Issue 23 – Monday 9th December 2019
Contents
HeadSup
Kia ora koutou
This is the last edition of p-cubed for the year. We will start up again mid-January. Huge thanks to Farnaz for getting every edition out on time – it’s much appreciated! Thanks also to everyone in the School who has posted notices, events and acknowledgements, and even bigger thanks to everyone that has read them! Although the software doesn’t do everything we want it is way better than what we had before. If you have tips and ideas for improvements feel free to pass them on to me or Farnaz.
Congratulations to Brendan Hall, for achieving a 2019 FOS Professional Staff Excellence Award. Brendan is an outstanding contributor to the School and it’s fantastic to see this acknowledged at Faculty level. Thanks also to the entire technical services team for your great service to the School, and in particular Ilyas who will be leaving us early in the New Year.
PG students: thanks for creating such a positive student culture in our school. Good luck if you are finishing writing up over the break and if you are taking a well earned holiday, have fun!
We have two events to go before the holidays arrive. The staff end-of-year do is this Thursday. Currently, the buses up Onewa Road are still running – it’s an easy trip (see the post below). Big ups to Sila, Alex, Samantha and Nick for creating what is sure to be a fun late afternoon event for us to enjoy. The Doctoral students and supervisors shindig is scheduled for 4-6pm Tuesday 17th December in the Ontology Lab – see you there!
I would like to give a big shout out to those who have filled a service role for the school, to the professional team that supports us, and to everyone – staff and students – who has done their bit this year. We have transitioned to a new way of working and your contributions have been outstanding. The School has had a great year and I’ve had a lot of fun – ka pai!
Hararei hari!
JR
Whakawhanaungatanga – communities
ENV Staff End-of-year Party
*Secret Santa
End of Year Party should be associated with fun and surprises so we thought that a silly game for some gift exchange would be a good idea. For those who want to take part in the game please bring along a gift to the End-of-Year/Christmas party. The gift can be “silly” or not and should be worth max $10.
Rules of the game:
1. Each person will draw a number from the bowl when the game commences. This determines the order in which you get to pick a gift
2. The person with the number 1 starts the game by picking a gift
3. The person with the number 2 can either choose to steal 1’s gift or pick a new gift to open. If they choose to steal the gift, 1 get’s to pick another new gift to open
4. The game continues like this until everyone takes a turn opening or stealing a gift. The last person to go can steal from anyone in the game or open the remaining gift
A round is when each person starts their turn of either picking a new gift or stealing a gift
A round ends when a new gift is opened
The same gift can only be stolen once in a round
Once a gift is stolen three times, it is retired from the game (the last person to steal it keeps the gift)
How to get there
• For those who are taking bus
Option 1
Option 2
• For those who are driving (There is public parking available on and around Seaview Avenue)
Annual Leave
If you are a research assistant, research fellow or academic staff member you will be accruing annual leave. Now is the time to check your annual leave balances and plan for 2020. This is critical for all staff on short-term contracts. A leave planner can be found here.
You can enter and change leave requests via PeopleSoft self-service option, or send the completed form to Samantha Huang (s.huang@auckland.ac.nz). See this link for details.
If you are an academic staff member please note that you are expected to be available for the Kaupapa 2020 (10.30-1.30pm, 26 Feb 2020), Annual Retreat (9 June), and Roundup 2020 (TBA). You are also expected to attend the examiners’ meetings relevant to your courses and programmes.
Leave Plus: a pilot scheme for buying or cashing-up a week of annual leave
In 2020 a trial scheme will operate whereby, under certain conditions, you can buy or sell a week of leave. Currently this is only available to staff on individual contracts.
Details can be found here.
Research and Study Leave
A new RSL policy will take effect from 1 January 2020. See here for details.
Staff can apply from January 2020 foe leave commencing 2021. Applications must be made at least 8 months in advance. Leave can be applied for in monthly increments.
This change has implications for us that currently are being worked through. More advice will be provided in due course.
Ilyas is leaving the University
It is with regret that I announce Ilyas is leaving the University to pursue new opportunities in Australia. His last day with the University will be the 10th of January 2020.
