Issue 157 – Tuesday 28th of October 2025
HeadsUp
I hope everyone had a great Labour Weekend and, in the spirit of this public holiday, you were able to take some time to relax amid the preoccupations of courses ending.
Congratulations
First off, very big congratulations. We have two new professors in the School! I am delighted to be able to share the superb news that Tom Baker and Melanie Kah have been promoted to Professor. This, as we know, is a very significant achievement and the peak promotion in any academic career. It reflects gravitas of scholarship, international recognition, commitment to excellent teaching and being of service to the School, Faculty, University and beyond. As Head of School I am very proud to see Tom and Melanie acknowledged by the university in this manner.
Thanks and farewell
After being member of the School for a number of years, Carolyn Lundquist is leaving for Central Queensland next month. Although on a 0.20 FTE contract as a Joint Graduate School appoint and mainly based at NIWA in Hamilton, Carolyn has been an enthusiastic presence among us, enthusiastically contributing to courses and offering fine supervision in her expert field of coastal science.
In the media
An excellent write-up of the Taranaki project led by Shane Cronin: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/scientists-researchers-economists-predict-serious-regional-impact-from-mt-taranaki-eruption/E5U2KLVPXVE23APDW6YP2JDNRQ/
Reminders
Now is a great time to get your Annual Leave balance under 100 hours by the end of January. Please do so before further reminders or having this done for you.
Also as the season of post-semester conferences and fieldwork opens up, please remember that all travel out of Auckland – regardless who is funding it – needs completion of FoS Travel Approval Form. Further, if the travel is not to a conference or meeting hosted somewhere that will have it own Health and Safety plan, completion of a Field Activity Plan is required.
A chance to celebrate and give thanks
Come along to a special morning tea this Wednesday 29th at the usual time of 1030am in the 6th floor common area to thank and farewell Carolyn and congratulate Tom and Melanie.
Have a great week! Robin Kearns
Announcements, Seminars & Events
The FoS Group Services Key Dates Calendar is now available on the new Faculty Staff Intranet!
Faculty of Science services – University of Auckland
This calendar provides a central reference point for the key Group Services tasks and deadlines. It will be updated each semester and whenever system changes or upgrades occur. The calendar helps staff plan ahead, coordinate tasks and includes the Teaching Weeks tab for quick reference.
We hope this will be a useful resource for all staff.
Ngā mihi
Faculty Group Services Team Leads
(Maria, Yogita & Anna)
An invitation for staff to feedback on the four new ENV 10X courses
The AKO Innovation Committee is undertaking a reflection on the four new stage one ENV courses. We have spoken to many of the staff involved in designing, building and teaching these courses, and have completed a survey of students who took these courses in 2025. Now we are keen to get feedback from staff, particularly those who haven’t had an opportunity to comment previously, or have done so from a specific (rather than general) perspective, for example, as someone teaching into ENV 100. The staff survey is intentionally broad to allow for perspectives that may not have come up previously and respondents can add as little or as much as they like. A link to the survey can be found below, it will remain open until the end of Friday, 14th November 2025.
Thank you, the AKO Innovation Committee.
https://auckland.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3pJhD4pcjQlpz4W
New Research Platform Booking and Billing Tool – Infinity X
Infinity X is now live and being used by three platforms: Auckland Genomics, the Te Kaihōpara research vessel, and the Biomedical Imaging Research Unit (BIRU). It will be rolled out across other platforms; Infinity X will fully replace iLab used by some platforms in Science by the end of 2025. Getting started: many existing users will have their details pre-loaded into the tool and will be contacted with setup instructions as each platform goes live. Visit Infinity X, the platform booking and billing tool, for training and support information. See Booking and billing project for information on the project.
Small research support requests $2000 or less
Do you have any small research-related activities or items that you need by the end of the year?
Rangahau Committee is accepting application for activities or items less than $2000. The money must be spent before the end of the year.
Please submit your requests to James (j.muirhead@auckland.ac.nz) by November 4 using this here.
