Issue 85 – Monday 12th September 2022
HeadsUp
Spring is unfolding and the days are lengthening. After such a wet winter, that’s surely cause for celebration! Other reasons come to mind too….Here are a few:
- We have good reason to celebrate and heartily toast colleagues who have been successful in their MBIE bids:
Shane Cronin for his MBIE Research Program “Adapting to climate change through stronger geothermal enterprises” bid this year (ca. 6.5M over 5 years).
Mila Adam (and Mike Rowe) for her bid which is led by University of Canterbury colleagues: “Pūhiko Nukutū: a green hydrogen geostorage battery in Taranaki” (ca 2M over 5 years)
Giovanni Coco (and Mark Dickson) in a bid led through Victoria University of Wellington – “Our changing coast – Sea-level rise on Aotearoa’s dynamic margin.”
- Recently I attended a small graduation ceremony for Ramari Stewart, recipient of an Honorary DSc. Ramari received unusual this honour for dedication to mātauranga Māori research and, in particular, her work on aihe (dolphins) and tohorā (whales). The ceremony at the Fale Pasifika and powhiri/hakari at Piritahi marae on Waiheke were wonderful celebrations.
With Ramari Stewart, recent recipient of an Honorary DSc for her dedication to mātauranga Māori research and, in particular, her work on dolphins and whales. Ramari is the first indigenous woman to have a species named after her (Ramairi’s Beaked Whale).
- This week is Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and 50 years since Parliament was petitioned to make te Reo Māori an official language. Great progress can be celebrated, but we have a long way to go. Especially me, a very slow learner of languages! But I will be saying Kei te pēhea koe?
when I can this week. If you hear such a question from me or anyone else, do reply in kind with, for example, ‘kei te pai’ (fine/good) or ‘tino pai’ (really good). It is spring after all!
- On Wed 28 September from 7pm in the evening, many of our students will graduate. If you are staff member and haven’t already done so, please complete the registration form in the email you received from Tanisha Khan. Attending is the least we can do to celebrate the successes of our students and affirm the efforts of families.
- And, towards the end of the year, we need to have a long-overdue-person celebration. Please reserve the afternoon of Thursday 8 December in your diaries. More details soon!
So… lots to celebrate. I am sure there are many more reasons too. Please tell me if I’ve missed anything.
Have a great week
Robin Kearns, Head of School
General Announcements
Room 301-506 is now named Pūwhenua and dedicated to our Kura’s Māori and Moana postgraduate students.
The whakapapa of the name is:
- Pū – centre, origin, foundation, source,
- Whenua (Māori), Enua (Cook Is), Fonua (Tonga/ Niue), Fanua (Samoa), Fenua (Tahiti/ Tokelau), Honua (Hawaii) Vanua (Fiji) – Land
As a kaupapa, Pūwhenua acknowledges student connection to this whenua and to the island homelands throughout the Pacific, woven together by Te Moana nui a Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean). Pūwhenua is meant to provide a conducive wāhi for our students’ kaupapa. It is being designed to become a welcoming and heartful room for desk work as well as kōrero, hui, wānanga, talanoa and tālanga. It is also hoped that such safe wāhi will encourage more Māori and Moana students to join and lead our postgraduate cohorts.
Whakawhanaungatanga – Communities
Mānawa Mai Open Day
After two years of open day online it was truly refreshing to engage with prospective students in person during Mānawa Mai Open Day on campus. Thanks to all those who helped in the lead up to the event and on the day for your enthusiasm, energy, and the excellent advice provided.
Do you have a social media and/or outreach presence?
The Outreach Committee is compiling data on your outreach efforts and social media presence! Please take one minute to fill two questions in this form:
- Do you have a webpage where the target audience is the community, iwi and/or schools/kura? [please provide the http link]
- Are you active on social media? [please provide you twitter or facebook handle]
- Do you have a research webpage? [please provide the http link]
Development and application of novel methodologies for determining the spatial and temporal patterns of airborne erionite fibres in New Zealand – PhD Seminar by Wenxia (Wendy) Fan Tue 13 Sept 12pm
Erionite is a zeolite mineral that has been classed as a Group 1 carcinogen. Exposure to airborne erionite fibres has been associated with severe pleural diseases. Erionite has been found in the rocks in a number of locations throughout New Zealand. There is concern that erionite fibres from the rock and soil maybe disturbed by natural processes or anthropogenic activities and become airborne. Due to the low concentrations of fibres in the air and methodological challenges associated with distinguishing erionite fibres from other airborne contaminants very little is known about the rate at which fibres enter the air, or how long they remain in the atmosphere. This research aims to investigate the spatial and temporal variance of airborne erionite fibres using a set of novel and low-cost methodologies. The first step utilises the natural air elutriation process by sampling particles deposited on local plant surfaces to detect the spatial patterns of the deposition of erionite fibres around known sources of erionite. TEM and Raman spectroscopy will be employed for identification of erionite fibres. Once the likely presence of airborne erionite in an area has been confirmed, horizontal dust deposition samplers will be used to quantify temporal deposition rates. Studying the spatial distribution pattern and temporal aerosolization levels of erionite fibres is vital for assessing the risk to local populations and preventing inadvertent human exposure.
