Contents

HeadsUp

Kia ora.

As the teaching semester begins to wind up and exams approach there’s lots going on behind the scenes at present, preparing for next year. And yesterday we in the SLT (senior leadership team) of the Faculty had the first of two October away days developing direction for the immediate future. More on that at the next staff meeting.

Closer to home…

Firstly…

I’m pleased to announce that Mila Adam has agreed to serve as Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning) for the next three years. Congratulations, Mila. With Mila’s appointment, Tom moves to DHoS (Academic programmes) for the next year,

Congratulations

Blair has conveyed the happy news that he, Melanie, Brielle, Heidi have been thrilled to welcome a son/brother, Elliot Trey Sowman who arrived weeks early. Excellent news!

Congrats too to Martin Brook, who gave his inaugural professorial lecture last week .It was a well-attended, highly illustrated and enjoyable journey though the numerous locations and research interests that have informed Martins career.

Korero mai/Engagement survey

Last week, 16 academic staff gathered to workshop survey results. All units are asked to identify an action point to take forward. We identified re-looking at the School’s teaching allocation model. We will explore alternative models used in other units as part of Ako committee deliberations bringing a progress update back to the November 19th staff meeting.

Colleagues in the media

Great to hear Shane on RNZ news speaking about the harrowing aftermath of the Whakaari eruption at the coronial inquest.

Security

We’ve sustained two thefts of computing gear from office spaces lately. While some units of the university have introduced swipe card access to areas of buildings housing academic offices, I feel that would be a retrograde step in the quest to be a welcoming School accessible to students. The downside of accessibility however is that it can be be taken advantage of, so, please

  • Lock your offices if you are going out of sight, even for a few minutes;
  • Report to Security any suspicious activity;

Vigilance is sadly a necessary disposition to complement openness and availability.

And on a happier note

Mark your calendars – the afternoon of Wednesday 3rd Dec is the School’s annual End of Year gathering at the Bowling Club. Time to start flexing those arms in preparation, folk!

All best for the week

Robin


Announcements, Seminars & Events


AWIS Dress-Up Quiz Night (Tonight)

A group of final-year Communication Studies students at AUT are working with the New Zealand Association for Women in the Sciences (AWIS) as part of a public relations paper.

The team are organising a science-themed dress-up quiz night on Tuesday October 14th, 6pm at AUT’s Vesbar (City Campus). This event is all about celebrating women in STEM in a fun, student-friendly way, while also raising awareness of the awesome mahi AWIS does to support women in science across Aotearoa.

Some important things to know:

  • The quiz is free entry! And although intended for women in STEM, it’s open to everyone.
  • There are lots of amazing prizes up for grabs.
  • There will be a guest speaker on the night, who will share her experiences in the field.
  • It is a great chance for women in STEM to meet others in the science community – both at uni and beyond!

Repair Café

Tēnā koutou | Greetings all,

The Faculty of Engineering & Design Sustainability Committee would like to invite you to our upcoming Repair Café on Friday, October 17th, 2025, a community event where we come together to fix broken items, share knowledge, and reduce waste.

Repair Café  Hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Design Sustainability Committee, CIRCUIT Centre, University Sustainability Hub, Ngā Ara Whetū, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) and in collaboration with Repair Network Aotearoa.

No registration required – just drop in!

Location: Unleash Space B402
Date: Friday, 17th October

Time: 9am – 1pm
What to Bring: Electric/Electronic items, Jewellery, Clothing, small Furniture or Woodwork.

Please see our QR code or click on the link on what can be repaired:

Let’s work together to breathe new life into old items and foster a culture of sustainability. If you have any questions, please contact foed-sustainability@auckland.ac.nz

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Nga mihi | Kind regards,

FOED Sustainability Committee


Postgraduate Research Showcase 2025- 6th November

Are you a School of Environment PhD or Masters student nearing completion and keen to share your research findings with staff and peers? Have you a poster or presentation that you are working on?

