Issue 144 – Tuesday 29 April 2025

April 29, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

So soon after the Easter/Anzac/Mid-semester break, it’s a case of heads-down rather than heads-up as we move into the business-half of the semester. I hope you all were able to take at least part of the break as a bona fide break.

Some rough weather may have modified leave plans, however. And when you lead field courses, being nimble in choppy weather is the key. So all credit to George and Kevin whose PG class of 30 students had two days more on Aotea/Great Barrier than was planned for….

When I asked DHoS Tom if there were any issues I should mention but had forgotten, his reply was “no news is good news”. Indeed after a year of too much turbulence, would it be jixing things to say we are generally moving along quietly, confidently and happily? That’s certainly the impression I get as I talk to people in the corridors, at Wednesday morning tea and in ADPR conversations. Long may it last.

Its not all quiet though. At the Faculty level, Sarah Young our new Dean is working with us Heads and other senior leaders to craft a new organisational structure, with leadership and portfolios better aligned with the pou of Taumata Teitei. Those at the recent Faculty meeting would have had a foretaste of this change. Stay tuned for more.

School Initiative – The Manaaki Project Kaupapa

Sonia, Nick R and Rachel have developed a succinct statement outlining the kaupapa of the Manaaki Project. I paste it in below to underline (well, italicise!) its importance as a School-based initiative and ensure it is recognised and understood.

“The Manaaki Project (TMP) is a programme of support in the School of Environment that enables course coordinators to work with Tuākana coordinators and tutors to ensure the best outcomes for Māori and Pacific students.

TMP works to triage situations and find the best solutions so that students do not have to share their personal situations to multiple staff, and can instead focus on their coursework in a manner that suits their context. The overall aim is to support students to do their best, while recognising that some students have complex lives, and need flexibility in their assessments’ due dates, timelines, and participation on occasion.

By choosing to participate in TMP course coordinators agree to trust the process of student support which includes various check points with the Tuākana discipline coordinators, and if necessary, the Tuākana coordinator, Head of School/Deputy Academic or AD Teaching and Learning.

For the most part, this means that details of the students’ situations will not be shared with course coordinators. Therefore, it is imperative that TMP functions as a high-trust model with the student’s success as the central taumata.

This ensures our students can maintain their privacy and dignity with respect to their personal circumstances.

In practice, TMP may result in a Tuākana discipline coordinator contacting a course coordinator to ask for flexibility with respect to assessment and/or participation for a student. Ideally, the course coordinator will work with the Tuakana discipline coordinator to find a solution or outcome that supports the student’s success in the course, within the bounds of UoA assessment policy.

————–

To close, some congratulations and an opportunities

Congratulations to Nick Lewis who has been invited to speak among a line up of other prominent thinkers in the Cook Islands next week. This aligns with his career-long commitment to the relations between education, knowledge, and nation. He sees this as “a chance to take part in an important conversation among old friends…and make a small repayment on the many benefits I’ve derived from my relationships with the Cooks”.
Congrats too to Karen Fisher for recently being invited to join a very large and well-funded Canadian-based project titled “Transforming Chemical Risk Management with Indigenous Expertise”, which seeks to address the urgent need to reduce emissions of climate-changing gases and pollutants through innovative approaches to chemical risk management. Karen will contribute the application of Indigenous research methods to this challenge “to profoundly transform chemical risk management in Indigenous community-based practice, university labs and classes, regulatory practices, and policy development”.

Opportunities

In case Easter treats were a bit lean this year, on Wed 14^th May we have Round 1 of the Chocolate competition for 2025 sponsored by our new combined Institute of Marine Science and the School of Environment equity committee!
As communicated in an email to all staff on 23/4/25 and on the University intranet, Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries and Learning Services is conducting an in-depth review of our electronic collections. The focus is on maintaining access to high-use and high-value resources, ensuring that the most critical materials for teaching and research remain available. Please consider providing feedback.
Many staff have already participated in and appreciated the free staff Te Akoranga Kairangi (TAK) programme, an introduction to Māori language, culture and the Treaty. Details about the programme appear later in this addition of p-cubed. The programme runs over 8 weeks, 2 hours per weekly session, on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Fourteen 8-week cohorts are offered throughout the year, including an on-line option. [We increase and deepen our collective capacity to encounter our own place and people with integrity through engaging in opportunities like this so if you have yet to take this course, please consider doing so].
Finally, a reminder that our colleague Phil Shane’s inaugural professorial lecture is coming up on Monday 19^th I recently went to one of these occasions in FMHS for a geography colleague in that Faculty. I was amazed at the immense turnout and festive atmosphere. Let’s match that at our inaugurals this year.

So, lots actually happening, beneath the overall relief of “no news is good news” !

Robin Kearns, Head of School

Announcements, Seminars & Events

Disaster Prevention and Management Seminar Series

When: Friday 2 May, 2pm | Where: Ontology Lab 302.551

Phil Shane Inaugural Lecture

When: Monday 19 May | Link to register: https://PhilShane.eventbrite.co.nz

5pm Refreshments: Building 303, Ground Floor PLT1 Hallway, 36 Princes Street

5:30pm Lecture: Physics Lecture Theatre 1 PLT1/303-G20, Science Centre, 38 Princes Street

ENV Research Seminar Series

You are cordially invited to attend the next round of the School of Environment Seminar Series presentations, which will include presentations by:

Dr Itxaso Ruiz – Does land management affect grapevine water resources?

Dr Maurizio D’Anna – Reshaping the understanding of beach response to sea-level rise for shoreline models

When: Tuesday 20 May, 12-1pm | Where: 302.140 | Please RSVP for catering

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!

The Great SoE Bake Off

When: 13 – 16 May, 10am everyday | Where: 5th Floor Kitchen

Te Akoranga Kairangi

The free staff programme, Te Akoranga Kairangi (TAK) is an introduction to Māori language, culture and the treaty. Details about the programme are appended. The programme runs over 8 weeks, 2 hours per weekly session, on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Fourteen 8-week cohorts are offered throughout the year, including an on-line option. Details about the schedule are appended and ALSO on Hono Learning (see instructions below).

Here are links to the details of the programme: TAK Programme and 2025 TAK times available

In addition, a free 2.5 hour Colonial History Walk around the university area is led by Assoc Prof Avril Bell. This is a unique opportunity for all staff keen to learn more about the role of central Auckland in the history of colonisation.

To enrol in TAK or the Colonial History Walk:

EITHER by emailing (we can enrol you directly)

Assoc Prof Avril Bell a.bell@auckland.ac.nz (Tuesday classes) or Prof Alison Jones a.jones@auckland.ac.nz (Thursdays classes)

OR by going to University of Auckland staff intranet webpage, search for Hono Learning. On the Hono page, type Te Akoranga Kairangi into the search bar at the top. Then click on the Te Akoranga Kairangi or Colonial History Walk link. Then click on Select Offering. There you should see a list of cohort dates for the year’s classes or walks. Select the cohort dates that suit you. Then click on Submit. You should then get an email to confirm your enrolment.

Feel free to contact Alison or Avril with any questions! 😊

Ngā mihi, thanks a lot

Alison and Avril

Hono Help

For any Hono issues, please contact Michael Groom

Rangahau

Undergraduate–Postgraduate Pairing Scholarship

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.

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 Sila (katarzyna.sila-nowicka@auckland.ac.nz) for details or with ready applications.

Health Safety & Wellbeing

As we head into winter, it is important to prepare to deal with the winter blues

Preparing yourself mentally for winter is like gently setting the stage for a slower, more inward season. It’s less about fighting the cold and more about embracing the quiet. Here’s a soulful guide to ease into it:

❄️ 1. Shift Your Expectations

Understand that it’s okay to slow down.
You don’t need to be at peak productivity—winter is nature’s rest season too.

🧣 2. Make Peace with Darkness

Reframe the longer nights as time for rest, reflection, and coziness.
Create evening rituals: reading, journaling, or listening to soft music.

🌲 3. Nourish Your Space

Make your home feel like a sanctuary—warm lighting, calming scents, soft textures.
Surround yourself with things that bring peace and comfort.

🫖 4. Lean into Simple Joys

Enjoy quiet pleasures: hot drinks, winter walks, baking, old movies.
Keep a small list of winter things you genuinely like—revisit it when days feel heavy.

🤍 5. Tend to Your Mind

Stay aware of your emotional landscape. It’s normal to feel more introspective or low.
Practice self-kindness. You don’t need to “fix” your mood—just care for it.

🧘 6. Anchor with Routine

A gentle daily rhythm brings a sense of steadiness when the season feels still.
Start and end your days with intention, even if it’s just lighting a candle or stretching.

🤝 7. Stay Connected

Reach out, even when you feel like withdrawing. A little human warmth goes a long way.
Make winter traditions with friends or family—even simple ones.

We would like to acknowledge the following dates:

April 28 – World Day of Safety and Health at Work
May 1-31 – World Smokefree May
May 2 – World Asthma Day
May 5 – World Hand Hygiene Day
May 6-12 – New Zealand Sign Language Week
May 8 – World Ovarian Cancer Day

Funding Calls

Hono data integration are impacting research projects

Do you have research grants? Do you, or a member of your research team, use EIP dashboards to monitor your research funds or Research Development Account (RDA)? If so, please read on.

Recent challenges with Hono data integration are impacting research projects. As a result, EIP dashboards are not correctly reflecting actual salary costs from 20 February, casual staff payments, or future-dated salary commitments. All other actual transactions are correct, however, the left-to-spend balances may not be correct.

What does this mean?

EIP reports should not be used to confirm a project’s financial status until further notice, as salary details in EIP reports for pay runs after 20 Feb 2025 are not yet available.
Research Development Account (RDA) balances may not be correct, particularly if fixed-term or casual staff are being paid from the RDA account.
Surpluses or deficits on research grants cannot be resolved until the balances can be confirmed, so projects ending after 20 Feb 2025 cannot be closed.
Surpluses or deficits will not be distributed to, or recovered from, RDA accounts (or returned to funders) for projects ending after 20 Feb 2025 until accurate balances can be confirmed.

Resolutions and Timeframes

A Solution Oversight Co-ordination (SOC) Team has been formed and includes a range of experts who understand the issues and the impacts. Members have been drawn from Research Services, OneFinance, HR, Integration Specialists, Vendors, the Risk Team, and the Planning and Information Office to find solutions to the identified issues. Alongside the SOC Team, several continuity groups (including a research continuity group) are working on specific outcomes, the teams meet daily and report to SOC. The Solution Oversight Coordination Team are in the process of identifying and quantifying the risks around these and implementing mitigation strategies.

Please be assured we’ll be providing regular progress updates to the Faculties and Institutes. In the meantime, if you have an urgent query related to your project financials, please contact your Faculty or Institute Research Services Team in the first instance.

ECR Career Exploration Workshops

We are excited to open applications for Early Career Researchers (ECR) to join ECR Career Exploration Workshops, a dedicated space for early career researchers (including final year PhD candidates) to reimagine their career paths and explore opportunities within and beyond academia.

This two-part workshop is designed to help you reflect on your values, strengths, and career possibilities while providing practical guidance on researching and navigating diverse career paths.

Workshop Details:

Dates: Tuesday, May 6 & Tuesday, May 13 (participants must attend both sessions) | Location: Building 201- Room 317 (Arts and Education, City Campus) 
Two Cohort Options:

Morning Group: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Group: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Pre-Workshop Commitment:

Participants will receive a digital pre-workshop workbook, requiring approximately four hours to complete. While not mandatory, this prework is highly recommended as it will help you reflect on your skills, aspirations, and career context before the sessions.

How to Apply:

To ensure a meaningful and engaged group, we ask applicants to submit the following via this link https://forms.office.com/r/0bGLSECf6P before the 28th of April.

A short paragraph explaining what you hope to gain from this workshop
A link to your up-to-date LinkedIn profile or Discovery page

Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to apply early. Please direct any questions to researcherdevelopment@auckland.ac.nz

Faculty of Science Commercial Seed Funding – Call for Applications

The Faculty of Science announces our next funding round for development of commercially-focused research and capability. Projects of up to $10k may be funded, and must be completed during 2025.

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).

The application should be well thought-out and indicate why the project is promising, but:

Very early-stage projects can be funded;
Emerging researchers are particularly encouraged to apply; and
There is low administrative overhead, with the application limited to 2 pages in length.

Projects which involve collaborative research with industry, rather than development of in-house IP, should instead consider the new NZ Product Accelerator Industry Collaboration funding, which accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Application process and deadline: Applicants should submit a proposal via email to FoS-researchadmin@auckland.ac.nz. The application deadline is Friday, 9th May 2025, at 12 noon. The application (max. 2 pages including references) should address the topics on the application form (downloaded from the webpage below).

Webpage: Commercialisation Seed Funding – The University of Auckland

2025 Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships Support Package: Q&A Insights Session

Please join us for the 2025 Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships Q&A Insights session on Monday, 12 May 2025 from 11:00am to 12:15pm.

The Domestic Portfolio in the Research Funding team will be hosting a 1-hour session with past Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships winners and previous panellists to share their insights and advice on applying for the Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships.

Questions are encouraged and can be sent in advance to: submissions@auckland.ac.nz.

AUDIENCE: Open to UoA research staff applying for the 2025 Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships round, and research support staff (FIRST).

Key information:

Date: Monday, 12 May 2025
Time: 11:00am – 12:15pm
Location: Building 260, Seminar room 310 (Decima Glen), 12 Grafton Road, City Campus

Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/tawhia-te-mana-fellowships-qa-insights-session-12-may-2025-tickets-1310870070669?aff=oddtdtcreator

A Calendar Event invitation will be sent out to participants when the registration has been completed.

Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education: Large

The Large Grant supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, with budgets ranging from US $125,000 to $500,000 for projects ranging from one to five years.

This program is “field-initiated,” meaning that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, or method. Goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.

Value: between US$125,000 and US$500,000 (circa NZ$ 220,000 -880,000)
Duration: 12 – 60 months
Deadlines: Intent to apply. External Deadline – Wednesday 14 May 2025; Internal Deadline – Monday 9 June, 2025 (12 Noon)
Funder webpage:

Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake 2026 Biennial Research Funding Programme

NHC Toka Tū Ake invites researchers and practitioners to submit proposals for Biennial grants that align with their updated Research Strategy and Research Investment Priorities Statement 2025.