Mou me’a mai ke tau puke mo tauhi ke tu’uloa ‘etau mata’ikoloa ma’a e kaha’u ‘a e lea fakatonga. Pea ke tau kau hono Ma’alaali ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga.
We would like to invite you to join us to celebrate Tongan Language Week this Wednesday with morning tea in the 6th floor shared space from 10.30 to 11.30am.
There will be food of course, and a quiz with prizes.
We would love for you to pop in when you can and say, Mālō e lelei! (not Malo, because that means thanks in Tongan 🙂)
PhD Proposal Seminar, 15 Sep 2022, 9am
Jon Habito will present his PhD proposal titled “Evaluating the risks and benefits of selected nanoformulations to control fungal grapevine pathogens in New Zealand” on
Thursday 15th September 9:00am at Ontology Lab (302 – 5F)
This talk is also available via zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://auckland.zoom.us/j/97355398833?pwd=a25PbG9UbHprT2NxOEpwbVRzTnBqZz09
Passcode: 128493
ENV Outreach Committee pizza lunch!
You are invited to a pizza lunch for an update on the ENV Outreach Committee efforts and if you are passionate about outreach, we would like to ask for your small participation.
Location: L6 breakout space in building
Time/date: Thursday 15th 12-1pm
Development programmes for doctoral candidates
Applications for the 2022 Academic Career Advancement Programme and the Doctoral Entrepreneurial Leadership Programme are now open. If you know a doctoral candidate who would benefit from either of these programmes, please encourage them to apply.
Postgraduate Science Research Showcase
Hi Science Postgraduate Researchers (and supervisors if students aren’t reading this),
Registration for the 2022 Science Research Showcase closes on Friday 16 September at 4 pm. You still have some time to make an academic poster, so don’t miss the fantastic opportunity to expand your research profile, showcase your research to university staff and students, and win prizes worth up to $500!
Please make sure to submit your poster, together with your research description, through the online application form by Friday 16 September at 4 pm. Once registered, you will be invited to a Show & Tell event on Tuesday 27 September from 2 pm to 4 pm, where you will present your poster to all attendees and answer their questions.
By submitting your poster online, the Science Research Showcase Organising Committee will arrange for your poster to be printed for the exhibition week commencing on Monday 26 September.
Please refer to the Science Research Showcase webpage for more information. We look forward to seeing your poster and celebrating your research!
NZGS Auckland Branch newsletter for September
Here is the NZGS Auckland Branch newsletter for September, on page 2 you can find the poster for the dialogues on 20 September.
GSNZ Auckland Hochstetter Lecture(s) 2022 20th September
This years Hochstetter Lecture will be given by Professor Dave Prior (University of Otago) on “The shear zones that hold back the ice sheets”. This talk will be held 7.30 pm on Tuesday 20th September at the Auditorium at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the domain.
Please register at https://myaccount.aucklandmuseum.com/146192/146193?premove=Y&promo=GEOSCIENCE to RSVP. I registered as “Adult Special Promotion” with a guest checkout, a comment re GSNZ in the comment box and a selecting “pick up ticket in person” which seems to have gone through the museum system fine.
In addition Dave is giving a second lecture at noon on the 20th September “Quantitative microstructural analysis in Earth Sciences”. This will be held at the University of Auckland in the Owen G Glenn Business School Room 260-223.
Experiencing Marine Reserves – Opportunities for Student Involvement
Kia ora from Experiencing Marine Reserves! We are recruiting volunteers for EMR’s busy 2022/23 season and we would love to have you join us on awesome ocean adventures in te moana this summer! EMR runs a series of free snorkel and kayak days throughout Tāmaki Makaurau which we need volunteers for. As a volunteer, you can help us provide safe and supervised experiences for school and community groups and the public, enabling participants to experience our beautiful marine and freshwater environments first-hand.
Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community and have awesome ocean experiences! It is a fabulous way to gain CV skills, and we are always happy to provide references. We work with a number of local organisations, and volunteering is a great way to get involved in marine conservation education and get your foot in the door.
Join us at our volunteer training night on Wednesday 21st September to find out more about us and learn how to be a snorkel guide!
