduate students interested in learning about the techniques of nuclear analysis. Such techniques have applications across a wide range of disciplines, including archaeology, biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, materials science, medicine, nanotechnology, and physics.
The AINSE Winter School provides an ideal opportunity for students in their final year of undergraduate STEM studies to meet potential collaborators and explore potential options for future research projects using ANSTO facilities in collaboration with ANSTO researchers. Throughout the week, students attend a mix of online lectures, social activities, and experiments relating to:
- Neutron Scattering (using neutron beamlines on the OPAL Multipurpose Reactor);
- X-Ray and IR Scattering (using beamlines on the Australian Synchrotron)
- Ion Beam Analysis (using ANSTO’s suite of linear accelerators);
- Environmental studies using natural radioactivity (including sedimentation rates and erosion, geomorphology, and climate change); and
- Nuclear techniques in materials science.
A virtual tour of other major ANSTO facilities is also included in the program, alongside an online Research Roundup networking event for students to discuss future research opportunities working alongside ANSTO researchers.
For more information, please visit the Winter School website or contact AINSE at forum@ainse.edu.au.
ANSTO & Swinburne University PhD Scholarship: Innovation, Design and Technology (applications close 17 March 2024)
This PhD program is in partnership between the nandin Innovation Centre (ANSTO) and Design Factory Melbourne (Swinburne University) and is based full time at Lucas Heights, Sydney, NSW.
A three-year full-time PhD scholarship is available for doctoral studies exploring areas of translational science, innovation management and innovation practices to help address societal needs.
The PhD program, furthering Swinburne’s existing research and capability, seeks to study practices and methodologies across different disciplines that impact innovation at individual, organisational and cross-organisational levels.
The closing date for applications is 17th March 2024. For more information, please visit the ANSTO website and the Swinburne website.
AINSE 2024 Postgraduate Research Awards (PGRA) and Residential Student Scholarships (RSS) – applications open (applications close 15 April 2024) (flyers attached and available online – PGRA flyer / RSS flyer)
AINSE Limited (the Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering) are delighted to announce the opening of applications for the 2024 rounds of two postgraduate scholarships, the Postgraduate Research Awards (PGRA) and the Residential Student Scholarships (RSS).
Applications are now being sought from Ph.D. students undertaking research projects in the areas of Archaeology, Geosciences & Environmental Sciences, Biotechnology & Biomedical Sciences, and Materials Science & Engineering.
- The PGRA provides a stipend of A$9,000 per annum, in addition to a generous travel and accommodation allowance, to enable Ph.D. students to undertake research at ANSTO facilities (for an average of 2 visitations totalling 4 weeks per year).
- The RSS provides a stipend of A$9,000 per annum, in addition to up to A$5,000 per annum travel and accommodation allowance (plus an additional accommodation allowance of up to A$5,200 for eligible students incurring costs in dual locations as a result of relocating to an ANSTO location from interstate or overseas), to enable Ph.D. students to spend a significant amount of time working at ANSTO facilities.
- The RSS differs from a Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) in that a RSS student must be onsite at an ANSTO facility (at Lucas Heights or Clayton) for an average of six months per year or more, which can be as a single block of time or as separate visitations. RSS applicants must be working on research topics that closely align with ANSTO’s research programmes: The Environment, Human Health, Nuclear Technologies, Defence and Space Industries, and Fusion. In addition, opportunities may also exist for Ph.D. students interested in contracted research and industrial engagement projects in the defence industry area, and for Ph.D. students interested in fusion research that aligns with ANSTO and ITER activities.
Please note: Honours or Masters students should instead apply for the AINSE Pathway Scholarship (details below), which is open until March 15, 2024.
Applications for the PGRA and RSS round close 11:59 pm AEST 15th April 2024.
Students must complete the online application form through the new AINSE Grants Portal and supply two letters of reference, including one from their university supervisor, and a letter from their university research office confirming their enrolment details.
Each application is assessed by a specialist committee that oversees the specified area of research.
For more information, including a link to the online application form, Terms & Conditions, and an ANSTO Capabilities & Facilities Guide, please visit our website or contact AINSE on +61 2 9717 3376 / applications@ainse.edu.au.
Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE): applications open (applications close 1 July 2024) (flyer attached and available online)
AINSE, in partnership with ANSTO, the Embassy of France in Australia and the Embassy of France in New Zealand, are delighted to announce that applications for the Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE) Program are currently open, for international travel in the period 1st October 2024 – 31st December 2025.
Applications close 11.59 pm 1st July 2024 (Australian Eastern Standard Time).
The Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE) Program is an exciting international exchange opportunity open to Early Career Researchers at the Ph.D. and postdoctoral level. Each successful applicant is provided with costs towards a return flight and up to A$200 per week (up to a maximum of 26 weeks) to support accommodation expenses associated with a visit from:
- Australia/New Zealand to France, or
- France to Australia.
The SAAFE Program supports Early Career Researchers to expand research in nuclear science and engineering in the areas of Health, Environment and Nuclear Technologies, and to initiate sustainable research networks and linkages in order to support Australia, New Zealand and France in research and innovation.
Eligible applicants must be a PhD student in, or hold a postdoctoral appointment at, a French university or AINSE-member university. The research project must be in collaboration with at least one researcher employed by ANSTO or another Australian AINSE-member institution (in the field of nuclear science and engineering and in the areas of Health, Environment or Nuclear Technologies), and at least one researcher employed by a French university or French research institution.
The research internship is required to take place over a period of 8–26 weeks between 1st October 2024 – 31st December 2025.
For more information, including the application form and terms & conditions, please visit our SAAFE website or contact AINSE on +61 2 9717 3376 / applications@ainse.edu.au.
2024 AINSE Pathway Scholarships (for Honours and Masters students): applications open (applications close 15 March 2024) (flyer attached and available online)
AINSE are pleased to announce our new Pathway Scholarships for Honours and Masters students, alongside our new and improved online portal for scholarship applications.
Eligible students from AINSE Member institutions who will be enrolled in any Honours program OR Masters program, for some period between 1st January 2024 and 31st March 2024, can now apply for the 2024 AINSE Pathway Scholarship. The Pathway Scholarship replaces our previous Honours Scholarship, and expands that offering to include ALL students enrolled in any Masters degree.
To be eligible for the AINSE Pathway Scholarship, students must be:
- Enrolled in an Honours degree OR a Masters degree, at a current financial AINSE Member Institution, for some period between 1st January 2024 and 31st March 2024; and
- As part of their degree requirements, must submit a research project involving the use of ANSTO facilities, or the analysis of data previously collected from ANSTO facilities, in collaboration with an ANSTO staff member.
Please note: Ph.D. students should instead apply for the AINSE Postgraduate Research Award round (details above), which is open until 15 April 2024.
AINSE Pathway Scholars will receive a A$5,000 stipend to assist them in their studies.
Applications close 11.59 pm AEDT 15th March 2024.
Students must complete the online application form through the new AINSE Grants Portal and supply a copy of their Academic Transcript, along with a reference from their university supervisor and a letter from their university research office confirming their enrolment details.
Each application is assessed by a specialist committee that oversees the specified area of research.
For more information, including a link to the online application form and Terms & Conditions, please visit our website or contact AINSE on +61 2 9717 3376 / applications@ainse.edu.au.
Student event: ALGA Young Professional Forum (12 March, 5-7, 302-140)
The Australasia Land & Groundwater Association is running an event in our building that should interest our students. Please register and/or help spread the word! Including speakers who have graduated from our Earth Science, Environmental Science and Environmental Management programmes relatively recently, the event will provide an open Forum for our current students to understand the job market better. It is only 10$ to attend for students. There will be food/drinks, presentations and plenty of opportunities to interact informally with young professionals.
More information and registration here:
https://landandgroundwater.com/event/auckland-event-alga-young-professionals-forum
Flyer with QR code (in case you would like to advertise in your classes and beyond!)
If you have any questions, please ask Melanie (melanie.kah@auckland.ac.nz)
Introductory R Workshop
An introductory R Workshop is being run on Thursday 11th and Friday 12th of April 2024. The course will be run by the Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) in the Department of Statistics.
What’s covered in the workshop?
