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UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO NOVEMBER 2020
ISSUE
INSIDE: Distinguished Research Medal Professor David Murdoch
PLUS:
Otago experts rise to the COVID-19 challenge Multidisciplinary approach to food waste problems Big dreams for New Zealand youth
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In this issue
Expertise Distinguished career informs action with a global focus
Otago experts have risen to the challenges presented by the Experiences working in remote Nepal have shaped COVID-19 pandemic, informing national decision-making the career of the University’s 2020 Distinguished and working to develop new diagnostics and treatments. Research Medal winner, Professor David Murdoch. 6 14
Big Waste dreams not…
Alumnus Scott Gilmour is helping New Zealand’s The new Food Waste Innovation Research Theme disadvantaged youth on the path to a successful future. brings together multidisciplinary expertise to address the complex problem of food waste. 22 26
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Change Regulars on ice
Otago scientists are investigating the impact of a VICE-CHANCELLOR’S COMMENT warming world on Antarctica’s Ross Sea. 4 Professor Harlene Hayne highlights the University’s valuable contributions to the world in which we are living.
OPINION 33 Putting Captain Cook in his place: Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) Professor Tony Ballantyne presents the 18 divergent views of this polarising figure.
INBRIEF 36 Academic and research highlights.
HOCKEN LEGACY 40 Public health pioneer Dr Muriel Bell’s papers have been inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World New Zealand Register. Tenacity reaps rewards UNINEWS 43 University news, appointments, achievements. Alumna Georgie Northcote has overcome challenges to pursue her entrepreneurship dream.
ALUMNI NEWS 46 Reunions, events, development initiatives.
BOOKS 52 Recent publications by Otago University Press 30 and Otago alumni.
ADDENDUM 53 Student Conor Hassan is following in the footsteps of his distinguished grandfather, Miles Barnett.
3 VICE-CHANCELLOR’S COMMENT University of Otago Magazine A magazine for alumni and friends of the University Issue 51 NOVEMBER 2020 I ISSN-1175-8147
Editor: Karen Hogg Design: Ben Williams As you will all be aware, this year has Writers: Tony Ballantyne been a year like no other. Although Craig Borley Margie Clark 2020 began as usual, by March here Ian Dougherty Guy Frederick Karen Hogg at Otago we were living and working Cheryl Norrie Amie Richardson under circumstances that we had Kim Thomas Mark Wright never experienced before. Nigel Zega Photographers: Sharron Bennett Dave Bull Alan Dove Guy Frederick Luke Pilkinton-Ching Neil Macbeth IN MY NINE years as Vice-Chancellor, hits, and over 1 million social media Rebecca Parker I have never been more proud of this interactions. This news has reached five Graham Warman University. Our staff and our students continents with an aggregate readership Printing: Ovato Print NZ have demonstrated unprecedented of potentially 24 billion people! Circulation: Development and levels of resilience, kindness and success While all of this was going on, other Alumni Relations Office through the COVID-19 crisis. staff rapidly moved our complex teaching Front cover: Professor David One hallmark of New Zealand’s programmes online. At the height Murdoch response to COVID-19 is that it has of lockdown, we were teaching more Photo: Neil Macbeth been evidence-based; much of that than 1,000 different classes online. We evidence has been provided by experts couriered almost 500 computers within otago.ac.nz/otagomagazine at the University of Otago. Our experts New Zealand and overseas to people who provided advice to Government on the lacked the devices they needed to work or diagnosis, containment and contact study at a distance. Email: [email protected] tracing of COVID-19; others are Although many of our students • To update/change delivery address currently working on a vaccine. In returned home during lockdown, we • To read the magazine and other alumni addition, our experts have provided provided pastoral care to more than 1,500 communications electronically advice and commentary on the impact who chose to remain in our residential • To receive just one ”household” of the pandemic on the disability sector, colleges or in our Uniflats in North printed copy of the magazine the economy, mental health, tourism, Dunedin. We also kept a caring eye on Phone: +64 3 479 4516 Māori and politics. When the country the thousands of other students who was running short on hand sanitiser remained in residence in flats around the and swabs, experts at Otago even set campus as well as maintaining contact Editorial contact details: up manufacturing operations here on with our international students who were University of Otago Magazine campus. stranded offshore. Communications Office The contribution of Otago staff In consultation with OUSA, we agreed External Engagement PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand has been acknowledged by the Prime to give students a five-mark grade bump Phone 64 3 479 8679 Minister, the Director-General of Health, at the end of Semester 1. Although our Email [email protected] the Ministries of Health and Education, commitment to the grade bump was Web otago.ac.nz/otagomagazine and District Health Boards. Since early undoubtedly reassuring to students when February their work has also been they were preparing for their exams, Copyright You are welcome to reproduce material from covered in over 300 TV slots, over 900 their grades were higher prior to the the Otago Magazine after gaining permission radio interviews, over 2,900 newspaper bump than they were in Semester 1 last from the editor. All reproduced material must
40 be appropriately acknowledged. articles, over 9,500 pieces of online year. Furthermore, despite the disruption The Otago Magazine is published by the news, over 7,000 international media in their learning environment and our University of Otago’s External Engagement Division. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University.
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extension of the withdrawal deadline, We have also learned to trust ourselves. student attrition was no different from Many of the extremely difficult decisions last year and our residential colleges have that we have made over the last five years remained over 98 per cent full. paid off in response to COVID-19. Our On a personal level, COVID-19 has new professional staff structure allowed wreaked havoc on the livelihoods of us to work as a single co-ordinated many of our students’ families. In some organisation during lockdown and instances both parents (and sometimes both beyond. By way of example, between grandparents) have been made redundant. 26 March and 15 May 2020, AskOtago In response to this high level of need, handled almost 49,000 contacts by phone we established a student support fund, or email. They provided the single source Pūtea Tautoko. This fund comprises both of truth – a truth that was updated Government support, University support, multiple times each day. and generous donations from staff and Additionally, the fact that we had alumni. To date, we have given out more already cut our cloth to fit our income than $3 million in support to hundreds of meant that we entered the pandemic in a students. We suspect that this level of need strong financial position. Finally, the fact will continue in 2021. that we have long resisted Government One uniquely-Otago approach to pressure to remove or increase our cap on decision-making this year was the inclusion international student numbers has meant
continue to assist where we can in the fight against COVID-19 and we look forward to “Our experience this year has underscored the contributing to New Zealand’s recovery. We will also continue to conduct world-class valuable contribution that this University can research across the University, using the outcome of that research to solve other big make to the world in which we live. Going forward, challenges facing our communities, our we will continue to be guided by our motto: country, and the rest of the world. Most importantly, we will continue to inspire the Sapere Aude, Dare to be Wise.” young minds who join us every year in our unique living and learning environment. Some of you will be aware that my second term as Vice-Chancellor comes to an of our student president, Mr Jack Manning, that we are not nearly as exposed to the end next year. As one door closes, another on our senior leadership team. Beginning international market as our counterparts in one opens. In April, I will take up the role in March, Jack joined the Emergency this part of the world. of Vice-Chancellor at Curtin University in Management Team during our daily Zoom Taken together, all of these decisions Perth, Australia. This decision is obviously huddles. His input and the input of his mean that while the pandemic has placed bittersweet. I look forward to reflecting on OUSA Executive was extremely valuable, us under some pressure, we are not my time at Otago in my final message in the allowing us to keep students at the centre of contemplating the kind of COVID-related Otago Magazine in March. our thinking at all times. redundancies that many universities in We have learned many important lessons New Zealand and around the world are Noho ora mai this year. For example, we have learned announcing now. that our students are firmly committed Finally, our experience this year has to an on-campus, in-person learning underscored the valuable contribution environment. Some of our first-year that this University can make to the world students arrived on the doorstep of their in which we live. Going forward, we will colleges at midnight as soon as they were continue to be guided by our motto: Vice-Chancellor able to return after lockdown. Sapere Aude, Dare to be Wise. We will Professor Harlene Hayne
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Expertise informs action
The COVID-19 global pandemic has dominated 2020, its impact defined by the strengths – and weaknesses – of individual national responses. Here at Otago, we are proud of our experts’ responses to this rapidly-changing situation. They have risen to the challenge and have had a fundamental influence on the New Zealand government’s decision-making – and continue to do so. Some of their work is summarised over the following pages. However, it is just a small cross-section of the University’s contribution to the crisis. To read more please visit the University’s He Kitenga website, otago.ac.nz/hekitenga, which canvasses these stories and many more in greater depth.