You can find out more about EMR and our events this summer at emr.org.nz or check us out on facebook. If you have any volunteering questions email Wednesday Davis at wednesday@emr.org.nz or DM us on social media
Professor Jennifer Salmond Inaugural Lecture
On September 22nd Professor Jennifer Salmond will examine the impact of this period of rapid change on the discipline of geography and explore her own
academic journey in this context, find details below, please register at Eventbrite https://jennifersalmond.eventbrite.co.nz
22 September 2022
5.30pm Refreshments
Building 303, Basement Foyer,
(303-B00L2), 38 Princes Street
6.30pm Lecture
Physics Lecture Theatre 1 (PLT1/303-G20),
Building 303, 38 Princes Street
The Application of Low Cost Open Source Water Clarity Sensor Networks to Understand Suspended Particulate Matter Heterogeneity – PhD Seminar by Ed Clayton Thu 22 Sept
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is a pervasive and persistent pollutant of freshwater systems. Transport tends to be variable both along the river and over time, though the majority of sediment mass is transported during low frequency high magnitude events. There is an established lack of detailed spatio temporal sensor data to capture these dynamics, with only sparse (i. monthly manual sampling informing broad scale models. Notably, local erosion reduction efforts suffer from a lack of in situ monitoring data to assess efficacy.
Water clarity is recognised as the definitive measure of riverine fine suspended sediment in national legislation in Aotearoa NZ and good site correlations with SPM have been demonstrated. The focus of this PhD research is the development of a low cost, open source water clarity sensor, which will be used to investigate spatial and temporal heterogeneity in catchment SPM generation. The sensor attributes and resulting data uncertainties are explored, and finally this work will look at how high resolution SPM data can help inform and validate national scale models of clarity and, in turn , national targets for river sediment load reduction
Coastal and Marine Geoscience Group Meeting/Seminar
The next Coastal-Marine Geoscience Group seminar will be held on Monday September 26th at 12:00 to 1:00 pm in the Ontology Lab (302-551) with talks from:
Mark Dickson (Associate Professor, ENV): “Preservation and destruction of marine terraces: are paleo-earthquakes well recorded in the landscape?”
Mark will summarize the emerging outputs from the Marsden project “Will it stay or will it go?” investigating the effect of coastal erosion on Holocene marine terraces that are useful for reconstructing past earthquakes. To assess the complicating factors of coastal erosion at two field sites (Kaikōura and Māhia), they undertook numerical modelling using a rock coast evolution model to propose a new conceptual model of marine terrace creation and destruction for soft-rock coasts.
Michael Macnaughtan (PhD Student, ENV): “Insights into methane gas and hydrate occurrence within Hikurangi Margin slope basins”
Michael presents a new model that explains how gaps in bottom simulating reflectors (BSR), commonly used identifier of gas hydrates presence in seismic data, represent previously undescribed modes of subsurface fluid redistribution in the Pegasus Basin. The developed model will help to better predict the presence of methane and potentially gas hydrate at under synclinal structures a localised scale in similar settings.
All welcome to attend – please email Emma Ryan at e.ryan@auckland.ac.nz if you wish to attend and don’t have the calendar invite already.
‘Let the Rivers Speak’ project team Workshop Summary
The University of Auckland recently hosted a workshop on how the Marsden-project ‘Let the Rivers Speak’ can contribute to the co-design and implementation of cost-effective sediment management programmes in Aotearoa.
The day started with a presentation by John Hutton and Tom Stephens on Auckland Council’s Kaipara Remediation Project to restore the health and mauri of the Kaipara moana. This gave an excellent example of farm and catchment sediment modelling procedures used to inform strategic practices and where they should be prioritised. Resultantly, discussion opened on the emerging interactions in strategic and practical co-development of river management with a strong emphasis on embracing mātauranga Māori. Elliot Stevens summarised his Masters thesis on river storytelling to inform catchment planning of the Waimatā in Gisborne. Megan Thomas introduced her PhD on the development and use of digital rivers and Kaaterine Kerekere on her PhD work on representations that embed wai ora. Members of the Waimatā Catchment Group from Gisborne were present and provided valuable context and insight on challenges community groups are facing. Gary Brierley introduced the idea of a Living Database to support coherent approaches to catchment management, integrating digital rivers with real-time monitoring and local knowledges.
UoA representatives of the Let the Rivers Speak team included Dr Gary Brierley, Dr Dan Hikuroa, Dr Billie Lythberg and Dame Anne Salmond.
Supporting student mental health and well-being: A useful toolbox
Duration 1 hour, 30 minutes
Details: An interactive discussion with Neuroscientist & Psychologist Dr Desiree Dickerson
I’m an academic, not a therapist. How do I support my students’ mental health and well-being?
Some group leaders operate on a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy with their group members and students when it comes to one’s life and its challenges. Some of you may have the sense that your people are struggling and simply not know how to approach them or the subject. In this interactive session you’ll develop a toolbox for navigating your students’ mental health and well-being.
This session will be particularly relevant for supervisors of graduate research students.
We will explore:
-How to ask the right questions.
-Why number of interactions matters
-Having a genuine open-door policy.
-Effective communication – laying the right foundation.
-The role of belonging, self-worth & capability and how to foster it.
