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The University of Auckland News for Staff April 2019 TRIBUTE TO MOSQUE VICTIMS • Vice-Chancellor’s special message • Poem by Selina Tusitala Marsh • The challenge ahead ■ PAGE 5 INSIDE Gut Plane Jolly instinct passion good fellow PM’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Lech Janczewski: cyber security and an Top honour for art historian Erin Griffey Peng Du: getting a buzz out of the stomach enduring childhood hobby Page 7 Page 9 Page 5 REFLECTIONS THIS ISSUE Mosque attacks: reflections 2, 3 – The challenge ahead – poem by Selina Tusitala Marsh Uni News 4, 6 Erin Duffey: in the fellowship 5 Peng Du: scientist honoured 7 Research 8 Lech Janczewski: My Story 9 Art & Culture 10 – Library, 50 years on – Samoa poetry exchange – Gus Fisher Gallery reopens From the anger. One of our new staff members commented to Classifieds 11 me that we “seemed to have a good plan for dealing Vice-Chancellor with this”. It’s true that we did have a plan, but we Māramatanga: Melenaite also had a large number of staff and students who Taumoefolau 12 The unparalleled act of terror that led to so just got on and did the right thing. I am grateful to all many men, women and children losing their those who worked so hard to support other students lives in Christchurch on 15 March will haunt and staff. Having met with some of the leaders of our Main cover image by Godfrey Boehnke. New Zealanders for a long time. Muslim community, I am aware that they too were It is difficult – perhaps impossible – to very grateful for the care and aroha extended to understand what leads people to take such ghastly them from across the University. EDITOR: Denise Montgomery actions, particularly in a country such as New Over the coming weeks there will be, as there [email protected] Zealand where peace and tolerance are not only have already been, many events to acknowledge PHOTOGRAPHY: Godfrey Boehnke, Billy Wong, Richard Ng the norm but values to which we aspire. this tragedy and those who suffered, to reject DESIGN: Ashley Marshall All of us in the University join in expressing our the mindless hatred that led to such violence, PRODUCTION: The University of Auckland sympathy for the victims and their families, our and to reaffirm our commitment as members of solidarity with New Zealand’s Muslim communities a community that sees tolerance and respect as Volume 49 / Issue 2/ April 2019 and our concern for those who are also members among its most important values. But even after of our University family. Several of our staff and this horrific event, we had young Muslim women in Published by: The University of Auckland students were among those who had family the city abused for wearing their traditional dress, Communications Office members killed or injured. and threatening graffiti daubed on a wall at the Alfred Nathan House, 24 Princes Street As the events unfolded that day, and over the Newmarket Campus. Clearly we still have work to Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 days that followed, many staff and student leaders do to create the kind of tolerant and welcoming in the University reacted quickly to ensure our society to which most of us aspire. auckland.ac.nz/universitynews people were kept abreast of developments, that It is work to which we in the University, and as they felt as safe and protected as possible, and that members of the wider New Zealand community, they had professional support as they dealt with must all recommit ourselves in the wake of this the resulting bewilderment, grief and sometimes tragic event. – Professor Stuart McCutcheon ZERO tolerance for discrimination ✕ He wāhi whakatoihara kore www.equity.auckland.ac.nz/zerotolerance Top: Muslim prayer service inside the Rec Centre on 22 March. Outside, students and staff took part in a vigil. 2 UNINEWS REFLECTIONS THE CHALLENGE AHEAD Christchurch Mosque Shootings Professor Sally Merry, Head diverse society. Are we really of Department, Psychological listening closely to our colleagues A poem by Associate Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh Medicine, School of Medicine, and friends who come from diverse considers the long-term impact communities? Are there appropriate Poet, how are you to write? Its relentless embrace of the terror attacks. support services in place to meet How are you, on our darkest day Surrounding us from All of us have been left with a their needs and aspirations? To find and offer light? All parts heavy heart following the tragic As a psychiatrist I know that All places events in Christchurch. The first providing support for those I’m texting with Riz Khan In this world. and natural response is to ask how experiencing trauma is important, Who offers