There have been a number of changes since the last round, so please take some time to familiarise yourself with these. Please visit the funders website for links to the relevant documents, guidelines and application templates.

Value: $50,000 – $100,000
Duration: maximum 2 years
EOI Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 20 May 2025

2025 New Zealand – China Strategic Research Alliance

The New Zealand – China Strategic Research Alliance (SRA) is an annual joint funding programme funded by New Zealand and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST). Chinese partners must apply for their own funding through MoST.

For 2025, proposals must align with the priority area of Environmental Technologies. The specific research areas for this priority are:

Clean and renewable energy technologies
Climate change adaptation technologies
Climate change mitigation technologies
Carbon dioxide capture and conversion technologies
Novel technologies for biodegradation or elimination of emerging pollutants in vivo
Grant value: Up to NZ $300,000
Duration: Up to 3 years
Internal Deadline: 12 noon, Monday, 23 June 2025

Guidelines and resources can be found on the MBIE website

Publications

Oliver, P., Kearns, R., & Wills, P. (2025). ‘Waiheke is a community not a commodity’: Residents’ right and kaitiakitanga in tourism ‘hot spots’. In Justice in Tourism Destinations : Avenues for Destination Governance and Management. Eds Torabian, P and Albrecht, J.N.. Routledge, London & New York. pp 35-65

Castree, N., Barnes, T. & Salmond, J. (eds) (2025) Making Geography Matter: The past and present of a changing discipline (London: Routledge) https://www.routledge.com/Making-Geography-Matter-The-Past-and-Present-of-a-Changing-Discipline/Castree-Barnes-Salmond/p/book/9781032380513?srsltid=AfmBOoo3mep8Uwuu2zoD78ltxcbU4v8iOj4VnCv4PuV_sSj92juo7GyA

Agnew, J., Yeung, H., Salmond, J.A., Cox, K.R. 2024 Can Arguing for a Unified Geography Strengthen the Divisions It Seeks to Dissolve? Book review forum: Geography Indivisible (2023) Environment and Planning F 10.1177/26349825241276579

Salmond, J and Brierly, G (2025) Embracing and enacting critical and constructive approaches to teaching critical physical geography (Invited chapter). In Lane, S. and Lave, R (ed.) Field guide to mixing social and biophysical methods in environmental research (open access) https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0418

Ma, X., Zou, B., Gao, J., Deng, J., Wang, X., Wu, H., Xu, X., Wang, Y., Tan, Z., Jiang, N., Shen, Y., Li, D., Gao, J., Fan, Y., Salmond, J.A., Morawska, L. 2025 ‘Towards Compliance with the 2021 WHO Air Quality Guidelines: A Comparative Analysis of PM2.5 Trends in Australia and China’ Environment International, Volume 198, 2025,10937 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109378.

Rindelaub, J., Salmond, J.A., Fan, W., Miskelly, G., Dirks, K., Henning, S., Conrath, T., Stratmann, F., Coulson, G., 2025 ‘Aerosol mass concentrations of microplastics at a remote coastal location in New Zealand’ Environmental Pollution Volume 372, 2025, 126034, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126034.

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Issue 143 – Tuesday 15 April 2025

April 15, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

I can almost feel the collective catching of breath with the mid-semester break upon us. As we take stock at the semester’s halfway point, there is much to be thankful for – we’ve had no interruptions of the scale of epidemics and floods as in recent years; we have healthy enrolments in many courses; and there is a vibrancy on a campus well-populated by students. Perhaps the completion of construction projects helps the latter? Fewer detours and orange cones!

Looking ahead, first to the longer term:

if you are considering applying for academic promotion this year, please let me know. The longer the runways the smoother the lift-off. It will be good to discuss building you case early.

Second the shorter term:

Tuesday next week (April 22^nd) is a university holiday and mandatory annual leave day. Please be aware that there is a programme of work scheduled that day to test the smoke detection and suppression systems in building 302 which will also affect building 301. As this will significantly affect egress through the building (including elevators) the buildings will be closed for the day.

And third, to the medium term (ie next month):

On Science graduation day (15^th May, 7.30am-9.00am) the Autumn Graduation Morning Tea will be held in the 302-G80 and 302-G60 Foyer. This is a major event in our year with current and former students and their whanau coming along and deserving a welcome and conversation. The quality of our manaakitanga contributes to the reputation of our School. Whatever your role is – academic, professional, technical staff – please register and come along in a spirit of hospitality and celebration. Registration link: https://ScienceAutumnGraduationMorningTea.eventbrite.co.nz

Phil Shane was recently promoted to Professor and, in the spirit of celebration, will present his inaugural lecture titled From volcanic hazards to the global meta-crisis a geologist’s journey on Monday May 19^th. Venue:: Physics Lecture Theatre 1 PLT1/303-G20, 5.30pm with refreshments prior. Registration at Eventbrite From volcanic hazards to the global meta-crisis Tickets, Mon, May 19, 2025 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite

Engagement with the media pleasingly continues apace, with Jenny and Karin recently sharing their research:

https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/01/how-many-beautiful-kitchens-have-come-at-the-expense-of-workers-lives/

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/557935/new-zealand-s-estuaries-in-hot-water

Let’s keep up this momentum of outward facing messaging.

Finally, on a note of sadness (but excitement for new opportunities) our enthusiastic and dedicated Research Programme Manager, Kelly Kilpin, is leaving us for a new opportunity within the university. On behalf of us all I thank her for all her dedication and friendly assistance over recent years.

For now, may everyone catch breath and enjoy some safe and rejuvenating time off their laptops and away from teaching spaces over the coming days.

Robin Kearns, Head of School

Announcements, Seminars & Events

Disaster Prevention and Management Seminar Series

When: Friday 2 May, 2pm | Where: Ontology Lab 302.551

Phil Shane Inaugural Lecture

When: Monday 19 May Where: Physics Lecture Theatre 1, PLT1/303-G20

Free Flu Jab

Hono Help

If anyone have any Hono issues, please contact Michael Groom

Understanding how labs can better engage Pacific science learners

Sonia Fonua has received a Faculty of Science SOTL grant (1 year, 5k) to explore how labs can better engage Pacific science learners. If you teach labs and would like to be involved or learn more about it, please email Sonia s.fonua@auckland.ac.nz

Exploring how arts-based creative practices can engage Pacific science learners and upskill science educators

Sonia has also received a University of Auckland TeachWell Grant (two years, 20k) to explore how arts-based creative practices can engage Pacific science learners and upskill science educators. This builds on the FoS SOTL grant which she received last year, so if you were involved in that you are welcome join in again. If you would like to know more information please let Sonia know, really happy to have a chat!

Rangahau

Undergraduate–Postgraduate Pairing Scholarship

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.

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 Sila (katarzyna.sila-nowicka@auckland.ac.nz) for details or with ready applications.

Health Safety & Wellbeing

Having a healthy autumn is all about embracing the season’s changes and finding balance. Here are a few ways to keep your physical and mental well-being in check during fall:

Boost Your Immunity

As the weather gets cooler, your body might need some extra support to fend off seasonal colds and flu.

Eat Seasonal Produce: Autumn is the perfect time for nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables like squash, sweet potatoes, apples, pears, and root veggies. These foods are full of vitamins and antioxidants.
Vitamin D: Shorter days and less sunlight can make it harder to get enough vitamin D. Consider a supplement if needed, or try to soak up some sun when you can.
Hydration: Even though it’s cooler, don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Herbal teas or warm lemon water are a cozy option too.

Stay Active

Cooler weather can make it tempting to stay indoors, but it’s important to stay active for both your body and mind.

Outdoor Activities: Go for a walk in the crisp air, hike to enjoy the fall foliage, or take up cycling or jogging. Fresh air and movement are great for your health.
Yoga or Stretching: The transition into fall can bring some stiffness with it. Yoga is fantastic for flexibility and mental calm.
Home Workouts: If you’d rather stay inside, bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups can keep you moving.

Mental Health Care

Autumn’s shorter days and the changing season can sometimes impact your mood. To keep your mental health in check:

Natural Light Exposure: Try to get outside during daylight hours to combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If it’s dark by the time you’re awake, light therapy lamps can help.
Mindfulness or Meditation: Autumn is a great time to reflect and slow down. Take 5-10 minutes each day to practice mindfulness or meditation to help manage stress.
Journaling: Writing about your thoughts can be a grounding practice, helping to clarify your goals and give thanks for the season’s bounty.

Rest and Rejuvenation

The fall season is a great reminder to take care of your body by prioritizing rest.

Sleep Hygiene: As the nights get longer, adjust your sleep schedule to ensure you’re getting enough rest. Aim for 7-9 hours a night.
Create a Cozy Space: Light some candles, make your favorite cozy drink, and create a peaceful, inviting space for rest and relaxation.

Fall-Inspired Self-Care

Autumn is all about coziness, so indulge in a little self-care that feels seasonal:

Healthy Comfort Food: Get creative with comfort foods like soups, stews, and baked goods. Make healthy versions of classic fall dishes by using whole grains, lean proteins, and plenty of veggies.
Skin Care: The cooler air can be drying, so hydrate your skin with rich moisturizers or oils, especially if you’re prone to dry skin.
Aromatherapy: Scents like cinnamon, clove, and pumpkin spice can uplift your mood. Use essential oils or candles to bring fall vibes into your home.

Connection and Community

The autumn season invites connection, whether with nature or loved ones.

Enjoy the Outdoors: Visit a pumpkin patch, orchard, or enjoy a scenic drive. Being in nature can help you feel grounded and relaxed.
Socialize: Autumn is often a time for gatherings. Whether it’s a cozy dinner with friends or a family game night, connecting with loved ones boosts mental health.

How do you usually spend your autumn? Any favorite activities or habits you like to bring into the season?

Funding Calls

Global Research Engagement Fund (GREF)

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.

The next application deadline is 28^th April.

Applicants must connect with international.research@auckland.ac.nz to inform their intention to submit no later than 18^th April. Further funding application rounds are available throughout the year.

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

ECR Career Exploration Workshops

We are excited to open applications for Early Career Researchers (ECR) to join ECR Career Exploration Workshops, a dedicated space for early career researchers (including final year PhD candidates) to reimagine their career paths and explore opportunities within and beyond academia.

This two-part workshop is designed to help you reflect on your values, strengths, and career possibilities while providing practical guidance on researching and navigating diverse career paths.

Workshop Details:

Dates: Tuesday, May 6 & Tuesday, May 13 (participants must attend both sessions) | Location: Building 201- Room 317 (Arts and Education, City Campus) 
Two Cohort Options:

Morning Group: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Group: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Pre-Workshop Commitment:

Participants will receive a digital pre-workshop workbook, requiring approximately four hours to complete. While not mandatory, this prework is highly recommended as it will help you reflect on your skills, aspirations, and career context before the sessions.

How to Apply:

To ensure a meaningful and engaged group, we ask applicants to submit the following via this link https://forms.office.com/r/0bGLSECf6P before the 28th of April.

A short paragraph explaining what you hope to gain from this workshop
A link to your up-to-date LinkedIn profile or Discovery page

Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to apply early. Please direct any questions to researcherdevelopment@auckland.ac.nz

Faculty of Science Commercial Seed Funding – Call for Applications

The Faculty of Science announces our next funding round for development of commercially-focused research and capability. Projects of up to $10k may be funded, and must be completed during 2025.

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).

The application should be well thought-out and indicate why the project is promising, but:

Very early-stage projects can be funded;
Emerging researchers are particularly encouraged to apply; and
There is low administrative overhead, with the application limited to 2 pages in length.

Projects which involve collaborative research with industry, rather than development of in-house IP, should instead consider the new NZ Product Accelerator Industry Collaboration funding, which accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Application process and deadline: Applicants should submit a proposal via email to FoS-researchadmin@auckland.ac.nz. The application deadline is Friday, 9th May 2025, at 12 noon. The application (max. 2 pages including references) should address the topics on the application form (downloaded from the webpage below).

Webpage: Commercialisation Seed Funding – The University of Auckland

2025 Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships Support Package: Q&A Insights Session

Please join us for the 2025 Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships Q&A Insights session on Monday, 12 May 2025 from 11:00am to 12:15pm.

The Domestic Portfolio in the Research Funding team will be hosting a 1-hour session with past Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships winners and previous panellists to share their insights and advice on applying for the Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships.

Questions are encouraged and can be sent in advance to: submissions@auckland.ac.nz.

AUDIENCE: Open to UoA research staff applying for the 2025 Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships round, and research support staff (FIRST).

Key information:

Date: Monday, 12 May 2025
Time: 11:00am – 12:15pm
Location: Building 260, Seminar room 310 (Decima Glen), 12 Grafton Road, City Campus

Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/tawhia-te-mana-fellowships-qa-insights-session-12-may-2025-tickets-1310870070669?aff=oddtdtcreator

A Calendar Event invitation will be sent out to participants when the registration has been completed.

Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education: Large

The Large Grant supports education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education, broadly conceived, with budgets ranging from US $125,000 to $500,000 for projects ranging from one to five years.

This program is “field-initiated,” meaning that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, or method. Goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.

Value: between US$125,000 and US$500,000 (circa NZ$ 220,000 -880,000)
Duration: 12 – 60 months
Deadlines: Intent to apply. External Deadline – Wednesday 14 May 2025; Internal Deadline – Monday 9 June, 2025 (12 Noon)
Funder webpage:

Publications

Matt T. Illing, Lorna J. Strachan, Christopher M. Moy, Christina R. Riesselman, Vincent Rigalleau, Helge W. Arz, Frank Lamy (2025) Millennial-scale along-slope and down-slope marine flow processes over the last 160,000 years at the Chilean margin, Quaternary Science Reviews, 356, 109280.

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Issue 142 – Tuesday 1 April 2025

April 1, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

I’ve been having annual performance review discussions with senior colleagues earlier this year, ahead of the salary review process in late April. It’s been a pleasure to meet and have a sustained korero about how things are going and what the year holds for goals and objectives.

