Issue 116 – Monday 19 February 2024
HeadsUp
There was a quintessentially kiwi song that was popular in the 1970s by John Clake under his performing name of Fred Dagg. In a shamelessly local accent, he sang ‘we don’t know how lucky we are’. As we savour the last weeks of the best Auckland summer in years we are unrelentingly reminded in the media of the inhumane conditions of war elsewhere in the world and, closer to home, there is news of job threats and loss among fellow academics at other NZ universities. We are fortunate.
But we cannot be complacent. Yes, our enrolments could be worse, but seeing a core postgraduate course in our School that once filled a small lecture theatre now with a mere six students is a worry (to deploy kiwi understatement). Not so long ago we debated minima for courses to run. We may yet need to do so again but grasp the nettle this time. Or risk being told to do so from outside our School. And we also need to closely consider how we might more vigorously encourage students to take our courses. Where should the balance of our efforts lie: going to high schools, being more persuasive at engagement events, or communicating our course offerings to students between stages? Maybe all three. All this demands a commitment to the collective.
It seems to me it’s no coincidence that in these times the refreshed academic standards (which shape decisions around promotion and continuation) insert the word ‘citizenship’ before service. Perhaps taking on some service roles can be self-serving? To be a citizen means more. It suggests belonging, commitment and having a stake in a community. This is what is required of us as we grapple with the future of our School and direction of the university at large. Another publication or grant may or may not make a difference, but clear demonstrable commitment to the collective may well. Ultimately, we need to perform not just express our academic citizenship.
To that end, strategy is needed: at the personal and collective level. To be strategic is to identify longer-term aims the means of achieving them. This is a year to be strategic with personal career goals as well as aspirations for our School.
In practical terms, if you are thinking of applying for promotion this year, please familiarise yourself with the refreshed academic standards and let me know of you intend to apply if you haven’t already. The best applications are ones that get drafted early and are consulted on widely. I also expect to be away in the 2-3 weeks leading up to the submission deadline mid-year so early is best. (I’d rather not be writing a HoS statement of support from an airport!).
Finally, its great that so many of you took up the opportunity to come to Waiheke two Fridays ago. Consensus is that it was both relaxing and informative. Slowing down can be helpful in seeing ways forward. We can never see a reflection in a rippled pool. As one unsolicited email from a colleague read “plenty of plans were made for the year that benefited from the organic conversation! Where budgets allow I think it’d be a great initiative to continue if we could”.
Hopefully yes. But for now, we don’t know how lucky we are.
See most of you at the Staff meeting on 21st. The tradition of kai as an expression of community will continue.
Robin
Announcements
Congratulations Meg
Congratulations to Meg Parsons who has been awarded a UK-based Senior Fellowship in Higher Education. This is a significant accolade acknowledging Meg’s commitment to developing and delivering inclusive, critical and virtual pedagogies.
For Masters Supervisors: Enrolment in a 90 or 120 point thesis course by new students in semester 1
The Faculty collects information about the student supervisor and project title for the Examination process. If you have a NEW student starting a 90 or 120 point project in semester 1 (not taught courses), please advise them of the following:
As a student, once you have an agreement with your supervisor, go the link below and click on Environment. That will take you to a form to fill in. Be sure to upload a message from your supervisor stating that they are willing to supervise your project.
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/science/our-research/finding-your-supervisor.html
Phil Shane (DGA)
ENV Field Trip Budget Form
Find here the form for Semester 1 2024
Changes to Research Support
Alex Soudlenkova will be taking up a secondment position as a Senior RPC, supporting Biological Sciences – congratulations Alex! Although a loss to Environment, this is an awesome opportunity for Alex to grow her skill-set, and well deserved recognition of the work she has done not only supporting researchers in Environment, but also those in her previous Maths and Stats portfolios.
Alex’s last day supporting Environment will be 29 February. We are currently in the process of recruiting a back-fill for Alex, and I will provide a further update once this process is complete. In the interim, Sophie (sophie.yu@auckland.ac.nz) and I (kelly.kilpin@auckland.ac.nz) will be available for any research related queries you may have.
Whakawhanaungatanga – Communities
ENV BBQ
All students and staff in the School of Environment are welcome to come to a FREE BBQ lunch put on by the Student Experience Committee
Details in the poster. Could course coordinators please share with their classes in the first week of semester?