The Postgraduate Research Showcase is an opportunity to present a research poster or give an oral presentation on your topic. In addition to sharing your research with the School, there are prizes worth $1,500 to be won.

If you are interested in being involved in the Research Showcase, and would like more information, please contact Larry Murphy (l.murphy@auckland.ac.nz) as soon as possible. People intending to present a poster (A1 size) will need to submit a pdf file to Larry by the 23rd October so that it can be printed in time for the Showcase.


New Research Platform Booking and Billing Tool – Infinity X 

Infinity X is now live and being used by three platforms: Auckland Genomics, the Te Kaihōpara research vessel, and the Biomedical Imaging Research Unit (BIRU). It will be rolled out across other platforms; Infinity X will fully replace iLab used by some platforms in Science by the end of 2025. Getting started: many existing users will have their details pre-loaded into the tool and will be contacted with setup instructions as each platform goes live. Visit Infinity X, the platform booking and billing tool, for training and support information. See Booking and billing project for information on the project.


University Fund and Webinars

Upcoming Funding

  • Global Research Engagement Fund (GREF) –  connect with international.research@auckland.ac.nz no later than 24 October to inform intention to submit by 31 October deadline. Projects up to $25k, click here for further information.
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) Internationalisation Faculty Mobility Scheme – deadline is 31 October. Keywords include Innovative Biomedicine; Information & Automation Technology; Environment & Sustainability. Follow links regarding the inbound and outbound schemes.
  • Applied Doctorates Scheme – proposals on the theme of Energy, deadline is 27 OctClick here to learn more and submit.

Webinars and training


Introduction to R Workshop

An introductory R Workshop is being run on Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th of October 2025. The course will be run by the Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) in the Department of Statistics. Please download the schedule here and registration form here.

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

The cost is $400 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 $650 + 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 160.

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.


The Future of Sustainability

Waipapa Taumata Rau has unlimited access to an upcoming virtual conference called The Future of Sustainability, put on by Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability. Sessions will be held over three days – Wed 5 to Fri 7 Nov.

I encourage you to have a look at the line up of sessions, and to register interest to receive more conference details. I have been to many of these conferences over the last decade, in person and online, and they create a wonderful sense of community for sustainability practitioners. 

You can find out more at The Future of Sustainability 
Register now


ENV – LEGO Masters event

Schedule

  • 6 Nov. 2025
  • Build time: 10 am to 3pm
  • Voting and judging: 3 pm to 4pm
  • Awarding ceremony with drinks and nibbles: 4pm onward

Venue

  • Build time: in front of rooms 303-G15 and G16
  • Judging: 303-G15 and G16
  • Awarding ceremony: in front of rooms 303-G15 and G16

Teams

  • One GEOG team
  • One EARTHSCI team
  • One ENVSCI team
  • One GISCI team
  • One TECH-PRO STAFF team

Each team is composed of a team leader and a build team. The team leader is in charge of recruiting at least two team members (1 staff and 1 student) but the team may also rely on shifts, that is, team members may change throughout the day as long as they always include one staff and one student. Duration of shifts is up to the team leader.

Process

Two days before the event, each team is allocated an object from which they have to develop their builds and must feature in their build. They have two days to think of/design their build and the story it shows.

On the day, each team is provided with a large base plate. All sorts of bricks and minifigures are available on a separate table sorted by colours.

Teams have 5 hours to build. After 5 hours all teams are invited to stop building. Builds are brought in the judging rooms where students and staff can look at them. Everyone present (except members of the build teams and team leaders) are invited to judge by dropping a single brick (for their favourite build) in a ballot/brick box. There are five of these boxes: one for each build/team.

Voting closes at 3:30 pm and ballots/bricks are tallied by members of SEC who announce the results by 4 pm when drinks and nibbles are served.


Blue & Green Technology Conference 2025 

Join global leaders in government, industry and academia at the Blue & Green international cleantech and innovation conference on 2-3 December. Hosted by Ngā Ara Whetū, with strong support from the European Union, it’s a platform for bold ideas, and climate-smart collaboration. If you’re working towards a climate-resilient future, this is the right room to be in! Register by 20 October to secure early bird rates.