Join this online discussion with Dr Desiree Dickerson to develop a useful toolbox for navigating your students’ mental health. We’ll cover asking the right questions, effective communication, and fostering self-worth within your candidates. 26 September. Pānui tonu | Read more
My thesis in 5 minutes video competition
A 5-minute video thesis competition that emphasises relationships between France and NZ. To enter the competition, you need to create a short video (between 3 and 5 minutes) explaining your research project and how it connects France and Aotearoa New Zealand. Closing date 14th of October 2022.
For more information: https://www.francenzst.org/what-we-do/5min/
ENV Masters students research seminars, 27 October 2022
Master research students will present 10-minute seminars summarizing their work on 27 October 2022, in room 302-140. This is an opportunity for them to present in person and get feedback from other students and staff. Thus, all are encouraged to attend. ENV coordinator: Phil Shane
Schedule:
| 17 October 2022 – 302-140 | ||
| Time | Chair: Luitgard Schwendenmann | |
| 9.00 | Kyle | Hamilton |
| 9.15 | Patrick | Hollands |
| 9.30 | Ngaio | Balfour |
| 9.45 | Declan | Fisher |
| 10.00 | James | Lear |
| 10.15 | Ann | McElvein |
| 10.30 | Jazmine | Burgess |
| 10.45 | Michael | Snowdon |
| LUNCH | ||
| Chair: Nick Lewis | ||
| 1.00 | Isla | Christensen |
| 1.15 | Miro | Hall-Jones |
| 1.45 | Mary | Hurley |
| 2.00 | Paul | Jang |
| 2.15 | Ruth | Soukoutou |
| 2.30 | Maya | Duckworth |
| 2.45 | Chao | Han |
| 3.00 | Rosalind | Holland |
| 3.15 | Grace | Joyce |
| 3.30 | Connor | Sharp |
| 3.45 | Daria | Solovynea |
| 4.00 | Bethany | Waller |
Honours Research Projects and sub-90 points Masters dissertations
Dear colleagues,
Thank you to everyone who supervised and/or examined Honours Research projects and sub-90-point Masters projects/dissertations in 2021. Your time and effort in supervising students and/or examining projects in what was a disrupted year, protracted by deadline extensions, is greatly appreciated. The 2021 cohort should now be all finished and moving onto new things.
In 2022, we have students completing Honours and MENVSCI 30-point research projects, and Bachelor of Advanced Science 60-point dissertations, with submissions in Semester 1 (Monday 27 June) and Semester 2 (Monday 14 November).
For your diary:
S2 Honours, MENVSCI and BAdvSci Oral Presentations – Wednesday 26 October. Time and venue to be confirmed.
These are on the same day as Masters presentations and every effort will be made to avoid clashes.
Finally, if you are supervising Honours/MENVSCI/BAdvSci students this year, please ensure their project is achievable within the one- or two-semester timeframe and that it can be completed under pandemic conditions. Please encourage your student(s) to meet the end-of-semester submission date too, even if Covid-19 extensions are again offered by the Faculty; it is helpful to the students, for getting grades back in time to go on to further study or work, and to those involved in the examination process if we can all stick to the schedule.
Kind regards
Gretel Boswijk, (Honours coordinator)
The next ENV Research Seminar Series is coming up! Please SAVE THE DATE in your calendars:
What: Please join us for the ENV Research Seminar Series where you will hear interesting research updates from three ENV staff members – Giovanni Coco, Mila Adam and Sam Trowsdale. More details will be provided closer to the time.
When: 27 October 2-3 pm, drinks and nibbles from 3-4pm
Where: Federation Room, Level 1, Old Government House, followed by drinks in the Members Lounge (ground floor)
Queries: Emma Ryan, e.ryan@auckland.ac.nz
School of Environment Research Awards 2022
Rangahau Committee are calling for nominations for the annual School of Environment Research Awards, which will be held on Thursday, November 3rd 11 – 1 pm (302-140). Please save the date in your calendar.
This year we have five ENV Research Award categories. Please nominate your colleagues using this Google Form https://forms.gle/wFBou1S5xykgfHcBA (the google form will only take a couple of minutes to complete!)
- Hiroki Ogawa School Citizenship Award
- Research Communication Award
- Early Carer Research Award
- Engagement with Indigenous Values and Knowledge Award
- Transdisciplinary Award
Deadline to nominate your candidates: 30 Sept 2022
We will be very pleased to receive your nominations and will be waiting for you to celebrate our Researchers.
Funding
Call for the 2nd round of contestable funds for ENV outreach activities
The ENV Outreach Committee has a 2nd call for contestable funds for School of Environment staff members (including research and teaching fellows) to support outreach projects. The project can be of any nature to promote SoE rangahau/research or the fun science in our majors to the community and schools. Activities could involve kura/schools, the public and whakawhanaungatanga. The funds can cover travel, materials, RA time, venue hire, etc. Initially the funds are capped at NZD 1000 per project, but if the call is undersubscribed, we can raise this limit.
To apply, please fill the application form and email it to Mila Adam (l.adam@auckland.ac.nz) by September 15th. Funds need to be used by the end of October 2022 but activities can be run after that time if funds have been used.