Student event: ALGA Young Professional Forum (12 March, 5-7, 302-140)
The Australasia Land & Groundwater Association is running an event in our building that should interest our students. Please register and/or help spread the word! Including speakers who have graduated from our Earth Science, Environmental Science and Environmental Management programmes relatively recently, the event will provide an open Forum for our current students to understand the job market better. It is only 10$ to attend for students. There will be food/drinks, presentations and plenty of opportunities to interact informally with young professionals.
More information and registration here:
https://landandgroundwater.com/event/auckland-event-alga-young-professionals-forum
Flyer with QR code (in case you would like to advertise in your classes and beyond!)
If you have any questions, please ask Melanie (melanie.kah@auckland.ac.nz)
Introductory R Workshop
An introductory R Workshop is being run on Thursday 11th and Friday 12th of April 2024. The course will be run by the Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) in the Department of Statistics.
What’s covered in the workshop?
Introduction
Getting familiar with R
Using R Studio and loading projects/scripts
Basic functions using R
Reading in Data Files (.csv, .xls/.xlsx)
Introduction to R Objects. How R thinks (vectors, matrices, basic data formats)
Working with data(sets)
Cleaning and subsetting
Merging datasets and reformatting
Grouping variables and summarising
R graphics
Starting with plots in R (boxplots, histograms, bar graphs)
Graphics in R with ggplot2 (customising plots)
Data analysis
Introduction to performing t-tests, chi-square tests, ANOVA, and general linear models
As per our previous introductory R workshops, the cost is $300 for UoA students and staff.
You can pay using your PRESS account, research grant, or other UoA account.
You can also opt to use a debit/credit card (however we will have to also add GST for this type of payment – please contact Joei Mudaliar j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz for further instructions).
The payment authorisation form for UoA participants paying from a UoA account is attached.
The cost for non-UoA attendees is $500 + GST. Please contact Joei Mudaliar (j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz) for payment instructions.
We will be sending out a pre-workshop information email the week prior to the course, however here are some of the details:
Location
We will be in room 302.190. Building 302 is on the corner of Symonds St and Wellesley St. The room we will be using is on level 1, room 190.
Time and schedule
The approximate schedule for both days is attached (since this is the schedule from our previous course, it may yet be altered very slightly).
We will start at 9am and finish at 5pm.
Morning and afternoon tea will be provided, and there are cafes nearby for lunch.
Computers
We will be using a Faculty of Science computer lab.
You are also welcome to use your own laptop. However, please make sure that you have downloaded R and RStudio onto your machine before the workshop (they are free to download).
We will also include some instructions on how to do this in our pre-workshop information email.
Access to computers and the internet
We will arrange access to the lab computers for all non-UoA participants.
We will also have a guest wireless password for non-UoA participants who are bringing their own laptops.
UoA staff and students will be able to access the FoS computers using their normal UoA upi and password.
I hope you can make it on the 11th and 12th April 2024, and we look forward to seeing you there.
Ngā mihi (Kind regards),
Joei Mudaliar | Kairuruku Ratonga ā-Rōpū (Group Services Coordinator)
Department of Statistics | Faculty of Science
The University of Auckland | Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau
Bean bag filling horror in 302-540, as ongoing equity renovations continue to go underway!
Thank you to the prowess of Sonia Fonua, Thomas Mules, Mackay Price and Megan Waters for helping fill four beanbags with 800 litres of bean bag filling. Tragically, not all 800 litres made it into the bags.
Thank you also to the PhD onlookers, John, Lisa, and Ren, who observed with shock and concern at the chaos ensuing in the room opposite to theirs.
Our deepest apologies to the cleaners for the mess (who were warned ahead of time).
These efforts are part of an ongoing transformation of three Masters hot-desk rooms, into postgraduate environment rooms of: 302-440 (Complete Silent Room), 302-540 (Quieter Room), 302-530 (Collaborative Room).
Ngā mihi,
Martin
Webmaster role
I am looking for a responsible someone who has the time and capability to manage a WordPress website at least until the end of 2024. This work is rather quiet for the majority of the year, but ramps up about July/August until mid December. Please contact Emma Sharp el.sharp@auckland.ac.nz if you’re interested in the opportunity and would like to discuss details.