It’s also helped provide an ‘ear to the ground’ for the new (well, not-so-new) semester. Not only are student numbers up in many courses, but I also hear of widespread student enthusiasm and their sustained presence in lectures. That is very welcome, given recent years. In return let’s offer strong doses of enthusiasm and engagement.

As I’ve said before, one pair of words I’d love to banish is ‘teaching load’. Do we ever speak of ‘research load’? Whether intended or not there is an implication of burden and a need to endure in that pairing of words. We need to find joy in teaching if we don’t know it already. With very few exceptions, we are contracted to teach 40% (lecturing staff) or 80% (PTFs) of our time. If enthusiastically teaching really feels burdensome and a ‘load’, then we are probably in the wrong profession.

Our new Dean has two strong messages filtering through to Heads of Schools: we must strive for teaching quality and be vigilant to maintaining a safe working environment. With respect to the latter, a refreshed School Health & Safety Committee met for the first time last week ahead of the monthly FoS HSW meeting to which all Heads attend. A key message is being observant: if you see something that could be a hazard, report it. It’s as much what could be as what is a risk.

Looking ahead, we have graduation on May 15^th. Please plan on being there and register now to be on stage. We owe it to our students and their families to take time out and affirm their efforts. With over 70% of our revenue coming from enrolments, a response of ‘nah I’m too busy with my research’ really isn’t acceptable when graduation is only twice a year. Being present at a ceremony sits firmly at the intersection of teaching and academic citizenship and speaks to values of excellence, affirmation and collegiality.

Oh, and congratulations to Shane, Mark and Karin – all of whom I have heard on RNZ recently speaking to their research on vulcanism, sand dynamics and estuarine processes respectively. If I have missed other instances of media engagement, please let me know.

As the clocks change, enjoy these autumn days and may the enthusiasm of students be matched by yours.

Robin

Head of School

Announcements, Seminars & Events

Coastal and Marine Geoscience Group Meeting / Seminar

When: Wednesday 2 April,12-1pm | Where: Ontology Lab 302.551

School of Environment Seminar Series

When: Wednesday 9 April, 12-1pm | Where: Ontology Lab 302.551

Earth Observation Lab Quarterly Event

Join us on 10th April for this quarter’s EO Lab event 🎉 With exciting speakers from research and industry lined up, we will be in person and live-streaming from Auckland so you can join us in person or online! Join us to hear about some of the latest earth observation projects from across the country and connect with fellow EO Lab members. Sign up for your spot https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/earth-observation-lab-meet-up-tickets-1303805931639?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Horizon Europe Workshop

The EU’s flagship research and innovation program, promoting collaboration among research, industry, communities, and policymakers to address global challenges.

As interest in Horizon Europe continues to grow and funding calls for 2025 begin to emerge, we are offering support and a series of practical workshops focused on key aspects of networking with potential collaboration partners, developing your profile in Horizon Europe, project development as well as application process. These workshops are designed for researchers and research teams preparing to submit funding proposals for the upcoming 2025 calls.

Online Seminar: What to do if you’re invited to join a Horizon Europe consortium | Thursday, 10 April 2025, 10:00am – 11:00am via zoom.

There will be a series of short presentations, including from Andrew Sporle – National Contact Point Māori, followed by a 30min live panel discussion answering your questions. Please contact us at international.research@auckland.ac.nz to receive details on how to register and obtain the zoom link.

Oceanum Datamesh Demo

Seminar and Demonstration 15th April. 1300-1400, 302.586: The team at Oceanum have created a powerful environmental data science platform that accelerates work flows across various disciplines, from oceanography and coastal ecology to climate change adaptation. The OCEANUM.IO platform streamlines data discovery, access, and wrangling for all levels of expertise, overcoming many of the limitations and points of friction in existing data infrastructures.

By addressing issues like file format incompatibilities and data volumes, OCEANUM.IO enables users to focus on their analysis tasks rather than the underlying data engineering – thereby promoting more effective use of their time. With more than 5000 national and international datasets already registered, and the ability for users to upload their own data, the cloud-based application is actively promoting data democratisation and reducing knowledge disparities.

Easter Tuesday closure of Building 301/302 and fire systems testing

There is a programme of work being scheduled to test the smoke detection and suppression systems in building 302 which will also affect building 301.

Sunday 6^th April – access to the building will be available as normal for those with weekend access however there will be some disruption over much of the day (4+ hours) caused by:

Smoke detector testing which will initiate the alarm sounder in short bursts
Fire curtain testing (on levels G to 6) – this will be mainly silent but will affect building egress

Tuesday 22^nd April (Easter Tuesday) – Given the level of disruption, this has been scheduled on the University holiday and the building will be closed for the day.

Access will only be provided to those maintaining critical infrastructure. Please contact David Jenkinson (Technical Services Manager) – d.jenkinson@auckland.ac.nz to arrange special approval.

Understanding how labs can better engage Pacific science learners

Sonia Fonua has received a Faculty of Science SOTL grant (1 year, 5k) to explore how labs can better engage Pacific science learners. If you teach labs and would like to be involved or learn more about it, please email Sonia s.fonua@auckland.ac.nz

Exploring how arts-based creative practices can engage Pacific science learners and upskill science educators

Sonia has also received a University of Auckland TeachWell Grant (two years, 20k) to explore how arts-based creative practices can engage Pacific science learners and upskill science educators. This builds on the FoS SOTL grant which she received last year, so if you were involved in that you are welcome join in again. If you would like to know more information please let Sonia know, really happy to have a chat!

Media contribution by Thomas Dowling

Radar reflectors in the news again! Successful field trials in the sub-Antarctic islands: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/life-saving-reflector-tested-successfully.

Introductory R Workshop

An introductory R Workshop is being run on Monday 14^th and Tuesday 15^th of April 2025. The course will be run by the Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) in the Department of Statistics. Below are the details of the workshop and attachments: R Workshop Registration Form April 2025 Introduction to R schedule

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
Cost
- 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: 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.

For any further queries please contact Joei Mudaliar j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz

Health Safety & Wellbeing

The new dean is introducing big changes to how the Faculty and the Schools are going to operate and a big part of it is an overhaul to HSW. There are changes in progress to Faculty and School committees. Compliance is being looked at in detail and all the processes to identify and manage risks are being refreshed. This is a process that will take a while, and we can expect few bumps in the road but the end result is going to be a safer environment that we all can be proud of.

FLU VACCINE

Flu vaccine campaign kick starts on April, please see the information in this link: 2025 influenza vaccination for staff and students – The University of Auckland

Reporting incidents

There is systemic underreporting of HSW matters in the School and Faculty. Please follow the link to familiarise yourself with incident reporting. We must not only report incidents with injuries. There are three categories to report:

Observation, report an observation when you notice an unsafe condition or a positive comment about facilities, systems or people.
Incident: Any mishap that did not involved injury but could have potentially caused harm
Injury: Report any injury to an employee, student, contractor or visitor during a work activity. This is also required to be done when working from home. ACC claims will depend on the report. There is not such a thing as a small report.

Spotlight

We want to put the spotlight on two important dates coming up:

2 April is World Autism Awareness Day: please visit the website Home – Autism NZ to learn more about autism

7 April is World Health Day

Funding Calls

Spencer Foundation: Small Research Grants

This fund is intended to support education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education. This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location. Goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.

Value: up to USD50,000 (circa NZD85,600
Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Monday 7th April
Further Information (funding call, guidelines website).
- Funding Call
- Website
- Guidelines

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

RSNZ: Catalyst: Seeding (Round1)

Catalyst seeding fund aims to supports activities that initiate, develop and foster collaborations leveraging international science and innovation for New Zealand’s benefit.

Notable eligibility changes for the 2025 funding opportunities: the Catalyst Fund investment plan (released in December 2024) identifies six priority research areas, which are:

Quantum technology
Health and biomedicine
Biotechnologies
Artificial Intelligence
Antarctic research
Space and Earth observations

*Note that 75% of the awarded Catalyst: Seeding contracts will be expected to be made up of proposals that align with the priority research areas. The remaining 25% of awarded contracts can be in any field of research including social sciences and the humanities.

Value: Seeding General: up to $80,000 (excl. GST)
Duration: for up to two years
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info).

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

RSNZ: Catalyst Leaders (Round 1)

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.
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 3 years.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowships (up to 4 awards): Supports excellent New Zealand post-doctoral researchers to do research in Japan for 12-24 months.
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:
- 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.
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info).
- Funding Call
- Website
- Guidelines

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

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Issue 141 – Tuesday 18 March 2025

March 18, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

Along with Tom Baker, over recent months I’ve had the pleasure of participating in a leadership programme named Puhoro. One of its brilliant aspects is that the kaleidoscope of senior university staffing has been given a shake and cohorts are mixed in together from across the range of roles and expertise. Quite aside from the valuable input, it’s offered rich insight into how the university operates through exposure to a diversity people often invisible to most of us who keep the engine room of the organisation ticking over.

Names are invariable chosen carefully. In te reo ‘Puhoro’ means “a type of tattoo design, often found on the thighs and buttocks, which symbolizes strength, resilience, and the interconnectedness of life, often representing the wake left by a waka”. I wasn’t left with a souvenir tattoo, but a sense that resilience and strength in any large institution like ours is aided by strong relationships and a culture that acknowledges interconnectedness.

The waka reference in the definition was built into the programme with a day devoted to paddling as teams on the harbour. Sadly my participation was ruled out by the recency of surgery but the powerful image of a waka remains as I reflect on more local interconnectedness in our School. A waka’s clear trajectory through the water is reliant on a unified commitment by paddlers with few instructions needed by a navigator.

Once again, I have been struck by how this work ethic prevails as a modus operandi in the School. It’s a gift when, as Head, one needs to step back for a while and reminded that the team keeps paddling with few instructions needed from the sidelines. I am very grateful for that. Certainly, there are ocean swells and the wakes of other vessels to navigate and so always issues to grapple with. That’s organisational life. But as I look back on the last month I am both grateful for Tom being Acting Head and, more recently, for the ease of being a Head-at-a-distance as I get on my feet again.

To be part of a team in which there is a collective recognition that we all do our bit without being asked or reminded is a gift indeed. As my poet friend Gregory O’Brien expresses it metaphorically “If we all carry each other, no one will have to walk”.

Ngā mihi mahana

Robin

Events & Announcements

All are invited to the School BBQ on Friday 21st March @ 12 noon

Community of Interest: Communicating Research to the Media and the Public (In-person forum 2)

The second in-person gathering is being held for academics interested in joining a network to share experience and advice on communicating research to media and the public.

When: Thursday 27 March, 12-1pm | Where: LG002 Seminar Room, 28 Park Ave, Grafton

Hear from guest speaker Nicola Gaston on her experience with media. Learn how to distil key messages and we can share news on storytelling workshops. The Community of Interest has been developed by academics for academics to offer an open and safe space to talk about communicating with the public and the media about research. Light refreshments will be served. For enquiries, please contact gilbert.wong@auckland.ac.nz

CAPEX 2025

Proposals for CAPEX purchases in the upcoming round are now being solicited. Please fill out the following form by 31 March. https://auckland.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Og4JcE5R8VQlPo

Please provide realistic cost and use estimates and only list people who have been consulted and who support the application. We’ll be arranging to have a member of the CAPEX committee to have a quick chat with applicants so the committee fully understands the proposal. If you have questions contact Kevin (k.simon@auckland.ac.nz).

Understanding how labs can better engage Pacific science learners

Sonia Fonua has received a Faculty of Science SOTL grant (1 year, 5k) to explore how labs can better engage Pacific science learners. If you teach labs and would like to be involved or learn more about it, please email Sonia s.fonua@auckland.ac.nz

Exploring how arts-based creative practices can engage Pacific science learners and upskill science educators

Sonia has also received a University of Auckland TeachWell Grant (two years, 20k) to explore how arts-based creative practices can engage Pacific science learners and upskill science educators. This builds on the FoS SOTL grant which she received last year, so if you were involved in that you are welcome join in again. If you would like to know more information please let Sonia know, really happy to have a chat!

ANZIC Prize for Best Student Publication

Attention Post-Grad Students! Do you have a great publication relating to scientific drilling?

ANZIC – The Australian & New Zealand International Scientific Drilling Consortium – is proud to announce their new Prize for Best Student Publication in scientific drilling! As an ANZIC member, students from <<YOUR INSTITUTION>> are eligible to nominate! This award aims to foster community, celebrate excellence, and recognise outstanding contributions to scientific drilling research. This is your chance to gain recognition, connect with leading scientists, and win an all-expenses-paid trip to present at the 2025 ANZIC Forum in Auckland!

Learn more: https://www.iodp.org.au/anzic-prize-for-best-student-publication/

Horizon Europe Workshop

The EU’s flagship research and innovation program, promoting collaboration among research, industry, communities, and policymakers to address global challenges.

As interest in Horizon Europe continues to grow and funding calls for 2025 begin to emerge, we are offering support and a series of practical workshops focused on key aspects of networking with potential collaboration partners, developing your profile in Horizon Europe, project development as well as application process. These workshops are designed for researchers and research teams preparing to submit funding proposals for the upcoming 2025 calls.

Online Seminar: What to do if you’re invited to join a Horizon Europe consortium | Thursday, 10 April 2025, 10:00am – 11:00am via zoom.

There will be a series of short presentations, including from Andrew Sporle – National Contact Point Māori, followed by a 30min live panel discussion answering your questions. Please contact us at international.research@auckland.ac.nz to receive details on how to register and obtain the zoom link.

Media contribution by Salene Schloffel-Armstrong and Robin Kearns

DarkSky designation can mitigate ‘privatisation of celestial sphere’

The expansion of satellite activity has, in part, led to the increased push by certain communities to seek DarkSky certification by Salene Schloffel-Armstrong and Robin Kearns 13/4/2025 https://newsroom.co.nz/2025/03/13/darksky-designation-can-mitigate-privatisation-of-celestial-sphere/

Introductory R Workshop

An introductory R Workshop is being run on Monday 14^th and Tuesday 15^th of April 2025. The course will be run by the Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) in the Department of Statistics. Below are the details of the workshop and attachments: R Workshop Registration Form April 2025 Introduction to R schedule

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
Cost
- 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: 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.