2022 Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE): applications now open (applications close 30 September 2022)
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 next round of the 2022 SAAFE Program are now open, for international travel in the period 1st January 2023 – 31st December 2023.
The Scholarship AINSE ANSTO French Embassies (SAAFE) Program is an exciting international exchange opportunity open to Early Career Researchers at the PhD and postdoctoral level. Up to $7,500 AUD is provided to each successful applicant towards supporting travel and/or 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 and innovation activities with Human Health, Environment and the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, and to initiate sustainable research networks and linkages 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 internship is required to take place between 1st January 2023 and 31st December 2023.
Applications close 30th September 2022.
For more information, including the application form and terms & conditions, please visit the SAAFE website or contact AINSE on +61 2 9717 3376 / enquiries@ainse.edu.au.
AINSE Postgraduate Orientation Week – Expressions of Interest now received from future scholarship applicants
(applications close 30 September 2022)
Coinciding with the international celebrations of Nuclear Science Week in the third week of October, the annual AINSE Postgraduate Orientation Week welcomes new postgraduate scholars in the AINSE PGRA, AINSE RSS, and ANSTO Future Now programs, and provides all postgraduate students with the opportunity to establish enduring networks with like-minded colleagues across Australia and New Zealand. This year’s O’Week event will run from 17th – 19th October 2022 as an online event via Zoom.
Alongside our new scholarship recipients, AINSE are now accepting Expressions of Interest directly from interested Honours and postgraduate students from AINSE-member institutions who are looking to apply for an AINSE postgraduate award in 2023.
These interested students can learn about the broad range of research supported by ANSTO’s landmark facilities, engage in a virtual tour of ANSTO, and participate in social activities as part of the worldwide Nuclear Science Week celebrations. On the morning of Wednesday 19th, the program will be differentiated and these interested students will attend a specialised workshop focused on the application process for 2023 AINSE scholarships.
Expressions of Interest close Friday 30th September.
Interested students should submit a short Expression of Interest Form directly to applications@ainse.edu.au, outlining their intent to apply for a 2023 AINSE scholarship.
For more information, please see our Postgraduate O’Week website.
6th AINSE Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship (WISE) School – Expressions of Interest now received
(applications close 30 September 2022).
(flyer attached and available online)
AINSE is now accepting Expressions of Interest directly from students for the 6th AINSE Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship (WISE) School, to be held Monday 28th November to Friday 2nd December 2022.
Expressions of Interest close Friday 30th September 2022.
This school is targeted at female students in STEM degrees who are about to complete their first year of full-time undergraduate study (or part-time equivalent).
A key component of the WISE School is an ongoing mentorship program in which students are allocated mentors from across site at ANSTO. AINSE will be coordinating mentor and student meetings in 2023 to provide additional networking and educational opportunities for the students.
The 2022 WISE School will run as a 5 day online event, with the possibility of a small number of students being invited to ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus for the final 2 days of the program (Thursday 1st – Friday 2nd December) if circumstances permit.
Interested students should submit a short Expression of Interest Form directly to applications@ainse.edu.au, and a brief letter to their AINSE Member Representative per the details in the form.
For more information, please see our WISE website.
The New Zealand Space Agency is excited to announce applications for the 2023 in-person internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California and the New Zealand Space Scholarship are open until 2 October.
Ever wondered what it would be like to collaborate with scientists and engineers responsible for exploring Mars or sending space craft to the far reaches of our solar system and beyond? Well – here’s your chance to find out!
For the first time in three years NASA JPL are offering students the opportunity to carry out in-person internships in 2023 and the New Zealand Space Agency is supporting students to undertake internships through the New Zealand Space Scholarship under the JPL Visiting Student Research Programme.
There are three positions available for students to undertake a 10 – 16 week internship at NASA JPL in California from February 2023. Each internship is supported by a scholarship which provides a stipend to cover air-fares, accommodation and other related internship costs. Interns partner with world-renowned scientists and engineers on NASA JPL research or a NASA JPL space mission exploring Earth, Mars, the outer solar system and worlds beyond.
To be eligible students must be studying a relevant topic (Engineering, Science, Technology or Maths) at a post-graduate level. Supporting information regarding the programme, eligibility criteria and application details is available on our website here – NASA internships and New Zealand Space Agency scholarships | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (mbie.govt.nz)
Applications for the Scholarship and related internship positions are open now and will be closing on October 2nd 2022.
ANSTO FutureNow and FutureNow [Plus] scholarships – applications are open (applications close 27 November 2022)
With the support of NSW Government, ANSTO offers FutureNow and FutureNow Plus scholarships to graduates or early career researchers working on industry-focused research projects that support developments in health, defence, aerospace engineering and nuclear technologies.
The FutureNow Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of the NSW government funding scheme as part of our ANSTO Innovation Precinct development. These scholarships are for graduate students or early career researchers working on industry-focused research projects aligned with ANSTO’s strategic objectives. The scholarships are open to Australian and New Zealand students.