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tried to contribute to solutions. A rapid “Rather than just listen to what the Chinese were saying, it was important to response take note of what they were actually doing. For example, setting out to build a huge WHEN REPORTS of a new coronavirus hospital in 15 days in Wuhan meant that emerged from Wuhan in China, they were in serious trouble. But by late epidemiologists at the University of Otago February it became clear that China was and internationally feared that this was the actually gaining control over the virus,” pandemic they had long been predicting. he says. “Their public health approach As the crisis unfolded, governments had been huge, sophisticated, tailored and around the world were placed under integrated.” severe pressure to mount an effective It also became clear that some response. Here in New Zealand, dozens of other Asian countries were succeeding experienced public health and infectious in controlling even large outbreaks, diseases researchers from the University of including those that featured community Otago – together with others from across transmission. Hill, Wellington-based the country – were able to provide expertise infectious diseases physician Dr Ayesha to inform our national public health policy, Verrall and others realised that those from early warnings to first responses, and countries had one intervention in common to building capacity to contain the – rapid case contact management. epidemic. Their influence Verrall began lobbying for a extended across television, rapid scaling-up of testing radio, print media and and contact tracing, and online forums, with was commissioned to many featuring audit the government’s internationally. existing contact Otago’s Professor tracing methods and Philip Hill, to recommend ways inaugural holder of to improve systems the McAuley Chair in and scale them up. International Health, Within six weeks her co-director of Otago’s Professor recommendations were Philip Hill Centre for International in place. Health and chair of Otago’s Internationally-recognised Infectious Disease Emergency epidemiologist and public health Planning Group, says New Zealand was not physician Emeritus Professor Sir well prepared for COVID-19. David Skegg “entered the fray at just “The country was not ready and the the right time”, says Hill. He warned pandemic challenged the part of our health the government’s Epidemic Response system that had become our weakest. The Committee that failing to improve New only pandemic plan we had was mainly Zealand’s contact tracing system would be based around the influenza virus – but the like playing Russian roulette with the health new virus was not an influenza virus.” of the population. Skegg also repeatedly Hill – who has been appointed to highlighted the urgency of widespread the advisory committee to oversee the testing – within the community and at the implementation of the New Zealand border: “There is no such thing as over- COVID-19 Surveillance Plan and Testing testing and every day counts”. Strategy – was just one of many Otago Scientific advice changed as more researchers who saw problems early and was learned about the virus. From
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early February, the University of Otago 2020, an approach ultimately adopted by Wellington’s (UOW) Professor Michael the New Zealand government. They also COVID Baker and Professor Nick Wilson urged published an article on the New Zealand the government to ramp up its response response and initial success with COVID- captured by preparing the population for a 19 elimination in the New England Journal massive upgrade in protective practices, of Medicine, regarded as the world’s highest AS OTAGO’S epidemiologists informed strengthening border controls and impact medical journal: the government’s public health response, improving quarantine procedures. They (nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2025203) the University’s infectious diseases were the first to alert the government to Throughout the crisis – including after scientists were also hard at work. Professor how many New Zealanders might die if COVID-19 was successfully eliminated Miguel Quiñones-Mateu and officials made the wrong calls. and later reappearing in an Associate Professor James “In early February we warned that outbreak in Auckland – Ussher (Microbiology and the pandemic could get very bad. But it the researchers have Immunology) developed became much easier to convince officials continued to advocate a diagnostic test for of the urgency to act because of what was for the wearing of face COVID-19 in their happening in Italy, which was struggling masks in appropriate Dunedin laboratories with the pandemic despite having better settings, for improved just as the first case hospital capacity and more ICUs per contact tracing with was detected in the population than New Zealand,” says digital tools, for a southern region. Wilson. “If our government had delayed cautious science- Once the test by just another week we could have based approach to was up and running, Professor Miguel lost control.” border management their priority shifted to Quiñones-Mateu In March their Health, Environment (including quarantine) and providing samples of the and Infection Research Unit (HEIRU) for the need to plan for the virus for culture and genetic team estimated 8,600 to introduction of a vaccine. sequencing. Quiñones-Mateu, who 14,400 deaths as being They have also recommended holds the Webster family Chair of Viral plausible if there were major changes to the way Pathogenesis, says it took just 36 hours to inadequate controls. public health services are sequence the full genome of the viruses The worst-case organised – such as a new collected from the first two patients. scenario – letting national public health “Having the virus opens the door to the virus run its agency for disease doing so many different things. We now course through the prevention and control have more than 30 different projects people population without – and have urged the want to do with us because we have the intervention – had government to launch an virus here. I’m talking about diagnostics suggested a death Professor Michael Baker inquiry into its response methods, disinfection of PPE, vaccine toll of 28,000. (left) and Professor to the pandemic to identify development and antivirals.” Initial lockdown Nick Wilson ways it can be improved. Although there have been no major followed the influenza “We need to learn from mutations in the virus, there are several pandemic plan and aimed the COVID-19 response as distinct clusters circulating in at mitigation – trying to slow down the there are other threats on different parts of the world. “It spread of the virus to avoid overloading the the horizon that are far is important for us to know unprepared health system with patients. more destructive for all which virus is circulating But modelling by Wilson and Baker of us,” says Baker. here in New Zealand,” soon showed that lockdown provided a says Quiñones-Mateu. real chance to eliminate (not eradicate) “Some came from community transmission of the virus in Europe, some came New Zealand. With their UOW colleagues from China, others from they wrote the world’s first COVID-19 the US. So we need to elimination strategy and published it in the keep an eye on any virus Associate Professor New Zealand Medical Journal on 3 April James Ussher we have here.”
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Evolutionary virologist Dr Jemma Geoghegan (Microbiology and Immunology) is heading a nationwide group At a involving ESR (Institute of Environmental Science and Research) and other universities using genomic sequencing glance to track how the virus came into New Zealand and how it From early February to late worked its way through the September 2020 dozens of academics country. from across Otago’s campuses made Geoghegan Dr Jemma says genomes a substantial contribution to the Geoghegan can provide COVID-19 debate, here in New Zealand insights that epidemiological data and around the world. cannot – and in real time. “We can help link a case to a cluster to which there is no apparent epidemiological link: by using the genome we can link that sample to a known cluster or exclude it from a cluster.” This sort of information has proven invaluable in the resurgence of the virus in South Auckland, enabling policy-makers New Zealand to link cases to a known cluster, to measure the effectiveness of lockdown measures Over 300 TV appearances and, by looking for any genomic diversity, seeing whether or not there is undetected Over 900 radio interviews community transmission. Over 2,900 newspaper articles Over 9,500 pieces of online news Vaccine development
THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO is part of a nationwide alliance to secure a vaccine for New Zealand – Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand – Ohu Global Kaupare Huaketo (VAANZ)– working with Nearly 7,000 a number of research groups, institutions and companies around the country, international media hits including the Malaghan Institute of Medical Over 1 million Research, Victoria University of Wellington, social media interactions AgResearch, Avalia Immunotherapies, ESR and South Pacific Sera. Aggregate readership of potentially 24 billion Three main candidates are being across five continents
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“So the question is – will there be a magic bullet come out of existing compounds or do we need to develop specific targeted compounds? I suspect it is both.”
pursued, with Quiñones-Mateu’s team Professor Kurt Krause will need to have something leading work on an inactivated viral vaccine (Biochemistry) are also specifically designed for candidate. Another is a recombinant spike drawing on their this virus, rather than protein vaccine being developed at Victoria extensive experience repurposed from University of Wellington, and the third is a and expertise to find something else.” pan-coronavirus vaccine being explored by ways to beat SARS- They will also Avalia Immunotherapies with international CoV2, the virus that undertake a longer- collaborators. causes COVID-19. term project focusing Ussher, who is VAANZ’s science Ward’s laboratory on the polymerase director, says Otago is also a key partner is working with Professor looking at different in developing a pipeline for evaluating renowned medicinal Kurt Krause approaches to targeting vaccines. The SARS-CoV-2 strains isolated chemist Professor Dame how the virus replicates in the University’s PC3 lab will be used in a Margaret Brimble (University of its genome. preclinical challenge model and to measure Auckland) to identify potential antiviral Once they have a likely target and antibody responses following vaccination, drug targets for which her lab can create compound to use on it, they turn it over to to see if they are capable of blocking compounds to form the basis of new drugs. Krause and his lab to evaluate, using X-ray infection. A strategy is also being developed But, he warns, it is likely multiple drugs crystallography. for second generation vaccines in case the will be needed for efficacy and because it is This technique allows them to examine virus mutates and for any future often easy for resistance to develop to these viral proteins at an atomic level to coronaviruses that may emerge. a single drug. see how well the antiviral compounds bind “We’re trying to stay “So the question is – will to them. They can then understand how to one step ahead of the there be a magic bullet improve them so they can do an even better virus by having vaccine come out of existing job of blocking the virus from functioning. candidates that are compounds or do “Margaret Brimble has an international ready to go and we need to develop reputation for her creative synthetic could just be taken specific targeted chemistry and her ability to synthesise off the shelf and compounds? I suspect proteins and peptides, so Vernon’s and my slotted straight into a it is both. We will find lab will be testing them and feeding back vaccine development drugs that help and new into her work with any suggestions that we programme,” he says. Professor drugs will be needed in have,” says Krause. Vernon Ward combination as they become available.” Doing Ward is already leading the MBIE-funded New Frontiers in Antiviral the detail Development project (see Otago Magazine issue 50) and has started a project looking at TEAMS LED BY virologist Professor 3CLpro protease of SARS-CoV2. Vernon Ward (Microbiology and “We’re taking the approach that sooner Immunology) and structural biologist or later there is a reasonable chance we
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Bubble concept goes viral Wastewater detection
Dr Tristram Ingham (Department of Medicine, Wellington) came Researchers internationally have shown that wastewater up with the bubble concept while advising the Ministry of Health detection of coronavirus can identify hidden clusters and the about communications on COVID-19 for the disabled community. emergence of the disease days ahead of other approaches. Otago geneticist Professor Neil Gemmell is at the forefront of this work and is part of a national group led by ESR exploring the value of wastewater testing for the coronavirus in New Zealand. Gemmell says that detecting the presence and, potentially, the abundance of the COVID-19 virus in sewage could become an important tool to monitor its spread and help uncover pockets of infection. “Depending on what we find we could then make some predictions about which communities might need to go back into – and out of – lockdown. It could be particularly useful for monitoring likely hot spots for new COVID-19 entry and dispersion such as airports, ports and quarantine facilities.”