School of Environment Disciplinary Lectures – November


Requests for software purchase or renewal in 2026

We are now seeking requests for software purchase or renewal in 2026. If there are software titles that you require for teaching or research purposes, please let us know using this form.
Please submit all titles that will require a contribution from the School’s software budget next year – regardless of whether they are new, existing or upgrades. If we do not receive a request for a particular title, we will assume that it is no longer required and reallocate the budget accordingly. Any questions please contact Thomas Mules. Thank you.


PhD Supervisor Re-accreditation by 1 March 2026

In March 2026, which marks 5 years from the date all then-accredited supervisors were initially loaded into Wahapū, many ENV accredited doctoral supervisors will be due for re-accreditation.

Re-accreditation requires two parts.

Supervisors must complete:

  1. Doctoral Policy and Procedure Reaccreditation for Supervisors (DPPRS) before the deadline. This course takes 60-90 minutes and you can do it any time before 1 March. (ONLINE ONLY)
  2. Complete 4 other SGS accredited courses. There are a mixture of online and in person courses available for anyone who has yet to complete this requirement (MIX OF ONLINE & IN-PERSON).

Anyone who has not met these criteria (check your Wahapū profile, accreditation) will not be able to be added onto any new supervision teams until they have regained accreditation.

The most up-to-date list of events is always available in the the Supervision Hub, and are listed in the monthly Supervisor News newsletter, delivered by email to all accredited supervisors.

Here are a few:

  • 15 October (Zoom) Responsible AI in research for supervisors – Workday
  • 23 October (In person) Orientation to Doctoral Education Policy and Procedures (ORIDOC) – Workday
  • 6 November (In person) Developing doctoral candidates’ critical thinking: A practical guide – Workday
  • 20 November (In person) Introduction to Research Supervision at UoA – Workday
  • 20 November (Zoom) Responsible AI in research for supervisors – Workday

From the OUTREACH COMMITTEE:

Share Your Latest Academic and Career Achievements with Us!

Share your latest research, conference presentations, fieldwork, and career updates with us! Your achievements could be featured on the School of Environment’s social media to showcase the amazing work happening in our community. Fill out the survey and include photos, titles of papers or theses, and anything else you’d like to share!

https://forms.gle/QAEkcndygHNazXr2A


COMPASS Morning Tea 

COMPASS PG is dedicated to creating a vibrant and supportive community for postgraduate students at all levels in the School of Environment. We host regular events designed to foster collaboration, networking, and a sense of community. 

All staff and postgrad students are invited to come along, to participate or just to enjoy some home baked goods!

 


Geoscience Society of New Zealand Student Activity Support

Thanks to the bequest to the Geoscience Society of New Zealand by Jack Grant-Mackie, former faculty (and a Head of Department etc) of the University of Auckland Geology Department who specialised in paleontology and stratigraphy, there are funds to support student activities at branch level to the value of $500 in the coming year.

If you have a proposal about a student Geoscience trip or event (outside of our normal university activities) please contact GSNZ branch rep Jennifer Eccles j.eccles@auckland.ac.nz so we can get a short budget/proposal together. Student led initiatives particularly welcomed!


ECR Career Planning: Two-Part Workshop

Dates: Monday 10 November & Monday 17 November, 9:30am–12:30pm
Location: City Campus, 58 Symonds Street
Register your interest here

This two-part, in-person workshop is designed for early career researchers — including late-stage PhD candidates in their final year, postdocs and research fellows — who are at a transition point and actively exploring their next career steps, within or beyond academia.

The two sequential sessions provide a structured space in which participants can reflect, explore options, and plan their next steps. They are especially valuable for individuals considering a range of career possibilities.