Scholarship recipients will have access to the expertise and technology needed to facilitate cutting edge discoveries in advanced manufacturing, health, environment and the nuclear fuel cycle.
FutureNow [Plus] scholarships offer a stipend of up to $35,000 and more. FutureNow scholarships offer a $10,000 top-up stipend and more.
For further information, please visit:
FutureNow Scholarships | ANSTO
Funding for class meet and greets
The Student Experience Committee has limited funding available for class related activities. If you want to run a class event, online or otherwise (challenging given the current restrictions), and would benefit from some funds, please contact Joe (j.fagan@auckland.ac.nz). The Committee would prefer to fund several small events rather than one big one (but we are open to suggestions).
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
MBIE Endeavour 2023 Expert Panel Support Sessions
Initial Session Outline: November 8th (9am-12pm), 9th (1 to 4pm) and 10th (9am to 12pm). Please register for one Initial Session slot.
Registration is open until September 16, 2022, or until the nine available places are filled.
- This is an opportunity for applicants applying to MBIE Endeavour (mainly research programme) to informally test their project ideas against the key requirements of the grant, with a panel of experts to guide their thinking.
- Meeting with expert panellists who have years of experience and knowledge on certain areas. We have invited them individually according to each specific expertise that covers Research Programme framework:
- Panel sessions will be informal, and feedback will be verbal. Researchers and research teams are required to invite a member of their faculty research support team (FIRST) to attend these sessions.
- Participants will be asked to provide the following documents at the latest three days before their session date to confirm their participation. For the courtesy of PI’s privacy and confidentiality of the proposals, it is asked that FIRST local Support to send these documents directly to aul.researchdevelopment@uoa.auckland.ac.nz and Elham.alami-milani@auckland.ac.nz
- Completed Lean Canvas Template (see a sample file attached or contact your FIRST support for template)
- Original Proposal if applicable and funder’s Feedback (for re-bids from last year)
- List of project team who will be attending the Session (including FIRST support)
- Please Contact: aul.researchdevelopment@uoa.auckland.ac.nz if you have any questions.
- Calendar invites and a Zoom link specific to each session will be sent out once registration is processed.
Follow-up Session Outline
- January 23rd and 24th from 1 to 4pm and January 26th from 9am to 12pm.
- A follow up round of panel sessions for participants to meet with the MBIE panel of experts again and review the progress of their applications to check in about alignment with the fund, status of partnerships and framing of impact and responsiveness to Māori before submission.
- A registration link for the Follow-up Session will be sent by email at a later date.
MBIE 2023 Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund
- Strengthen capability, capacity, skills and networks between Māori and the science and innovation system, and
- Increase understanding of how research can contribute to the aspirations of Māori organisations and deliver benefit for Aotearoa.
Funding is available through two schemes, each in support of the Fund’s aims:
- Connect Scheme:Build new connections between Māori organisations and the science and innovation system
- Placement scheme:Enhance the development of an individual(s) through placement in a Partner organisation
Work programme term for both Connect and Placement schemes is up to 2 years.
- $150,000 (ex GST) – max funding per proposal for projects up to 1 year in length
- $250,000 (ex GST) – max funding per proposal between 1-2 years in length
Key Changes from last year:
- Co- funding is not a requirement for your project. However, if co-funding is provided (by either organisation), please tell us: Co-funding can be in the form of both cash and in-kind contributions. The organisation name, Whether the co-funding is cash or in-kind, The value per year (excluding GST).
Eligibility:
- Be made by a New Zealand based single legal entity that is a Māori organisation, Research organisation or individual researcher.
- Include both a Research organisation or individual researcher and a Māori organisation
- Be for activities that fit one of the two schemes,
- Not be for activities for the same purpose already funded by any government agency.
- Not include any full-time tertiary or school students.
- Address one or more Vision Mātauranga themes, and not solely address hauora/health.
- Be for activities the majority of which are to be undertaken in New Zealand, unless MBIE considers there are compelling reasons to consider the proposal.
- Not benefit a Russian state institution
- Be submitted via MBIE’s Investment Management System (IMS)
Internal Deadline: This year’s investment round opens 17 August 2022 and internal deadline is on Monday 12 noon, 3 October 2022.
For help developing your application, please contact your local support (FIRST) team. If you have any funder specific queries or require funder portal help, please contact the UniServices Funds Advisor Team.
Proposal support:
This scheme has been designated as a ‘High Value Bid‘ based on the close strategic alignment with University priorities. Additional proposal development support will be available, in the form of a webinar/Q&A session, assessment panel, and potential bid-writing support. Please register your interest (button above) in this funding scheme for further information.
MBIE IMS submission portal:
VMCF applications must be submitted via the MBIE IMS Portal
To access the Portal:
Returning applicants – log in using your existing log in details
New applicants – contact the Funds Advisor Team submissions@auckland.ac.nz as soon as possible to create your User Profile, and leave plenty of time to familiarise with the requirements of the portal.