While considering how best to describe self-isolation and quarantine in simple terms, it occurred to him that everyone knew about bubbles. The idea had the advantages of being easily understood and of helping at-risk communities like the elderly and the disabled feel empowered. His bubble idea quickly went viral and helped frame life under Alert Levels 4 and 3 more positively for all New Zealanders. Better prepared
Professor Michael Baker has become one of the most public faces With the reappearance of COVID-19 the ability to test sewage of New Zealand’s pandemic response and is now leading a new at facility, local and regional scales could well be an important research project to help ensure the country is better prepared for part of New Zealand’s surveillance safety net, he says. the next major public health emergency. The programme of work, called Co-Search, involves more than 20 collaborating researchers, three universities, a Antibody answers Crown research institute, community organisations and an international advisory group, and is funded by the Health Antibodies are the body’s first line of defence against a virus Research Council (HRC), the Ministry of Health and donations. It such as COVID-19. Their presence is also evidence the body has is based at the Department of Public Health, UOW, with Baker as encountered the virus – and is the focus of a new government- director and principal investigator and Dr Amanda Kvalsvig as funded study by University of Otago, Christchurch scientists. lead researcher. Lead researcher Associate Professor Chris Pemberton says Co-Search’s main research goals are to describe the pandemic one of the best ways New Zealand can understand the real impact and its impact on population health in New Zealand and the and future threat from COVID-19 is to know how much of the Pacific; evaluate the elimination response to help improve its population has been exposed – or developed antibodies against it. effectiveness; improve the country’s ability to manage major He and his team are developing a specialised test that will threats; and identify health, equity and sustainability benefits identify whether someone has contracted COVID-19 and how arising from a well-designed recovery. their body dealt with it. They will recruit and test 14,000 New
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Zealanders from ages 10 to 70 from across the country who will Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Richard Blaikie. be followed over three years to gauge how they have responded “Our aim is to gain self-sufficiency on COVID-19 testing to the virus infection. as insurance against global shortages, to save money for Pemberton says the study will provide answers to the crucial the Ministry of Health, and to stimulate new export business questions needed in order to effectively plan for and treat COVID- opportunities.” 19. “One of these is how much of the New Zealand population has been exposed to COVID? We suspect it will be far greater than the current number of confirmed RNA-based tests.” Sensing COVID
While a cough and a high temperature are the most common symptoms of COVID-19, Dr Mei Peng (Food Science) reports that loss of smell and taste are also key early warning signs that shouldn’t be ignored. An international team of 550 researchers from 35 countries has revealed that sudden loss of smell and taste can often be the first symptoms of the virus. Peng, who specialises in olfactory senses, joined the consortium in early March. The group is All aspects of testing are being investigated. “We have swabs in gathering standardised observational data about how and when late-stage prototype form, and have identified home-grown sources the sensory changes happen, and the patterns in different places. for all the chemicals and reagents needed in molecular testing.” “Some of the work has already led to the production of control materials for use in diagnostic labs and new ways of extracting RNA from samples as part of the testing process. A full test is being validated by teams at MPI and ESR, and could be in wide use when approvals are gained and production is scaled up. “Similarly, home-grown antibody tests are showing promise, with results comparable to the best labs around the world.” Ready results
Associate Professor Jo Stanton (Anatomy) has already helped develop a portable device to detect a virus that was crippling cassava production and the livelihood of subsistence farmers in “Within one month we received over 40,000 patient responses, and more than 45,000 in three months,” she says. “The findings so far show consistent reductions in smell ability, but at different proportions in different populations.” Diagnostics support
Otago scientists responded to a call to action from the Ministry of Health to boost supplies of COVID-19 testing systems should global supplies run short. The Diagnostics Development Working Group (C-19-DDWG) has been working since late March across New Zealand universities and government agencies, and is chaired by Otago’s Deputy Vice-
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LIFE IN LOCKDOWN sub-Saharan Africa. Now she is developing that technology to most distressed. Most of those surveyed enjoyed having more detect COVID-19 in the field. time to spend with their families. “The aim is to develop a device in which a sample can be The researchers will use the same survey to continue to track safely put in at one end and, within a short time, get a people’s well-being over the next year. screening diagnosis out the other without having to double- handle the sample. “Our aspiration is to do that in under 30 minutes. Even an A few weeks into Alert Level 4 lockdown Associate Professor hour would be a huge achievement. The lab’s mission is to take Elaine Hargreaves (School of Physical Education, Sport and these complex molecular tests and put them in the hands of Exercise Sciences) and colleagues noticed people changing their people who are not molecular biologists, but absolutely require physical activity behaviour. the answer that molecular biology can deliver.” The team subsequently conducted online questionnaires to find out how physical activity changed during Alert Level 4 and whether those changes continued as restrictions lifted. Life in lockdown The surveys – which attracted hundreds of responses – included questions around physical activity levels, types of A number of research teams across the University’s campuses activity and motivation levels. Early results have shown that are looking at how New Zealanders have been coping with life physical activity predicted psychological well-being during during the COVID-19 pandemic. lockdown; those who were highly active pre-lockdown tended Ms Lesley Gray (Primary Health Care and General Practice, to be less active while those who were less active pre-lockdown Wellington) has received Ministry of Health and HRC funding reported higher physical activity levels; and the more “daily to investigate the experiences of New Zealanders in lockdown, hassles” people experienced as a result of lockdown the less continuing to follow them as alert levels change. likely they were to be physically active. “We often hear people say disasters are great levellers. Well, The team plans to re-survey participants next year. of course, that’s not true because we don’t have a level playing field or equal resources to start with,” says Gray. “People’s available resources and social situations make a massive, A group of researchers led by Dr Damian Scarf (Psychology) massive difference to people’s ability to sustain their own health have undertaken in-depth surveys to gauge changes in beliefs and well-being.” and behaviours . Gray says the information gathered by the research team will “We wanted to find out whether crises like COVID-19 change be linked to anonymised demographic information from the people’s political beliefs and whether these changes are Ministry of Health’s New Zealand Health Survey, so the results maintained as we go down the lockdown levels and the risk of can be broken down by ethnicity, age, gender, occupation and COVID-19 decreases,” says Scarf. health status. During Alert Level 4 (full lockdown) researchers received The research is a collaborative project between the UOW, the around 3,500 responses to the anonymous survey, which also Joint Centre for Disaster Research and the School of Psychology asks a range of moral and ethical questions. at Massey University, and is supported by science communicator The group received another 2,000 responses at Alert Level 3 Dr Siouxsie Wiles (University of Auckland). (part lockdown) and 1,000 at Level 2. Now they plan to follow up all 6,500 participants to see how opinions have changed as the threat of coronavirus decreases. The impact of lockdown on mental health has been surveyed “At this stage, we’ve found that New Zealanders across the by academic staff from the University’s three campuses, led by political spectrum are in support of more authoritarian rules. Dr Susanna Every-Palmer and Dr Matthew Jenkins (Psychological This is not surprising: the survey revealed people are quite fearful Medicine, Wellington). of COVID-19 and this is associated with support for a strong An online survey of adult New Zealanders between 15 and 18 government and strict penalties for young people breaking the April asked participants about their levels of stress, anxiety and strict lockdown restrictions.” depression, the state of their family relationships and whether He says the insights from the study would be useful when there were any positive outcomes from lockdown. Every-Palmer assessing economic recovery for instance, given fearful says one of the surprises was how well older people responded behaviour would lead to a more cautious approach to spending to the lockdown, with those over 65 the least distressed, while habits and potentially impact views on immigration and younger adults between the ages of 18 and 34 reporting being international tourists.
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Distinguished career with a global focus
The University’s highest AS A BOY, David Murdoch would Lynley worked at a high-altitude aid post spend hours poring over his father’s in the Mount Everest region, followed by honour, the Distinguished old Bartholomew Atlas. Mountains two years with Cook at nearby Kunde Research Medal, has been – the Himalaya in particular – held a Hospital, for Sir Edmund Hillary’s fascination. Himalayan Trust. awarded to Professor As it happened, the Himalaya would “As we left New Zealand for Nepal David Murdoch whose play a pivotal role in the career of this we felt incredible happiness knowing we year’s Distinguished Research Medal were going for two years to this amazing career-long commitment to recipient. Stints volunteering at remote place. Many times during our stay I fighting infectious diseases Nepalese hospitals influenced him to stood outside the hospital with the most become an infectious disease specialist magnificent mountain vista in front of was cemented during his and researcher. us and thought ‘this is probably the best time as a newly-trained Today Murdoch is a professor and job I will ever have and we’re not even doctor working in Nepal. recognised world leader in the study, being paid!’” prevention and treatment of infectious In Nepal, Murdoch developed diseases. Among his many achievements invaluable and lasting connections is a leading role in a global childhood with local health professionals, and an pneumonia study that altered the course understanding of medical problems facing of this disease – the world’s single the country and other developing nations. biggest killer of young children. He It also exposed him to the devastating is currently one of three independent effects of infectious diseases and cemented advisors consulting the Oxford his decision to specialise in the area. University team developing a vaccine for “Since I was quite young, I had COVID-19. always been concerned about global and Murdoch first experienced global social injustices. Infectious diseases had health issues on his medical school elective been brewing as an option as I studied at a hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, medicine, but going to Nepal and having with his now-wife, Lynley Cook. They to deal with so much preventable disease subsequently travelled the country and fell sealed it for me. in love with the place and its people. “There was a massive measles outbreak “I found myself totally immersed in while we were in Kunde and kids were the mountains and the mix of different dying. It was horrific. We saw cases of religions. It was exhilarating and tuberculosis, typhoid, leprosy and iodine challenging. Totally magic.” deficiency. We were part of national As a newly-trained doctor, he and treatment programmes and witnessed
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“All those years ago in Nepal I saw how devastating infectious diseases can be. They don’t respect international borders and… a pandemic was always going to be inevitable, as is another one in the future. My hope is this experience will open our eyes and we can work better together as a global community in future.”