Introduction to R Workshop
An introductory R Workshop is being run on Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th of October 2025. The course will be run by the Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) in the Department of Statistics. Please download the schedule here and registration form here.
What’s covered in the workshop?
Introduction
- Getting familiar with R
- Using R Studio and loading projects/scripts
- Basic functions using R
- Reading in Data Files (.csv, .xls/.xlsx)
- Introduction to R Objects. How R thinks (vectors, matrices, basic data formats)
Working with data(sets)
- Cleaning and subsetting
- Merging datasets and reformatting
- Grouping variables and summarising
R graphics
- Starting with plots in R (boxplots, histograms, bar graphs)
- Graphics in R with ggplot2 (customising plots)
Data analysis
- Introduction to performing t-tests, chi-square tests, ANOVA, and general linear models
The cost is $400 for UoA students and staff.
You can pay using your PRESS account, research grant, or other UoA account.
You can also opt to use a debit/credit card (however we will have to also add GST for this type of payment – please contact Joei Mudaliar j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz for further instructions).
The payment authorisation form for UoA participants paying from a UoA account is attached.
The cost for non-UoA attendees is $650 + GST. Please contact Joei Mudaliar (j.mudaliar@auckland.ac.nz) for payment instructions.
We will be sending out a pre-workshop information email the week prior to the course, however here are some of the details:
Location
We will be in room 302.190. Building 302 is on the corner of Symonds St and Wellesley St. The room we will be using is on level 1, room 160.
Time and schedule
The approximate schedule for both days is attached (since this is the schedule from our previous course, it may yet be altered very slightly).
We will start at 9am and finish at 5pm.
Morning and afternoon tea will be provided, and there are cafes nearby for lunch.
Computers
We will be using a Faculty of Science computer lab.
You are also welcome to use your own laptop. However, please make sure that you have downloaded R and RStudio onto your machine before the workshop (they are free to download).
We will also include some instructions on how to do this in our pre-workshop information email.
Access to computers and the internet
We will arrange access to the lab computers for all non-UoA participants.
We will also have a guest wireless password for non-UoA participants who are bringing their own laptops.
UoA staff and students will be able to access the FoS computers using their normal UoA upi and password.
The Future of Sustainability
Waipapa Taumata Rau has unlimited access to an upcoming virtual conference called The Future of Sustainability, put on by Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability. Sessions will be held over three days – Wed 5 to Fri 7 Nov.
I encourage you to have a look at the line up of sessions, and to register interest to receive more conference details. I have been to many of these conferences over the last decade, in person and online, and they create a wonderful sense of community for sustainability practitioners.
You can find out more at The Future of Sustainability
Register now
ENV – LEGO Masters (THIS EVENT STANDS CANCELLED)
Schedule
- 6 Nov. 2025
- Build time: 10 am to 3pm
- Voting and judging: 3 pm to 4pm
- Awarding ceremony with drinks and nibbles: 4pm onward
Venue
- Build time: in front of rooms 303-G15 and G16
- Judging: 303-G15 and G16
- Awarding ceremony: in front of rooms 303-G15 and G16
Teams
- One GEOG team
- One EARTHSCI team
- One ENVSCI team
- One GISCI team
- One TECH-PRO STAFF team
Each team is composed of a team leader and a build team. The team leader is in charge of recruiting at least two team members (1 staff and 1 student) but the team may also rely on shifts, that is, team members may change throughout the day as long as they always include one staff and one student. Duration of shifts is up to the team leader.
Process
Two days before the event, each team is allocated an object from which they have to develop their builds and must feature in their build. They have two days to think of/design their build and the story it shows.
On the day, each team is provided with a large base plate. All sorts of bricks and minifigures are available on a separate table sorted by colours.
Teams have 5 hours to build. After 5 hours all teams are invited to stop building. Builds are brought in the judging rooms where students and staff can look at them. Everyone present (except members of the build teams and team leaders) are invited to judge by dropping a single brick (for their favourite build) in a ballot/brick box. There are five of these boxes: one for each build/team.
