Issue 41 – Monday 14th September 2020
Contents
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori
HeadSup
Kia ora koutou
This is a great week to give te reo a go. Here’s a really simple video on ‘How to pronounce te reo Māori‘. In our School, we often talk about places in our teaching, research and learning. I’d like everyone in the School to embrace a commitment to pronouncing Māori place names well. If it’s something you know you struggle with, now is a good time to commit to making a positive change.
I’m delighted to advise that Jenny Salmond and Martin Brook got the erionite project over the final hurdle for MBIE Endeavour funding. It’s a terrific project right at the nexus of science and society. Congratulations! Also, congratulations to Jennifer Eccles, who won funding through the GNS led ‘rapid characterisation of earthquakes and tsunami’ project, and to anyone else who has had success in the recent round (please let me know!).
On 28 September, Chris Struthers will be leaving his role as Academic Services Coordinator in the School to join the Academic Services team in Data Science. Thanks for all your work Chris, we wish you well in your new team. Liana Ball will be picking up the role for ENV and we will welcome her in a couple of weeks. All post-graduate paperwork should continue to be sent to the env-pgadmin@auckland.ac.nz email address.
Thanks to all who participated in the ENV brown bag sessions to provide feedback on the UOA strategic plan. I will distribute a summary mid-week before submission on Friday. Remember, you can make individual or group submissions on any of the discussion papers before the end of this week.
It seems to be the season for submissions: Rangahau is hosting a brown bag session to consider the review of the PBRF criteria (the next round has been shifted to 2025). Please see the notice below.
Lastly, thank you very much for the terrific job that each of you are doing. I’m very proud of the good will and hard work that everyone has been putting in throughout these challenging times.
Kia pai tō wiki
JR
P.S. I’m doing the Science Media Centre video course (it’s awesome) so that I can make videos of our fantastic staff, students and alumni…here’s my first effort (clearly I need some volunteers because this one is me!)
Whakawhanaungatanga-Communities
Health and Safety Incident Reporting System Launch
Reporting health and safety incidents on paper will be replaced by a smart, quick, and easy to use online tool from 1 September 2020. This was one of the main objectives of Phase One of the Health and Safety Project. It is our health and safety responsibility to report incidents. If you see an incident or something unsafe then resolve it if you can to prevent an incident from happening to someone else and then report it. It is the right thing to do and it helps to keep everyone safe. Watch this 60 seconds video for details.
What does this mean for you?
Before we go live, learn how to report incidents in this 15-minute online training module called ‘Creating Health & Safety Awareness’ which is now available on Career tools.
For further information please visit the Improving Health and Safety’s project page on the staff intranet and the Health, Safety & Wellbeing webpage.
L2 Lab and fieldwork Access Requests
The School Technical Team will be working through access requests for staff and students to use School facilities. Applications will be assessed and access will be given where possible. The technical team will make sure spaces are suitable for the type of work being requested and that all covid-19 H&S measures are in place.
Please note that this is subject to change and access may be changed with short notice.
Supervisors you will need to submit on behalf of your students. This is the same form that we used under L2 earlier this year. https://forms.gle/TfnVaYBN1G4546rn8
Any questions please email Blair (b.sowman@auckland.ac.nz)
2020 Early Career Researchers Video Competition
Entries are now open for the 2020 Early Career Researchers video competition, sponsored by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and Royal Society Te Apārangi.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi are promoting the ‘Early Career Researcher Forum’. This is an opportunity for early career researchers to create a short 3 minute ataata video talking about their research, and for the chance to win one of five prizes.
The prizes are:
- $2000 Kaiarataki Achiever in professional video category
- $2000 Kaiarataki Achiever non-professional video category
- $2000 Te Ao Māori category
- $2000 Moana Oceania category
- $2000 People’s Choice category.
To enter, produce your own ataata video that features yourself or your team explaining your research in no more than 3 minutes.
The full competition details can be found here.
The form for entering can be found here. The deadline has been extended to 16 October 2020.
Karawhuia go for it, tuku atu upload!
Transitional Facility – Charges for Delays in Biosecurity Processing
Historically, Biosecurity NZ officers have been following up on consignments of risk goods without cost recovering for this work effectively. From this point forward, officers’ time spent following up risk good consignments will be fully cost recovered. Examples of when you will be charged for delays in biosecurity processing include:
- Not booking inspections for risk goods in a timely manner
- Unauthorised release of goods
- TF has not informed Biosecurity NZ of risk goods sitting in their warehouse unactioned/abandoned
- Parcels requiring a retroactive BACC (paperwork not correctly done in the first place)
- Incorrect paperwork provided with consignment (e.g. wrong material type, incorrect volume etc)
If the importer or agent is deemed to be at fault for the delay in processing of biosecurity risk goods, this will be recovered against the consignment.