Ilyas has been a valued member of the School and Technical Team and is well respected in his field of expertise.
Please join me in wishing Ilyas success in his future endeavours. We will be holding a morning tea to say good-bye, details to be announced soon.
Blair Sowman
Technical Manager | School of Environment
Visiting Scientists
– Prof Ian Townend (University of Southampton) is visiting Giovanni Coco until April 2020. Ian work on beaches and estuaries. Stay tuned as he will be giving a short course on modelling in early 2020
– Prof Stefano Lanzoni (University of Padua) is visiting Giovanni Coco in December. He will give a short course on stability analysis for hydro-morphodynamic systems (11-13 december). Brush up the maths and join in! (for details contact Giovanni)
The U21 PwC Innovation Challenge
Respond to real workplace challenges to win world-class professional development with PwC Academy or an expenses-paid visit to PwC Middle East in Dubai. Join the competition by 13 December for a unique opportunity to enhance your career competencies, develop your professional networks and increase your personal impact.
Open to doctoral candidates and masters students.
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/postgraduate-students/school-of-graduate-studies/doctoral-opportunities/u21-pwc-competition.html
IT Committee
The IT Committee has met on 27 Nov. A few highlights:
- Software imaging in science labs.: Images will be carried over into the Summer Semester and Semester 1. If you require software for teaching that is currently not available in the labs (please test!), please contact Ingo (i.pecher@auckland.ac.nz) ASAP.
- ENV IT budget: We generally plan to renew software packages that were requested in 2019 (at ~2019 prices). There are limited funds available for additional software and data as well as emergency hardware (well below the Capex limit). Requests will be discussed by the IT Committee. Generally, the budget is aimed at supporting teaching-related software. If software is also used for funded research, we expect that proportional funding will be provided from research projects.
Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries and Learning Services
Talis course reading lists for 2020
Now is a great time to update, publish and request reviews of your Talis reading lists for Summer School, Semester One or Quarter One courses in 2020. Talis reading lists are automatically carried over from one teaching period to the same teaching period for the following year. This means that there will be a draft version for 2020 which contains the previous content and is editable, but it won’t be visible to students until this new version is “published”.
For more information and guidance, see the staff intranet notice.
Free collection
Free collection of 40 (maybe all) 1:50,000 topographic maps of New Zealand looking for a good home from Mark Costello m.costello@auckland.ac.nz room 301-527B.
Meetings, seminars and events
ENV Equity Committee Webinar
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism
Tuesday 17th December, 10-11 in 302-G20
All welcome
Health, safety and wellbeing
Laboratory and Workshops Safety Inductions 2019
If you wish to join an induction session please email the Technician in Charge.
| Wed 11 December 2019 | General Safety Inductions | Natalia (n.abrego@auckland.ac.nz) | 2:00 – 2:20 pm | 303-B11 |
| Wed 11 December 2019 | Chemistry +TF Lab Induction | Natalia (n.abrego@auckland.ac.nz) | 2:20 p.m -3:30 p.m | 303-B11 |
| Thurs 12 December 2019 | X-ray Labs Induction | Ilyas (ilyas.qasim@auckland.ac.nz) | 11:30 am – 12:00 pm | 301-411 |
Expired first aid supplies available
Expired first aid supplies that have been removed from the school’s first aid kits will be available for staff and students to collect on Tuesday 11th December 10am in the L4 break-out space. Please help yourself to a few items at first making sure everyone gets a chance to collect some.
Lab closures (x-mas break)
All ENV labs will be shut down on the 18th of December and will re-open on the 8th of January. Please make sure you have packed away samples/experiments and cleaned up any work spaces.
There will be no access to any laboratories over the break unless prior approval has been granted.
Blair Sowman
Technical Manager | School of Environment
Rangahau – Research
Congratulations!
Jennifer Montano won the best poster award at the River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics Conference. Congrats!
FYI: Research Components of Masters Programmes at ENV
Below is an overview on the research components for the various Masters programmes at the School of Environment. Please distinguish between the overall programmes, which the Postgraduate (PG) Advisors are coordinating, and the research components, which the Masters Advisor coordinates, similar to a course coordinator.