this act of terror could happen in but I also know that what might Condolences We are 200 ethnicities here peaceful Aotearoa. The scale of feel right for me may not be the Offers love and peace We are 600 languages here the act of murder and the chilling right response for everyone. It is An emoji of praying hands We remain so. and pitiless way it was carried out important that as well as providing For our Muslim brothers on men, women and, especially, information informed by research, And sisters lost And if my evangelistic In-Law children leaves a nation in mourning we are also informed by what people In mosques Finally walks through for those killed, a collective need tell us is likely to be helpful to them. In Christchurch. The dark and dusty village to support friends and family and We need to deal with the urgent Of her beliefs about ‘muslims’ dismay at the psychological assault matters at hand, but once these Riz mirrors on values and beliefs we hold dear. are settled we will need to deal with The horror of an open Finally sees herself The immediate focus was to look the longer-term effects, for we will Mouthed world weeping Kneeling in a mosque after the Muslim communities in not forget this day. For the families For Masjid Al Noor Head scarved Christchurch and throughout the and communities directly affected, For Linwood Masjid Hands steepled in prayer EDITOR: Denise Montgomery country. Yet, in the aftermath, some there will be a need to face a future Sees her own bowed body [email protected] of the commentary and feedback without loved ones. In the wider It must be of a Big Love Bloody in worship PHOTOGRAPHY: Godfrey Boehnke, Billy Wong, Richard Ng from communities who experience New Zealand community, we should Aroha Nui Sees the same spirit DESIGN: Ashley Marshall abuse and discrimination and fear be thinking about the nature and Shafting through the air PRODUCTION: The University of Auckland for their safety on an almost daily impact of this terrible event on the A Strong Love basis has been that Christchurch was Muslim community, and to heed the Aroha Toa Then there’s the light, Poet, Volume 49 / Issue 2/ April 2019 an act that was waiting to happen. repeated concerns raised by them There’s the light. This is uncomfortable to hear but and others about how they have Of which the poet writes. Published by: The University of Auckland it cannot be dismissed as it comes not always felt at home here, and Riz sends me pics Communications Office from the many diverse communities how they have at times experienced A big, strong, call to arms From Windsor Alfred Nathan House, 24 Princes Street that are part of New Zealand. exclusion and abuse. A dawning sun inhaling fog’s breath Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142 Inherent in that is the experience We have an opportunity to Of love The Long Walk. of exclusion and casual or intentional consider how we can create auckland.ac.nz/universitynews racism. In the context of our the places and opportunities to University community, we would listen and learn from our diverse hope that all our students and staff, communities. We need to stand be they Muslim, Māori, Pacific, alongside them and challenge the Asian, African or any of our diverse racism and bullying they have been community, do not experience this subjected to and work together to and feel safe as they go about their create the society we aspire to have lives. But anecdotally we know that – one we can be truly proud of. We this is not always the case. need to say very clearly “this is not If a positive can come from a us” to those in our society who seek national tragedy of this scale, it to divide, exclude and harass. should be that it prompts us to The challenge in the months and think and act on what it really years ahead is how to bring truth to means to be an inclusive and the words “They are us”. APRIL 2019 | UNINEWS 3 NEWS BOOST TO FUTURES New figures show that in 2018 close to 400 staff or former staff made a gift to the University. Their generosity helped fund spinal-cord injury research, save endangered little blue penguins and support students struggling financially. Of the 400 donors, 132 were first-time givers. The fundraising came through the University’s “Campaign For All Our Futures”, which was launched in September 2016 and runs until the end of this year. The campaign is built on asking and answering more than 130 “Can we…” Pride of questions, created by faculties and research institutes. The idea was to focus on where most Auckland progress could be achieved if philanthropic support was received. By the end of 2018, 6,622 donors had given to the campaign – not just staff The 2019 Distinguished Alumni.

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