Voting closes at 3:30 pm and ballots/bricks are tallied by members of SEC who announce the results by 4 pm when drinks and nibbles are served.
School of Environment Disciplinary Lectures
Please join us for a talk by Kristin Burmeister when she visits UoA next week. The talk on “Unlocking a Decade of Rockall Trough Transport Observations Using Moorings and Gliders” will be at the university but you can also connect via zoom. Details below.
Wednesday 29th October 11am
University of Auckland, Room 303-155
On zoom: https://auckland.zoom.us/j/7044250132
Unlocking a Decade of Rockall Trough Transport Observations Using Moorings and Gliders
Kristin Burmeister
Scottish Association of Marine Science
The Rockall Trough, located just off the continental shelf northwest of Scotland and Ireland, is a vital passageway for currents that shape Earth’s climate—carrying heat and salt toward the Nordic Seas and Arctic, and enabling exchanges between the open ocean and the European shelf. By merging ten years of Ellett Array mooring and glider data, we reconstruct its shelf-edge current in unprecedented detail and quantify changes in climate-relevant northward volume, heat, and freshwater transport.
For more information you can contact Melissa Bowen (m.bowen@auckland.ac.nz) or Kristin Burmeister (kristinburmeister@web.de).
We are hosting Shaun Presow from the EPA on 10 November. We will run several activities you may be interested in:
- Career Chat: 10:30-11:30 (302-140): Join us for some informal chat to discuss Shaun’s experience in NZ and Europe, Industry and regulatory bodies. Target: PG and early-career colleagues.
- Talk: 12:00-1:00 (302-140) about the role of the EPA in NZ (see calendar invitation). Everyone is welcome and there will be food afterwards!
- Chemical Map: 2:00-3:00 (302-140), Shawn has offered to talk in more detailed about the chemical map that the EPA has been developing over the last years. They are interested in engaging and evaluate opportunities to make the tool valuable for other stakeholders. Target: anyone with a general interest in chemicals/contaminants/pollution/maps.
Please contact melanie.kah@auckland.ac.nz if you have questions, suggestions, interest in meeting with Shaun individually.


PhD Supervisor Re-accreditation by 1 March 2026
In March 2026, which marks 5 years from the date all then-accredited supervisors were initially loaded into Wahapū, many ENV accredited doctoral supervisors will be due for re-accreditation.
Re-accreditation requires two parts.
Supervisors must complete:
- Doctoral Policy and Procedure Reaccreditation for Supervisors (DPPRS) before the deadline. This course takes 60-90 minutes and you can do it any time before 1 March. (ONLINE ONLY)
- Complete 4 other SGS accredited courses. There are a mixture of online and in person courses available for anyone who has yet to complete this requirement (MIX OF ONLINE & IN-PERSON).
Anyone who has not met these criteria (check your Wahapū profile, accreditation) will not be able to be added onto any new supervision teams until they have regained accreditation.
The most up-to-date list of events is always available in the the Supervision Hub, and are listed in the monthly Supervisor News newsletter, delivered by email to all accredited supervisors.
Here are a few:
- 6 November (In person) Developing doctoral candidates’ critical thinking: A practical guide – Workday
- 20 November (In person) Introduction to Research Supervision at UoA – Workday
- 20 November (Zoom) Responsible AI in research for supervisors – Workday
From the OUTREACH COMMITTEE:
Share Your Latest Academic and Career Achievements with Us!
Share your latest research, conference presentations, fieldwork, and career updates with us! Your achievements could be featured on the School of Environment’s social media to showcase the amazing work happening in our community. Fill out the survey and include photos, titles of papers or theses, and anything else you’d like to share!
https://forms.gle/QAEkcndygHNazXr2A

COMPASS Morning Tea
COMPASS PG is dedicated to creating a vibrant and supportive community for postgraduate students at all levels in the School of Environment. We host regular events designed to foster collaboration, networking, and a sense of community.