Type of Masters research
The School of Environment offers several Masters programmes:
• Masters of Science (MSc) for Earth Sciences, Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Geography, and Geophysics. Programmes: 240 points. Research component: 120 points (796-labelled). MSc programmes are generally two years but for students who already have a PG qualification such as BSc (hons) or PGDip, a one-year research-only MSc is available as a programme.
• Master of Arts: Geography. Programme: 240 points. Research component: 120 points (796-labelled). Research component equivalent to that of MSc.
• Master of Engineering Geology (MEG). Programme: 180 points. Research component: 90 points (EARTHSCI 794). Martin Brook is the informal PG Advisor. There is an option for students who already have a PG qualification to be admitted into a 120-point programme with a 90-point research component.
• Master of Environmental Science (MEnvSci). Programme: 180 points. Research component: 90 points. There is an MEnvSci option with a 30-point research component that is handled similarly to a BSc (hons) thesis. There is also the option of a 240-point MSc in EnvSci (confusing!).
To read more please click here.
Meetings, seminars and events
Spatial and temporal dynamics of microplastic transport by freshwater systems
Speaker: Nadia Dikareva (PhD Proposal)
Date: Monday, 16th of December
Time: 10:30am
Venue: 302-551 (Ontology Lab)
Research and Funding Opportunities
AusIMM Scholarships
Minerals industry student research scholarships are available: $5k for MSc/Phd research, $2k for BSc(Hons) research in Geology, Engineering or the Environment that is related to the minerals industry.
See: www.ausimm.co.nz for details.
Closing date: 28 February 2020.
NASA internships and New Zealand Space Agency scholarships
The New Zealand Space Agency invites high-performing New Zealand tertiary students to apply to participate in the 2020 NASA International Internship Programme. To complement this opportunity, the New Zealand Space Agency is offering New Zealand Space Scholarships.
This brilliant opportunity opens for applications on Friday. It’s open to STEM postgraduates who are NZ citizens.
Kick-start your space sector career with a 2020 NASA internship, funded by the New Zealand Space Scholarship. Apply from 29 November. Open to NZ STEM postgraduates.
mbie.govt.nz/nasa
Marsden 2020
The official funding call is yet to be released – in the meantime if you have not already done so, please let your RPC know you intend to apply to ensure you won’t miss out on any important information.
Applications for writing support at the EOI stage need to be made by Thursday 12 December, please discuss with your RPC asap if you are interested.
Science for Technological Innovation: Seed Projects 2020
The Fund is intended to bring in new ideas and researchers to the Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) community. Higher priority will be given to projects that:
• are aligned with the Sensors, Robotics and Automation (SRA) and/or Data Science and Digital Technologies (DSDT) themes
• have a team (including the PI) of emerging researchers (up to seven years full-time equivalent post-PhD)
• involve researchers who are new to SfTI
• have strong Vision Mātauranga alignment
Value: Max. $200,000 per project
Duration: Up to 2 years
Internal deadline: 09 March 2020
Further Information: 2020 Call for Proposals
Postgraduate Scholarships for Antarctic Research 2020
Antarctica New Zealand Doctoral Scholarship
- For Doctoral Research
- $20,000 per annum over two years
- Logistics support in Antarctica*
New Zealand Post Antarctic Scholarship
- For Masters or Doctoral research
- $10,000 over one year
- Logistics support in Antarctica*
Applications will open 3 February 2020
*Subject to programme availability. See antarcticanz.govt.nz for more details
The School of Environment Māori Masters Thesis Scholarship
The School of Environment Māori Masters Thesis Scholarship is now open for applications from eligible students wishing to enrol for 2020.
This Scholarship provides up to $5,000 plus compulsory fees, and may be awarded to Māori students enrolling in full-time or part-time study in a Master of Arts or Master of Science thesis in Geography, or a Master of Science thesis in Earth Sciences, Environmental Management, Environmental Science or Geophysics. The basis of selection will be academic merit, with a minimum GPA/GPE of 4.00 or above in the applicant’s most recent qualifying programme required for consideration for the Scholarship.
