underscopethe Allan Wilson Centre Key OUTREACH Achievements
HAMISH SPENCER Breeding sheep in New Zealand and China, linking Charles Darwin, beer advertising and genetics At the first Joint Research Centre workshop on Sheep Breeding and Development Biology Hamish spoke at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing about the connections between his theoretical work on evolution and recent research showing how the environment in the broadest sense affects gene function. What’s the link between Charles Darwin, beer advertising and genetics? Hamish revealed the relationship between these seeming disparate elements in two presentations, one to Invercargill’s University of the Third Age and one to the local community and senior students at Tolaga Bay Area School.
WENDY NEWPORT-SMITH Commemorating Allan Wilson, supporting biology education, building sustainable communities The Allan Wilson Centre organised Out of Africa, the successful lecture series commemorating Allan Wilson’s life and work delivered by Rebecca Cann, Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Hawaii. A former graduate of Allan’s, Professor Cann shared with capacity audiences in Dunedin, Nelson, Auckland, Wellington and Palmerston North her experiences of working with Allan and the changes in evolutionary biology since his death 20 years ago. Allan Wilson’s contribution to science was the topic of a keynote address delivered by Allan Wilson Centre Director Charles Daugherty at The Biology Educators’ Association of New Zealand BioLive conference as part of our sponsorship of the event. Our sponsorship included hosting an event for educators and the launch of a powerpoint presentation to introduce evolutionary concepts to Year 10 students, using the story of human evolution as an example. Wendy was also involved in helping progress endeavours to develop a sustainable community in Tolaga Bay, with the engagement of specialist consultants P A Handford & Associates and the launch of a development plan project.
NIGEL FRENCH Combating epidemics, celebrating veterinary science, controlling food and water borne diseases The Allan Wilson Centre is working to gain insights into the mechanisms of disease transmission between animals and humans. Nigel delivered a number of addresses on controlling epidemics with the aid of epidemiology including controlling campylobacteriosis at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency UK seminar, and controlling the epidemic of food and water borne infectious disease in New Zealand at the Royal Society of New Zealand (Manawatu branch). In the opening plenary of the New Zealand Veterinary Association conference, Nigel celebrated the profession and contribution of veterinary science as well as delivering an address on the new tools helping to inform food safety at a pre-conference session for the Association’s Food Safety, Animal Welfare and Biosecurity branch. He repeated this address at regional food safety workshops for MAF staff in Napier, Wellington and Auckland.
1 ALLAN WILSON CENTRE www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz FOR MOLECULAR ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
HELEN TAYLOR Seeking a secure future for the little spotted kiwi Through monitoring two populations of little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii) on Long Island in the Marlborough Sounds, Helen is researching the relationship between inbreeding and fitness. Her work is supported by boat company Cougar Line, which is featuring a series of stories on Helen’s work on its website. Helen has also gave a talk on the little spotted kiwi at Wellington’s Zealandia Visitor Centre and presented question-and-answer sessions on the Interislander ferries Kaitaki and Aratere.
PAUL RAINEY Confronting Psa, unmasking the hidden toxins in sea slugs Working with Zespri, Plant & Food and MAF, The Allan Wilson Centre has been answering key questions about the Psa pathogen currently threatening kiwifruit vines and contributing data that has aided the development of improved detection systems for diagnostic labs. Paul is involved both as a consultant and as part of an international four-person scientific advisory panel, as well helping to unite the various interested parties, from growers to scientists, including through presentations at scientist meet growers meetings. Toxic slugs were the cause of four dog deaths on Hauraki beaches during the year. The Allan Wilson Centre is co-funding research with the Auckland Regional Council and specialist researchers at Cawthron to identify the potential risks to beachgoers. Paul has worked actively with print and radio media and addressed public meetings. The Allan Wilson Centre also hosted a National Geographic film crew shooting a documentary on the dog deaths.
JON WATERS Unearthing prehistoric New Zealand The Allan Wilson Centre is applying ancient DNA techniques, next-generation sequencing, archaeology and phylogeography to New Zealand’s well-preserved archeological record. Jon disclosed what these activities are revealing about the country’s prehistoric animals in several Radio New Zealand interviews.
CRAIG MILLAR Tales of ancient feathers, the life of bees, battling birdstrike DNA analysis of feathers from Māori cloaks has revealed that cloaks were not only traded, but that tribes may have hunted in other tribal regions to collect brown kiwi. Such discoveries saw Craig interviewed on Māori Television’s Native Affairs programme and on Public Address on RadioLIVE following the publishing of an Allan Wilson Centre paper on these findings in Molecular Biology and Evolution. The paper was highlighted in the Research Highlights section of Nature and sparked interest for articles in the Dominion Post and Hawke’s Bay Today. Craig also contributed to an episode of TV7’s Ever Wondered? programme on bee research, and completed a contract for Air New Zealand identifying the species and sex of birds involved in birdstrike at Auckland airport using the Allan Wilson Centre-funded DNA database of New Zealand and Antarctic birds.
NICKY NELSON Conserving tuatara, stewardship of Matiu/Somes Island The Allan Wilson Centre has been working with Nelson iwi Ngati Koata and the Spinyback Tuatara Education and Conservation Trust. Nicky advised on tuatara research, translocations, and conservation education and delivered a popular community talk at the Nelson Provincial Museum. Accompanied by tuatara, Nicky also visited numerous schools to talk about conservation. Promoting the focus on biology and conservation, Nicky is working with Wellington iwi and the Department of Conservation in developing a management and governance plan for Matiu/Somes Island as a member of its Kaitiaki Board.
MIKE STEEL Unlocking evolution with mathematics Physics and mathematics are traditional partners, but at the Allan Wilson Centre, today’s mathematicians are working closely alongside biologists to provide new analytical tools to study evolution. Mike was interviewed about the new insights the pairing is generating on TV7’s Ever Wondered? programme.
2 ALLAN WILSON CENTRE www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz FOR MOLECULAR ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION