P-cubed Newsletters

Contents HeadsUp I am constantly delighted by the readiness of members of the Environment team to pick up a paddle and help move the waka forward. This last week has been a good example as I have drafted the Annual Report and 2025 Plan required by the Faculty.  A Head...

Contents HeadsUp Happy Te Wiki o te Reo Māori! Spring is here. There’s startlingly white puawānanga (NZ clematis) blossom in the bush and kowhai trees dropping their gold petals. The kuaka (bar-tailed godwits) have returned from Alaska and soon the plaintive call of...

Contents HeadsUp Two Saturdays ago I witnessed a number of ‘under-sung’ heroes of our School in action. Over the course of a very full day of thousands of visitors to campus, I observed those who staffed Environment’s stand at Open Day engaging with prospective...

Contents HeadsUp Like the weather of late, it’s a turbulent time. A waiting until things are clearer, perhaps. We await the release of the University Advisory Group on the future of NZ universities. We await a new Dean’s tenure and understanding of her priorities for...

Contents HeadsUp It has been a fortnight of firsts in some unsettling ways. The hottest days ever (global average) was recorded on 22 July, with 21 and 23 July also exceeding the previous record. At the same time and unseasonally warm weather in Antarctica is driving...

Contents HeadsUp Well, Semester 2 has begun. That came on fast.  Thanks to everyone for making our roughly 47 Semester 2 courses happen.  It’s a changing-of-the-guard kind of semester. We welcome the pilot versions of some new courses (SCIGEN 102 Waipapa Taumata...

Contents HeadsUp Many will be having a welcome return to focusing on research during these weeks between semesters. I’ve found a few days to tidy up a collection of papers and, apropos this activity, an article about academic journals and publishing took my attention....

Contents HeadsUp Kia ora koutou ‘Tis the season of in-betweenness: marking exams, finalising grades, and attending examiners’ meetings for Semester 1, while making plans for Semester 2. Thanks to all the teaching and administrative staff involved in...

Contents HeadsUp Last week, I had the pleasure of Chairing postgraduate student presentations. I was immensely impressed with the standard of presentations, the fulsome attendance, the energy in the room and excellent questions. Our numbers at PG level may be down but...

Contents HeadsUp Last week, with the encouragement of Dean, I got away to write and think about research. My best writing time is when I’m alone, and my best thinking time while walking. How about you? We’re all a bit different. I have a Dutch colleague who writes...