Submission steps:
- Register your intent to apply (button above) to receive templates and updates for this fund
- Submit your completed VMCF Proposal for Quality Assurance in the MBIE
Portal by Monday 12 noon, 3 October 2022. - Create a record in the Research Funding Module (RFM) uploading all application documents and submit for faculty sign off by Monday 12 noon, 3 October 2022.
Please note: Applications are required to be received on or before the abovementioned Funds Advisor Team deadline to allow time for our Quality Assurance process and any associated rework/revision of the application by the Principal Investigator. Only Faculty approved applications can be submitted by the Funds Advisor Team to MBIE.
- Once your application is deemed fit for submission, the Funds Advisor Team
will submit the application on your behalf in time to meet the Funder’s
deadline.
Submission to the funder is conditional on approved RFM record in InfoEd
Guidelines and Links
- 2022 VMCF Call for Proposals document
- Vision Mātauranga policy document
- MBIE VMCF Investment Plan
- MBIE VMCF Website
2023 MBIE Endeavour Support Sessions
If you are thinking of applying for either a MBIE Smart Idea or Research Program this year, please get in touch with your RPC (Franca, Dianne or Kelly) to register your interest. The round will open in October, however there are a number of support initiatives underway across the Faculty and University, and we can talk you through these.
Details on the central support for MBIE Endeavour Fund 2023 is available on the Research Hub (including recordings of past events). The upcoming workshops (registration is required to get a ZOOM link):
MBIE Endeavour 2023 Registration (October, date TBC)
Thinking of applying to the MBIE Endeavour fund this year? Not sure if your application should be a Smart Idea or a Programme application? Not clear on what is required in the Registration (due 22 October for Smart Ideas and 30 November for Programmes). Wonder how the Registration affects what you write in your application? And what to do once you have registered to get your Concept (for Smart Ideas) or Application (for Programmes) moving forward? This webinar will give you a steer and help answer your questions.
MBIE Endeavour 2023 Smart Ideas Concepts (October, date TBC)
You’ve submitted your Smart Idea registration document and have just over a month to write your Concept. What is required in all those sections of the document? Where do you start and how do you make it all hang together? This webinar will talk through the sections of the Smart Idea Concept, explain how they relate to one another and identify some of the critical points for writing a good Concept document.
NZ – Japan Joint Research Projects: Funding for research exchanges, research activities, and expenses related to hosting meetings in collaboration with Japanese researchers
Value: Up to $30,000 (excl. GST) per annum for up to two years.
Guidelines and further info can be found here.
Internal Deadline for both funding schemes is: 5pm Tuesday 11 October 2022.
If you are interested, please get in touch with your RPC and we will pass on the details on how to register in the portal.
Catalyst Leaders (Round 3, July 2022)
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.
Grant Value: 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.
Guidelines and eligibility criteria can be found here. If you are interested, please get in touch with your RPC and we will pass on the details on how to register in the portal.
Internal Deadline: 5pm Tuesday 11 October 2022
Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund 2022 – Call for Proposals and Workshops (Internal Funds)
The purpose of the TIF is to cultivate cross-faculty and transdisciplinary collaborations and generate new projects that respond to the four priority areas identified within Taumata Teitei : sustainability, health and well-being, social justice, and innovating secure knowledge systems. The fund 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.
- Applications must include researchers from at least two Faculties / LSRIs, and evidence the transdisciplinary aspects of the research.
- Application Teams must be a diverse mix of early career researchers, as well as established researchers where possible.
- Applicants must be members of the academic staff, employed by the University of Auckland, and have an employment contract that specifies that they must undertake research.
- Staff members employed on fixed-term or part-time contracts are eligible to apply as a PI provided that:
– the duration remaining of their contract is sufficient to complete the project or initiative;
– their appointment is 0.5 FTE or greater.
Grant Value: Applicants may apply for small grants ($10,000–$20,000) or large grants ($20,000–$60,000)
Internal Deadline: 5pm, 14 November 2022
Enquiries should be directed to ORSI via internalawards@auckland.ac.nz.
Application Form, Guidelines and FAQs can be accessed via the Research Hub at the link: Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund. Please get in touch with your RPC if you intend to apply as we can help with the submission process.
Transdisciplinary Ideation Workshops – The University will deliver five 2-hour thematic Transdisciplinary Ideation Workshops on the 8th and 9th September, focused on Taumata Teitei’s four impact priorities: sustainability, health and well-being, social justice, and innovating secure knowledge systems. These will support staff to apply for a Small Grant ($10,000–$20,000) or Large Grant ($20,000–$60,000) from the Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund.