All staff and postgrad students are invited to come along, to participate or just to enjoy some home baked goods!
Geoscience Society of New Zealand Student Activity Support
Thanks to the bequest to the Geoscience Society of New Zealand by Jack Grant-Mackie, former faculty (and a Head of Department etc) of the University of Auckland Geology Department who specialised in paleontology and stratigraphy, there are funds to support student activities at branch level to the value of $500 in the coming year.
If you have a proposal about a student Geoscience trip or event (outside of our normal university activities) please contact GSNZ branch rep Jennifer Eccles j.eccles@auckland.ac.nz so we can get a short budget/proposal together. Student led initiatives particularly welcomed!
ECR Career Planning: Two-Part Workshop
Dates: Monday 10 November & Monday 17 November, 9:30am–12:30pm
Location: City Campus, 58 Symonds Street
Register your interest here
This two-part, in-person workshop is designed for early career researchers — including late-stage PhD candidates in their final year, postdocs and research fellows — who are at a transition point and actively exploring their next career steps, within or beyond academia.
The two sequential sessions provide a structured space in which participants can reflect, explore options, and plan their next steps. They are especially valuable for individuals considering a range of career possibilities.
EarthFest 2025 Call for Participants
EarthFest, Aotearoa New Zealand’s biggest STEM festival celebrating the Earth sciences, needs your help! If you’re in the geosciences space and keen to volunteer your time at this awesome event, please contact Jenny Stein at earthfest@gsnz.org.nz. Free lunch will be provided to all festival helpers.

Expedition GLACE-NS


Health, Safety & Wellbeing
Proactive safety culture is New Zealand’s best defence
By EMA Health and Safety Advisor Rebekah Stephens
The latest State of a Thriving Nation 2025 report delivers a sobering reminder that health and safety failures come at a massive cost.
In 2024, workplace injuries, fatalities and long-term illnesses cost New Zealand an estimated $5.4 billion, up from $4.9 billion the year before.
Fatalities accounted for over $1 billion of that total, while serious claims and illnesses added another $4.3 billion combined.
Although injury claims have declined, the time off per injury has doubled, which is a worrying trend. Read the full article here: https://ema.co.nz/proactive-safety-culture-is-new-zealands-best-defence/#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=e22e5256-309d-43e5-a4f6-ffd663d30000
Measles Outbreak
New Zealand is currently facing a growing measles outbreak, with health officials warning of potential community transmission. Here’s what you need to know:
🧬 Why It Matters
- Measles is highly contagious — up to 90% of non-immune individuals exposed will become infected.
- It can cause immune amnesia, erasing the body’s memory of past infections.
- Serious complications include pneumonia, hearing loss, brain inflammation, and in rare cases, fatal neurological disorders.
📍 Current Situation
- Confirmed Cases: Four recent cases have been reported — two in Manawatū, one in Nelson, and one in Auckland. Notably, three of these have no links to international travel, indicating local transmission.
- Exposure Sites: Students from four schools in Feilding may have been exposed via a school bus route on October 18. Families have been advised to monitor for symptoms and stay home if exposed.
- Hospital Alert: An infectious person spent over nine hours in Auckland City Hospital’s Emergency Department, prompting a public health alert.
⚠️ Health Risks
- Measles is extremely contagious — one person can infect up to 18 others.
- It can cause serious complications like pneumonia, hearing loss, brain inflammation, and in rare cases, fatal neurological disorders.
- The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area.
💉 Vaccination Concerns
- Vaccination rates are worryingly low in some areas. For example, only 69% of two-year-olds in the Manawatū district are fully vaccinated.
- Health officials are urging catch-up vaccinations, especially for children and those born after 1969 who may not have received both doses.
🧭 What You Should Do
- Check your vaccination status — especially if you were born after 1969.
- Monitor for symptoms: fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, followed by a rash.