For any further queries please contact Joei Mudaliar j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz

Health Safety & Wellbeing

As autumn begins, it’s important to adjust your health routine to stay well during the changing season. Here are some tips to help you stay healthy:

Get Your Flu Shot: Autumn marks the start of flu season, so getting vaccinated can help protect you from the flu. Vaccination for flu virus becomes available on 1 April 2025.
Boost Your Immune System: Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep to keep your immune system strong.
Stay Active: Even as the weather cools, try to maintain regular physical activity. Outdoor activities like walking or hiking can be enjoyable in the crisp autumn air.
Dress in Layers: The weather can be unpredictable, so dressing in layers helps you stay comfortable throughout the day.
Prepare for Allergies: Fall allergies can be bothersome. Keep windows closed on high pollen days and consider using an air purifier.
Stay Hydrated: It’s easy to forget to drink water when it’s cooler, but staying hydrated is just as important in autumn as in summer.
Plan for Daylight Savings: Gradually adjust your sleep schedule to prepare for the time change and ensure you get enough rest
Mental Health: As days get shorter, some people may experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Light therapy and staying active can help manage symptoms.

These tips can help you enjoy a healthy and vibrant autumn. Do you have any specific concerns or questions about staying healthy this season?

There is also a response in place to fight the current pertussis epidemic, ask the pharmacist if you are eligible for boosters.

Funded vaccines for special groups from 1 July 2024 – Factsheets – Immunisation Advisory Centre

Funding Calls

Spencer Foundation: Small Research Grants

This fund is intended to support education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education. This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location. Goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.

Value: up to USD50,000 (circa NZD85,600
Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Monday 7th April
Further Information (funding call, guidelines website).
- Funding Call
- Website
- Guidelines

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

RSNZ: Catalyst: Seeding (Round1)

Catalyst seeding fund aims to supports activities that initiate, develop and foster collaborations leveraging international science and innovation for New Zealand’s benefit.

Notable eligibility changes for the 2025 funding opportunities: the Catalyst Fund investment plan (released in December 2024) identifies six priority research areas, which are:

Quantum technology
Health and biomedicine
Biotechnologies
Artificial Intelligence
Antarctic research
Space and Earth observations

*Note that 75% of the awarded Catalyst: Seeding contracts will be expected to be made up of proposals that align with the priority research areas. The remaining 25% of awarded contracts can be in any field of research including social sciences and the humanities.

Value: Seeding General: up to $80,000 (excl. GST)
Duration: for up to two years
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info).

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

RSNZ: Catalyst Leaders (Round 1)

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.
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 3 years.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowships (up to 4 awards): Supports excellent New Zealand post-doctoral researchers to do research in Japan for 12-24 months.
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:
- 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.
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info).
- Funding Call
- Website
- Guidelines

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

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Issue 140 – Tuesday 4 March 2025

March 4, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

There’s pedestrian traffic down Symonds St, so it must be Week 1!

Wishing everyone a good start to the semester.

And in the spirit of wishing: may your lecture theatres, labs and tutorials be filled with actual students, and your assignment in-boxes with considered, well-referenced responses.

Tom (Acting HoS)

Announcements

HONO – is live now!

Please click here for the latest information and updates
Log in to Hono using your University username and password
The quick video guides is also available to assist you in getting help faster or click on the Hono online help
First pay run in Hono: Wednesday 5 March 2025
Contact Michael Groom if you get stuck with anything

PhD Advisor Change

After 4(!) years Jennifer Eccles passes the PhD Advisor baton onto Luitgard Schwendenmann (l.schwendenmann@auckland.ac.nz) and Martin Brook (m.brook@auckland.ac.nz) as she jets off to Europe of R&SL.

Luitgard will primarily be managing active student facing activities – confirmations, signing off on annual continuation reviews, being the HoD referee on University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship Extensions applications, and any changes to enrolment (extensions, suspensions, full time/part time, change of supervisors, thesis title etc). Hence if there are any issues Luitgard will be the first point of call beyond your supervision team and it is better to broach any issues sooner rather than later so she will have the opportunity to help early.

Martin will primarily be handling admissions and interfacing with the centralised examination process as needed.

Please note that unfortunately the examinations office have a backlog at the moment and we are managing comms to them so they are working on moving these along rather than just replying to hundreds of emails querying progress. Please flag with Martin if the process is taking longer than:

4 weeks for the thesis to be sent out to examiners
Thesis with examiners > 12 weeks
> 4 weeks once examination report returned for decision to be made (this can be much shorter but it varies)
> 4 weeks for the oral examination to be scheduled once this decision has been made.

Generally useful documents in the Doctoral space are now hosted on Teams through ENV Group – Files under the path Documents – General – Postgraduate – Doctoral”

LINZ Geographic Information Science (GIS) Scholarships award to 2 undergrad students

We’re pleased to congratulate the recipients of this year’s Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand Geographic Information Science (GIS) Scholarships. Ka rawe! 🙌📢🎓The scholarships support recipients with their tertiary study fees. We’re proud to be helping develop the next generation of GIS specialists. Congratulations to:

Anna Connell – Bachelor of Science (Geography and Environmental Science) at the University of Auckland
Joel Plummer – Bachelor of Science (Geography) at the University of Auckland

Facebook LINZ Page Photo

CAPEX 2025

Proposals for CAPEX purchases in the upcoming round are now being solicited. Please fill out the following form by 31 March. https://auckland.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4Og4JcE5R8VQlPo

Please provide realistic cost and use estimates and only list people who have been consulted and who support the application. We’ll be arranging to have a member of the CAPEX committee to have a quick chat with applicants so the committee fully understands the proposal. If you have questions contact Kevin (k.simon@auckland.ac.nz).

Media contributions by Thomas Dowling

A paper to which Thomas Dowling and Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting contributed on orbital conservation, ended up in top 5% of media attention on all papers worldwide. Newsroom took a version of it here in the NZ media that Thomas wrote along with the UoA media team.

A sustainable development goal for space: Applying lessons from marine debris to manage space debris: 1016/j.oneear.2024.12.004

NZ has a lot to lose from a polluted orbit – Newsroom

Opinion: The number of satellites and other objects sent into Earth’s orbit is increasing like never before. Before space ends up awash with debris like the ocean, scientists are calling for global agreements to protect orbital space. The United States and China are in a space race, sending thousands of satellites into orbit every year.

Defence Science and Technology published a short story on the search and rescue with synthetic aperture radar work which Thomas is leading.

Research to help NZ search and rescue efforts

24 February 2025 | OUR SCIENCE. DST’s Sensing and Intelligence Programme is collaborating with the University of Auckland (UoA) to understand whether low cost, low tech, passive RADAR reflectors can improve the probability of detection of small marine craft in distress, by space-based Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems. This research is being done under a programme called SAR4SAR …

www.dst.mil.nz

Outreach

Social media : We’d like to expand the School of Environment’s social media reach to other platforms beyond Facebook, but we need some foundation content to guarantee at least one post a month (ideally one a week!). Therefore, we need your content to celebrate and elevate your research and community activities. Please send the following to Kenzi Yee kenzi.yee@auckland.ac.nz (and cc: el.sharp@auckland.ac.nz) who is collating posts.

Blurb of about ~30 words
A representative image
Ideally, a link to a website/ Conversation article/ RNZ / Newsroom/ TVNZ/ The Spinoff, but not necessary.

Ngā mihi mahana, Emma

Health Safety & Wellbeing

Autumn can bring a number of health issues, including respiratory infections, allergies, and mood swings.

Respiratory infections
- Flu: A highly contagious virus that can be reduced with a flu shot
- Common cold: Cooler temperatures and indoor gatherings can lead to more colds
- Bronchitis and pneumonia: These can become more prevalent as the weather cools
- Ear infections: More prevalent during the autumn and winter seasons
Allergies
- Fall allergies: Can cause sneezing, congestion, and itchy eyes
- Asthma exacerbations: Fall allergies can worsen asthma symptoms
Mood swings
- Some people may experience mood swings and irritability during the fall due to hormonal changes and disrupted routines
Other health issues
- Sinusitis, Strep, Norovirus/Stomach Bugs, Vitamin D Deficiency, and Pink eye

How to stay healthy in autumn

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after using public transport, coughing, or sneezing
Use tissues to catch coughs and sneezes, dispose of them immediately, and then wash your hands
Stay warm
Ventilate your space
Maintain a regular sleep schedule
Eat a balanced diet
Engage in relaxation techniques

Funding Calls

Spencer Foundation: Small Research Grants

This fund is intended to support education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education. This program is “field-initiated” in that proposal submissions are not in response to a specific request for a particular research topic, discipline, design, method, or location. Goal for this program is to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and compelling opportunities in education.

Value: up to USD50,000 (circa NZD85,600
Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Monday 7th April
Further Information (funding call, guidelines website).
- Funding Call
- Website
- Guidelines

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

RSNZ: Catalyst: Seeding (Round1)

Catalyst seeding fund aims to supports activities that initiate, develop and foster collaborations leveraging international science and innovation for New Zealand’s benefit.

Notable eligibility changes for the 2025 funding opportunities: the Catalyst Fund investment plan (released in December 2024) identifies six priority research areas, which are:

Quantum technology
Health and biomedicine
Biotechnologies
Artificial Intelligence
Antarctic research
Space and Earth observations

*Note that 75% of the awarded Catalyst: Seeding contracts will be expected to be made up of proposals that align with the priority research areas. The remaining 25% of awarded contracts can be in any field of research including social sciences and the humanities.

Value: Seeding General: up to $80,000 (excl. GST)
Duration: for up to two years
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info).

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

RSNZ: Catalyst Leaders (Round 1)

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.
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 3 years.
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowships (up to 4 awards): Supports excellent New Zealand post-doctoral researchers to do research in Japan for 12-24 months.
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:
- 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.
Internal Deadline: 12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info).
- Funding Call
- Website
- Guidelines

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

Publications | Articles

Shin, H., Gardner, Z., Solomon, G., & Basiri, A. (2025). Diagnosing Spatial and Temporal Biases of OSM Contributors: Identifying Differences Between Gender and Age from an Online Survey. Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 1–21. https://doi-org/10.1080/24694452.2024.2447507

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Issue 139 – Tuesday 18 February 2025

February 18, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

The email traffic has increased and meeting frequency heightened. It must be Semester One approaching! At this time, I’d like to thank three groups of colleagues.

First, the ‘course build’ teams for the new suite of ENV-codes stage 1 courses. These colleagues have devoted a great deal of creativity and time to developing teaching content and architecture to courses for which they won’t be directly contributing. Hence, these colleagues won’t be accruing any credit on the teaching workload model. This is School citizenship in action and we all should be grateful to the course builders among us.

Second, a big thanks to the student advisors who reply to emails and talk with students offering opportunities, alternative and advice, especially at this time of year. I recall when, a good number of decades ago, I arrived on campus as a teenager with only a sketchy idea of what I wanted to study. A patient Arts Faculty advisor outlined the options. Mercifully Geography was in the mix, even though it seemed an afterthought. These conversations can be crucial points of contact so the dedication of all who advise our current and prospective students is appreciated especially this time of year.

Third, appreciation too to Emma Sharp and her Outreach colleagues Kenzie and Thomas. This team has developed a plan for innovative research content to be rolled out regularly via the School’s social media outlets through 2025. The goal is digestible, accessible material deriving from our research projects that might entice prospective students in our direction as well as generally raise the profile of ENV. So, when Emma and team are in touch, please respond affirmatively.

I have been looking forward seeing everyone at the first staff meeting on 26^th and welcome back drinks on 3^rd. But I’ve had recent news of a late Christmas present so I won’t be with you. This week I am getting a new knee and have been advised to take a fortnight as post-operative medical leave. Tom Baker will be Acting Head. All going well, I will return to HoS duties – but perhaps remotely for a while – on Monday 10^th March.

So, I wish everyone well as teaching begins again. Enthusiasm is infectious. May you convey the enthusiasm that led you into the fields you have excelled in and inspire the curious minds you encounter.

Robin Kearns

Announcements & Seminars

HONO – Go live is now Monday 24 February 2025 | Hono Overview

Go live for all users: Monday 24 February 2025
First pay run in Hono: Wednesday 5 March 2025
Leave: if you are taking or booking leave before ‘Go live’ or have taken any leave that wasn’t entered in the system, please email Patricia so that she can submit a service request to get it entered in the system.
Training will continue for all staff as planned

Research Support Update

Kim Le has recently joined the Research Support team as a Research Programme Coordinator (RPC), and will be working with Sophie and Kelly to assist with pre- and post-award research project queries. Kim will be known to some of you having completed her MSc in Environmental Management (1^st class Hons) with Ward Friesen in 2020. Following this, she returned home to Vietnam to work for non-profit environmental organisations, before relocating to NZ last year with her family. Before moving across to the research support team, Kim worked as a research assistant at Koi Tū. Kim is located on Level 6 (outside of Robin’s office).

Visit of Prof. Enzhu Hu (Northeastern University, China)

Melanie Kah is hosting Prof. Enzhu Hu (Northeastern University, China) who will offer two short courses in the next couple of weeks/months. Follow the link for more details on the content:

Meta-analysis
HYDRUS: The Basic Theory of Soil Physics

Open to both staff and research students, please contact Enzhu (huenzhu@gmail.com) directly if you are interested and would like to learn more!

Recent Australia New Zealand Tree Ring Sciences Conference” held at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland

From 21 to 23 January, the “Looking at the wood, seeing the trees and more: Australia New Zealand Tree Ring Sciences Conference” was held at the Clock Tower, here at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland.

This event bought together ~30 scientists and researchers mostly from Australia and New Zealand but also Italy and the UK, to present research based around the common theme of tree rings.

This was the first such meeting held specifically for the Australian and New Zealand tree-ring community. Topics ranged from climate reconstruction to forest ecology to the challenging nature of some Australian and New Zealand species for dendrochronology, requiring novel approaches to establishing chronologies. We also heard about new radiocarbon and stable oxygen isotope research using kauri tree rings, and cultural issues in the context of archaeological dating of wood.

Bad weather stymied our fieldtrip to Cascades Kauri Park but instead we spent the morning in the tree-ring lab where Luitgard and I showcased various kauri-based research carried out here at ENV, followed by a group lunch.