Introduction
Getting familiar with R
Using R Studio and loading projects/scripts
Basic functions using R
Reading in Data Files (.csv, .xls/.xlsx)
Introduction to R Objects. How R thinks (vectors, matrices, basic data formats)
Working with data(sets)
Cleaning and subsetting
Merging datasets and reformatting
Grouping variables and summarising
R graphics
Starting with plots in R (boxplots, histograms, bar graphs)
Graphics in R with ggplot2 (customising plots)
Data analysis
Introduction to performing t-tests, chi-square tests, ANOVA, and general linear models
As per our previous introductory R workshops, the cost is $300 for UoA students and staff.
You can pay using your PRESS account, research grant, or other UoA account.
You can also opt to use a debit/credit card (however we will have to also add GST for this type of payment – please contact Joei Mudaliar j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz for further instructions).
The payment authorisation form for UoA participants paying from a UoA account is attached.
The cost for non-UoA attendees is $500 + GST. Please contact Joei Mudaliar (j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz) for payment instructions.
We will be sending out a pre-workshop information email the week prior to the course, however here are some of the details:
Location
We will be in room 302.190. Building 302 is on the corner of Symonds St and Wellesley St. The room we will be using is on level 1, room 190.
Time and schedule
The approximate schedule for both days is attached (since this is the schedule from our previous course, it may yet be altered very slightly).
We will start at 9am and finish at 5pm.
Morning and afternoon tea will be provided, and there are cafes nearby for lunch.
Computers
We will be using a Faculty of Science computer lab.
You are also welcome to use your own laptop. However, please make sure that you have downloaded R and RStudio onto your machine before the workshop (they are free to download).
We will also include some instructions on how to do this in our pre-workshop information email.
Access to computers and the internet
We will arrange access to the lab computers for all non-UoA participants.
We will also have a guest wireless password for non-UoA participants who are bringing their own laptops.
UoA staff and students will be able to access the FoS computers using their normal UoA upi and password.
I hope you can make it on the 11th and 12th April 2024, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Ngā mihi (Kind regards),
Joei Mudaliar | Kairuruku Ratonga ā-Rōpū (Group Services Coordinator)
Department of Statistics | Faculty of Science
The University of Auckland | Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau
The Scientia Trust Planet Earth Fund
The Scientia Trust Planet Earth Fund, proudly managed by Perpetual Guardian will be opening for funding applications from Wednesday 3rd January 2024 to Friday 29th April 2024.
This funding opportunity takes place once every 5 to 15 years.
We welcome applications from organisations and individuals for the purpose of:
- The study of earthquakes
- The study of bulk properties of the Earth
- The study of astronomical motions
- The study of the internal structure of the Earth
- The history of such studies.
Please feel welcome to share this opportunity with colleagues working in one or more of the above areas.
This funding round will be held on the Perpetual Guardian Funding Hub. You can find out more about this on our website here: https://www.perpetualguardian.co.nz/philanthropy/grant-seekers/grants-open-upcoming/
If you wish to be considered for funding you will need to register as a Perpetual Guardian Funding Hub user before you are able to submit an application.
You can register here: https://perpetualguardian.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new (look for the ‘Create an Account’ link).
Marian Cranwell Prize ($3,000)
The Prize will be awarded annually to the student who, in the opinion of the selection panel, completed the best thesis or dissertation focussing on the areas of environmental or ecological science, including the cultural history of environmental areas, in fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters or PhD degree. This is open to Students in School of Environment as well. If you have in mind any worthy nominees could you let me know as soon as convenient please and provide a note in support of your nomination.
Kind regards,
Barkha Bheda
Group Services Administrator
School of Biological Sciences: gsa.biologicalsciences@auckland.ac.nz
Exercise Sciences: gsa-exercise@auckland.ac.nz
FUNDS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH HAPORI MAORI
School of Environment has a small budget for enabling engagement with Maori, particularly through koha or contributions that may be needed to initiate research relationships. In disbursing that putea, priority is given to academic staff working on behalf of groups of staff or students, pre/consultation activities for ethics approval and collaborations that are not readily funded through other mechanisms. As it is desirable to utilise the budget before the end of the academic year, however, all well-reasoned proposals will be considered. If interested, email a brief, one paragraph description of a proposed activity and a budget for how funds will be utilised to Brad (b.coombes@auckland.ac.nz). Although there are no prescribed maxima or minima for these grants, the limited scope of the overall budget will likely preclude grants in excess of $1000. Applicants should also be mindful of UoA guidelines or policies for gifting and koha.