- Avoid public places if you suspect exposure or symptoms. https://www.immune.org.nz/
Diabetes Action Month
This November, Diabetes New Zealand is calling attention to a growing health crisis: the increasing number of children and young people being diagnosed with diabetes. https://www.diabetesactionmonth.org.nz/

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month
This November, Gut Cancer Foundation is shining a light on pancreatic cancer, its risks, symptoms, and the importance of early detection. With a commitment to vital research, education, advocacy, and patient support, our mission is to improve and save the lives of all Kiwis affected by pancreatic cancer (which has the worst survival rate of any major cancer) https://www.gutcancer.org.nz/pancreatic-cancer-awareness-month/


Our cause areas
The Movember Institute of Men’s Health
Bringing together the world’s best minds in men’s health
Mental health and suicide prevention
Suicide is largely preventable. Here’s how we’re making a difference
Prostate cancer
Globally, ~10.8M men are living with or beyond prostate cancer. Here’s what we’re doing about it
Testicular cancer
Our approach to the world’s most common cancer among men aged 15-39 https://nz.movember.com/
Funding Calls
2026 Royal Society Te Apārangi: Marsden Fund Roadshow
The Royal Society is running a Marsden Fund 2026 roadshow at the University of Auckland. Representatives from the Royal Society will present an overview of the Marsden Fund and schemes, the timeline and assessment criteria, and share tips on how to write a strong application. There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the presentation.
Questions can be sent in advance to submissions@auckland.ac.nz, or submitted via the registration form. A calendar invitation will be sent out to all participants when the registration has been completed.
This event is open to UoA research staff who are planning on applying for the Marsden Fund 2026.
Key information:
- Date: Tuesday 4 November 2025
- Time: 12:30-13:30 pm
- Location: Arts & Education Building – 201, Room 342, 10 Symonds Street, Auckland City Campus.
Register via Eventbrite here. A calendar invitation will be sent out to all participants when the registration has been completed. A recording of the Roadshow will be available later on the funder’s website.
Please reach out to submissions@auckland.ac.nz if you have any questions and/or concerns.
Undergraduate–Postgraduate Pairing Scholarship – 7 scholarships remaining!
This $800 scholarship supports undergraduate students to gain hands-on research experience by shadowing a postgraduate student. Undergraduates will assist with tasks like literature reviews, data analysis, and mapping, while learning valuable research skills and contributing to real projects. If you have postgraduate students that would benefit from this opportunity, please submit a short application.
Applications should include a copy of the undergraduate student’s academic transcript and a short paragraph justifying the proposed project and pairing. This is a great opportunity for collaboration, skill-building, and mentoring across levels of study.
Please email Emma Ryan (e.ryan@auckland.ac.nz) for details or with ready applications.
From the Rangahau Committee co-chairs, Emma and James
Open Access Fund
A reminder about the Open access support fund for high-impact publications (research articles) within the Faculty of Science.
The distribution of funds will be based on a first-come, first-served basis through a Faculty Open Access (OA) working group. Funds will be allocated to cover OA fees for eligible researchers.
To find out more about Open Access publishing as well as Green Access publishing go to: https://research-hub.auckland.ac.nz/subhub/open-access
Please apply here.
| Global Research Engagement Fund (GREF) – Round 4 & 5 | |
| The Global Research Engagement Fund (GREF) is available to UoA researchers and professional research staff to foster the development of new and emerging research partnerships with international collaborators. | |
| Value/Duration: | Deadline |
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2025 Funding Rounds:
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| Further Information (funding call, guidelines website):
If you are interested, please get in touch with your FIRST. |
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| Horizon Europe, Pillar 2, Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society | Key topics
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Single-stage calls in cluster 3 have various closing dates in November 2025
GUIDELINES |
| Horizon Europe, Pillar 2, Cluster 4: Digital, Industry and Space | Key topics
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Deadline: Single-stage calls in cluster 4 have various closing dates in September/October 2025
GUIDELINES Cluster 4 – Work programme 2025
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| Horizon Europe, Pillar 2, Missions | For the Horizon Europe 2025–2027 funding period, there are five Missions under “Pillar 2: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness” of which New Zealand is an associated country enabling organizations to be a funded entity in consortium projects.