The conference was full of good energy, engagement and conversation (which continued into the evening over dinner and red wine). The student attendees reported that they really enjoyed the opportunity to come together, talk about their work and be reminded that they were not alone in working with sometimes quite challenging species! There is enthusiasm for a repeat event in two years’ time, somewhere in Australia.

The conference was organised by Gretel and Luitgard with help from Liam Casey in Event Services. Alan Hogg (Waikato University), Kathy Allen (University of Tasmania) and Pauline Grierson (University of Western Australia) were part of the conference committee. ENV students Melanesia Boseren, Em Sharp and Mitchell Keys provided great support during the meeting too.

Conference attendees, and not a tree-corer in sight!

Disaster Prevention and Management Seminar Series

AKO

This year, the Student Experience Committee has a budget of $2500.00 towards small class-related catering activities. There will be $1250.00 available in each semester. To maximise this budget and make its distribution as fair as possible, we have created an online form where all interested course coordinators can declare their interest and submit a very brief proposal (100 words) outlining how much they need and for which purpose. The cap for each course is set at $150.00 per semester and applications should be submitted by the 28th of February (semester 1 courses) and the 18th of July (semester 2 courses). Selection will be made by the committee shortly afterwards. Ad-hoc applications throughout the semesters may be considered depending on budget availability.

Here’s the link to the application form: https://forms.office.com/r/s7bvNAcFAP

Student Experience Committee

Outreach

Social media : We’d like to expand the School of Environment’s social media reach to other platforms beyond Facebook, but we need some foundation content to guarantee at least one post a month (ideally one a week!). Therefore, we need your content to celebrate and elevate your research and community activities. Please send the following to Kenzi Yee kenzi.yee@auckland.ac.nz (and cc: el.sharp@auckland.ac.nz) who is collating posts.

Blurb of about ~30 words
A representative image
Ideally, a link to a website/ Conversation article/ RNZ / Newsroom/ TVNZ/ The Spinoff, but not necessary.

Ngā mihi mahana, Emma

Health Safety & Wellbeing

Protective clothing for fieldwork

Gloves, Some activities require protecting your hands
hard hats
high visibility clothing
overalls and protective aprons.
Rain gear

Footwear

Tennis shoes and sneakers are comfortable, but they are not, often, the proper type of footwear while undertaking fieldwork. Choosing the right footwear for fieldwork is crucial for comfort, safety, and performance. Here are some key factors to consider:

Terrain and Environment:
- Wet Conditions:Waterproof boots with good traction are essential. Look for materials like Gore-Tex that keep water out while allowing your feet to breathe ¹.
- Dry Conditions: Lightweight, breathable hiking boots or shoes are ideal. They provide comfort and prevent overheating ².
Activity Type:
- Hiking and Walking: Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support are important to prevent injuries on uneven terrain ².
- Wading or Marsh Work: Chest waders or lace-up canvas wading boots are recommended for environments with deep mud or water ¹.
Comfort and Fit:
- Proper Fit: Ensure the boots fit well with enough room for your toes. Consider wearing the socks you plan to use during fieldwork when trying on boots ³.
- Cushioning and Support: Look for boots with good arch support and cushioning to absorb impact and reduce fatigue ³.
Durability:
- Quality Materials: Invest in boots made from durable materials that can withstand harsh conditions. High-quality leather or synthetic materials are often more durable ².
Safety Features:
- Toe Protection: Boots with reinforced toes can protect against impacts and sharp objects ³.
- Non-Slip Soles: Thick rubber soles with plenty of traction are essential for preventing slips and falls ³.

By considering these factors, you can choose the right footwear to keep you comfortable and safe during your fieldwork. Do you have a specific type of fieldwork in mind?

Waterproof hiking boots are a great option. In warm weather, non-waterproof hiking boots or trail running shoes are good options. Because these are breathable, they will keep your feet drier and cooler than waterproof boots

Funding Calls

RSNZ: Catalyst: Seeding (Round1)
Catalyst seeding fund aims to supports activities that initiate, develop and foster collaborations leveraging international science and innovation for New Zealand’s benefit. Notable eligibility changes for the 2025 funding opportunities: the Catalyst Fund investment plan (released in December 2024) identifies six priority research areas, which are: Quantum technology Health and biomedicine Biotechnologies Artificial Intelligence Antarctic research Space and Earth observations *Note that 75% of the awarded Catalyst: Seeding contracts will be expected to be made up of proposals that align with the priority research areas. The remaining 25% of awarded contracts can be in any field of research including social sciences and the humanities.
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
· Seeding General: up to $80,000 (excl. GST) in total for up to two years	12pm, Tuesday 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info). If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST. Funding Call Guidelines Website

RSNZ: Catalyst Leaders (Round 1)
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. 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 3 years. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Fellowships (up to 4 awards): Supports excellent New Zealand post-doctoral researchers to do research in Japan for 12-24 months. 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 08 April 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info). If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST. Funding Call Website Guidelines

Spencer Foundation–Vision Grant
This fund aims to fund the collaborative planning of innovative, methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary research on education that contributes to transforming education systems for equity.
Value/Duration:	Deadline:
Value: USD75,000 (circa NZD 120,000) Duration: up to a maximum duration of 12 months	Two-stage Submission deadlines: EXTERNAL DEADLINE for Intent to Apply: Thursday, February 11, 2025 (12 Noon CT) INTERNAL DEADLINE for Full Proposal: Monday, March 3, 2025 (12 Noon CT)
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website). If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST (Kelly or Sophie) Funding Call Guidelines/Website

Marsden 2025 Updates

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology announced that the Marsden fund will be changing ahead of the 2025 round. Along with the announcement of the changes, a new Investment Plan (2025-2027) and Terms of Reference have been released by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Due to the changes announced by the Minister, the Royal Society have advised that the Marsden 2025 round will be delayed. At this stage, no new timeline has been provided and we are unsure of the extent of the delay.

The most notable changes that have been announced are as follows:

The Marsden fund has been updated to “focus on core scientific research that helps lift economic growth and contributes to science with a purpose.”
The Humanities and Social Sciences panels will be disbanded and no longer supported.
The new Investment Plan focuses on supporting research that can be of economic, environmental or health benefit to New Zealand. The new Terms of Reference outline that approximately 50% of funds will go towards supporting proposals with economic benefits to New Zealand.

MBIE 2025 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 17 Research Programmes.
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
Total funding pool: $38 million Value: $0.5 million or more per year Duration: 3, 4 or 5 years	Registration: 12 noon, Monday 25 November 2024. Full Proposal: 12 noon, Monday 24 February 2025.
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info, templates): Funding Call Guidelines Website Registration Template Full Proposal Template *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*

New Horizon Europe Calls

In mid-April, the European Commission announced a new selection of funding calls covering the remainder of 2024. The funding call details here Horizon Europe Funding Call List on the Horizon Europe Support Materials page on ResearchHub.

New Zealand can participate in these calls on equal terms as our European counterparts. However, the targeted nature of most of these calls means that it is highly likely that it will be more appropriate for us to partner on these projects, joining European-led bids as a collaborator rather than developing a proposal as a lead.

Anybody exploring these opportunities should contact International.Research@Auckland.ac.nz to arrange a discussion and explore additional support available.

Publications | Articles

Ball, L. (2025) Gene technology bill fails to recognise Treaty partnership. Newsroom. 19 January
Barrett, J. (2025) Māori communities lead innovative ways of financing housing on ancestral lands. The Conversation. 5 February.
Shorrock, A.E., Strachan, L.J., Barnes, P.B., Bostock, H.C., Moore, G.F., McArthur, A.D., Gamboa, D., Woodhouse, A.D., Bell, R.E., Davidson, S.R., Maier, K.L., and Nodder, S.D. (2025) Coeval transverse and axial sediment delivery to the northern Hikurangi Trough during the late Quaternary, Basin Research, 37:e70019, 1-25.
Macnaughtan, M., Pecher, I, Strachan, L.J., (2025) Gas hydrates on New Zealand’s Chatham Rise. An indicator of Gondwanan thermogenic gas expulsion? Marine and Petroleum Geology, 173: 107226.

Categories: Uncategorised

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Issue 138 – Wednesday 5 February 2025

February 5, 2025 • asim086

HeadsUp

Welcome back to all! Ngā mihi o te Tau Hou! I trust the first weeks of 2025 have been good to you whether they have been mainly devoted to Annual Leave, research activities or teaching Summer School (or some combination). I have enjoyed encountering colleagues in meetings and along the corridors, catching up on grant-writing efforts as well as holiday adventures.

Now that its February its time for our boots to seriously grip the tracks. Our first staff meeting is 26 February (and please also mark your diaries for a welcome back to the teaching semester staff drinks on Monday 3^rd March, 4pm).

Steering Group has already met to confirm our budget for 2025. Nothing too austere this year but some ‘nip and tuck’ has been needed to bring requests into line with what we have been offered. Thanks to Michael Groom for assistance with this process.

Early enrolment data looks promising for the first offering of our new Stage 1 courses. Two have already crested 100 students. Thanks to all for the efforts already undertaken and yet to come in their Semester 1 launch. The Waipapa Taumata Rau course we are so heavily invested in has crested 1,000 enrolments. This is entirely new territory in purpose and scale. Again, big congrats to all involved. Sadly some of our existing courses continue to languish at the margins of viability. Hard calls may yet lie ahead.

In other news, for 2025 we welcome back Jan Lindsay from her AD(Research) role and congratulate Jenny Salmond who is stepping in for Vivien Kirk as Acting AD (Postgraduate) (till mid-year).

By way of reminder, and as you’ll know after all the publicity, PeopleSoft functions such as booking Leave remain unavailable until late this month when the sparkly new Hono system goes ‘live’. If you are taking or booking Leave before then or have taken any leave that wasn’t entered in the system, please email Patricia so that she can submit a service request to get it entered in the system. Once Hono is live we will not be able to backdate any leave you have taken. More generally, in a ‘back to the future’ move, we’ll return to use of a ‘Leave Planner’ sheet this year in an attempt to establish an ethic of Leave Responsibility in the School. I know many became tired of me talking about Annual Leave last year but as a School we are seriously negligent in this regard. I have been told by HR that 36% of staff have unacceptably high Annual Leave balances. Ahead of receipt of your planner, if you currently have more than 80 hours/2 weeks Leave owing, start considering when in 2025 you will take this time.

We can look ahead to the year with both confidence and uncertainty. The churn of change is never far away. I am therefore grateful to all who have already stepped up into new service roles, new teaching areas and, more generally, adopted a forward-looking School-wide perspective. This is no time to circle the disciplinary wagons or operate out of a position of self-interest. 2025 will be, in large part, as good as we make it.

See you all soon – Robin Kearns

Announcements & Seminars

HONO – Go live is now Monday 24 February 2025 | Hono Overview

Go live for all users: Monday 24 February 2025
First pay run in Hono: Wednesday 5 March 2025
Leave: if you are taking or booking leave before ‘Go live’ or have taken any leave that wasn’t entered in the system, please email Patricia so that she can submit a service request to get it entered in the system.
Training will continue for all staff as planned

John Morris Afternoon Tea event

Date: Wed 19th February 2025 | Time: 2-3pm | Venue: Level 6 break out space

Click here to read the brochure Laboratory_Product Portfolio_NZ_Jan2025

Disaster Prevention and Management Seminar Series

Communities

Public Event held at the Auckland Art Gallery on 18 January 2025

A panel discussion on the role of art in inspiring hope and environmental action – featuring four current or former students (Anna Wang, Joshua Wang, Inka Pledis, and Georgia Mae Pringle) we ran at Auckland art gallery on 18 January.

What are the connections between creativity, hope and climate change? That is what four young people came together to discuss as part of an event “Imagining tomorrow: Creativity, Climate and Hope” hosted by Toi O Tāmaki”. A panel consisting of current and recently graduated University of Auckland students, who work in environmental and climate scientific spaces, were led through a series of questions by Dr Meg Parsons, to inspire and provoke thought in the audience gathered at the gallery. Inka Pleiss, Anna Wang, Georgia Pringle and Joshua Wang shared each how they were inspired to get involved in climate and environmental work, and how they stay inspired and hopeful even when times may seem dire, including actively searching out good news while still staying up to date with the not so good, and finding ways that your skills can help in climate and activism spaces instead of trying to fit a prescribed activist mold. For some this may look like painting posters and for others it’s helping out a local community group manage their volunteer database. Climate and environmental action looks different for everyone and each different skill set is needed for collective action.

A key message from the day was also what scientists and artists can learn from each other. Where scientists have lots of passion and know how, they occasionally lack the communication skills that artists hold central to their work. However, scientists regularly employ creative thinking to solve problems or design projects that will answer those burning questions facing us. The group also agreed the power of laughter and levity was not to be overlooked when having discussions around climate and environmental issues and how comedy can provide the relief you may need to buckle up the shoes for another day of hard mahi. Meg also adeptly led the group through her own reflections and experiences to highlight how positive reinforcement and imagery that provokes hope is a stronger motivator for positive climate actions, and how this was reflected in the work of Olafur Eliasson whose exhibition was the inspiration for the event. Olafur explores themes and imagery relating to climate change and other moments through his life without berating the viewer. It asks the viewer to explore and think while still inviting the potential for hope, action and positive change, a message that the panelists agreed was one to carry forward.
Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey runs at Toi O Tāmaki – Auckland Art gallery until Sun 23 Mar 2025. Special thanks to Ellie Lim for helping curate the event.

Health Safety & Wellbeing

Field Gear

Choosing the right field-gear helps reducing the risks to you while undertaking field activities, we will explore different items you need to consider. Today is rain protection.

Waterproof vs rain jacket

In a rain jacket, although you will be fine in a drizzle, in a heavy downpour you need shelter. That’s not the case with a waterproof jacket, because it truly holds water outside from coming in contact with your skin.