EarthFest 2025 Call for Participants

EarthFest is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest annual STEM festival dedicated to the Earth sciences. Through interactive exhibits and exciting demonstrations, presented by people who work with Earth science every day, we aim to bring Earth science to life for people of all ages and interests. Best of all, EarthFest is FREE for everyone! This year, the 1-day festival will be held on Saturday, 22 November at the Fickling Convention Centre in Three Kings

We are currently calling all researchers or practitioners who are keen to share Earth Science with the people of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. This could be in the form of an exhibit, demonstration, educational resources, or career presentations. If you are interested, please register now to reserve your spot by following this link (https://forms.gle/pRC1pCEyzinsgbQKA) or scanning the QR code on the flyer.

Please email earthfest@gsnz.org.nz if you have any questions.


Health, Safety & Wellbeing


Measles Outbreak

 

New Zealand is currently facing a measles outbreak, with 11 confirmed cases—10 in Northland and one in Queenstown—primarily affecting individuals who were not immunised. Health officials are urging vigilance, especially among those returning from school holidays or international travel, as measles is highly contagious and can spread rapidly in communities with low vaccination coverage. Alarmingly, only about 61% of children under five in Northland are fully immunised, with rates even lower among Māori children. This is concerning because measles can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and even death. Vaccination with two doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine remains the most effective protection, offering up to 99% immunity. Public health experts and community leaders are emphasizing the importance of immunisation not only to protect individuals but also to prevent outbreaks that can devastate vulnerable populations, as seen in the 2019 Samoa epidemic. With measles still circulating globally, ensuring high vaccination coverage is critical to safeguarding public health in Aotearoa

https://www.immune.org.nz/

Oct 15th

World Handwashing Day

Global Handwashing Day (GHD) is an international hand washing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilize people around the world to improve their hand washing habits

 

Oct 16th

New Zealand ShakeOut

New Zealand’s main civil defence drill for 2025 is New Zealand ShakeOut, a national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi happening on Thursday, 16 October at 9:30 am. Participants are encouraged to sign up for the drill and practice “Drop, Cover, and Hold” during an earthquake and a tsunami hīkoi (evacuation) if they are in a coastal area.

 Oct 17th

Loud Shirt Day

Loud Shirt Day is the national fundraising campaign for The Hearing House and the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme

Oct 20th

Mastocytosis and Mast Cell Disease Awareness

The Mastocytosis and Mast Cell Diseases Awareness Day aims to spread the word of a family of diseases that range from life threatening forms to more benign forms. It aims to raise awareness for the need of more accurate diagnostics, better treatments, further investments in research

Oct 20th

Osteoporosis Day

Worldwide, one in three women and one in five men aged 50 years and over will suffer an osteoporotic fracture. Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and fragile, so that they break easily – even as a result of a minor fall, a bump, a sneeze, or a sudden movement. Fractures caused by osteoporosis can be life-threatening and a major cause of pain and long-term disability.

 

Can osteoporosis and fractures be prevented? Yes, if action is taken early!

 

Oct 16th

World Food Day

World Food Day 2025 is calling for global collaboration in creating a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous, and food-secure future. By working together, across governments, organizations, sectors, and communities, we can transform agrifood systems to ensure that everyone has access to a healthy diet, living in harmony with the planet.

https://youtu.be/3QtW5tHIQu4?si=89jcmQTxEOoyO7_M


Funding Calls


2026 Royal Society Te Apārangi: Marsden Fund Roadshow

The Royal Society is running a Marsden Fund 2026 roadshow at the University of Auckland. Representatives from the Royal Society will present an overview of the Marsden Fund and schemes, the timeline and assessment criteria, and share tips on how to write a strong application.  There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the presentation.

Questions can be sent in advance to submissions@auckland.ac.nz, or submitted via the registration form. A calendar invitation will be sent out to all participants when the registration has been completed.

This event is open to UoA research staff who are planning on applying for the Marsden Fund 2026.

Key information:

  • Date: Tuesday 4 November 2025
  • Time: 12:30-13:30 pm
  • Location: Arts & Education Building – 201, Room 342, 10 Symonds Street, Auckland City Campus.

Register via Eventbrite hereA calendar invitation will be sent out to all participants when the registration has been completed. A recording of the Roadshow will be available later on the funder’s website.