PROFESSOR DAVID MURDOCH: “Since I was quite young, I had always been concerned about global and social injustices.” Photo:Neil Macbeth
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the transformative nature of public health which infections were hospitalising programmes. patients. “We hid and treated Tibetan refugees “I spoke to a physician friend at Patan fleeing over the mountains, which led to Hospital. At the time there was a huge meeting the Dalai Lama. Looking back, it’s burden of infectious disease in Nepal, quite extraordinary some of the things we but not a lot of information about which were involved in during that short period of infections were causing most harm. It was time, and it’s no exaggeration that it shaped one of many studies that cemented my our lives and our careers.” view that the best research outcomes come Murdoch followed his undergraduate about through friendship, respect and true medical training with a diploma at the collaboration.” Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine After finishing his fellowship at Duke and later completed a fellowship at Duke University in 2000, Murdoch returned University in North Carolina and a master’s home and shortly afterwards became degree in epidemiology at the London head of the Pathology Department at School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. the University of Otago, Christchurch, It was in the United States that his love of where he began a number of studies on Nepal and his interest in global infectious pneumonia and Legionnaires’ disease with disease research would merge. fellow clinician and veteran researcher David and Lynley with the Dalai Lama. “My boss at Duke, Barth Reller, was Professor Steve Chambers and colleagues at interested in international work. He Canterbury Health Laboratories. knew about my relationship with Nepal Their work on Legionnaires’ disease reported incidence globally. and encouraged me to explore research would reveal the often overlooked but At the same time, Murdoch’s reputation opportunities there. Barth said if I came up deadly disease was four times more as a notable international researcher was with a worthwhile project, he would sort the prevalent in Canterbury than expected. growing. He was asked by colleagues at funding,” Murdoch recounts. This ground-breaking work led to the Patan Hospital to help establish a research The result was a simple, but much- establishment of the world’s first national programme on serious infections affecting needed, study done with staff at surveillance study of Legionnaires’ disease Nepalese children, particularly vaccine- Kathmandu’s Patan Hospital to identify showing that New Zealand had the highest preventable ones. He enlisted the help of an old friend, British paediatrician Professor Andy Pollard. The pair met while planning a Mount Everest expedition in the 1990s while Murdoch was in Liverpool and “rapidly became close friends, with a shared world view and work ethic and love of mountains and Nepal”. They co-wroteThe High Altitude Medicine Handbook, a practical guidebook that went to three editions plus a pirated version, and is still considered one of the best clinical reference books of its kind. “Andy and I still hear stories about how this book has saved lives in the mountains.” Pollard is now one of the world’s leading vaccine experts and is the lead researcher on the Oxford University programme to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. David Murdoch and Lynley Cook, outside Kunde Hospital with hospital staff “The programme of work we established (from left) Kami Temba, Mingma Temba and Tsumji. in Nepal identified the important causes of pneumonia and meningitis in children
16 and the suitability of vaccine schedules. Murdoch says the It directly led to major policy decisions in PERCH study gave the country, including the introduction by countries, the World the Nepalese government of Haemophilus Health Organization and influenzae type b and pneumococcal major funders direction vaccines into their national immunisation on where to put limited programme in 2009 and 2015, respectively. resources for pneumonia This work is an absolute career highlight for prevention such as me and a source of immense pride. It has vaccination programmes. had a substantial impact on child health in While working on Nepal and helped establish a new generation the PERCH initiative, of young Nepali researchers.” Murdoch established an Through this programme, Murdoch important New Zealand and his collaborators developed strong group. He and veterinarian relationships with the Ministry of Health Professor Nigel French, in Nepal, the World Health Organization’s of Massey University, local office and Global Alliance of Vaccine co-founded One Health and Immunisation (GAVI), which provides Aotearoa. It began as a a mechanism for the funding of vaccines in partnership between the And with Sir Edmund Hillary and his wife, June. poor countries. medical school, veterinary His expertise in pneumonia research, school and the Institute of and ability to develop close working Environmental Science and Research (ESR). respond to all eventualities.” relationships with international At its core is the philosophy that human A lack of investment in infectious collaborators, led to an invitation to join the health and infection is impacted by animal diseases research also needs to be largest ever study of childhood pneumonia health and changes in our environment. addressed, he argues. funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Murdoch says the COVID-19 pandemic “New Zealand has a Centre of Research foundation. is proof of this crucial interplay. He believes Excellence in plant biosecurity, but not in One of Murdoch’s tasks was to set up New Zealand needs to adopt the One Health animal biosecurity or infectious diseases. laboratories for the Pneumonia Etiology approach to strengthen its defences against We need to better integrate science and Research for Child Health (PERCH) study COVID-19 and inevitable future infectious research into the health system. This in seven countries in Asia and Africa. Over disease threats. requires a culture change and investment so a two-year study period the laboratories “Like many countries, we are not research is regarded as business-as-usual for ran tests on children hospitalised with always well ‘joined up’ – which is vital for a district health boards, providing the science severe pneumonia to pinpoint the specific co-ordinated and timely response. We allow needed to inform policy, preparedness and viruses and bacteria involved. In 2019 the scientists to work in silos, despite obvious best practice.” PERCH team published a significant paper overlapping interests and skill-sets,’’ he says. Murdoch says the pandemic has brought summarising its work. It identified a major “We need to strengthen capability in the importance of scientific collaboration viral contributor to the hospitalisation and areas such as epidemiology, modelling and and global health into focus. death of millions of children that could be outbreak management, and build generic “All those years ago in Nepal I saw how vaccinated against. pandemic plans that are flexible enough to devastating infectious diseases can be. They don’t respect international borders and, in this age of regular global travel and humans’ impact on the environment, a “Looking back, it’s quite extraordinary some of the pandemic was always going to be inevitable, things we were involved in during that short period as is another one in the future. My hope is this experience will open our eyes and of time [in Nepal], and it’s no exaggeration that it we can work better together as a global shaped our lives and our careers.” community in future.” KIM THOMAS
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Otago scientists are taking prominent roles in an important Antarctic Science Platform programme to investigate
V how a warming world will impact ecosystems in the Ross Sea.
Will two degrees be too much? Photo: Alan Dove
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THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO is the ice shelf, such as penguins and seals? drawing on its extensive research experience “It’s all around those nutrient dynamics, in Antarctica as it takes the lead in one energy dynamics and carbon cycling of four multi-million dollar projects to through the system.“ understand more about how climate change Lamare says sea ice is a key driver of could impact the frozen continent. so much. Marine Science head of department “It’s two metres thick and it’s not solid, Professor Miles Lamare says the six-year it’s porous – so you get a whole community research programme, under the umbrella that lives inside that ice. That community of the Antarctic Science Platform, will includes diatoms and other primary investigate how changes in climate could producers that basically provide food for the affect Ross Sea ecosystems. whole ecosystem underneath it, such as the “It’s all about how the Ross Sea will krill and fish which graze on the bottom of respond to two-degree warming. The Paris the sea ice.” Agreement aims to restrict warming to The sea ice extends about 2,000km off below that, so this study will look at what the continent and, when it melts, it produces that will mean for Antarctica.” a huge phytoplankton bloom to drive those Otago researchers are involved in all four nutrient dynamics. projects that make up the programme. Another component of their project One is Antarctic Ice Dynamics, focuses on the pelagic food webs that exist looking at ice sheets and previous ice sheet offshore, away from coastal influences. movements. Lamare says this ranges from plankton to A second project, Antarctic Ocean the silverfish and tooth fish – key pelagic Mechanics, involves another leading Otago fish species that are an important food researcher Dr Christina Riesselman who is source for animals like seals and penguins. co-principal investigator for a team looking The project will involve wide-ranging at oceanography and how the Ross Sea and interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as Southern Ocean are likely to change under co-operation between institutions including different climate scenarios. NIWA, Landcare Manaaki Whenua, and Lamare heads up a third project dealing other universities (Canterbury, Auckland with the impact of warming on Ross Sea and Waikato). ecosystems, while a fourth project examines This allows them to draw on the Sea Ice and Carbon Cycle Feedbacks. expertise of marine chemists, biological Understanding the region’s ecosystems oceanographers, food web and meltwater will cover a lot of territory – quite literally production modellers. – from sea ice to Antarctica’s famed dry “But the real crossdisciplinary valleys, to understand how they are likely to collaborations come across the platform respond to meltwater and how it could drive itself. We are basically biological, but the changes in terrestrial biota. other project – number two – is physical Other research will focus on how coastal oceanography. We are working with them PROFESSOR MILES LAMARE: V ecosystems could respond to changes to tell us how the oceans and currents “We want to be able to predict how such as reductions in sea ice, as well as are going to change, and how the water the range of species and biodiversity examining what Antarctic fauna feed on structure may change. are going to change…” and where they get their energy. “We’ve got people working on modelling “There’s a range of research tools we can the sea ice changes and incorporating this use to see how energy is cycling through the into our models of how the biology will systems. What is the contribution from sea- respond. We also have people working on ice communities compared to energy from how glacial melting is putting freshwater the water column, and how energy is getting into the coastal systems.” brought in from animals coming in from off The modelling component of the
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programme will be particularly valuable “One of the key things the project because the research projects will provide a massive amount of data about has to do is set up what we how the ecosystem is functioning and call sentinels of change. If the how the environment drives processes such as primary production and species modelling says the most sensitive distribution. part of the ecosystem is penguins, “What we need to do is take that information and model it so we can start then you can then monitor those predicting how those ecosystems may as a sentinel of what’s happening respond and function if the region starts warming up and sea ice reduces.” to the rest of the food web.” The Antarctic Science Platform has a modelling hub in Wellington with expertise in areas covering climate, biogeochemical cycles, sea ice and glaciology. There is also a big data modeller. “We want to be able to predict how the range of species and biodiversity are going to change regionally, and we also want to identify vulnerable parts of the ecosystem sensitive to change. These areas would the Ross Sea in January so they will have a in the Ross Sea region that are going to be track temperature and productivity changes team onboard as they work to make up for particularly sensitive to change. over time. lost time. “One of the key things the project has to Lamare’s own hands-on research will Lamare says they are developing funding do is set up what we call sentinels of change. involve working around Ross Island and to charter an ice-strengthened research If the modelling says the most sensitive part along the coast amongst the sea ice. vessel in the coming two to three years to of the ecosystem is penguins, then you can “We’ll be fishing and diving to collect carry out some of the marine work down then monitor those as a sentinel of what’s samples for population genetics and isotope the Victoria land coast. happening to the rest of the food web. analyses – using an ROV [remote operated The programme involves extensive Similarly, if we identify a particular region vehicle] for mapping, looking at biodiversity international collaboration, working with is sensitive to warming, we can use that site and gathering water samples.” Italian and Korean research programmes, as as a sentinel of change.” Unfortunately, COVID-19 has disrupted well as support from the US and the British They will be setting up permanent the usual research season, forcing a lot of Antarctic Survey. monitoring sites – four or five key places work to be postponed. The RVTangaroa , which the modelling suggests could be NIWA’s research vessel, is going down to
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Past informs future
DRILLING HUNDREDS of metres ocean behaved during these past warm The information gathered will be fed into into the seabed below the Southern Ocean climate intervals.” the programme’s computer modelling hub. is allowing scientists to reconstruct past The team includes people with expertise “We can take the data and generate climate in Antarctica using fossil material in how sediment particles collect under a time horizon by reconstructing some going back more than three million years. different ocean current regimes, while particular slice of Antarctica’s past at Paleoceanographer Dr Christina Riesselman others use their expertise in microscopic multiple locations,” says Riesselman. (Geology) is co-principal investigator in the fossils or geochemistry to identify “It’s quite exciting. This [the Antarctic Antarctic Ocean Mechanics project along transitions in the geological record, Science Platform] is the only programme with lead investigator Craig Stephens, an including times when phytoplankton that I know of in the world where a nation observational physical oceanographer live in the sea ice gave way to those that are has prioritised building something this from NIWA. more tolerant of open ocean conditions and integrated.” Her own research takes the record sub-Antarctic temperatures. For Riesselman there is a sense of created when phytoplankton and various “You can use that information to work urgency, particularly considering the way geological materials eroded off the continent out where oceanographic fronts were recent drilling programmes have completely settle to the sea floor and uses it to migrating through time or where the overall revolutionised scientists’ understanding of reconstruct climate in the past. ocean was a lot warmer.” just how climate sensitive the ice sheets are. “I’m trying to understand how Riesselman’s project particularly “The more we learn from these dynamics of the Southern Ocean might be focuses on geologic periods where global reconstructions, the clearer it becomes that different under a future warmer climate temperatures were two degrees warmer than two degrees of warming is too much. At two scenario, by examining paleoclimate and present. degrees, ocean warming has the potential paleoceanographic records. Essentially it’s “In the last 500,000 years there have been to destabilise sections of West Antarctica – a logbook of how the ocean has changed three previous interglacial periods that were that’s already underway. through time.” just a little bit warmer than the one we’re in “But we also have the potential to Riesselman says the work has benefited now, where the sea level was about five to destabilise key regions of East Antarctica, from New Zealand’s involvement in the long nine metres higher than it is today,” she says. an ice sheet that was long thought to be running International Ocean Discovery “We’re also looking in detail at the pretty insensitive to warming.” Programme. Three recent expeditions to the last time atmospheric carbon dioxide was Southern Ocean produced more than five elevated above 400 parts per million [ppm] MARK WRIGHT kilometres of sediment cores. – that was about three million years ago. We “We now have cores from really sensitive passed that level again for the first time in locations that were selected, by design, to 2013. Today we’re right around 412 ppm.” improve our understanding of how the Rebecca Parker Photo:
DR CHRISTINA RIESSELMAN: “I’m trying to understand how dynamics of the Southern Ocean might be different under a future warmer climate scenario, by examining paleoclimate and paleoceanographic records.”
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Scott Gilmour with young Mt Roskill Dreamers at the I have a Dream launch in 2003.
Otago alumnus Scott Gilmour is an inspiring man. He has forged a successful career and is now committed to helping New Zealand’s less fortunate young people on their own paths to success. His I have a Dream project works to find long-term solutions to create generational change.
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MANY SCHOOL STUDENTS know contact with MPs from all parties. We really their teachers, parents and peers expect that need cross-party support as there’s not post-secondary studies will be part of their enough philanthropy to roll out what we’re education. Many less privileged pupils are doing nationwide. not so lucky. “Restructuring government social service Some don’t even expect to finish delivery could do this at no extra cost to schooling before heading off ill-equipped for them. Our results show a 20 to 1 return on the world they are about to enter. Without a investment when you consider such things good education, learned skills or even hope, as lifetime earnings and taxes paid. But their future could be bleak. governments are naturally risk-averse and Scott Gilmour is working on changing tend to think in the short term. Whereas that, promoting the dream of a better future social change is generational change. to disadvantaged youth. “Our next steps are putting together a The project he founded in New Zealand, national business plan, looking for more I Have a Dream, works with Kiwi kids from partners such as iwi, and we might need ages five to 20, supporting them to find a another five years to get sufficient data to path to success – not just academically, but convince government of the effectiveness of for life. our proposals.” From small localised beginnings 17 Gilmour is ideally placed to pitch the years ago, it has grown into a promising idea to politicians, bureaucrats, businesses project that inspires and empowers kids and communities. His career has seen him to dream and to achieve. It is rapidly in sales and start-ups, and he is still an angel investor, funding and supporting innovative start-up companies. He never had a long-term life plan, “If you can inspire and support kids during believing that if you don’t plan ahead it schooling through to employment or frees you to take new directions when doors open. While he appreciates his upbringing further study, you have a good chance of was comfortable, since then he has made his providing positive outcomes for them, their own way and has certainly made the best of opportunities. whānau and the communities they live in.” Choosing a degree was not so much a passion for business as eliminating subjects he didn’t like. But he found inspiration in his accumulating success stories that highlight second year when he started using computers its effectiveness. for analysis, agreeing with his father’s advice For Invercargill-raised Gilmour, whose that they could well be the future. own road to success included an Otago Graduating with a double major, BCom in Management and Marketing, I Gilmour landed a sales position with Have a Dream has high aims. Burroughs in Christchurch, where he “We’re looking at long-term solutions discovered how businesses actually to create generational change. If you can worked and how computers could be used inspire and support kids during schooling effectively. through to employment or further study, Life took an unexpected turn when he you have a good chance of providing met an American girl tramping in New positive outcomes for them, their whānau Zealand. “We knew almost instantly that and the communities they live in.” we were going to get married.” A year later, I Have a Dream is currently a privately- when Gilmour was ready for a traditional funded charity. Gilmour wants to prove its OE, the couple passed on Europe and long-term worth to government. “We’ve had headed to the States instead. In six months
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Scott and Mary Gilmour with Dreamer Salote a Makasini who graduated from the University of Otago with a BSc in neuroscience in December 2018.
they toured 20,000 miles together in a small manager of Intel in Auckland, he had his imagination in the US. car. “If you can survive that, you can survive high visibility, with a broad experience in The item reported the success of the anything.” management, marketing, development and I Have a Dream project supporting They settled in Portland, Oregon, with the investment. disadvantaged kids through school. It had idea of starting a family and heading back That visibility led to him teaming up started in East Harlem in New York City to New Zealand after a few years. Gilmour with Andy Hamilton, of Icehouse, and in 1981 and had been running for about a joined NCR in sales, but soon felt he needed others to co-found Ice Angels, a business decade when it came to Gilmour’s notice. to move on from selling. With few options network that invests in and supports Gilmour felt the model could be a perfect available at the time, he decided to advance promising teams exploring global fit for New Zealand. He approached the his education with an Executive MBA. opportunities. American organisation for permission to set “NCR were very good and funded my “New Zealand desperately needs to up the first similar project outside the US. first year, where I was able to work and study figure out how to develop more businesses “I didn’t know much about education side by side, but I couldn’t see a future with where we add value to what we do. We can’t or social work, but it looked like a great them so left and self-funded my second year.” keep relying on industries such as forestry, business plan to me. Then I found out there Gilmour took to mature study with a agriculture and high-risk tourism.” were more than 20,000 different charities passion, working with real-life situations. In 2019 Gilmour received the annual in New Zealand. Did we really need “I had to do a full-year business plan using Arch Angel Award from his investment another one? activity-based costing theories. At last peers for his contributions over the years “After six months of investigations and accounting made sense.” So did business. and, possibly, his sense of humour. “My first talking to lots of people doing great things Gilmour and a fellow student used the reaction was shock and then amusement. I for kids I found there was really nothing study to start their own software company reckon I got it just because of longevity as like I Have a Dream.” from scratch. I’d been doing it for so long.” Gilmour emphasises two standout “We raised money to start it, but as I also Throughout his years in the States and in differences. “The first is inclusivity. Most aid had a mortgage and two kids and debt from New Zealand, Gilmour remained involved programmes target the top 10 per cent of study, I needed an income too so I joined in his own software company, which he had kids on the bell curve or the bottom 10 per Intel, which was a fantastic place to work, helped to nurture all the way from the first cent. We target the whole cohort, including rather like doing an ongoing MBA.” business plan and capital raising through the largely overlooked 80 per cent in the For eight years Gilmour ran parallel hiring staff, strategic planning, expansion middle. We aim to move the whole bell careers, working for Intel by day and and, finally, to a successful sale of the curve up. Working with kids from years working on the start-up on some nights and company. It was another life-changing event. one to 15 and beyond, we have shown that at weekends. “We’d made every classic mistake start- the whole group has potential for greater When the opportunity came to head ups make but, in the end, after 13 years, outcomes than they would have otherwise. Intel’s operation in New Zealand, it was we’d become an overnight success. I now “The second difference is timeframe. perfect. “We now had four kids and our five had the resources to do something else.” Most programmes run for a few months years in the States had expanded to 15. It One of the first things he did after or for one or two years and involve one was time.” selling the company was to dig out an old activity. We run for 10 to 15 years and During Gilmour’s four years as general newspaper clipping he had filed after it fired include everything: literacy, numeracy, soft
24 PROFILE
“University can be powerfully formative. Otago woke me up intellectually, socially and emotionally.”
social skills and all you need to get a job or people I meet find Otago graduates typically her as he had for his own children who had go on to further study.” shine out among job seekers coming from graduated not long before. Breaking out of generational issues and university. I Have a Dream is now working with challenges such as the cycle of poverty “University can be powerfully formative. over 800 kids in Whāngarei. Eventually involves youth getting support from a four- Otago woke me up intellectually, socially Gilmour wants to see New Zealand roll legged stool, says Gilmour. and emotionally.” out the programme to all high-needs “The legs are family, friends, culture Otago has also inspired participants communities in the country so their young and community, and education and in I Have a Dream. After an exploratory people can get an opportunity to share in employment. Take away any one of those 2019 visit to campus, half of one group the same kind of experience. four and it becomes harder. Take two away decided they wanted to study at Otago. and it’s harder still. Lose three and you are And when one of the programme’s early Learn more at ihaveadream.org.nz likely to get lost. This is where the gangs step protégées crossed the stage to be capped in and provide alternative social structures.” in neuroscience, Gilmour felt as proud for NIGEL ZEGA Gilmour has seen many participants in I Have a Dream respond and blossom. Some have fallen by the wayside, but supporters are still standing by them and they still have opportunities to turn their lives around. “The key toI Have a Dream is the people who keep it going. I funded the first round and promote and support it, but the people who do the day-to-day work deserve all the credit for its success. We are also blessed with many generous donors to fund this expansion. Now can we find more people who can help us set it up around the country?” Gilmour appreciates education – and Otago. “Lessons you pick up at Otago are foundational. You leave home and learn how to live independently and get on with others. You learn time management and meet different people from different places A group of Dreamers – and Navigators – cycled doing different things. You get to evaluate the Otago Rail Trail in 2019. For most it was life and look at your choices.” their first trip to the South Island and the Campus life in Dunedin gives graduates furthest they had travelled without whānau. an edge, says Gilmour. “I and other business
25 Waste not …
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Otago’s new Food Waste Innovation Research Theme brings together multidisciplinary expertise to address the complex problem of food waste, offering positive outcomes
for society, the economy and the environment. Photos: Alan Dove
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UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO researchers Mirosa will continue her role as a are seeking solutions to a global problem government consultant, following on from that could turn into a win-win situation for her “Mirosa Report” prepared for the 2020 humankind and the planet. Parliamentary Environmental Committee While people in some parts of the world investigating food waste. She recommended are starving, people in wealthier countries that key stakeholders needed to develop are throwing away enough food to feed a national consensus about how to tackle them all – and that waste makes a major waste, gather data and take action now. contribution to climate change. “New Zealand is lagging behind Associate Professor Miranda Mirosa international efforts to combat food waste, (Food Science) is director of the University’s which is surprising given our clean green new Research Theme, Food Waste image. We should be at the forefront of issues Innovation – Auahatanga Parakai – which like these, but we’ve only really just got started launched in October. with the government recently committing “I’m really excited about food waste to establish a definition and measure of food RESEARCH THEME LEADERS because a lot of the solutions are quite waste and to include a food waste reduction Associate Professor Miranda simple. We don’t have to radically change target as part of a new waste strategy for Mirosa, Professor Phil Bremer what we are eating, but we do have to make New Zealand. We need to move fast. and Professor Sheila Skeaff. changes to the way we think about food and “Otago is New Zealand’s leading They are working to measure how we treat it. provider of research into food waste, food waste, develop reduction strategies, apply innovative “Food waste is everybody’s responsibility which is why this latest Research Theme is technologies, and help modify so everyone should get involved. It’s a so important. We can now gather all the producer and consumer winnable issue and solving it really can help multidisciplinary work that is being done behaviours. society, the economy and the environment.” and make it accessible to government, United Nations’ estimates suggest industry and the public. that about eight per cent of annual global “This issue has the potential to engage greenhouse gas emissions are generated by the everyone, including the private sector, 1.4 billion tonnes of food wasted each year. because solutions save money. Calculations About a third of the food produced for human show a median return of $14 for every dollar consumption does not get eaten. Yet more invested in food waste reduction initiatives.” than 800 million people are going hungry. Many businesses in the food supply chain Among the UN’s Sustainable are already official supporters of the Research Development Goals is Target 12.3, which Theme as well as involved in New Zealand aims to halve food waste across the world Food Waste Champions 12.3, a coalition by 2030. Mirosa’s teams are supporting that co-chaired by Mirosa and committed to target, investigating how and why food is meeting the UN goal of halving waste by wasted, and devising social and technical 2030 (nzchampions123.org). innovations to reduce it happening. The University of Otago’s Food Waste “We’ve been working on this issue Innovation team is currently running three for a number of years as individuals and research sub-themes: social innovations, in small collaborations,” says Mirosa. measuring waste, and technical innovations, “Research Theme funding for the next four respectively led by Mirosa, Professor Sheila years allows us to scale up and co-ordinate Skeaff (Human Nutrition) and Professor internal and external research teams for Phil Bremer (Food Science). specific projects. Skeaff, research leader for metrics and “The issue of food waste has been management, wants to understand the gaining momentum over the last five years, volume and nature of food being thrown with interest ramping up recently nationally away. “If we don’t really know how much at government level and among businesses waste we have now we can’t meet a target of and the public.” halving it.”