If you know a student who is eligible and who is interested in undertaking Masters thesis study in the School in 2020, please encourage them to apply. Applications close on 15 January 2020.
For further details see: www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/scholarships-and-awards/find-a-scholarship/school-of-environment-maori-masters-thesis-scholarship-674-sci.html
New publications
- Wang, V., Gao, J., Schwendenmann, L., 2020. Assessing changes of urban vegetation cover and aboveground carbon stocks using LiDAR and Landsat imagery data in Auckland, New Zealand. International Journal of Remote Sensing 41(6), 2140-2158.
- Thakuriah, PV., Sila-Nowicka, K., Hong, J., (…), Lido, C., McHugh, A., 2020. Integrated Mulitmedia City Data (iMCD): A composite survey and senisng approach to understanding urban living and mobility. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 80, 101427.
- Poate, T., Masselink, G., Austin, M.J., (…), Dickson, M., McCall, R., 2020. Infragravity wave generation on shore platforms: Bound long waves versus breakpoint forcing. Geomorphology, 350, 106880.
- Jara, IA., Morena, PI, Alloway, BV, Newnham, RM., 2019. A 15,400-year long record of vegetation, fire-regime, and climate changes from the northern Patagonian Andes. Quaternary Science Reviews, 226, 106005.
- Wood, JR., Diaz, FP., Latorre, C., Wilmshurst, JM., Burge, OR., Gonzalez, F., 2019. Ancient paraiste DNA from late Quaternary Atacama Desert rodent middens. Quaternary Science Reviews, 226, 106031.
- Wang, V., Gao, J., 2019. Towards refined estimation of vegetation carbon stock in Auckland, New Zealand using WorldView-2 and LiDAR data: the impact of scaling. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 40(3), 8727-8747.
- Spreitzer, G., Tunnicliffe, J., Friedricj, H., 2019. Using Structure from Motion photogrammetry to assess large wood (LW) accumulations in the field. Geomorphology, 346, 106851.
- Sangsefidi, E., Wilson, DJ., Larkin, TJ., Black, PM., 2019. The role of water in unbound granular pavement layers: a review. Transportation Infrastructure Geotechnology, 6(4), 289-317.
- Holdaway, A., Ford, M. 2019. Resolution and scale controls on the accuracy of atoll island shorelines interpreted from satellite imagery. Applied Geomatics, 11(4), 339-352.
- Evans, G., Augustinus, P., Gadd, P., Zawadzki, A., Ditchfield, A., 2019. A mulit-proxy μ-XRF inferred lake sediment record of environmental change spanning the last ca. 2230 years from Lake Kanono, Northland, New Zealand. Quaternary Science Reviews, 225, 106000.
- Schwendenmann, L., Michalzik, B., 2019. Dissolved and particulate carbon and nitrogen fluxes along a Phytophthora agathidicida infection gradient in a kauri (Agathis australis) dominated forest. Fungal Ecology, 42, 100861.
- Burrows, MT., Bates., AE., Costello, MJ., (…), Stuart-Smith, RD., Poloczanska, ES., 2019. Ocean community warming responses explained by thermal affinities and temperature gradients. Nature Climate Change, 9, 959-963.
Ako – Teaching and Learning
Ako Innovation Committee: Teaching & Learning Fund 2020
The purpose of this fund is to promote the development of innovative teaching and learning practices within the School of Environment which promote a culture of teaching excellence. These funds will be distributed in one contestable round, with grants of up to $6000. The total pool of funds available in 2020 is $12000. Grants to individuals or groups of teaching active staff will be used to fund small-scale teaching initiatives that have an impact on teaching practice for the benefit of learners.
All applications should be received by 21/02/2020 by noon.
See Ako Innovation Committee Teaching & Learning Fund: Grant Guidelines and 2020 Application Form for AKO Teaching and Learning Innovation Grant.
https://www.coursebuilder.cad.auckland.ac.nz/flexicourses/4101/publish/1/14.html
Any questions please contact Mel Wall.
Classifieds
Job opening – Technologist Microcharacterisation
We are seeking an experienced and organised Technician to operate and maintain the School of Environment X-ray analytical Research Laboratories in our Mircocharacterisation Facility.