The Scientia Trust Planet Earth Fund
The Scientia Trust Planet Earth Fund, proudly managed by Perpetual Guardian will be opening for funding applications from Wednesday 3rd January 2024 to Friday 29th April 2024.
This funding opportunity takes place once every 5 to 15 years.
We welcome applications from organisations and individuals for the purpose of:
- The study of earthquakes
- The study of bulk properties of the Earth
- The study of astronomical motions
- The study of the internal structure of the Earth
- The history of such studies.
Please feel welcome to share this opportunity with colleagues working in one or more of the above areas.
This funding round will be held on the Perpetual Guardian Funding Hub. You can find out more about this on our website here: https://www.perpetualguardian.co.nz/philanthropy/grant-seekers/grants-open-upcoming/
If you wish to be considered for funding you will need to register as a Perpetual Guardian Funding Hub user before you are able to submit an application.
You can register here: https://perpetualguardian.fluxx.io/user_sessions/new (look for the ‘Create an Account’ link).
Marian Cranwell Prize ($3,000)
The Prize will be awarded annually to the student who, in the opinion of the selection panel, completed the best thesis or dissertation focussing on the areas of environmental or ecological science, including the cultural history of environmental areas, in fulfilment of the requirements for a Masters or PhD degree. This is open to Students in School of Environment as well. If you have in mind any worthy nominees could you let me know as soon as convenient please and provide a note in support of your nomination.
Kind regards,
Barkha Bheda
Group Services Administrator
School of Biological Sciences: gsa.biologicalsciences@auckland.ac.nz
Exercise Sciences: gsa-exercise@auckland.ac.nz
School visits are happening!
‘Missing Maps’ with Tom Dowling at Mt Albert Grammar School, November 2023
Staff and post-grad students… Do you have a connection with an Auckland high school? Are you keen to visit in 2024 to talk with senior classes about what we offer at the SoE? The outreach committee has a presentation you can use/alter as you see fit, support as needed and merchandise to give away. (Post-grad students will receive a gift card to say thanks.) Interested? Contact Rachael Boswell (r.boswell@auckland.ac.nz) for help organising a visit.
FUNDS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH HAPORI MAORI
School of Environment has a small budget for enabling engagement with Maori, particularly through koha or contributions that may be needed to initiate research relationships. In disbursing that putea, priority is given to academic staff working on behalf of groups of staff or students, pre/consultation activities for ethics approval and collaborations that are not readily funded through other mechanisms. As it is desirable to utilise the budget before the end of the academic year, however, all well-reasoned proposals will be considered. If interested, email a brief, one paragraph description of a proposed activity and a budget for how funds will be utilised to Brad (b.coombes@auckland.ac.nz). Although there are no prescribed maxima or minima for these grants, the limited scope of the overall budget will likely preclude grants in excess of $1000. Applicants should also be mindful of UoA guidelines or policies for gifting and koha.
Post Graduate Wellbeing ….. where to go
If you are currently coordinating a PG course, could you please post the inforgraphic slide to your Canvas course page so students will know the resources that are available throughout the University.
3k writing grant available for students
These are currently on hold. Rangahau will reopen this fund for requests later in the year, please keep an eye on P-cubed for more details.
Rangahau – Research
Funding for Research Retreats
The Rangahau Committee has a small amount of funding set aside to sponsor Research retreats (e.g grant writing workshops, paper writing). This can be up to 2k per team, with a minimum 2 SoE participants.
If you have an idea that you would like considered, please submit a short paragraph explaining the intention and benefits of the retreat to katarzyna.sila-nowicka@auckland.ac.nz.
Proposal development support
The Rangahau Committee has a small fund set aside to help with proposal development (e.g. writing support, support to scope proposals etc). If you have an idea that fits within this scope please get in touch with Kelly Kilpin to discuss further.
Funding
Funding Calls
| Spencer Foundation – Research Grants on Education: Small | |
| This fund aims to support education research projects that will contribute to the improvement of education. The research concept is “field-initiated” with the grant designed to support rigorous, intellectually ambitious and technically sound research that is relevant to the most pressing questions and opportunities in education. | |
| Value/Duration: | Deadline: |
| · Value: up to USD50,000 (circa NZD80,000).
· Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months |
· Internal Deadline for Full Stage: Internal Deadline: 5pm, Monday, 22 April 2024. |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website):
If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (Kelly, Alex, or Sophie) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund. |
|
| L’Oréal Australia/NZ – UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowship | |
| This fund aims to provide support for women to continue their research and rise to leadership positions in their field of expertise. The Fellowships are targeted towards early career researchers, with five years or less post-doctoral experience (from the date, 3rd March, 2024). | |
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline: |
| · Value: NZD 25,000
· Duration: 12-months |
1pm, Friday 23 February 2024 |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund |
|
| RSNZ: Catalyst: Seeding (Round 1, January 2024) | |
| This fund aims to facilitates new small and medium pre-research strategic partnerships that cannot be supported through other means, and with a view to developing full collaborations that could be supported through Catalyst. | |
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline: |
| Up to NZ$80,000 (excl. GST) is available per proposal for projects lasting up to two years. | 12pm Tuesday 9 April 2024. |
| To get registered to the portal, please email the following information to the Funds Advisor Team via submissions@auckland.ac.nz :title (e.g. Dr, A/P, Professor), full name, email address, faculty and department. | |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund |
|
| RSNZ: Catalyst Leaders (Round 1, January 2024) | |
| This fund aims to supports incoming and outgoing targeted international fellowships for exceptional individuals that cannot be supported through other means. The following funding schemes are open in Round 1:
International Leader Fellowships (up to 3 awards): supports exceptional individuals from any country outside New Zealand to catalyse science and innovation capability and capacity development in New Zealand for a minimum of 4 weeks per year for up to 3 years. JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships (up to 4 awards): supports excellent post-doctoral researchers to do research in Japan for 12-24 months. Julius von Haast Fellowship Award (up to 1 award): supports an internationally recognised researcher from Germany to undertake research in New Zealand for a minimum of 4 weeks per year for up to 3 years. New Zealand – China Scientist Exchange Programme (up to 10 Awards): supports the development of research linkages with China by enabling New Zealand researchers to visit Chinese research organisations for 2-6 weeks. |
|
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline: |
| International Leader Fellowships: up to $50,000 per annum.
JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship: Flights, insurance and living allowance. Julius von Haast Fellowship Award: up to $50,000 per annum. New Zealand-China Scientist Exchange Programme: Flights, insurance and living allowance. |
12pm Tuesday 9 April 2024. |
| To get registered to the portal, please email the following information to the Funds Advisor Team via submissions@auckland.ac.nz :title (e.g. Dr, A/P, Professor), full name, email address, faculty and department. | |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund |
|
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.
| 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 NZD200,000 -NZD800,000), depending on the funding tier selected.
· Duration: up to a maximum duration of 60 months |
· External Deadline for Intent to Apply: 5pm, Wednesday 24 January 2024.
· Internal Deadline for Full Stage: 5pm, Tuesday 20 February 2024. |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website):
If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (Kelly, Alex, or Sophie) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund. |
|
| Marsden Fund 2024 | |
| 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. |
· Fast-Start and Standard EOIs: 9 am, Monday 12 February 2024
· Marsden Council FULL proposals: 9am, Monday 12 February 2024. |
| To get registered to the portal, please email the following information to the Funds Advisor Team via submissions@auckland.ac.nz : title, full name, email address, faculty, department and type of Marsden Grant (Standard, Fast-Start, Council)
*It is strongly recommended that the interested PIs contact the funds advisor team ASAP to get access to the funder’s webpage to start working on the draft. |
|
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, website):
· Website · Guidelines (Fast-Start, Standard) 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. |
|
| MBIE 2024 Endeavour Fund (Research Programmes) | |
| This fund aims to support ambitious, excellent and well-defined research ideas which have credible and high potential to positively transform New Zealand’s future in areas of future value, growth, or critical need.