Please reach out to submissions@auckland.ac.nz if you have any questions and/or concerns.


Undergraduate–Postgraduate Pairing Scholarship – 7 scholarships remaining!

This $800 scholarship supports undergraduate students to gain hands-on research experience by shadowing a postgraduate student. Undergraduates will assist with tasks like literature reviews, data analysis, and mapping, while learning valuable research skills and contributing to real projects. If you have postgraduate students that would benefit from this opportunity, please submit a short application.

Applications should include a copy of the undergraduate student’s academic transcript and a short paragraph justifying the proposed project and pairing. This is a great opportunity for collaboration, skill-building, and mentoring across levels of study.

Please email Emma Ryan (e.ryan@auckland.ac.nz) for details or with ready applications.  

From the Rangahau Committee co-chairs, Emma and James


Open Access Fund

A reminder about the Open access support fund for high-impact publications (research articles) within the Faculty of Science.

The distribution of funds will be based on a first-come, first-served basis through a Faculty Open Access (OA) working group. Funds will be allocated to cover OA fees for eligible researchers. 

To find out more about Open Access publishing as well as Green Access publishing go to: https://research-hub.auckland.ac.nz/subhub/open-access 

Please apply here.


Global Research Engagement Fund (GREF) – Round 4 & 5
The Global Research Engagement Fund (GREF) is available to UoA researchers and professional research staff to foster the development of new and emerging research partnerships with international collaborators.
Value/Duration: Deadline
  • Value:
    • Networking & Engagement Grants (up to $10,000)
    • Project Planning Grants: Up to $12,000 if the University of Auckland is a Partner, or up to $25,000 if the University of Auckland leads the project.
  • Duration: 18 months
2025 Funding Rounds:

  • Round 4:
    • Notify of Intention to Submit: 22nd August 2025
    • Final Application Submission Date: 29th August 2025
  • Round 5:
    • Notify of Intention to Submit: 24th October 2025
    • Final Application Submission Date: 31st October 2025

 

Further Information (funding call, guidelines website):

If you are interested, please get in touch with your FIRST.

 


Horizon Europe, Pillar 2, Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society Key topics 

  • Destination 1: Better protect the EU and its citizens against Crime and Terrorism (FCT)
  • Destination 2: Effective management of EU external borders (BM)
  • Destination 3: Resilient infrastructure (INFRA)
  • Destination 4: Disaster-Resilient society for Europe (DRS)
  • Destination 5: Strengthened Security Research and Innovation (SSRI)
  • Destination 6: Increased Cybersecurity
Single-stage calls in cluster 3 have various closing dates in November 2025

 

GUIDELINES

Cluster 3 – Work programme 2025

Horizon Europe, Pillar 2, Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space Key topics

  • Destination 1: Climate neutral, circular and digitised production
  • Destination 2: Increased Autonomy in Key Strategic Value Chains for Resilient Industry
  • Destination 3: World-leading Data and Computing Technologies
  • Destination 4: Digital & Emerging Technologies for Competitiveness and Fit for the Green Deal
  • Destination 5: Open Strategic Autonomy in Developing, Deploying and Using Global Space-Based Infrastructures, Services, Applications and Data
  • Destination 6: A human-centred and ethical development of digital and industrial technologies
Deadline: Single-stage calls in cluster 4 have various closing dates in September/October 2025

 

GUIDELINES

Cluster 4 – Work programme 2025

 

Horizon Europe, Pillar 2, Missions For the Horizon Europe 2025–2027 funding period, there are five Missions under “Pillar 2: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness”  of which New Zealand is an associated country enabling organizations to be a funded entity in consortium projects.

The 5 Missions are:

1. Adaptation to Climate Change
2. Cancer
3. Restore Our Ocean and Waters
4. Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
5. A Soil Deal for Europe

All the 2025 calls for Missions have closing dates in September 2025 onwards

GUIDELINES

WEBSITE

SUPPORT
ResearchHub Resources here

Value: from NZD110,000 to NZD3,000,000 exclusive of the MBIE top-up

Duration: 3-4 years

WEBSITE

SUPPORT

ResearchHub Resources here

If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST.