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Data collection along the food supply chain from growers to consumers, including post-harvest, food outlets and retail, will provide a baseline to work from when developing waste prevention strategies designed to have the biggest impact with the least resources. “Farmers and retailers have a good handle on how much is being wasted and are pretty good at keeping it to a minimum,” says Skeaff. “It’s just good business sense, but there are gaps and there is a lot of wastage by end-users. As consumers we need to change our mindsets and smarten up. “Achieving food waste reduction will require “A lot of people don’t know what they are doing wrong and need help to find the big acts by big players, as well as millions of right ways to reduce waste, especially in acts by everyone from farmers to consumers. the home. It needs effort and behavioural change. Fortunately young people are very We need to understand behaviour better, of environmentally aware and want to tackle both producers and consumers. We have to the problems. But it’s going to take time.” look at what we are doing and how we might Economic drivers are effective for both businesses and consumers, and COVID-19 change what we do to reduce food waste.” has highlighted the importance of food, says Skeaff. “During lockdown we realised how basic a need food is. We also discovered how fragile our food system is. For example, when imported food ingredients are no longer available, that can stop production. We need to better use the foods we produce says Skeaff, and data will help to inform “We need to get researchers together in New Zealand and rely less on imported, responses to the issues. “This is definitely a with representatives from all parts of the highly-processed products.” good start. It’s a complicated issue with lots food supply chain so they can ask questions Food has a lot to answer for. The EAT- of players and we will need a lot of people of each other and let each other know how Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health across a variety of sectors to work on it. they can help. We need to match research estimates that a future planet population What gets measured has a better chance to and practical applications. And we need to of 10 billion could be fed a healthy diet in get managed.” showcase success stories and see what went theory, but only if we transform our eating Mirosa, research leader for social well and what we can improve. habits by reducing our intake of animal innovations, sees the new Research Theme “There are huge gains for the national foods and moving to a more plant-based as a positive step after her recommendation economy and the public in general, which diet, improving food production and to parliament that better co-ordination is is a win on the social front. We need that reducing food waste. needed to reduce food waste. progress, especially since finding that Reports from almost 40 world-leading “Achieving food waste reduction will during the COVID pandemic one in five scientists led the commission to conclude require big acts by big players, as well as New Zealanders were recorded as having that global food production is the single millions of acts by everyone from farmers faced food insecurity.” largest driver of environmental degradation, to consumers. We need to understand Bremer, research leader for technical climate instability and the transgression of behaviour better, of both producers and innovations, sees the Research Theme as planetary boundaries. consumers. We have to look at what we are the natural result of the number of people Research being done by Food Waste doing and how we might change what we do investigating related topics reaching Innovation is both timely and vital, to reduce food waste. critical mass.
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“The Department of Food Science has get close to their sell-by dates, into new disciplines such as food science, microbiology, been interested in this for a long time, products that could subsequently be sold. nutrition, chemistry and marketing. The but only lately has this explicitly fallen “No one likes to see things thrown out, Research Theme will make bringing teams of under the labels of sustainability and food but up-cycling is still a fairly new idea for experts together a lot easier.” waste,” he says. “We already have strong the general consumer and there has to be There is strong support for change, connections with industry, learning about a need in the market for it to work. Once says Mirosa. “Our goal with the Research their product streams and their possibilities people might not have been interested in Theme is to use this support to harness and limitations, and helping them with buying a recycled product, but now it is the best scientific expertise to provide innovation.” fashionable to act and buy responsibly. effective solutions to Aotearoa’s food waste Work includes finding uses for what Sustainability is a big driver now.” problems.” is currently considered food waste. That Turning what was once considered waste may involve finding values within a waste into marketable food requires a wide range NIGEL ZEGA product by breaking it down into its of skills. component parts and using them as raw “We need food scientists to work on what materials to manufacture something new. we can make and how, sensory scientists “We have already investigated uses to ensure that any new product appeals FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: for fish, meat, fruit ‘waste’ and even some to customers’ tastes, food safety experts otago.ac.nz/food-waste shells, but there are many more possibilities to ensure it is safe, nutritionists to ensure If your organisation is interested in becoming a to explore. Those could include turning it is healthy and marketing specialists to supporter, please contact the research teams at products such as bread and milk, when they investigate consumer behaviour. It involves [email protected]
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Tenacity reaps rewards
OTAGO ALUMNA GEORGIE NORTHCOAT: “My degree has helped me begin a journey where I am using what I know to make a meaningful change in the world.” Photos: Alan Dove
30 PROFILE
A STREET STAND at the side of assistance for the winning concept. break down through the washing process, a deserted road on the outskirts of Then along came COVID-19. releasing plastics into waterways, grey water Christchurch selling horse manure, “Manufacturing in offshore markets, systems and impacting environmental and alongside lemonade, marked the beginning where we aimed to source textile offcut human health. of 10-year-old Georgie Northcoat’s waste, virtually halted and we found it “At the moment, we’re prototyping the entrepreneurial dream. difficult making connections with the product and doing consumer testing. But while Georgie, now 21, applauds the people we needed to work with on building “I’ve learnt a lot of practically focused plucky attitude of her 10-year-old self that the solution. Essentially, we couldn’t find business information. I’m still a university saw her convince her best friend to embark our product-market fit,” says Northcoat. student – now doing postgraduate studies on that first entrepreneurial adventure “So a week or two into lockdown we at ICT Signal – so learning about all the together, she says she’s learnt a lot since made the call to pivot – to try to solve the steps you need to take as an entrepreneur then about presenting the right product in same problem, but in a different way. While to validate your business idea and get the right place and right time. many of us are aware of the growing problem it ready for market has been a massive “I’m not sure horse poo and lemonade of microplastics in the ocean, most people learning curve. was a great combination,” she laughs. are unaware that domestic laundering – the “While we unfortunately didn’t win “Nor was selling a product like horse washing we do at home – contributes 35 per the prize, I’m looking forward to pursuing manure into a farming community where cent of all these emissions. Lynk Solution, while working for a local there was already an abundance of “Our solution is a product to remove company [Winely] over summer as the horse manure.” this synthetic textile waste – created when operations manager with mentors I very Fast forward a decade and it could be the abrasive mechanical action of washing much admire.” argued that Northcoat’s latest venture, machines causes fibres to shed from Responding to new challenges and EcoTex – an eco-solution that found a clothing – from the natural environment.” constantly evolving situations is something
University of Otago applied sciences graduate Georgie Northcoat is no stranger to confronting challenges in her life. Now she is pursuing her dream of entrepreneurship – a dream that saw her unique eco product, Lynk Solution (originally known as EcoTex), become a finalist in this year’s Callaghan Innovation C-Prize awards.
patentable process to repurpose synthetic While the original idea for Eco-Tex may Northcoat is no stranger to. Born with fibres from waste fabric into insulation have changed, it still meets the company’s cystic fibrosis, a condition that causes materials for homes – was exactly the right original goal of finding a solution to mitigate severe damage to the lungs, digestive system product for the right place and time. the impact of synthetic textiles on the and other organs, she spent much of her Armed with an applied science degree environment. The new solution – the Lynk childhood in and out of hospital. in textile science and marketing, her microfibre filter – attaches to any washing “I have a really bad habit of downplaying idea became one of eight finalists in the machine and works to eliminate 93 per everything, but I do treatments every day – Callaghan Innovation’s C-Prize, an annual cent of the pollution caused by microfibre preventive treatments – that help keep me science prize which offers $100,000 and plastics that comes when synthetic fibres well and have kept me out of hospital for
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“I’ve learnt a lot of practically focused business information. I’m still a university student… so learning about all the steps you need to take as an entrepreneur to validate your business idea and get it ready for market has been a massive learning curve.”
the past two years. Before that I probably spent university and study and friends. I’ve loved it. It’s extremely rewarding. a couple of weeks to a month in hospital at least taught me a lot about independence and, while I “Expand your interests. You’re never once a year. never considered myself an academic, I was able too young to start exploring your interests. “Everyone talks about the physical aspects to pick up some great habits and do well.” Don’t be afraid to uncover a person-driven or of cystic fibrosis, but the psychological aspects Keen on developing her entrepreneurial passion project. and the toll those take on me and everyone in skills, Northcoat joined Audacious in “Last year I became very involved with my family is massive. It’s definitely present in 2019, a programme for students that builds Cystic Fibrosis NZ and this has been an my day-to-day life. I’ve been extremely lucky to entrepreneurial skills through workshops and incredibly rewarding experience. Prior to that I be healthy for the past two years and am really mentoring, run through Startup Dunedin. had been a bit more private, but I’ve found that grateful for that.” “In November last year I went to China to educating people about what cystic fibrosis is Northcoat grew up in Christchurch and take part in UNLEASH Innovation Lab for and what it means has been really cool and I’m attended Burnside High School, before choosing the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs], a really proud to the University of Otago for her study, where hackathon for trying to solve the world’s most get involved.” she won a Donna-Rose McKay Scholarship*, pressing issues. This is where EcoTex – now embarking on a degree in applied sciences known as Lynk Solution – was born. After that AMIE RICHARDSON (textile science) and marketing. I travelled around China visiting manufacturers “I have always been hugely interested in and attending conferences. When I returned to textiles. At one point I considered studying New Zealand in December, I applied fashion, but I knew I wanted to do something for C-Prize.” *Donna-Rose Mackay was Head of the with real depth. My degree has helped me begin Northcoat is humble about her many University of Otago’s Disability Information a journey where I am using what I know to achievements in her 21 short years and says and Support service. A suite of scholarhips for make a meaningful change in the world. doing something different from your peers students with disabilities was named in her “I really enjoyed Otago for the balance of may seem “a bit unnatural or off” at first, but is honour in 2014 following her death.