Waterproof jacket:
Durable Water Repellent DWR Coating: Application, Cleaning & Care | REI Expert Advice
Impermeable membrane
Lining
Cinchable hood
Zipper pockets
Impermeable membrane
Seam sealed zipper
Rain Jacket:
No seam sealed zippers
DWR coating
Breathable
Nylon or Polyester

Funding

Funding Calls

Marsden Fund 2025
The Marsden Fund aims to invest in excellent, investigator-led research aimed at generating new knowledge, with long-term benefit to New Zealand. Three types of awards are offered: • Fast-Start: for emerging researchers to give an impetus to their careers by promoting them as sole Principal Investigators (PI) in their own research programme. • Standard: for established and emerging researchers. • Council Award: for projects that are interdisciplinary in nature, with larger teams.
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
All grants are for a maximum of three years and are GST exclusive. • Fast-Start: up to $120K p.a. • Standard: up to $220-$320K p.a. (varies by panel) • Council Award: up to $1M p.a.	12pm, Monday 17 February 2025
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website): · Funding Call · Website · Guidelines (Fast-Start, Standard) · Guidelines (Council) If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST (Kelly or Sophie)

Spencer Foundation–Vision Grant
This fund aims to fund the collaborative planning of innovative, methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary research on education that contributes to transforming education systems for equity.
Value/Duration:	Deadline:
· Value: USD75,000 (circa NZD 120,000) · Duration: up to a maximum duration of 12 months	Two-stage Submission deadlines: · EXTERNAL DEADLINE for Intent to Apply: Thursday, February 11, 2025 (12 Noon CT) · INTERNAL DEADLINE for Full Proposal: Monday, March 3, 2025 (12 Noon CT)
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website): · Funding Call · Guidelines/Website If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST (Kelly or Sophie)

Marsden 2025 Updates

The Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology announced that the Marsden fund will be changing ahead of the 2025 round. Along with the announcement of the changes, a new Investment Plan (2025-2027) and Terms of Reference have been released by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Due to the changes announced by the Minister, the Royal Society have advised that the Marsden 2025 round will be delayed. At this stage, no new timeline has been provided and we are unsure of the extent of the delay.

The most notable changes that have been announced are as follows:

The Marsden fund has been updated to “focus on core scientific research that helps lift economic growth and contributes to science with a purpose.”
The Humanities and Social Sciences panels will be disbanded and no longer supported.
The new Investment Plan focuses on supporting research that can be of economic, environmental or health benefit to New Zealand. The new Terms of Reference outline that approximately 50% of funds will go towards supporting proposals with economic benefits to New Zealand.

Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education: Large
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 compelling opportunities in education.
Value/Duration:	Deadline:
· Value: between USD125,000 and USD500,000 (circa NZD205,000 -NZD821,000), depending on the funding tier selected. · Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months	· External Deadline for Intent to Apply: 5pm, Thursday, 30 January 2025 · Internal Deadline for Full Stage: 5pm, Tuesday,14 January 2025

Spencer Foundation – Small Research Grants on Education
This fund is intended 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 compelling opportunities in education.
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
· Value: up to USD50,000 (circa NZD80,000 · Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months	12pm, Thursday, 28 November 2024
Further Information (funding call, guidelines website): · Funding Call · Website · Guidelines If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST.

MBIE 2025 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 17 Research Programmes.

Value/Duration:

Internal Deadline

· Total funding pool: $38 million

· Value: $0.5 million or more per year

· Duration: 3, 4 or 5 years

· Registration: 12 noon, Monday 25 November 2024.

· Full Proposal: 12 noon, Monday 24 February 2025.

Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info, templates):

· Funding Call

· Guidelines

· Website

· Registration Template

· Full Proposal Template

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

New Horizon Europe Calls

In mid-April, the European Commission announced a new selection of funding calls covering the remainder of 2024. The funding call details here Horizon Europe Funding Call List on the Horizon Europe Support Materials page on ResearchHub.

New Zealand can participate in these calls on equal terms as our European counterparts. However, the targeted nature of most of these calls means that it is highly likely that it will be more appropriate for us to partner on these projects, joining European-led bids as a collaborator rather than developing a proposal as a lead.

Anybody exploring these opportunities should contact International.Research@Auckland.ac.nz to arrange a discussion and explore additional support available.

Categories: Uncategorised

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Issue 119 – Wednesday 3 April 2024

April 3, 2024 • asim086

HeadsUp

I trust everyone had a good break over Easter. I did. It came early this year so in a way it felt indulgent to be enjoying an extended run of days to soon into the year.

Post-Easter, it does feel like we are seriously into autumn and a change in administrative season too. Moving from work on the A/P and above salary review process, and before the promotions round, I would like to begin ADPRs. To that end my fellow Head (of Psychology) Niki Harre offered me a set of notes to adapt for use in our School. She is new in the role and newness can bring a crispness of looking for a focus in processes that those of us clocking up the years can lose some sight of. So, given that all academic readers of p-cubed will need to have an ADPR interview, I copy in the document below and ask that you all read it and prepare accordingly. Performance reviews are intrinsic to most employment contexts and often come with a degree more formality that we insist on in the School. So please don’t procrastinate and help make one of the largest HoS jobs for the year a little easier by preparing well and early.

Also this week we welcome our new GISc lecturer Hyseop Shin who comes to us from Glasgow.

May your time with us be enjoyable and rewarding!

It’s a short week. That’s my excuse for a short(er) Heads-up! Have a good one.

Robin

ADPR information sheet – School of Environment

Academic Development and Performance reviews are conducted through submitting a form on Career Tools and a conversation with the Head of School or a delegate (the ‘reviewer’). Here is the information provided by the university.

ADPRs are automatically available for all permanent and fixed-term staff on contracts above 0.2FTE. They can be requested for staff on 0.2FTE or below.

You will have received an email in January saying your ADPR form for the current year is available and due on November 30. Please note that schools/departments are expected to set internal due dates. The stated November date is only meaningful in that your ADPR will disappear from your Career Tools page if you do not submit it by then.

Below is a summary of the necessary steps. There are two versions. One for those being reviewed by the HoS and one for those being reviewed by a delegate.

Those the HoS reviews:

Most lecturers, senior lecturers, associate professors and professors.

Those reviewed by delegates (Usually a Deputy Head of School – Tom or George)

Postdoctoral and research fellows
PTFs/senior tutors.

Any academic staff member is able to ask for their ADPR to be done by the HoS.

Steps for those being reviewed by the HoS

Schedule a meeting with the HoS via Patricia in the appropriate time range for your role and situation below (you may be pre-emptively contacted by Patricia our GSC to book a time)
Complete and submit your ADPR form. This should be done 24 – 48 hours in advance of your scheduled meeting.
After the meeting, the HoS will finalise his comments and submit the form; you will get an email saying this step is done.
Please review the HoS’s comments, make a comment of your own if you wish, sign and submit the form within one week of receipt.

Steps for those being reviewed by a delegate

Schedule a meeting with the delegate in the appropriate time range for your role and situation below. (you may be pre-emptively contacted by Patricia our GSC to book a time)
Complete and submit your ADPR form. This should be done several days in advance of your scheduled meeting.
The HoS will add your delegate as a ‘co-planner’ to your ADPR form. This can only be done once you have submitted it (which is why it is advisable to allow several days).
After the meeting, the delegate will finalise their comments and submit the ADPR at their end, you will get an email saying this is done. Please review the delegate’s comments, make a comment of your own if you wish, sign and submit the form within one week.
The HoS will then review yours and the delegate’s comments, make a comment and do the final submission. You will get an email saying this is done. Please make sure to read the HoS comment but you do not need to take further action.

If any at point during the process you or your delegate has concerns or questions, please contact the HoS.

If as HoS I have concerns or questions after reading the review, I will be in touch.

Due dates

Lecturers, senior lecturers, PTFs 1 – 3 who are seeking promotion

By 15 May. This is to help feed into preparation for the promotion round in August.

Lecturers, senior lecturers, PTFs 1 – 3, senior tutors NOT seeking promotion

By 30 August

Associate professors, professors and PTF4s

By 15 November

The information provided will be used to inform your salary review, which usually takes place in March. Hence in 2025 we will move to more ADPRs in this category being undertaken in January and February as in other Schools.

For those being reviewed by a delegate it may be possible to work to slightly different time frames but it is essential these are negotiated between the HoS and the delegate, as the HoS must always do the final review and sign-off, with a hard deadline of December 7 (this may differ slightly from year to year).

Objectives: this can be commenting on progress on established objectives or the proposing of new ones. Making them realistic and measurable is helpful. The Reviewer may suggest making additions to your objectives.

Key information requested in the Summary of Achievements section

In the Summary of Achievements section please provide the following details, along with a commentary on what you’ve been up to and anything else relevant to giving a fairly detailed picture of your activities and ‘performance’ since your last ADPR.

Lists or small paragraphs with clear sub-headings are fine.

Teaching

The courses you’ve taught in/coordinated, the number of lectures and other contributions you’ve made, your teaching SET evaluations and course SET evaluations (if you have been a major contributor to a course) and any innovations.
The number of graduate students you have and your role in their supervision.
Graduate student completions over the review period.
Relevant professional development.

Research

Published research outputs, conference talks, grants applied for and obtained, collaborations, research that is underway etc.

Service and Leadership

Roles and contributions to the school and university
Roles and contributions to your discipline – peer reviews, editorial boards, etc.
Contributions to the community – projects, consultation, talks, media etc.

The form allows for attachments. Please attach your current CV. This is essential for anyone applying for promotion. You may also wish to attach SET evaluations.

Outside professional activities

This section will often be blank but should be used for contracted work or professional advice etc similar.

Robin Kearns (with acknowledgements to Niki Harré)

28 March, 2024

Announcements

2025 CapEx Applications

Applications for the 2025 Capex are now officially open! This is a fantastic opportunity for us to invest in projects that will drive our success in the coming year.

The application window will be open until the end of the month: 30 April 2024. So, if you have any innovative ideas, replacements, upgrades or projects in mind that require funding, now is the time to submit your proposals.

To apply, please click on the following link: https://auckland.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_25hQ1V5faoV7dEq

If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out to Blair (b.sowman@auckland.ac.nz).

ENV-stories

I grew up in a very grand house on the lower slopes of the Grampians in urban Nelson. Ronaki is a large two-storey Edwardian Tudor style residence with big rooms, a central hallway (where our life-sized rocking horse lived), broad staircase, high stud, wood panelling, and beautiful stained-glass windows. And, when we lived there, a lack of sensible heating. An Aga kept the kitchen warm; an ancient night-store heater made the playroom tolerable, and provided you kept within four feet of the fireplace in the living room it was okay. Chilliness aside, it was a great place to be a child. There was a trampoline at the back, rope swings round the front, the grassy bank (for sliding) and plenty of places to play hide-and-seek. My parents threw amazing parties too when the house seemed to sparkle and shine.

At age 16, I researched the history of the property back to the first land-grant. I interviewed past owners and corresponded with descendants of others. I investigated style, design, and layout, drew decorative features, and identified elements indicating it needed staff or daily help (servants bells). I worked out how the house had changed since it was built and learnt that our Ronaki was version 2 (built 1907). The first Ronaki, a large wooden mansion, burnt down one night in dramatic fashion. I still have notes, letters, and various historic photographs from that project.

In the end, as happens, the house had to be sold. It is a small grief added to all the others accumulated in life, although the ‘new’ family has undertaken a restoration which is wonderful. Growing up at Ronaki, combined with my later experiences as a nanny in England and visits to the very big country houses of the extended family, sowed my interest in archaeology and historical geography. I’ve not made an academic career in buildings archaeology, having veered off into dendrochronology (which took me into some amazing buildings when I was training), but I still find many small joys in visiting and exploring such places.

Gretel

Whakawhanaungatanga – Communities

Faculty of Science Equity Seminar Series invitation

Please join us for the second of our continuing Equity seminar series: 9th April 2024 @ 11am

I wish we could all be Women of Colour!

The Co-chairs of the Women of Colour Staff Network talk about how the network started, what it has achieved in its first year of operation and the impact it has made to its members and the broader university community. What if we all had a safe space where we felt like we belonged?

For catering purposes, please RSVP Megan Waters megan.waters@auckland.ac.nz as soon as possible.

Sustainability Seminar – School of Environment

All ENV staff and students are invited to attend the Sustainability Seminar – School of Environment

Date/time: 11 April 2004, 9-30 a.m. -12:00

Room: 303-102- 38 Princes St – MLT2 Lecture Theatre

For catering purposes, an email invitation will come soon!

We hope to see you all there.

Luitgard Schwendenmann’s Inaugural Lecture

The Faculty of Science is pleased to invite you to Luitgard Schwendenmann’s Inaugural Lecture, on Thursday 11 April from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in PLT1 (303 G20).

Eventbrite URL for registrations: https://LuitgardSchwendenmann.eventbrite.co.nz

QGIS for Research Science

The Rangahau/Research Committee has organized a QGIS workshop.

Maike Gatzlaff and Jaxon Ingold will be delivering the course, which will run for 4 days, divided into two consecutive weeks:

1^st week: Tuesday: 16 April and Wednesday: 17 April

2^nd week: Monday: 22 April and Tuesday: 23 April

There are 4 sessions of two hours each (08:00 to 10:00 am).

It is open to postdoc, and also postgradute students (PhD). If you are interested, email me at joa.paredes.marino@auckland.ac.nz. Spots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

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 28^th 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.

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.

Introductory R Workshop

An introductory R Workshop is being run on Thursday 11^th and Friday 12^th 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 11^th and 12^th 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 3^rd January 2024 to Friday 29^th 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): · 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): · Funding Call · Website · Guidelines *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): · Funding Call · Website · Guidelines *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*

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.

Announcements

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.

· Improving Researcher Visibility Amongst International Partners:

Key Information

Dates: Tuesday, 23rd April

Time: 4:00 pm – 5.30 pm

Location: Online via Zoom Link

Audience: Open to UoA research staff

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/horizon-europe-improving-researcher-visibility-amongst-eu-partners-tickets-843992132187?aff=oddtdtcreator

· 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.

Key Information

Dates: Wednesday, 8th May

Time: 4:00pm – 5.30 pm

Location: Online via Zoom Link

Audience: Open to UoA research staff

Registration: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/horizon-europe-best-practice-in-collaborative-proposal-writing-tickets-843996013797?aff=oddtdtcreator

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Tauranga wife uses CPR training to save husband having heart attack – NZ Herald

Let that article be enough justification to understand how important is to know the basics of first aid training.