Horizon Europe: Introductory Guide: Applications for the Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme are due in September/October. Dr Kelly Kilpin has joined the international team and created an Horizon Europe introduction guide for researchers. This is available, alongside other Horizon Europe support materials on the ResearchHub.


Lloyd’s Register Foundation: Small grants scheme
The Small grants scheme will support organisations interested in advancing the Lloyd’s Register Foundation mission of engineering a safer world. They will support projects which can:

  • Initiate, build or consolidate partnerships with organisations in the relevant sectors.
  • Test out ideas through pilot studies, proof of concept projects or activities targeting the heritage, maritime and public sectors.

Projects or activities should demonstrate the potential to lead to future collaborations, clear knowledge exchange, or create/accelerate impact.

Value/Duration: Up to GBP10,000 (approx. NZD23,000) for no more than 12 months. Internal Deadline: 12pm, Friday 31 October 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):

 If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST.


Lloyd’s Register Foundation Maritime Connected Funding
Lloyd’s Register Foundation Maritime Connected funding will support organisations in the maritime community to connect parts of the maritime system in relation to current or future safety challenges, with preference given to safety challenges relating to decarbonisation, digitalisation, the impacts of climate and safety at sea.

The proposall could include: 

  • multi-stakeholder workshops
  • collaborative inquiries
  • ethnographic research
  • travel to key events
  • collaborations, joint advocacy and public awareness campaigns
  • projects to link up voices and perspectives.
Value/Duration:

From £2,000 (approx. NZD4,500) to support activities such as meetings and convenings to build skills and knowledge
Up to £60,000 (NZD140,000) for bigger projects that bring parts of the maritime sector together.

Internal Deadline: A rolling outline until 27 January 2026
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):

 If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST.

 

2026 Royal Society Te Apārangi: Marsden Kick-off

The Session is designed to provide you with the essential information and insights to help you get started on your EOI and boost your chances of success.

  • Overview of the Marsden Fund and its schemes. Dr Cherie Lacey (Research Impact Manager, Te Puna Tiketike | Research and Innovation Office, and former Marsden panellist) will share advice on articulating the potential impact of your research.
  • Panel Q&A – Hear directly from past Marsden panellists and awardees (Fast-Start and Standard). They’ll discuss how EOIs are developed and assessed, and answer your questions with practical tips from their experience.
  • Light refreshments and continued the conversation with colleagues and speakers.

AUDIENCE: UoA research staff applying for the 2026 Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden round, and research support staff (FIRST).

Key information:

  • Date: Wed 29 October 2025
  • Time: 10:00-12:30 pm
  • Location: Arts & Education Building – 201, Room 440, 10 Symonds Street, Auckland City Campus.

Register via Eventbrite here. A calendar invitation will be sent out to all participants when the registration has been completed. Please note that only the presentation portion of this session will be recorded.

Please reach out to submissions@auckland.ac.nz if you have any questions and/or concerns.


Applied Doctorates Scheme – Call for project proposals on the theme of Energy

The call for project proposals on the theme of Energy is now open for the inaugural cohort of the Applied Doctorates Scheme.

This new national initiative, supported by MBIE, supports doctoral research that is industry-connected, transdisciplinary, future-focused, and grounded in Aotearoa.

The first cohort will focus on the theme of Energy. Each cohort will include up to 12 doctoral candidates, selected through a competitive process. Proposals are welcomed from across sectors and disciplines.

Submission deadline: 27 October 2025 (11.59pm)
Visit www.applieddoctorates.nz to learn more and access the submission portal.

For inquiries, please contact secretariat@applieddoctorates.nz.


Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) Internationalisation Faculty Mobility Scheme – open for applications.

The CUHK Internationalisation Faculty Mobility Scheme supports researchers to visit CUHK (inbound) and/or host visits of CUHK faculty members (outbound).