When the TF is deemed to be at fault, the normal cost recovery process for charging for TF compliance will be followed (under the Biosecurity (costs) Regulations 2010, Schedule item 23).
Any questions ask Blair Sowman
ENV Laboratory Inductions – Reminder
Now is a good time for you or your students to complete induction courses. All of our induction courses are run through Canvas. To request access to the induction course, please send an email to, b.sowman@auckland.ac.nz, with your UPI.
Inductions for General Facilities, Chemistry and Geochemical Laboratories, Earth Science Processing (ESP), Electron microprobe (EPMA), X-Ray Laboratories (XRF, Prep, and Itrax) and the Transitional Facility can be found in the Schools induction course; https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/16362
ENV IT Committee
Important changes and early deadline for software in computer labs. in 2021
Please send information to Ingo Pecher by Fri. 25 September, 2020, COB.
“Same as last year” is no longer an option. We were informed that installation of software for teaching in computer labs and/or on FlexIT will start with a clean slate. The Digital Workplace Platform Team (DWP) need to have this information by the end of September. DWP need the following (with example answers – this is from an IT spreadsheet).
| Requester Name | [EXAMPLE] Peter Smith |
| Requester Username | psmi123 |
| Faculty | FMHS |
| Software Vendor | |
| Software Name | Chrome |
| Software Version | 42.123 |
| Course Name | STATS101, STATS102, GOG101 |
| Lab Location(s) | 260-012, 303-279 |
| Teaching Week Required | Weeks 8-10 |
| Comments\Customisations\Modules etc | None |
| Tester Installation | John Smith |
| Source Files Location | www.google.com\chrome |
| *FlexIT | No |
| License Owned | Yes |
*FlexIT: Would you consider having your application made available in FlexIT? Strongly recommend ticking “yes”!
I was told “Anything not specifically requested may not be included for 2021.”
For enquiries please email Ingo
Geoscience Society of New Zealand Awards
It is a challenging year on many fronts and please find information about the upcoming national Geosciences conference below where we still hope events can take place face to face. Our Hochstetter Lecturer this year, Phaedra Upton, has resumed her tour elsewhere in the country under Level 2 restrictions but obviously in Auckland under L2.5 we are still waiting to see whether we can even try and get this reorganised.
The extended deadline for submission of applications and nominations for the GSNZ awards on Friday the 19th September is approaching rapidly so please see https://www.gsnz.org.nz/awards-and-recognition/award-applications-and-nominations/. Additional functionality has also just been added to the GSNZ website with members able to post for free any opportunities for students that they may have; see https://www.gsnz.org.nz/new-zealand-geoscience/student-opportunities/
New Zealand Geographical Society
To veiw the newsletter of the Auckland Branch of the New Zealand Geographical Society please click on this link, NZGS Auck_newsletter September 2020
Welcome!
Welcome (back) to Georgia McLellan who starts her PhD in the School this month. She is continuing her research on Māori economies and food sovereignty, in a new collaboration with the High Value Nutrition National Science Challenge.
Meetings, Seminars and Events
School of Environment 2020 Spring Graduation Lunch
Dear Staff and Graduands,
You are cordially invited to attend the School of Environment Graduation Lunch on Tuesday 6 October from 1-2pm at the Foyer Space (302-G60/G80). Please register here by Tuesday 22 September for catering purpose.
GSNZ Conference Update
The Canterbury GSNZ Branch and GSNZ are continuing to prepare for a face-to-face conference on 22 – 25 November at the University of Canterbury. This will incorporate all intended pre- and post-conference field trips and workshops. However, for a face-to-face conference (with a gathering > 100), Canterbury will need to have moved to Alert Level 1 by 20 October, a month prior to the conference. If Canterbury is still in Alert Level 2 by 20 October, we will move to straight delivering a virtual format.
Furthermore:
- If Canterbury is at Level 1 but a couple of other regions are at Level 2 or above on October 20, then the conference proceeds as face to face for participants ONLY from Level 1 regions. Those who are unable to attend in person will receive partial refunds on registration but will have access to all (recorded) talks shortly after the conference.
- If between 20 October and 22 November, Canterbury and/or the whole country move from Level 1 back to Level 2 or higher, the conference will move to a virtual format.*
* Delegates who have already registered will receive a partial refund for any difference in registration fees from the in-person fees to the virtual fees.
Abstract submission is extended until Monday 21 September.
Registration fees have been posted on the conference website (https://www.gsnz.org.nz/news-and-events/geosciences-conference-2020/), with online registration opening toward the end of next week.
The conference website will also include information around changes from a physical to a virtual conference, changes to bookings as a result of going to a higher alert level, and submission of pre-recorded talks.