Personal and Professional development UoA

Academic life is underpinned by other set of skills that need or it is good to have, amongst this OD offers

First Aid, advanced and refresher

There are alternatives, for First Aid Certificate. to these by external sources that might fit your busy calendar, please seek advice on these options. Before booking double check that it 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

Other Providers

Red Cross
Saint Johns
Besafe
Meditrain
First Training (offers outdoors first aid course)
A1 first Aid

At OD you can also get training in the following:

Mental Health 101
Fire safety at work
Risk assessment
Health and Safety for Line Managers and Academic Leaders
Health and Safety Representative Training Sessions

If you want Saint John’s offers Online Mental Health Training

Remember near misses should also be reported in Damstra, not only injuries.

Publications | Articles

Dowell, A., Baker, T. and Lewis, N. (2024) Silver lining to Amazon’s stalled NZ cloud plan. Newsroom. 8 March.
Lewis, N. (2024) Stacking the odds at the consenting casino. Newsroom. 15 March.
Liu, W., Tadaki, M., Allen., K., & Salmond, J.A., (2024) Managing emerging environmental risks when we do not know enough about them: anticipatory risk management approaches for environmental planning (Environmental Science and Policy, 155 (2024) 103715)
Talbot, N., Patel., H., Costello, S.B., Davy, P., Salmond., J.A., Brook, M., Dirks, K., (2024) A mobile method for the screening of vehicle-induced airborne fibres from roads in high development residential areas (Atmospheric Pollution Research, 15, 2, February 2024, 102007).
Xuying, M., Morawska, L., Zou, B., Deng, J., Gao, J., Longley, I., Xiao, S., Guo, B., Wu, Y., Xu, T., Xu, X., Yang, X., Salmond, J.A. (2024) The Development of Land Use Regression Approaches for Modeling Spatiotemporal Variations of Ambient Air Pollution in the Last Decade: A Systematic Review (Environment International 183 (2024) 108430)
Kurniadi, A., Weller, E., Salmond, J.A., Aldrian, E., (2024) Future projections of extreme rainfall events in Indonesia (International Journal of Climatology,44, 160-18

Categories: Uncategorised

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Issue 106 – Monday 14 August 2023

August 14, 2023 • asim086

HeadsUp

A full-on time continues in the engine room of the School. First, My thanks to Murray, Sila, and Tom who joined me and representatives of FSC to interview candidates form the GISci lectureship (and to those of you who generously joined the online seminars). Working three evenings in a week till 10pm was a big ask! Second, discussions continue apace both in-School and up to the VC Heads’ Forum level around curriculum change. This is a time of transformation and there is insufficient sand into which anyone can stick their heads and avoid it! To see it all as an opportunity, we’ll be able to look back and reflect on having been part of an historic time of redirection at the University. Third, we have the specific task of the School’s annual planning process before us. My thanks to those who have responded with ideas and information as we work towards submission and discussion of it with FoS senior management later this month.

A few other matters:

Sad farewells

It was good to see such a turnout of current and former members of the School (and the Geography Dept before it) at the funeral for cartographer Igor Drecki and his wife Iwona. The sadness of the tragedy and farewell was, in some very small way, countered by the pleasure of seeing old friends and associates who knew and respected Igor.

There was also a memorial last Sunday on Waiheke for Carola Cullum who some of you will have known. Carola was a former postgrad in the School who more recently worked with particularly Gary Brierley as a Research Associate. Her dedication to field work in China and South Africa was matched by local commitment to pest eradication and the integrity of the Hauraki Gulf.

Wise use of hard-won resources

I’d like to kindly remind everyone about our collective commitment to optimising the use of equipment purchased through our Capital Expenditure (CapEx) budget. As we continue to invest in enhancing the School’s capabilities, it’s important that staff contribute to realising the full potential of these resources, be they lab spaces or items of equipment.

If you’ve indicated your intention to use any of the large items procured through CapEx during the application or business case process, I would see it as a duty to follow through on this commitment. Without such participation, we as a School cannot achieve the goals outlined in the CapEx submissions and business cases. When your name is associated with a project in these submissions, there is a reasonable assumption that you are actively engaged in bringing the proposed work to fruition in a timely manner.

As part of our strategy to maximize the value of our investments, we encourage you to consider directing work through our School’s facilities rather than sending work to external facilities. We should be using the resources we already have, rather than outsourcing projects externally. This not only enhances our internal capabilities but also reinforces our commitment to efficiently utilising the resources at our disposal.

Health and Safety

The University’s central HSW team is undertaking a survey concerning staff members’ understanding of their role in providing a safe place for work and study and how well health, safety and wellbeing is embedded into the University of Auckland’s culture. Named SafePlus, it is a programme developed by WorkSafe New Zealand, a government agency responsible for promoting and regulating workplace health and safety. It’s designed to help businesses improve their health and safety performance and provides a framework and assessment process to evaluate a company’s health and safety practices, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to enhance workplace safety. You will receive an email inviting participation in a survey. Please respond; we are all implicated in this area of concern and good practice.

Teaching

As the welcome break approaches, please become familiar with a new policy on assessment which applies to all staff members, and students in undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses. https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about-us/about-the-university/policy-hub/education-student-experience/assessment/assessment-coursework-tests-examinations-policy.html

RSL service cover

Meg has kindly agreed to fill in for Larry until the end of January for his Ethics Advisor and Academic Integrity roles.

And now for something completely different

Please support an evening of Whose Lecture is it Anyway? Wed 16tth, beginning with drinks in from of 303-G02. These are fun evenings of improv absurdity as lecturers ‘speak’ to others colleague’s slides. Do join the hilarity. You may witness untapped expertise in the school!

Upcoming staff meeting!

We have our third of four staff meetings for the year on Tuesday 29^th August, 11am-12noon, 302-140, followed by lunch. Agenda details soon.

Have a good week!

Robin Kearns, Head of School

General Announcements

Notice for Masters administration:

All new masters students doing a 90 or 120 pt thesis (code 794, 796, 799) starting in semester 2 must visit the link below to registrar their interest in supervision and provide a support letter from the proposed supervisor. This is how Faculty collects information for examinations.

At the start of each semester, direct your NEW students to this site before they start work.

Masters Expression of interest form 2023 https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/our-research/finding-your-supervisor.html

Phil Shane (DGA)

Student RA position for outreach activities at the School of Environment

The School of Environment (ENV) is looking for an energetic and creative student to work alongside ENV staff and postgraduate students to help organise outreach events on campus and school visits. The student should currently be at least in their 3rd year of an undergraduate degree or doing postgraduate studies, both at the School of Environment.

We are looking for someone to work (flexibly) 80-100 hours at a rate of $26/hour from now to the end of November.

If interested contact Mila Adam: l.adam@auckland.ac.nz

Applications close: 18th August, 2023

Report Writing in English – upcoming workshops for students in Science

Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries & Learning Services has upcoming sessions of the Report Writing in English workshop, designed with the needs of science students in mind. Sign up to learn how to structure and write a research report. They would be well suited for International students.

Tuesday 15 August, 4-5:30pm, Zoom

Wednesday 23 August, 10-11:30am, on campus

Tuesday 12 September, 2-3:30pm, Zoom

Learn more and register here.

Ngā mihi nui | Kind regards,

Suzanne (she/her)

Suzanne Acharya | Academic Engagement Advisor, Science and Engineering
Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries and Learning Services | www.library.auckland.ac.nz

Phone: +64 9 923 7537 | Ext: 88043 | Email: suzanne.acharya@auckland.ac.nz

Hiring – Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Technologist

I am excited to announce that we have commenced recruitment for a Technologist position in preparation for the imminent installation of ENVs new Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in around 17 weeks.

To apply, please visit our UoA External Job Page: https://smrtr.io/fLnjs

This role is responsible for providing operational and analytical expertise and support for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipment and specialised laboratory facilities managed by the School of Environment in order to support teaching and research activities.

Job Description

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity
This role is responsible for providing operational and analytical expertise and support for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipment and specialised laboratory facilities managed by the School of Environment in order to support teaching and research activities.

Skills and Knowledge

Able to operate specialised laboratory equipment, including the Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), according to documented protocols
Demonstrated experience and fundamental knowledge of microscopy and microanalysis, including but not limited to secondary electron imaging (SE), backscattered electron imaging (BSE) and panchromatic cathodoluminescence (CL).
A strong background in polarised light microscopy
Demonstrated experience in technique development of microanalysis using SEM
Previous experience with variable-pressure electron microscopy
Hands-on experience with sample preparation techniques, including thin sections, epoxy grain mounts, loose particles, and large samples, and knowledge of various sample holders

#hiring #development #environment #uoa #universityofauckland

Regards,

Blair Sowman
Technical Manager | School of Environment | The University of Auckland | DDI: (09) 373 7599 Ext. 84128

Accommodation – Visiting Researcher:

Dr Imogen Napper (https://www.imogen-napper.com/) is visiting us at the School of Environment in November this year- unfortunately OGH is out of action for the summer and UoA does not have any other facilities for visiting researchers. Imogen is a keen surfer, marine-pollution (microplastics) and global ocean action person! Does anyone have a room or apartment that they are considering letting out over November that could possibly host her?

Whakawhanaungatanga – Communities

ENV Coastal and Marine Geoscience Seminar

Date and time: Mon 14 August 2023, 12-1pm

Location: Ontology Lab (302.551) or Zoom (for zoom link or enquiries email: e.ryan@auckland.ac.nz

CHANGE ONE THING CHALLENGE – AKO Innovation Committee Grant 2023

Kia ora koutou

A quick reminder it’s not too late to apply!

Changing your teaching can seem daunting. Where to start? What should be prioritised?

The change one thing challenge encourages us to shift our practice one step at a time. This challenge acknowledges the possibilities and momentum that changing one aspect of our teaching offers.

The Ako Innovation Committee are encouraging staff who have changed one aspect of their teaching within the last two years to apply for this grant if you think it has enhanced student learning and you think that others would benefit from hearing more about.

Please see the more detailed guidelines and the application form is due August 14, noon.

Please contact Mel Wall if you have any questions.

Whose lecture is it anyway?

The Student Experience Committee has decided to revive the widely-acclaimed Whose lecture is it anyway? event that Joe created back in 2014. The last time our Kura organised one of these events was four years ago so time is due for a third iteration with a new exciting line-up of lecturers.

We look forward to seeing you all, academic and professional staff as well as students of all levels, on Wednesday 16 August at 6 pm in room 303-G02 – PLT2.

The event will be preceded by drinks and nibbles at 5:30 near the entrance of the theatre.

Geography Auckland (NZGS Auckland Branch)

Here is the Geography Auckland (NZGS Auckland Branch) August newsletter

Please note that the July cancelled Dialogues has been transferred to the August slot (with the hope that this time Mike’s flight to Auckland will not be cancelled):

What: ‘Proxy Geographers’ at work and the origins of the NZ Geographic Board

Who: Michael Roche

When: Tuesday 22 August – 4.00pm to 5.30pm

Where: Building 302, Room 551 (Ontology Lab), 23 Symonds Street

We hope to see you there.

Nga mihi nui,

June Logie

2023 Science Research Showcase

We are thrilled to invite all postgraduate research students at the Faculty of Science to participate in the 2023 Science Research Showcase. Our annual event provides an incredible platform for you to present your research through an academic poster and engage with a diverse audience, including staff and students at the University of Auckland.

The Science Research Showcase aims to celebrate and highlight the exceptional work of our postgraduate students. Whether you are exploring the mysteries of biology, unravelling the secrets of physics, delving into the wonders of chemistry, or breaking new grounds in technology, we want to hear about your research!

To participate, simply submit a digital academic poster and abstract by Friday 25 August 4 pm. We will arrange for your poster to be printed and displayed in the Science Foyer (ground level, building 302) as an exhibition between Monday 11 September and Friday 15 September. You will also get some excellent opportunities to engage in discussions, receive feedback and expand your network during the poster exhibition week.

Please visit the 2023 Science Research Showcase webpage for more information, including the registration link and valuable resources to help you make an engaging academic poster. Should you have any questions or require further information, please don’t hesitate to contact the Science Research Showcase Organising Committee at scienceengagement@auckand.ac.nz. We are here to support you through the entire process. We look forward to seeing your poster entry at the 2023 Science Research Showcase and celebrating your research!

1st Erionite & Mineral Fibres Symposium, Auckland

Date & Location: 28-29 August 2023 | 303.G16

This free in-person symposium funded by Royal Society Te Apārangi and MBIE and will take place on August 28-29 2023, in 303-G16. Morning and afternoon tea and lunch will be provided. Please register via this Eventbrite link if you plan on attending: Erionite and Mineral Fibers Symposium, 28-29 August | Eventbrite

Keynote speakers presenting in-person include Prof Alessandro Gualtieri (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) and Dr Martin Harper (NIOSH, USA). At this symposium, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the latest research and advancements related to erionite and other mineral fibers, and connect with renowned international experts in the field who will share their knowledge and insights through engaging presentations and discussions. Contact Martin Brook for further details.

Sign up and join the student association RTEA and the Compass programme

1/ Please do encourage your students to join our student association RTEA. Here are the RTEA Lecture Promotion Slides to show your students at your first few lecturers and encourage them to sign up. Students can sign up as a general member for free to participate in our events, or as a committee member to help out.

2/ The new roster of officers is planning exciting activities for this year and they welcome support and contribution from fellow students. To encourage students to join just use the QR codes for the Facebook page and a Google form to formally sign up: https://rtea.auckland.ac.nz/

3/ Do encourage your PG students to also join our Compass programme. Larissa and her team of captains have planned regular activities to foster students’ wellbeing throughout the year.

4/ The Student Experience Committee (SEC) offers a small budget to course coordinators who would like to order some kai to share with their class. Reach out to JC should you be interested.

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

Funds are available to support students writing up their thesis as publication(s). Each grant is worth $3000 (120 hours at 25$ all included). There is no deadline to apply. Applications are evaluated as they come by members of Rangahau (2 weeks turn over max.), until we use all the funds available.

Do you have a good candidate in mind? Please complete this form and submit to melanie.kah@auckland.ac.nz.

Rangahau – Research

New Research Group

Kia ora e te whānau

Are you interested in research in the natural resources space with a big focus on helping transform society to a low pollution and sustainable future? I’d like to help build a proactive group of students and staff in this space who come together to discuss research and contribute as critic and conscience of society. I’m imagining a group in which we may differ in our approach to the problem but where we are committed to doing our bit as geoscientists and social scientists for a liveable future.