For the 2024 investment round, the Science Board will aim to fund at least 19 Research Programmes proposals. |
|
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline |
| · Total funding pool: $39 million
· Value: $0.5 million or more per year · Duration: 3, 4 or 5 years |
· Registration: 12noon, Monday, 27 November 2023
· Full Proposal: 12 noon, Monday, 26 February 2024 |
| Pītau (MBIE’s New Portal) Launch
The 2024 Endeavour Fund round will be run through Pītau, which is replacing IMS. Invite codes for Pītau will be sent out to current users in IMS, during the week starting 6 November, using the email address attached to their IMS account. If you do not currently have an IMS account but, will be applying for the 2024 Endeavour Fund round, please contact the UniServices Funds Advisor Team at (submissions@auckland.ac.nz) or the research support team to get an account created in advance. |
|
| Further Information:
· Website If you are interested, please notify your FIRST (Kelly, Alex or Sophie) of your intent to apply for this scheme to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund. |
|
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Chemical Risk Management Protocol
The university approved the Chemical Risk Management Protocol last year, and its implementation is mandatory for all at the University of Auckland (UoA).
The protocol must be read, understood and implemented by all Laboratory Managers, PIs, students, technicians, visitors, co-locators, and contractors at the University who direct or participate in the use of chemicals, including but not limited to laboratories and workshops.
If you or your students work with chemicals, please take a moment to familiarise yourselves with it.
Here, you can find links to all the relevant documents that are part of the protocol:
The protocol covers areas such as:
– Responsibilities of the Chemical Owners.
– Responsibilities of HoDs.
– Laboratory supervision.
– Access for visitors and contractors.
– Hazard Plans and Verifications.
– Risk Assessments.
– Emergency Response.
– Chemical Waste.
– Purchasing of Chemicals.
– Storage, labelling, and segregation.
– Transportation of Chemicals and the use of Couriers.
– Training
– And many others.
If you have any questions, doubts or you require more information, please contact Natalia Abrego (n.abrego@auckland.ac.nz).
Publications | Articles
- Brook, M. (2024). Invited op-ed, 13 February. https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/02/13/the-building-act-is-preventing-full-hazard-zoning-improvements/
- Senechal, N. and Coco, G., 2024. On the role of hydrodynamic and morphologic variables on neural network prediction of shoreline dynamics. Geomorphology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109084
- Pitman, S.J., Coco, G., Hart, D.E. and Shulmeister, J., 2024. Observations of beach cusp morphodynamics on a composite beach. Geomorphology, 447, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2023.109026
The School of Environment postgraduate research symposium was held on 16th November.
Kia ora koutou,
Kia ora koutou,
For me, a pause has been part of the necessary establishment of a way forward for our Stage 1 curriculum deliberation. After a pause and reflection, a decision has been reached and the ‘1+1’ model presented at the last staff meeting will be pursued. This will involve the development or refresh of four stage one courses to be launched in 2025. Working groups were established and will be remobilised to animate course development so that details can be submitted for approval in the first quarter of next year.
Last week was graduation and, given the sparkling spring day, what a celebratory colourful occasion it was. How heartening that so many staff were on stage and so many of our students graduated. So many of our people were in the thick of it: Michael directing traffic on stage left, JR enthusiastically proclaiming student names…and earlier in our building I had some lovely meet-ups. Parents, partners…and PhD students are part of our scene for so long, then often move on to other endeavours with a long gap till graduation. It was like seeing old friends. Wonderful.
A postgraduate reception hosted by Te Tumu Herenga | Libraries and Learning Services
NASA astronaut Heidemarie Stefanshyn-Piper will give a short talk, answer questions and then there will be a screening of the documentary film, “Woman in Motion” featuring Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022 – Lieutenant Uhura from the original Star Trek television series) and her quest to diversity NASA’s astronaut corps.
Thanks to the help of wonderful volunteering staff and students we provided a great tour for Y10 students from Pukekohe Christian School. After a brisk tour to our labs they learned about their place with a lego set, swam to safety from a rip (VR) and learned how to identify one. They created 3D digital models of their friends and took a VR tour over Mt Taranaki as well as learned where our geothermal energy comes from and how we monitor volcanoes. It is possible such tours will be a way to share current research and cool topics from our school with highschools, but for that we will need our whole school to engage in outreach. Thank you very much to Giovanni, Anthony, Laura, Jaxon, Maike, Sila, Annahlise and Alisha for ENV for your time to be part of this!
Mālō e lelei, Welcome! 