The University of Auckland is one of CUHK’s priority partners, allowing researchers to access the scheme to initiate and to strengthen their collaboration with their CUHK peers via visits between January and December 2026.

The scheme encourages the development of collaborative research projects primarily in four strategic research areas:

  • China: Tradition & Modernity
  • Innovative Biomedicine
  • Information & Automation Technology
  • Environment & Sustainability.

Applications are submitted by CUHK faculty members by Friday 31 October 2025.

For inquiries, please contact international.research@auckland.ac.nz


Faculty of Science Commercial Seed Funding

The Faculty of Science announces our next funding round for the development of commercially-focused research and capability. The aim is to support early-stage work that will make a difference to the tech development pathway. A range of commercial R&D or skill development activities could be supported, including experiments to determine whether a particular idea is commercially feasible, development of initial proof-of-concept results for commercial funding applications, IP and Freedom to Operate searches, or market research. Researchers may also apply for this funding to support their personal development (commercial and entrepreneurial skills).
Value/Duration: Internal Deadline
Up to $10,000. Start early in 2026 and finish prior to December 2026. 10th November 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, application form) can be found here.

Contact your Research Programme Coordinator (RPC) or FoS-researchadmin@auckland.ac.nz if you have any queries.


NZPA Industry Collaboration Funding 2025 

 The New Zealand Product Accelerator (NZPA) is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Industry Collaboration Funding. This funding supports early career researchers from New Zealand universities PROs and IRANZ member institutions to collaborate with industry on projects that address real business needs and deliver practical, commercial outcomes. Following last year’s success, where 10 projects were funded, we’re looking forward to another round of impactful research–industry partnerships.
Value/Duration: Deadline
  • Value: Up to $10,000 per project
  • Duration: maximum six months unless otherwise agreed with NZPA
Friday, 14th November 2025
Interested researchers can download the application form and instructions and submit their completed applications here

For any queries, please contact nzpa@auckland.ac.nz

If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST.


2026 Zonta Science Award for young women scientists with PhD

The Zonta Club of Wellington is calling for applications for the 2026 Zonta Science Award from young women scientists with a Ph.D. (usually within seven years of graduation). Applicants need to be New Zealand citizens or have New Zealand permanent residency and have excelled in the fields of pure or applied science (excluding clinical medicine that involves human subjects).
Value: Eligibility
The Award recipient receives:

  • $20,000 cash to fund travel, education, materials and/or activities that will advance her research and career
  • A bespoke commemorative medal and certificate
  • National recognition at an award ceremony in Wellington
Applicants must be a woman who is:

  • A New Zealand citizen or permanent resident and currently residing in New Zealand,
  • A PhD graduate (usually within 7 years of graduation),
  • Excelling in fields of pure or applied science (excluding clinical medicine, i.e. medical research that involves human subjects),
  • Studying for further post doctorate qualifications or involved in research that has widespread benefits,
  • Able to communicate effectively to peers and non-scientists,
  • Contributing to her community,
  • Actively promoting science as a career for women,
  • Acting as an advocate for women in science, and
  • Likely to gain further career advancement from receiving this award.
How to Apply

To apply for the Award, you should prepare an:

  1. Application Form
  2. Supporting Statement
  3. Nominator Letter of Reference​
     

You can read detailed application instructions, download the application form, and submit your application online here.


Publications


Zurell, D.; Bocedi, G.; Velazco, S.J.E.; Gonzalez, A.; Purvis, A.; Wintle, B.; Merow, C.; Lundquist, C.; Guillera-Arroita, G.; Settele, J.; Serra-Diaz, J.M.; Cabral, J.S.; Travis, J.M.J.; Schifferle, K.; Buckley, L.; Briscoe, N.J.; Isaac, N.J.B.; Peres-Neto, P.R.; Keuth, R.; Gascoigne, S.J.L.; Ferrier, S.; Urban, M.C. (2025). Predicting the way forward for the Global Biodiversity Framework. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 122(41): e2501695122.