If you’d like to participate in this group and help make it meaningful, please get in touch with JR (j.rowland@auckland.ac.nz) or Eduardo (eduardo.fritis.perez@auckland.ac.nz) – all students and staff from any field in the geosciences and social sciences welcome.

If you’ve already got something happening in this space and we aren’t involved, let us know so we can be 😉

Thanks JR

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

Announcement

MBIE Endeavour Support Sessions 2024

Support for the 2024 MBIE Endeavour round is currently underway. UniServices have organised a number of events to support your application, please refer to the Research Hub for further details and register at the links below:

· Government Insights Workshop with Rebecca Adams, Director of Government Relations at UniServices, scheduled on 17^th August at 9:30am to 12:00pm.

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/671721345627

· Expert Panel Sessions are an opportunity for applicants applying to MBIE Research Programmes to informally test their project ideas against the key requirements of the grant, with a panel of experts to guide their thinking (please see the details below).

Key Information

Dates: Monday 21^st August, 1pm – 4pm | Tuesday 22^nd August, 9am – 12pm | Friday 25^th August, 9am – 12pm.

Time: Each attendee will be given an hour time-slot during one of the above dates.

Location: Online via Zoom Link

Audience: Open to UoA research staff applying for the 2024 Endeavour Research Programme round.

Requirements: Attendees are required to provide their completed Slide Deck at least 1 week prior to their session.

Registration: To register for this event, please email aul.researchdevelopment@uoa.auckland.ac.nz.

Registration Webinar with Alison Slade, Former Principal Investment Manager at MBIE and former Endeavour Fund lead, scheduled on 11^th September August at 10:00am to 12:00pm. https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/695680768907?aff=oddtdtcreator

We anticipate that the round will open in October, however if you do intend to apply this year for either a Smart Idea or Research Programme please get in touch with Kelly Kilpin asap so we can keep you up to date with support offerings and changes for the 2024 round.

Please reach out if you have any questions: aul.researchdevelopment@uoa.auckland.ac.nz

Funding Call

2023 Research Development Fund (RDF)

The total amount to be allocated in the 2023 contestable round is approximately $1 million with spending split across 2024 and 2025. This will be distributed amongst the different award types listed below based on the excellence and justifications of submitted applications.

Value/Duration

Award type	Duration	Minimum and maximum funding available per application	~ Number of Awards
Research Fellowship Award	Up to 3 years	$100,000 – $200,000	3
Staff Research Award	Up to 2 years	$10,000 – $40,000	8
Aronui Pūtaiao Award	Up to 2 years	$10,000 – $40,000	2

Applications are due by 5.00pm, Tuesday 5 September 2023

· Full details including guidelines and the application form are available on the research page of the staff intranet

· For an overview of the Research Development Fund, visit the Research Hub RDF page

If you are interested, please also get in touch with your research programme coordinator.

Open Access Support Fund
This fund aims to support the payment of Open Access fees for researchers publishing high-impact research. This fund is intended to support the following priority cohorts to be published openly and immediately in high-impact journals: · Postgraduates · PhD candidates · Early career researchers (ECRs) · Indigenous researchers · Transdisciplinary researchers
Value/Duration:	Deadlines:
The Faculty of Science Research Committee has $125K to distribute in 2023 as part of this fund	This funding is available Q3-Q4 2023
· Details on eligibility criteria can be found on the Research Hub and the Faculty of Science. Research intranet. · To apply please complete the following open access fund Application Form. Please contact the FIRST team (Kelly or Alex or Sophie) for more information on how to apply for this funding.

The Prime Minister’s Science Prize
This Prize is for a transformative scientific advance, which has had a significant economic, health, social, political, cultural and/or environmental impact on New Zealand, or internationally. It will be awarded to a team or an individual instrumental in creating the impact. The transformative scientific advance may have occurred over any time-period and there must be a clear indication that the impact on New Zealand or internationally has taken place.
Value/Duration:	Deadlines:
· The total value of the Prize is $500,000. · $100,000 of this will go directly to the team or individual with no expectations. · $400,000 will be used to support ongoing research.	Internal Deadline: N/A External Deadline for applications: 5th of September 2023 (by 1pm)
More details about this process can be found here: The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes (pmscienceprizes.org.nz) If you are interested, please inform your FIRST team (Kelly or Sophie).

The Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize
The Prize is for an outstanding emerging scientist who has had their PhD conferred within the past eight (8) years.
Value/Duration:	Deadlines:
· The total value of the Prize is $200,000. · $50,000 is for the recipient and can be used with no conditions. · $150,000 must be used for the recipient’s ongoing research.	Internal Deadline: N/A External Deadline for applications: 5th of September 2023 (by 1pm)
More details about this process can be found here: The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes (pmscienceprizes.org.nz) If you are interested, please inform your FIRST team (Kelly or Sophie).

The Prime Minister’s Science Communication Prize
This Prize is for either a practising scientist who can demonstrate an interest, passion and aptitude for science communication and public engagement, or to a person who has developed expertise in public engagement or communication of complex scientific or technological information to the public.
Value/Duration:	Deadlines:
· The total value of the Prize is worth $75,000. · $55,000 of the Prize money is to be used to support the recipient to carry out a programme of activities/professional development to further their understanding of science communication. · $20,000 of the Prize money is available to the recipient with no expectations on its use.	Internal Deadline: N/A External Deadline for applications: 5th of September 2023 (by 1pm)
More details about this process can be found here: The Prime Minister’s Science Prizes (pmscienceprizes.org.nz) If you are interested, please inform your FIRST team (Kelly or Sophie).

Catalyst: Seeding (Round3)
Catalyst seeding 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: Strategic over time. Funding is for research exchanges, research activities, and expenses related to hosting workshops for new strategic research partnerships with international collaborators
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
· Seeding General: up to $80,000 (excl. GST) in total for up to two years · NZ – Japan Joint Research Projects: up to $30,000 (excl. GST) per annum for up to two years	5pm, Tuesday 10 October 2023
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info): · Funding Call · Guidelines · Website To register to apply, 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. If you are interested, please also get in touch with your research programme coordinator.

Catalyst: Leaders (Round3)
HOPE Meetings are held for excellent graduate students and young researchers selected from countries/areas around the Asia-Pacific and Africa region. These meetings give an opportunity for the participants to engage in interdisciplinary discussions with Nobel Laureates and other distinguished scientists pioneering the frontiers of knowledge.
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
Supports excellent PhD students and/or young researchers to attend the HOPE meetings with Nobel Laureates for 5 days including flights, accommodation, and meeting registration.	5pm, Tuesday 10 October 2023
Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info): · Funding Call · Guidelines · Website To register to apply, 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. If you are interested, please also get in touch with your research programme coordinator.

The Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund (TIF)
The Waipapa Taumata Rau (TIF) is a fund that encourages research staff from across the University to develop cross-faculty research partnerships, aspiring toward high-quality Transdisciplinary research outputs, research learning initiatives, and successful applications to external research funders.
Value/Duration:	Internal Deadline
Grants up to $60,000 · Small Grants ($10,000–$20,000) · Large Grants ($20,000–$60,000)	5pm, Monday 30 October 2023
To apply for this funding round, please: · Complete the revised application form found here (Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund) and email a copy to ORSI via internalawards@auckland.ac.nz by the internal deadline. · For the purpose of creating a record in the Research Funding Module (RFM), please nominate one PI to arrange for the application to be uploaded and submitted for faculty/LSRI sign-off by by the internal deadline. Application Form, Guidelines and FAQs can be accessed at the link below: Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund If you are interested, please also get in touch with your research programme coordinator.

Announcement

Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund Workshop

This workshop will facilitate new cross-faculty research collaborations and is designed for academic staff who are intending to pursue transdisciplinary research.

Key Information:

· Date: Monday, 4 September 2023

· Time: 8:30am – 3:00pm (lunch provided)

· Location: City Campus, Unleash Space, 20 Symonds Street

Registration is essential. It closes on 7 August 2023. Please register it via Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund Workshop Tickets, Mon 04/09/2023 at 8:30 am | Eventbrite

Health, Safety and Wellbeing

School of Environment Laboratory User Survey

You are invited to complete a short survey on your experiences of gaining access and working within our laboratories. This annual survey aims to identify what’s good, what’s missing and what can be improved. The feedback you provide will help us shape the future direction of the lab facilities and assist with purchasing the right equipment for each space.

Check your email for the invite (these were sent on Monday 7 August) or use this link: https://auckland.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4HIeYC1HpVDKfmm

Publications | Articles

Allington, M.L., Nilsson, A., Hill, M.J., Suttie, N., Daniil, D., Hjorth, I., Aulin, L., Augustinus, P.C., Shane, P. (2023) Constraining the eruption history of Rangitoto volcano, New Zealand, using palaeomagnetic data. Quaternary Geochronology 78, 101459 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quageo.2023.101459

“Incremental environmental change can be as hazardous as a sudden schock – managing these ‘slow-burning risks is vital” has been published on The Conversation

Here’s the link: https://theconversation.com/incremental-environmental-change-can-be-as-hazardous-as-a-sudden-shock-managing-these-slow-burning-risks-is-vital-207805

Categories: Uncategorised

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Issue 105 – Monday 31 July 2023

July 31, 2023 • asim086

HeadsUp

As employees of the University, we’re used to reading between the lines, but rarely are we colouring between them. At a recent School morning tea celebrating Matariki, we were doing just that (see below for proof). Many thanks to Debbie Larkins and her mum(!!) for home-made treats, and to the Equity Committee for sponsoring.

And thanks go to teaching staff, administrative staff and our many teaching assistants within the School for getting the semester under way. Do I sense that our students are slowly getting into the swing of on-campus life? It seems to be moving, pleasingly, in that direction.

– Tom (filling in for Robin while he’s on a short stint of leave)

And a short PS from a just returned Head of School

I had a great 1.5 weeks in Fiordland looking at glaciated landscapes from the sea and learning of pest control and bird relocation efforts on various islands in the past and present. Big thanks to Tom for ‘holding the fort’ as Acting HoS.

This week is a momentous one in the staffing of the School as we hold seminar and interviews for the GISci Lectureship we were granted upon Michael Martin’s departure.

Time zones and a shortlist of entirely UK/Europe-base candidates mean we need to engage with potential colleagues at times outside our usual working hours. Attending a seminar by Teams is ‘work’ and I cannot expect you to work evenings. Nonetheless, if family and other commitments permit, it would be superb if as many of you as possible joined by Teams to hear our candidates talk tonight Monday 31st, Wed 2^nd and Monday 7^th at 8pm. Patricia has sent out the links. I am open to hearing any feedback from staff to feed into the selection deliberations. Thanks!

Robin

General Announcements

School of Environment – Internal Seminar Series

A New Explosive Eruption History for the Tongan Volcanic Arc by Annahlise Hall (PhD Proposal)

Date and time: Tue, 1 Aug 2023 @ 1pm, 301-411

2023 Cumberland Lecture

Ownership in contemporary capitalism and why it matters – Professor Brett Christophers

Date and time: Tue, 1 Aug 2023; 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM; Building 303, SLT1/303-G01

The 2023 Cumberland lecture is scheduled for Tuesday August 1. It will be delivered by Brett Christophers, who after completing his PhD at Auckland has gone on to become one of Economic Geography’s most well-known international voices and a celebrated public intellectual. Brett is a professor in the Department of Human Geography and the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Sweden’s Uppsala University. An alumnus of the University of Auckland, Brett is the author of a series of hard-hitting book and a periodic commentator in some of the world’s more high-brow media outlets such as The Guardian. Brett’s research explores the question of ownership in contemporary capitalism and focuses steadfastly on why ownership matters.

Brett will be around the School for the week and will be giving a range of talks to students, public groups and officials in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch over the coming two weeks, as well as catching up with old friends. He is being hosted by the Policy, Economies, and Place research group (https://pep.blogs.auckland.ac.nz/)

Please register at (https://2023cumberlandannuallecture.eventbrite.co.nz) (abstract embedded).

Hiring – Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Technologist

I am excited to announce that we have commenced recruitment for a Technologist position in preparation for the imminent installation of ENVs new Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in around 17 weeks.

To apply, please visit our UoA External Job Page: https://smrtr.io/fLnjs

This role is responsible for providing operational and analytical expertise and support for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipment and specialised laboratory facilities managed by the School of Environment in order to support teaching and research activities.

Job Description

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity
This role is responsible for providing operational and analytical expertise and support for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipment and specialised laboratory facilities managed by the School of Environment in order to support teaching and research activities.

Skills and Knowledge

Able to operate specialised laboratory equipment, including the Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), according to documented protocols
Demonstrated experience and fundamental knowledge of microscopy and microanalysis, including but not limited to secondary electron imaging (SE), backscattered electron imaging (BSE) and panchromatic cathodoluminescence (CL).
A strong background in polarised light microscopy
Demonstrated experience in technique development of microanalysis using SEM
Previous experience with variable-pressure electron microscopy
Hands-on experience with sample preparation techniques, including thin sections, epoxy grain mounts, loose particles, and large samples, and knowledge of various sample holders

#hiring #development #environment #uoa #universityofauckland

Regards,

Blair Sowman
Technical Manager | School of Environment | The University of Auckland | DDI: (09) 373 7599 Ext. 84128

Whakawhanaungatanga – Communities

School of Environment – BBQ

Date & time: Fri 4 August 2023 @ 12pm | Location: Near the Volleyball Courts, behind OGH

Missing Maps University of Auckland event

“Come map for good (and free pizza) on Wednesday 9^th August @ 17.30, Level 6 breakout space

You and your laptop are all that is required.

Digital Teaching Skills Workshop – TAIAO Tutor Community of Practice

With the use of technology increasingly prevalent within the teaching and learning environment, becoming comfortable with how to utilise the various software and technology available is an important aspect of your teaching skillset.

The next tutor skills workshop will be focused around digital teaching skills, covering some of the software that you might use when teaching (e.g. Zoom, Mural, Mentimeter).

This is scheduled for Week 4: Friday August 11th from 10-11:30am. Morning tea will be provided.