Post Graduate Wellbeing ….. where to go
If you are currently coordinating a PG course, could you please post the inforgraphic slide to your Canvas course page so students will know the resources that are available throughout the University.
3k writing grant available for students
These are currently on hold. Rangahau will reopen this fund for requests later in the year, please keep an eye on P-cubed for more details.
Rangahau – Research
Funding for Research Retreats
The Rangahau Committee has a small amount of funding set aside to sponsor Research retreats (e.g grant writing workshops, paper writing). This can be up to 2k per team, with a minimum 2 SoE participants.
If you have an idea that you would like considered, please submit a short paragraph explaining the intention and benefits of the retreat to katarzyna.sila-nowicka@auckland.ac.nz.
Proposal development support
The Rangahau Committee has a small fund set aside to help with proposal development (e.g. writing support, support to scope proposals etc). If you have an idea that fits within this scope please get in touch with Kelly Kilpin to discuss further.
Funding
Funding Calls
| Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education: Small | |
| This fund aims to support education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education. The research concept is “field-initiated” with the grant designed to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and opportunities in education. | |
| Value/Duration: | Deadline: |
| · Value: up to USD50,000 (circa NZD80,000).
· Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months |
· Internal Deadline for Full Stage: Internal Deadline: 5pm, Monday, 22 April 2024. |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website):
If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (Kelly, Alex, or Sophie) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund. |
|
| RSNZ: Catalyst: Seeding (Round 1, January 2024) | |
| This fund aims to facilitates new small and medium pre-research strategic partnerships that cannot be supported through other means, and with a view to developing full collaborations that could be supported through Catalyst. | |
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline: |
| Up to NZ$80,000 (excl. GST) is available per proposal for projects lasting up to two years. | 12pm Tuesday 9 April 2024. |
| To get registered to the portal, please email the following information to the Funds Advisor Team via submissions@auckland.ac.nz :title (e.g. Dr, A/P, Professor), full name, email address, faculty and department. | |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund |
|
| RSNZ: Catalyst Leaders (Round 1, January 2024) | |
| This fund aims to supports incoming and outgoing targeted international fellowships for exceptional individuals that cannot be supported through other means. The following funding schemes are open in Round 1:
International Leader Fellowships (up to 3 awards): supports exceptional individuals from any country outside New Zealand to catalyse science and innovation capability and capacity development in New Zealand for a minimum of 4 weeks per year for up to 3 years. JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships (up to 4 awards): supports excellent post-doctoral researchers to do research in Japan for 12-24 months. Julius von Haast Fellowship Award (up to 1 award): supports an internationally recognised researcher from Germany to undertake research in New Zealand for a minimum of 4 weeks per year for up to 3 years. New Zealand – China Scientist Exchange Programme (up to 10 Awards): supports the development of research linkages with China by enabling New Zealand researchers to visit Chinese research organisations for 2-6 weeks. |
|
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline: |
| International Leader Fellowships: up to $50,000 per annum.
JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship: Flights, insurance and living allowance. Julius von Haast Fellowship Award: up to $50,000 per annum. New Zealand-China Scientist Exchange Programme: Flights, insurance and living allowance. |
12pm Tuesday 9 April 2024. |
| To get registered to the portal, please email the following information to the Funds Advisor Team via submissions@auckland.ac.nz :title (e.g. Dr, A/P, Professor), full name, email address, faculty and department. | |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund |
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Aotearoa New Zealand Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships
The first details of the new Aotearoa New Zealand Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships, developed as part of the Te Ara Paerangi – Future Pathways reform have been released. These new schemes replace the Rutherford Discovery, Rutherford Foundation and James Cook Fellowships, which will no longer be offered from 2024.
These fellowships will support early, mid, and senior researchers. For further details, please see MBIE’s web page which details eligibility, duration and value.