The Transdisciplinary Ideation Workshops will gather academic staff from across all Faculties and Large-Scale Research Institutes, attracting a diverse mix of attendees spanning early, mid to senior career researchers. The workshops are designed to cultivate cross-faculty, transdisciplinary collaborations and generate new project teams that respond to government priorities and major policy issues facing Aotearoa New Zealand. You will be encouraged to delve into problems, uncover innovative solutions, identify research projects and initiate new collaborative working partnerships. Each workshop will be hosted by facilitators who will be multidisciplinary and will include the Associate Deans Research.
To participate in these workshops and extend your collaborative networks, please register here: Transdisciplinary Ideation Workshops. It is not a requirement to attend the workshops to submit an application for funding, however, attendance is encouraged as an opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the University.
Applications for the Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund are due by November 14. Funding decisions will be announced in December 2022 for a 1st March 2023 start with an 18 month funding window. The Transdisciplinary Ideation Fund and Transdisciplinary Ideation Workshops have emerged from a collaboration between the Associate Deans Research, the Office of Research Strategy & Integrity and UniServices.
TE PŪNAHA HIHIKO VISION MATAURANGA CAPABILITY FUND (VMCF) 2023 – Scoping and Support on offer
UniServices and ORSI are planning a support programme for the upcoming MBIE 2023 Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund (VMCF). Applications will open mid- September and close mid-November (exact dates TBC by MBIE).
This fund invests in activities that strengthen capability, capacity, skills and networks between Māori organisations and the science and innovation system, to deliver benefit to Aotearoa.
For researchers who have previously been unsuccessful, or have well-formed relationships with Māori organisations, there is a more targeted package that takes a researcher-centric approach focused on providing support that researchers identify. This more targeted package is in addition to the webinars and application templates, and provides panel reviews of proposal, writing support, business development support, and funding for a facilitator or catering for Hui with established partners.
UniServices would like to identify potential interest – if this applies to you please get in touch with Kelly Kilpin asap.
Rangahau Committee Funding
The Rangahau Committee has a small amount of funds set aside ($5,000 total) 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.
MBIE 2023 Endeavour Fund: transforming New Zealand’s future
Funding is available through two investment mechanisms, each in support of the Fund’s aims: Smart Ideas and Research Programmes
Register to your interest by emailing submissions@auckland.ac.nz
For help developing your application, please contact your local support (FIRST) team. If you have any funder specific queries or require funder portal help, please contact the UniServices Funds Advisor Team on submissions@auckland.ac.nz.
Submission Process
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- RFM approval is not required at registration phase, however we recommend you discuss your intent to apply for this scheme, and general concept, with your relevant faculty representative as early as possible (eg HoD/ADR).
- Your Endeavour registration contains core information on your proposal that cannot be changed after registration
Submission portal
- Endeavour applications are submitted via the MBIE IMS Portal
- Returning applicants log in using your existing log in details
- New applicants contact the Funds Advisor Team submissions@auckland.ac.nzto create your User Profile.
Submission steps for Smart Ideas
The process includes phase one registration, phase two concept and lastly full proposal
Registrations:
- Notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme in order to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund.
- Submit registration in IMS for Quality Assurance (QA) by 12 noon, Friday 21 October 2022
- Once your registration has been submitted to MBIE on your behalf you can create and begin working on your Concept Proposal
Concepts:
- Submit your completed (final and compliant) Concept Proposal for QA in IMS by 12 noon, Monday 14 November 2022
- Create a record in the Research Funding Module (RFM/InfoEd) and submit for sign off 12 noon, Monday 14 November 2022
- Once checked, and any final revisions made, the Funds Advisor Team will submit to MBIE on your behalf by the funder deadline.
Applicants invited by MBIE to submit a full proposal will be advised of further steps.
Submission steps for Research Programmes
The process includes phase one registration, phase two full proposal
Registrations:
- Notify your FIRST (research support) of your intent to apply for this scheme in order to receive important information and updates in relation to this fund.
- Submit registration in IMS for Quality Assurance (QA) by 12 noon, Friday 25 November 2022
- Once your registration has been submitted to MBIE on your behalf you can create and begin working on your Full Proposal
Full proposals:
- Submit your completed (final and compliant) Full Proposal for QA in IMS by 12 noon, Monday 20 February 2023
- Create a record in the Research Funding Module (RFM/InfoEd) and submit for sign off by 12 noon, Monday 20 February 2023
- Once checked, and any final revisions made, the Funds Advisor Team will submit your Full Proposal to MBIE on your behalf by the funder deadline.
Please note: Applications are required to be received on or before the above mentioned Funds Advisor Team deadline to allow time for our Quality Assurance process and any associated rework/revision of the application by the Principal Investigator. Only Faculty approved applications can be submitted by the Funds Advisor Team to MBIE.
Submission to the funder is conditional on fully approved RFM record in InfoEd.
GUIDELINES (essential reading)
- 2023 Endeavour Fund Call for Proposals
- 2023 Endeavour Fund Gazette
- 2022-2024 Endeavour Fund Investment Plan
- MBIE Vision Mātauranga Policy
Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Health & Safety Tip