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PROFESSOR TONY BALLANTYNE: “Cook’s contributions to European knowledge and his engagements with indigenous communities across the Pacific were the very things that made him so effective in forwarding the interests of the British Empire.”
Putting Captain Cook in his place
A polarising figure, variously described as a murdering invader and an accomplished navigator, cartographer and ethnographic observer: just what is Captain James Cook’s legacy? Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) Professor Tony Ballantyne discusses
Photo: Alan Dove these divergent views in the wake of Tuia 250.
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NEW ZEALAND IS a society that lives As a result, Cook in the shadow of empire and colonialism, has always been a where the conflict, dispossession, inequality contentious figure in and painful legacies of the past frequently Tūranga/Gisborne: resurface in cultural life and political debate. although many civic In recent times, the figure of Captain leaders have been proud Cook has loomed large in these discussions. of the city’s connections In part, Cook’s prominence reflects the with the Endeavour and impact of global social currents, particularly seen Cook as a hero, the Black Lives Matter movement and Māori have remembered heightened focus on memorials to empire the violence and felt its and slavery in the wake of the toppling of enduring legacies. a statue of Edward Colston, an influential Cook returned to merchant and politician whose wealth was the centre of national underwritten by the Atlantic slave trade, attention over the past in Bristol in June. Within a week of that three years as a result statue being deposited in Bristol harbour, a of the initiation of Cook statue commemorating Cook on the Tuia 250, a sequence Waikanae foreshore in Tūranga/Gisborne of commemorations was inscribed with graffiti that read: “Black to mark the 250th lives matter and so do Māori” and “Take anniversary of this racist headstone of my people down Endeavour’s arrival. before I do”. Although the A statue of James Cook by the sculptor James Tweed unveiled That text can be read as an initial government in 1912, West Cliff, Whitby. The inscription celebrates Cook intervention into the ongoing debates over announcement had a as “a great Yorkshire seaman”. Cook’s particular significance in Tūranga/ strong focus on Cook, as Gisborne, which was the first landing site this programme evolved for Cook, the officers and crew of HMB its aspirations widened to focus on New (Fa’afaite i te Ao Mā’ohi from Pape’ete,) Endeavour in October 1769. Violence Zealand’s “Dual Heritage; Shared Future”. as well as the replica HMB Endeavour. studded the first collisions between Cook This vision accorded with the meaning of The va’a moana and waka hourua proved and local people – Rongowhakaata, Ngāti “tuia”, which alludes to weaving together particularly popular with the hapū and iwi Oneone, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Ngāi and emphasises interconnectedness and that engaged with the Tuia 250 programme, Tāmanuhiri. Te Maro of Ngāti Oneone and interdependence. reflecting their strong interest in waka, the Te Rakau of Rongowhakaata were killed As Tuia 250 took shape, Cook ocean, navigational traditions and their during the first two landings by the British. increasingly moved to the margins, in part links back across the Pacific. Cook decided that capturing some local as a response to criticism of any desire to But both the Endeavour replica and people and then treating them kindly would celebrate either Cook or the Endeavour the Tuia programme were controversial. be an effective strategy to establish his itself. The Tuia 250 programme had a strong Tina Ngata (Ngāti Porou) criticised the friendly intentions. He pursued this plan emphasis on mātauranga Maori (Māori planned commemorations at a United by kidnapping three young Rongowhakaata ways of knowing) and Pacific knowledge Nations forum in April 2018, suggesting men – Te Haurangi, Ikirangi and Marukauiti traditions. Navigation and voyaging were it was designed as a celebration that failed – after their four kin who had been out particularly important here, through the to recognise the terrible consequences of fishing with them were killed by British. figure of the Rai’atean ritual expert Tupaia, Cook’s arrival for Māori. Other critics These violent acts have had profound who joined the Endeavour crew, and through were even blunter, suggesting that Cook consequences for hapū and iwi, who continue Pacific traditions of oceanic voyaging. was a murderer, a thief, an invader – and to feel considerable mamae (pain) as a result A key feature of the commemorations Arama Rata (Ngāti Maniapoto, Taranaki, of the violence that left their ancestors killed was a flotilla featuring six vessels, including and Ngāruahine) dubbed the Endeavour a and wounded, and which inaugurated two waka hourua (Haunui from Tāmaki “death ship”. the beginnings of imperial intrusion and, Makaurau/Auckland, and Ngahiraka Mai These powerfully articulated critiques ultimately, colonial settlement. Tawhiti from Tauranga) and a va’a moana were rejected by other commentators who
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suggested that these arguments failed to the United Kingdom that are associated recognise Cook’s accomplishments as a with James Cook. Cook is memorialised navigator, cartographer and ethnographic in a number of sites in Yorkshire: in observer and that, in many instances, he his birthplace Marton-in-Cleveland; in was adept at crossing cultural boundaries. the village of Great Ayton, where Cook Although these positions appear spent his boyhood; in the coastal village fundamentally irreconcilable, in fact of Staithes where he was apprenticed to Cook’s contributions to European a grocer and haberdasher; and in the knowledge and his engagements with important port of Whitby. It was from there indigenous communities across the Pacific that Cook built a career as a sailor and were the very things that made him so officer and learnt his craft as a navigator. effective in forwarding the interests of In Whitby today, Cook is prominent. the British Empire. Cook’s three voyages His statue dominates the hill on the into the Pacific produced vast stores north side of the harbour and a museum of information, enabling Europeans to marks his significance in the centre of the believe that they “knew” the region and town. Cook in Whitby is celebrated as a this facilitated future imperial trade and great Yorkshireman and an outstanding colonial settlement. sailor, rather than an imperial hero. In Although Tuia 250 was contentious, each of these places in Yorkshire, Cook is it did provide an important opportunity remembered slightly differently, but what is for New Zealanders to reflect on the striking to a New Zealander is that, in the legacies of empire and colonisation, to north of England, Cook seems settled and hear Māori perspectives, and to have some uncontentious. The pain and consequences “The past is conversations about the past, present and of empire feel half a world away. future that are urgently needed in a society The divergence in how Cook is remembered in different where there are persistent and pernicious remembered in Whitby and Tūranga/ inequalities. Gisborne is a telling reminder that memory ways in different places. A number of hapū and iwi saw Tuia is perspectival. The past is remembered Communities remember 250 as providing them with opportunities in different ways in different places. to pursue their own goals, particularly to Communities remember in divergent ways; in divergent ways; the reinvigorate waka traditions, to strengthen the culture of communities is shaped by ties across the Pacific, and to ensure that what and how they remember, by what they culture of communities their understandings of the past were ignore and by what they forget. shared widely. Ngāti Oneone, for example, Cook will not be quickly forgotten in is shaped by what and emphasised the significance of Te Maro contemporary New Zealand, even as the how they remember, by in the history of their community and controversies surrounding Tuia 250 begin he was celebrated in a striking 10-metre to fade. Cook will undoubtedly return what they ignore and by tall sculpture erected at the Ruatanuika to the centre of public attention at some lookout on Ngāti Oneone’s maunga point soon as communities continue what they forget.” Titirangi, meaning that this key tupuna to reflect on his significance and as the now looks over the city of Tūranga/ coming generations discover the past, its Gisborne. This was a very significant complexities and its ongoing weight in change: until earlier in 2019, a poorly the present. executed and very contentious statue of Cook had stood on Titirangi, underlining Professor Tony Ballantyne’s Cook’s symbolic importance in a city research interests include the whose civic identity has often been defined cultural history of the British through connections with the navigator. Empire, New Zealand’s changing This changing landscape of memory place within that empire, and the can be usefully contrasted with sites in development of colonial knowledge.
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Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson and Dr Louise Bicknell are joint winners of the 2020 University of Otago Rowheath Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal given to recognise the outstanding research performance of early career staff.