The 5 Missions are: 1. Adaptation to Climate Change |
All the 2025 calls for Missions have closing dates in September 2025 onwards
GUIDELINES WEBSITE
SUPPORT |
| Value: from NZD110,000 to NZD3,000,000 exclusive of the MBIE top-up
Duration: 3-4 years WEBSITE
SUPPORT ResearchHub Resources here If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST. |
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MBIE Horizon Europe Roadshow
New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) and EURAXESS Australia & New Zealand are organising a Horizon Europe roadshow with a series of information and networking events, to provide more information about the opportunities and empower New Zealand’s research community to engage with the programme.
The sessions will include:
- General information about how to participate in Horizon Europe
- In-depth practical information and guidance
- Presentations from some of New Zealand’s successful Horizon Europe recipients
- Thematic workshops with New Zealand’s National Contact Points
When: Monday 10 November, 1-4.30pm
Where: Auckland Business Chamber
For enquiries, please contact Rosie Boxall (Research Manager International) at international.research@auckland.ac.nz.
| HORIZON EUROPE
Introductory Guide: Applications for the Horizon Europe 2025 Work Programme are due in September/October. Dr Kelly Kilpin has joined the international team and created an Horizon Europe introduction guide for researchers. For more information, or if you have any questions about Horizon Europe funding opportunities, please email International.Research@auckland.ac.nz or visit the Horizon Europe Research Hub page |
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| Audience | Event/Opportunity | Details: |
| ALL | MBIE Horizon Europe Roadshow
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New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) and EURAXESS Australia & New Zealand are organising a Horizon Europe roadshow with a series of information and networking events, to provide more information about the opportunities and empower New Zealand’s research community to engage with the programme.
The sessions will include:
When: Monday 10 November, 1-4.30pm | Where: Auckland Business Chamber | Register to attend the Roadshow here |
| CLUSTER 5:
Climate, Energy & Mobility |
Advancing climate science: A Horizon Europe matchmaking event (Online) | A virtual matchmaking event for draft 2026 Cluster 5 calls (Climate, Energy and Mobility) under Horizon Europe. This event will bring together researchers and innovators across multiple time zones from Canada, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and New Zealand to forge new collaborations and share expertise in polar climate research.
This event focuses on a specific set of Horizon Europe calls (Cluster 5, Destination 1) from the draft 2026-2027 Work Programme:
These topics address critical knowledge gaps and aim to advance our understanding of a changing climate, with a particular focus on the high-latitude regions and their global impacts. If you would like to be sent a copy of the draft work programme, which details the scope of these calls, please contact us. Event registration will close on October 31. Register here Event Details: |
| ALL | TUM Global Visiting Professor Program
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The TUM Global Visiting Professor Program is designed to foster international collaboration by inviting distinguished professors from global institutions to engage in short-term teaching and research stays at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). These stays, ranging from one week to three months, aim to enrich TUM’s academic environment through joint research projects, proposal development for third-party funding, and research-oriented teaching in English. The program also supports sustainability-focused initiatives and interdisciplinary work, aligning with TUM’s Sustainable Futures Strategy 2030.
This scheme presents a positive opportunity for Horizon Europe collaborations, particularly in building and strengthening transnational research networks. By enabling visiting professors to initiate or deepen partnerships with TUM faculty. The emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and societal relevance aligns well with Horizon Europe’s mission-driven approach. Eligibility requirements include affiliation with an international higher education institution (titles such as Professor, Associate Professor, or Lecturer are accepted), and securing a TUM host (either a TUM Professor or Junior Fellow). The program offers up to €10,000 per project. Applications must include a CV, publication list, and a host statement, and are submitted via TUM’s online portal. Costs covered include travel, accommodation, and honoraria for public lectures Next deadline: January 31, 2026: Stay possible from April 1, 2026. Scheme link TU Munich and Horizon Europe: Researchers considering Horizon Europe opportunities are advised to consider using the leveraging the program when reflecting on the track record and profile that TU Munich has within Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe. Research interests in the following Clusters and areas are advised to consider this opportunity: Cluster 5 – Climate, Energy, and Mobility This cluster focuses on the green transition, including sustainable transport, clean energy systems, and climate resilience. Visiting professors with expertise in renewable energy technologies, urban mobility, or climate modelling could collaborate with TUM researchers to co-develop proposals addressing these challenges. Cluster 6 – Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment This cluster supports research on biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and circular bioeconomy. Professors specializing in agroecology, environmental systems, or biodiversity conservation could use their TUM visit to initiate joint research and teaching activities that feed into Horizon Europe proposals. |
| CLUSTER 5:
Climate, Energy & Mobility |
Calls (topics) closing soon | A number of Cluster 5 calls (topics) across multiple destinations will close January/February 2026
If you are contacted by European partners to participate in these calls, please contact the Research Funding Team and your local FIRST to register your participation. The relevant calls can be found on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal |
| ALL | Upcoming: “Horizon Europe 201 – Who, What, When, Why & How” | The Research Funding Team will be delivering a “Horizon Europe 201 – Who, What, When, Why and How” session.
This in person event will cover the expectations and practicalities of being part of a Horizon Europe consortia, both at the pre- and post-award stage. We will address some of the common myths regarding this funding scheme and present some strategies to allow researchers to navigate the process with confidence. Dates/Sessions and registration information will be circulated once confirmed. |
| Lloyd’s Register Foundation: Small grants scheme | |
The Small grants scheme will support organisations interested in advancing the Lloyd’s Register Foundation mission of engineering a safer world. They will support projects which can:
Projects or activities should demonstrate the potential to lead to future collaborations, clear knowledge exchange, or create/accelerate impact. |
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| Value/Duration: Up to GBP10,000 (approx. NZD23,000) for no more than 12 months. | Internal Deadline: 12pm, Friday 31 October 2025 |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST. |
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| Lloyd’s Register Foundation Maritime Connected Funding | |
| Lloyd’s Register Foundation Maritime Connected funding will support organisations in the maritime community to connect parts of the maritime system in relation to current or future safety challenges, with preference given to safety challenges relating to decarbonisation, digitalisation, the impacts of climate and safety at sea.
The proposall could include:
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| Value/Duration:
From £2,000 (approx. NZD4,500) to support activities such as meetings and convenings to build skills and knowledge |
Internal Deadline: A rolling outline until 27 January 2026 |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, registration info):
If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST. |
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2026 Royal Society Te Apārangi: Marsden Kick-off
The Session is designed to provide you with the essential information and insights to help you get started on your EOI and boost your chances of success.
- Overview of the Marsden Fund and its schemes. Dr Cherie Lacey (Research Impact Manager, Te Puna Tiketike | Research and Innovation Office, and former Marsden panellist) will share advice on articulating the potential impact of your research.
- Panel Q&A – Hear directly from past Marsden panellists and awardees (Fast-Start and Standard). They’ll discuss how EOIs are developed and assessed, and answer your questions with practical tips from their experience.
- Light refreshments and continued the conversation with colleagues and speakers.
AUDIENCE: UoA research staff applying for the 2026 Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden round, and research support staff (FIRST).
Key information:
- Date: Wed 29 October 2025
- Time: 10:00-12:30 pm
- Location: Arts & Education Building – 201, Room 440, 10 Symonds Street, Auckland City Campus.
Register via Eventbrite here. A calendar invitation will be sent out to all participants when the registration has been completed. Please note that only the presentation portion of this session will be recorded.
Please reach out to submissions@auckland.ac.nz if you have any questions and/or concerns.
Chinese University of Hong Kong’s (CUHK) Internationalisation Faculty Mobility Scheme – open for applications. |
| The CUHK Internationalisation Faculty Mobility Scheme supports researchers to visit CUHK (inbound) and/or host visits of CUHK faculty members (outbound).