To help with a the possibility of a rapid transition to a virtual conference, all accepted abstract presenters will be asked to pre-record a version of their presentation, and all poster presenters to prepare and submit a PDF of their poster by 6 November 2020, 2 weeks prior to the conference. More details will be provided with your acceptance letter.
We are very much hoping for a face-to-face conference since the programme contains planned meetings and workshops, and the student-oriented events about careers and networking with industry partners. These will all be more difficult to deliver in a virtual format but we have plans in place to make the virtual experience interactive and collaborative in order to keep one of the best aspects of attending a conference, the ability to meet other scientists and discuss their work.
Kari N Bassett, GSNZ 2020 conference convenor
James Scott, GSNZ president
For enquiries please contact Jennifer Eccles
Auckland Heritage Festival
Come out and support you fellow DEVORA and QuakeCoRE colleagues with the yearly Auckland Heritage Festival: Earthquakes and Volcanoes day! We hope to see you there!
SOE “PUB” QUIZ
For Quiz sign up form, please click on this link https://forms.gle/5ayZZ4zBhAwq3uVw9
Ako – Teaching and Learning
Libraries and Learning Services – Te Tumu Herenga
Teaching’s online until 21 September but so are we!
Folks at the library are here to help.
The Library AskUs form is the fastest way to get a response, particularly for a quick query, as it is monitored regularly by staff, but they also will triage any more complex queries through to discipline and topic specialists. So if you have a citation or publication you can’t find or access, this is the best place to start out.
The Te Tumu Herenga advisers for Science are available for 1:1 consultations by Zoom. This means even when we can’t be on campus, we can provide more specialized advice, or help working with systems like Research Outputs and other databases.
(Dr Alissa Hackett, Dr Jo Simons, Ms Justene McNeice, Dr Donna MacColl, Te Tumu Herenga advisers for Science)
Te Tumu Herenga Physical Spaces open
Along with the Kate Edger commons, the General Library, Davis, Philson, Tai Tonga, and Epsom libraries and spaces, will all open from Monday 31st of August for click and collect, access to collections, and provision of study spaces with appropriate physical distancing and attendance recording in place.
Learning Essentials Resources
You may have seen our new Te Tumu Herenga Learning Essentials online resources, please do promote them to your students. They cover a wide range of useful skills from time-management and note-taking, to critical reading skills and presenting your work. They can be found on the library website but are also linked in the help section in Canvas for Semester 2 courses.
A Survey
The School’s Ako Innovation Committee would like staff to complete a short survey to assess the software / apps that school staff have access to for teaching, or wish to have access to for teaching, beyond the standard University software. Could you please complete our very short survey. The survey is a google form and can be found here: https://forms.gle/FTqma2WvpUY49GvA9
Rangahau – Research
A Guide to Vision Mātauranga
Recently a Guide to Vision Mātauranga (lessons from Māori voices in the New Zealand Science Sector) was prepared by the Rauika Māngai – an assembly of representative Māori scientists, research leaders and programme managers from the 11 National Science Challenges and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. Please contact Melanie Kah for details.
PBRF 2025: Review and Proposed Changes
You are probably aware of the review of the PBRF criteria for 2025 (an all-staff email was sent by Jim Metson last week). There is a possibility to provide feedback through a survey or written submissions with a deadline on 09th October.
With the aim to support a submission for our School, the Rangahau committee invites everyone to join our consultation forum Wednesday 16th September, 12.00-13.00. To add this event to your calendar click here.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://auckland.zoom.us/j/98386935414,
Please join if you can so we can capture a variety of views across the School. This discussion document gives an overview of the proposed changes so it will be useful to read before the Forum. In case you cannot join the forum but would like your feedback to be included, please email melanie.kah@auckland.ac.nz. Please also consider the possibility to submit feedback individually through the survey or written submission.
Research and Funding Opportunities
Amelia Earhart Fellowship
2021 Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund
Fund Purpose:
- Strengthen capability, capacity, skills and networks between Māori and the science and innovation system, and
- Increase understanding of how research can contribute to the aspirations of Māori organisations and deliver benefit for Aotearoa.
Key Features:
- Proposal must be co-developed with a Māori organisation
- Proposal must include co-funding at a minimum of 10% of requested amount
- Research must support the themes and outcomes of MBIE’s Vision Mātauranga policy
- Fund includes 2 schemes: ‘connect’ and placement’ – Connect Scheme: Build new connections between Māori organisations and the science and innovation system; Placement scheme: Enhance the development of an individual(s) through placement in a Partner organisation
Grant Value:
The work programme term for both Connect and Placement schemes is up to two years.
- $150,000 (ex GST) – max funding per proposal for projects up to 1 year in length
- $250,000 (ex GST) – max funding per proposal between 1-2 years in length
Internal Deadline: 12 noon Monday 2 November 2020
For further information, including details on eligibility, please visit the MBIE website or contact your RPC
Pacific Development and Conservation Trust
Purpose: Promote sustainable development in the Pacific and New Zealand, while conserving the natural environment and cultural heritage of its people.