Funding calls will be publicised via P-cubed once they become available so please keep an eye on this space.
| MBIE 2024 Endeavour Fund (Research Programmes) | |
| This fund aims to support ambitious, excellent and well-defined research ideas which have credible and high potential to positively transform New Zealand’s future in areas of future value, growth, or critical need.
For the 2024 investment round, the Science Board will aim to fund at least 19 Research Programmes proposals. |
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| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline |
| · Total funding pool: $39 million
· Value: $0.5 million or more per year · Duration: 3, 4 or 5 years |
· Registration: 12noon, Monday, 27 November 2023
· Full Proposal: 12 noon, Monday, 26 February 2024 |
| Pītau (MBIE’s New Portal) Launch
The 2024 Endeavour Fund round will be run through Pītau, which is replacing IMS. Invite codes for Pītau will be sent out to current users in IMS, during the week starting 6 November, using the email address attached to their IMS account. If you do not currently have an IMS account but, will be applying for the 2024 Endeavour Fund round, please contact the UniServices Funds Advisor Team at (submissions@auckland.ac.nz) or the research support team to get an account created in advance. |
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| Further Information:
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (Kelly, Alex or Sophie) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund. |
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Announcements (1)
| Horizon Europe Training Webinars | ||||||
| These new sessions will continue to focus on critical areas of the bid development process and key steps for identifying a funding call/collaborative opportunity in the Horizon Europe Programme.
· Navigating the EU Funding & Tenders Portal: This webinar provides a comprehensive database of available calls and a search engine that helps you narrow down your options and find calls that fit your interests and expertise.
· Improving Researcher Visibility Amongst International Partners:
· Best Practice in Collaborative Proposal Writing: This webinar will give an insight into the standard ways of planning the work in a Horizon Europe project.
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Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Personal and Professional development at UoA
Academic life is underpinned by skills other than those directly related to your research and teaching. Please think about taking some of the courses that OD offers:
- First Aid, advanced and refresher
- Mental Health 101
- Fire safety at work
- Risk assessment
- Health and Safety for Line Managers and Academic Leaders
First Aid courses offered by the university are limited in capacity and/or the OD course schedule might not suit you. If this is the case, there are alternatives from external providers that might fit your busy calendar. Please seek advice on these options. Before booking double check that the course covers these units:
Level 1 – Basic
NZQA 6402 – Provide resuscitation level 2 – 1 Credit
NZQA 6401 – Provide first aid – 1 Credit
Level 2 – Advanced
NZQA 6400 – Manage First Aid in an Emergency Situation (Field Activity Leaders)
First Aid Refresher:
Must have valid first Aid certificate
Providers
- Red Cross
- Saint Johns
- Besafe
- Meditrain
- First Training (offers outdoors first aid course)
- A1 first Aid
Publications | Articles
- Brook MS. (2023). Short-sighted university geoscience cuts in New Zealand. Australian Institute of Geoscientists News 151: 19-20.
- Brody-Heine, S., Katurji, M., Stewart, C., Wilson, T., Smid, E. R., & Trancoso, R. (2024). Modeling SO2 dispersion from future eruptions in the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand. Journal of Applied Volcanology, 13(1), 1-18. [research funded by DEVORA] The research was covered an article in the NZ Herald (unfortunately behind a paywall): https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-eruption-could-send-hazardous-plumes-of-sulphur-dioxide-over-city/NFCTMXSCKJAGNFJZOEZZRTV7NM/
- Kemper J, Sharp E, Yi S, Leitao E, Padhye L, Kah M, Chen J and Gobindlal K (2024) Public perceptions of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Psycho-demographic characteristics differentiating PFAS knowledge and concern. Journal of Cleaner Production. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.140866.
- Shears, N. T., Bowen, M. M., Thoral, F., (2024). Long-term warming and record-breaking marine heatwaves in the Hauraki Gulf, northern New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2024.2319100
- Robinson, N., Stevens, C., Rack, W., Bowen, M., Chapman, R., Cummings, V., Dean, S., Fernandez, D., Keller, L., McDonald, A., Pauling, A. and van Uitregt, V. (2024) “The 2023 Aotearoa New Zealand Sea Ice Emergency Summit”, New Zealand Science Review, 79. doi: 10.26686/nzsr.v79.8461.