The University of Auckland is one of CUHK’s priority partners, allowing researchers to access the scheme to initiate and to strengthen their collaboration with their CUHK peers via visits between January and December 2026. The scheme encourages the development of collaborative research projects primarily in four strategic research areas:
Applications are submitted by CUHK faculty members by Friday 31 October 2025. For inquiries, please contact international.research@auckland.ac.nz |
Faculty of Science Commercial Seed Funding |
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| The Faculty of Science announces our next funding round for the development of commercially-focused research and capability. The aim is to support early-stage work that will make a difference to the tech development pathway. A range of commercial R&D or skill development activities could be supported, including experiments to determine whether a particular idea is commercially feasible, development of initial proof-of-concept results for commercial funding applications, IP and Freedom to Operate searches, or market research. Researchers may also apply for this funding to support their personal development (commercial and entrepreneurial skills). | |
| Value/Duration: | Internal Deadline |
| Up to $10,000. Start early in 2026 and finish prior to December 2026. | 10th November 2025 |
| Further Information (funding call, guidelines, application form) can be found here.
Contact your Research Programme Coordinator (RPC) or FoS-researchadmin@auckland.ac.nz if you have any queries. |
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NZPA Industry Collaboration Funding 2025 |
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| The New Zealand Product Accelerator (NZPA) is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Industry Collaboration Funding. This funding supports early career researchers from New Zealand universities PROs and IRANZ member institutions to collaborate with industry on projects that address real business needs and deliver practical, commercial outcomes. Following last year’s success, where 10 projects were funded, we’re looking forward to another round of impactful research–industry partnerships. | |
| Value/Duration: | Deadline |
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Friday, 14th November 2025 |
| Interested researchers can download the application form and instructions and submit their completed applications here
For any queries, please contact nzpa@auckland.ac.nz If you are interested, please also get in touch with your FIRST. |
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2026 Zonta Science Award for young women scientists with PhD |
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| The Zonta Club of Wellington is calling for applications for the 2026 Zonta Science Award from young women scientists with a Ph.D. (usually within seven years of graduation). Applicants need to be New Zealand citizens or have New Zealand permanent residency and have excelled in the fields of pure or applied science (excluding clinical medicine that involves human subjects). | |
| Value: | Eligibility |
The Award recipient receives:
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Applicants must be a woman who is:
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| How to Apply
To apply for the Award, you should prepare an:
You can read detailed application instructions, download the application form, and submit your application online here. |
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Nominations open for the Universitas 21 Mid-Career Researcher Programme
Applications are invited from Mid-Career Researchers (MCRs) to participate in the U21 MCR Programme, which will take place online from 20 February to 19 March 2026. The University has four guaranteed places on this programme. U21’s definition of a MCR is someone “at the level of Senior Lecturer or Associate Professor (or equivalent)”. There is scope for us to be flexible with this definition.
The time commitment suggested for the programme is approximately two to five hours per week for four weeks. There will be one hour-long live session per week.
More details are available on U21’s website. The dates and times of the online sessions can be found here – the timing is suitable for a New Zealand time zone.
Interested researchers can apply by completing the application form along with a CV. Please contact internationalnetworks@auckland.ac.nz with any questions and for a copy of the application form.
Research to Start-up Bootcamp
Applications are now open for the Research to Start-up Bootcamp, a free, three-day programme designed for doctoral candidates and research-active staff at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
📅 Date: 17-19 February 2026
📍 Location: Unleash Space
🕒 Applications close: 1 December 2025
Over three action-packed days, you’ll:
- Explore how your research can make a tangible impact.
- Learn how to shape ideas into ventures, including intellectual property basics.
- Hear from researchers who have become founders.
- Build cross-disciplinary networks and practise pitching your work.
No start-up idea is required – just curiosity and a desire to make a difference. Individuals and teams are welcome.

