Grant Value: The Trust has about $250,000 to give as grants each year. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount. Grants generally range from $2,000 to $50,000 NZD.
Internal Deadline: 5pm, Monday 14 September 2020
For further guidelines, please visit the Trust website
Meetings, Seminars and Events
School of Environment Research Forum
2020 Bartrum/Cumberland/Hay Lecture Series
River Futures in Aotearoa
Thursday September 24th 2020, 5-6.30 pm
Old Government House, University of Auckland
Please register here.
About the Event:
The Research Committee in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland is delighted to announce the details of this year’s research forum. River health is a long-standing issue of significant societal concern in New Zealand. As the Resource Management Act is under review, and expressions of River Rights create new societal and institutional relations to rivers, there is genuine prospect for generative encounters in shaping ‘River Futures in Aotearoa’. This panel discussion will focus on constructive discussions and contemplations regarding River Futures in Aotearoa – what could this look like, how will it work, what do we have to do to get there, should this be an incremental transition or a radical transformation?
Five key speakers have been tasked to present short provocative, constructive and positive perspectives on this topic:
- Gerrard Albert: Chair of Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, the post-settlement governance body for Whanganui Iwi for the purpose of the Whanganui River Settlement
- Anne Salmond: Professor of Māori Studies, The University of Auckland
- Colleen Brent: Healthy Waterways Team, Auckland Council
- Trish Kirkland-Smith: Head of Environmental Partnerships, Fonterra
- Mike Joy: Senior Research Fellow, School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington
This will be followed by a discussion session and informal drinks and nibbles. This event will also be livestreamed.
PLEASE NOTE: we will accommodate the alert level restrictions which are in place at the time of the event
Postgraduate Research Showcase: 22 September – Update
In-person or virtual – the Postgraduate Research Showcase PRS 2020 is taking place on Tue 22 September. Awards for best oral, poster and photo/video presentations. Want to be part of this fantastic event?
Submit the title of your presentation and your format to env-PSC@auckland.ac.nz. Also, you can submit a lab/field photo or a 2-minute video that highlights your research and the great people that make it happen. These events are significant because of you and your research! So, do your part to spread the science and present or attend the PRS 2020. For further information please contact,
Luitgard Schwendenmann (Chair Postgraduate Research Committee)
Carlos Carvajal (Co-chair PhD student committee)
MBIE 2021 Endeavour Seminar Series
This series is designed to connect you to critical strategic & practical information, informed by MBIE requirement and insights, which if critically applied to your proposal will strengthen your capability to engage successfully in this increasingly competitive science and innovation funding pool.
Session 4 – Contracts (15 September, 1 – 2: 30 pm)
Session 5 – Research Impact (22 September, 1 – 2:30 pm)
Register for the MBIE Endeavour Online Seminar Series HERE.
New Publications
| Urban environmental health interventions towards the Sustainable Development Goals | Vardoulakis, S., Salmond, J., Krafft, T., Morawska, L. | 2020 | Science of the Total Environment, 748, art. no. 141530. |
| Changes of forestland in China’s coastal areas (1996-2015): Regional variations and driving forces | Zhang, X., Yao, J., Wang, J., Sila-Nowicka, K. | 2020 | Land Use Policy, 99, art. no. 105018. |
| Using paleo-archives to safeguard biodiversity under climate change | Fordham, D.A., Jackson, S.T., Brown, S.C., (…), Rahbek, C., Nogues-Bravo, D. | 2020 | Science (New York, N.Y.), 369(6507). |
| Emerging investigator series: Nanotechnology to develop novel agrochemicals: Critical issues to consider in the global agricultural context | Kah, M., Kookana, R. | 2020 | Environmental Science: Nano, 7(7), pp. 1867-1873. |
| Applied structural geology of ore-forming hydrothermal systems | Rowland JV and Rhys DA (editors). | 2020 | Reviews in Economic Geology Vol. 21, pp. 313 |
| Structural controls on ore localization in epithermal gold-silver deposits: a mineral systems approach. | Rhys, DA, Lewis PD, and Rowland JV. | 2020 | Reviews in Economic Geology: v. 21, pp. 83-145. |
| Mechanical regimes of hydrothermal gold mineralization | Blenkinsop, TG., Rowland, J. and Baker, T. | 2020 | Reviews in Economic Geology, v. 21. pp. 205-214. |
| Tenure Insecurity, precarious housing and hidden homelessness among older renters in New Zealand. | James, B., Bates, L. Coleman, T. Kearns, R. Cram, F. | 2020 | Housing Studies Published online September |
Please email content to Bizza for next edition of P-cubed by Friday 25th September