Research passion with Māori focus
Māori Physical Education and Health kairangahau (researcher) Excellence award in the Kaupapa Māori category from Ako Aotearoa Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson studies how connections for her sustained excellence in teaching. of wai (water), moana (ocean) and mātauranga (Māori knowledge) Jackson believes the key to this success is understanding her are beneficial for mauri ora (flourishing health), and she strives own ‘why’. “I’m hugely passionate about my research which is to create opportunities for Māori research excellence that, most what I teach on, so I think this enthusiasm is maybe part of the significantly of all, serves Māori communities. success. But I love seeing students develop their own passion and Starting out as a lecturer in the School of Physical Education, enthusiasm and then become engaged to go out into the world and Sport and Exercise Sciences in 2011, Jackson (Ngāti Whātua, do something about it in a practical way too. Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu o Whangaroa, Ngāti Wai) co-founded kaupapa “It’s important I provide leadership as well as capability-building of Te Koronga with Dr Hauiti Hakopa. She now co-leads Te Koronga for Māori research and researchers by making sure we walk our talk with Dr Chanel Phillips and Mr Danny Poa as a vibrant research and deliver.” kaupapa with excellent graduate research students, researchers and However, it’s that deep connection and relationships with people communities interested in mauri ora. and place that continue to drive Jackson’s mahi. Mauri ora and hauora (health) is the core thread that binds “For us, the more important evaluation of our work is from Jackson’s many strands of mahi, and which connects theory and those communities whom we work directly with, to ensure we are application through working with Māori communities and “getting accountable to them, to our own whānau and to ourselves.” our hands dirty”. And winning this award and medal is particularly significant. “It She co-leads two other research programmes: Te Tiaki Mahinga shows that there is a pathway for someone else like me to realise Kai (customary fisheries) and Tangaroa Ara Rau (Māori Water Safety), their potential in research.” the later involving the development of a free Māori water safety programme that strengthens whānau connection to the water. This work is funded from the Health Research Council where she works alongside researchers and communities around Aotearoa. It is these research programmes that encapsulate the interface and connections between Jackson’s teaching, research and community-based mahi. Her most recent research collaboration, Coastal People: Southern Skies, brings together education, government and community partners across Aotearoa, and focuses on the changes resulting from ocean warming and acidification, sea-level rise and climate, and how these issues affect our identities, histories and well-being as coastal people. “Climate change is the biggest issue we are facing so we need holistic thinkers who can address such questions.” Jacksons says physical education has nurtured a broad base of theoretical and applied skills that can be applied to these challenges, and which includes the ability to adapt to constantly changing situations. In 2019 her research was also recognised with the Royal Society ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANNE-MARIE JACKSON: Te Apārangi’s Te Kōpūnui Māori Research Award for research forging “I love seeing students develop their own passion and enthusiasm new knowledge at the interface of mātauranga Māori and physical and then become engaged to go out into the world and do something sciences. about it in a practical way too.” She has also recently received a national Tertiary Teaching
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Genetic questions and answers
Dunedin geneticist and Rutherford Discovery Fellow brains to grow. I am in awe of the power these spelling mistakes Dr Louise Bicknell’s research focuses on understanding how have – that a tiny alteration can have such dramatic consequences to changes in a person’s DNA can impact development and lifetime development. We can harness this power to really help understand health. Her particular focus is on single gene disorders of body and the biology of growth.” brain growth. But research costs money. Bicknell’s research has been funded Initially coming to Otago to do medicine, Bicknell “got hooked by the University of Otago, the Marsden Fund, the Neurological by the science” and graduated with a BSc with first class honours Foundation and the Health Research Council. The quest for in genetics. continued funding never stops though, and is a process which can “With genetics there are just four letters [bases that make up be difficult for research in a relatively small field in New Zealand. DNA]; it’s that simple. To think that basic simplicity leads to the That makes the recognition that comes from winning the Rowheath complexity in nature all around us, I mean, how? And it’s that ‘how’ Trust Award and Carl Smith Medal so significant, she says. question that’s inspired me.” “I just hope that through my research in understanding the Following her PhD she moved to the University of Edinburgh for consequences of changes in our DNA, I will be able to help in the postdoctoral work and a chance to work alongside Professor Andrew bigger goal of extracting as much information from someone’s Jackson who was studying human genes acting in growth and genome as possible, to help understand their development and inflammation. health throughout their lifetime.” “It has turned out to be really interesting in that it’s quite a simple concept – what determines our size – but we still don’t fully understand it. For example, the bumblebee bat weighs just two grams and the blue whale weighs 150 tonne. But both started from just one cell with a common ancestor and you luckily never see a bat the size of a blue whale, or vice versa. “So, there must be controls for this in our instructions. That’s what determines the size. And those instructions – that’s the genetics.” It is changes in those genetic “instructions” that determine many conditions resulting in size differences among humans too, she says. “These conditions are caused by just a couple of these DNA spelling mistakes. Our goal is to find these spelling mistakes and understand them.” Trying to cure these health conditions is often not feasible, she says. It is the quest for knowledge about them that is of great use, for two reasons. “One, for the families. They get an answer. Some of these conditions are more rare than one in a million, so just getting a genetic answer for the family is actually very powerful. “Having an answer helps them understand about risks for other family members and can open doors for therapy and other help. Also, as we find other families with the same spelling mistakes, we can start to provide better clinical advice about what parents can DR LOUISE BICKNELL: expect as their child grows. “To think that basic simplicity leads to the complexity in nature all “The second reason is the biology and the insight these spelling around us, I mean, how? And it’s that ‘how’ question that’s inspired me.” mistakes give into what instructions help control our bodies and
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Vote of confidence
Single transferable voting has been ranked number one as an STV, but Hayward points out that they include many of the larger effective way of electing local body politicians. local bodies. Professor Janine Hayward (Politics) – along with Professor Jack She and Vowles are making their initial findings known to local Vowles from Victoria University – is researching what difference bodies that are considering changing their voting system, while they the single transferable vote (STV) system has made since it was continue their research project. introduced as an alternative to first past the post (FPP) in local government elections in 2004. The research shows that STV makes elections more competitive: an average of one more person per contest will stand under STV than under FPP. Hayward and Vowles presume that this is at least partly because under STV some potential candidates are not put off by the vote splitting than can occur under FPP, and a greater diversity of candidates see a better chance of being elected. They say that STV also ensures that mayors are not elected by a minority, and it can boost women’s representation by up to 10 per cent, although it does not seem to have a positive impact on Māori representation. FPP supporters argue that STV’s candidate ranking system is confusing and turns people off voting, but Hayward and Vowles found that it makes little difference to voter turnout or confidence in PROFESSOR JANINE HAYWARD: Her research concludes the system. that the STV system makes local body elections more competitive. Only a handful of city, district and regional councils currently use
Equitable modelling
A new HRC-funded research project led by Dr Melissa McLeod interventions,” McLeod explains. “Rather than modelling the impact (University of Otago, Wellington) aims to put equity for Māori at of colorectal cancer screening separately, we will look at the benefits the heart of cost-effectiveness modelling. of combining it with smoking cessation programmes, or screening for McLeod (Ngāi Tahu) is a senior research fellow in the Department stomach cancer.” of Public Health’s Māori Health Research Centre, Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare. She says traditional modelling, which looks at the benefits of a health intervention over the entire population, ignores how those benefits are distributed, in terms of who gains the most and who gains the least. “Often by not focusing on health equity, we put in programmes that make inequities worse than they were to start with. A good example was the decision to implement colorectal cancer screening – which offered big improvements in health through the total population and improvements in health for Māori, but the benefits for non-Māori were far larger than the benefits for Māori.” McLeod’s research will focus on cancer screening programmes, but the new modelling methods to be developed will be applicable to other health interventions too. The research team will also work on ways to enable more than one DR MELISSA MCLEOD (centre) with Associate Prof Ricci Harris health intervention to be modelled at a time. and Dr Anja Mizdrak: “We want to maximise any opportunities for “We want to maximise any opportunities for improving health improving health with every interaction with the health system.” with every interaction with the health system, so we want to combine
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Tourism and media narratives
Professor Neil Carr (Tourism) is analysing media representations cancelled, fear and uncertainty among tourists, both positive and of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications for the tourism negative attitudes to tourists from locals, and a growing call for industry. domestic tourism as a fallback strategy. He and co-researchers Dr Ismail Shaheer and David Adeloye, He hopes this pilot study will serve as a springboard for further have been harvesting data from media releases and social media research into tourism and contagious diseases in the context of platforms since 31 December 2019 (when China reported the novel media representations and disaster management. coronavirus in Wuhan). Analysing narratives around international and domestic tourism in New Zealand is allowing them to track reactions to the threat of COVID-19. By observing the collective consciousness of the people through this prism, they hope to gauge tourism’s resilience in the face of emerging crises. Initial findings showed that up until the third week in March 2020 social media narratives were mostly positive. “I am well aware of how resilient tourism is, but the fact that people were planning trips to New Zealand right up until the borders closed – even in the face of a global pandemic – is testament to this resilience,” says Carr. However, as the pandemic played out these narratives changed, with results betraying a new anti-tourism sentiment. PROFESSOR NEIL CARR: An analysis of social media While New Zealand is being seen as a pandemic safe haven, narratives shows an increasing anti-tourism sentiment as the results have shown a growing panic in the tourism sector. Carr says COVID-19 pandemic has played out. emerging themes include disappointment as travel plans have been
Family impacts
The loved ones of those who survived the Christchurch mosque services and referrals for any other supports identified through attacks are the focus of a new study at the University of Otago, the study. Christchurch. Sulaiman-Hill is also involved in a HRC-funded study with Dr Ruqayya Sulaiman-Hill has been funded by the Canterbury Associate Professor Caroline Bell studying the mental health Medical Research Foundation to study the psychological, physical, impacts on adults who survived the mosque attacks or lost loved cultural and social effects of supporting loved ones who were at the ones on that day. two mosques during the 2019 attacks. Sulaiman-Hill and her team hope to interview around 250 adult family members of survivors. The study will also involve in- laws of those who died, acknowledging the strong sense of family responsibility common in Muslim communities, as many moved to Christchurch to provide support to close relatives after the attack. Sulaiman-Hill says preliminary interviews with the loved ones of survivors have identified significant impacts. “We know those injured or present in the mosques had highly traumatic experiences and many people believed they were about to die. Anyone from these groups are likely to be at risk of mental health disorders so we want to also understand the impact that living with these survivors has had on their close family members, DR RUQAYYA SULAIMAN-HILL: “We know those injured or which is likely to also be significant and prolonged.” present in the mosques had highly traumatic experiences… so we Clinical psychiatrists and psychologists, Muslim research want to also understand the impact that living with these survivors assistants and specialist mental health nurses are part of the study has had on their close family members.” group. Participants will be provided with appropriate mental health
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Pioneering nutritionist on a mission
DR MURIEL BELL was only the second New Zealand woman to obtain the research degree of MD.
“THE WAY TO PIONEER a new subject is to have a pioneer lineage, on both sides of the family!” So said Kiwi medical researcher and nutritionist Dr Muriel Bell – New Zealand’s first state nutritionist whose While she’s not exactly a household pioneering work radically improved the standard of nutrition in New Zealand and name, the influence of Dr Muriel Bell on was responsible for ground- breaking public New Zealand’s public health policies is health schemes such as milk in schools, the iodisation of table salt to prevent thyroid far reaching. Now, the collection of her disease and public water fluoridation to combat tooth decay. papers housed at the Hocken Library Distinguished by her biographer Diana Brown for her “unconventional career”, have been inscribed in the prestigious Bell was one of the first New Zealand UNESCO Memory of the World women to obtain the research degree of Medical Doctor. She studied physiology and New Zealand Register. biochemistry at the University of Otago,
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In 1907, when Bell was nine, her mother was killed in a tramcar accident in Wellington. The family moved to Richmond and Bell eventually attended Nelson College for Girls, before winning a university scholarship and moving to Dunedin to study medicine, originally planning to become a medical missionary. With women medical students still “The sun of hope for better teeth unusual in the early 20th century, she was has already risen over the New one of a “close and friendly group of seven or eight women among only 30 students in Zealand horizon… today sees all” who began their medical training in 1917 – receiving a mixed reception from the the expansion of the idea of establishment. She later reflected: “Women were not mineral deficiencies affecting the altogether welcomed, at the time, as medical students. Engraved on the desk that resistance of teeth to decay.” I sat in was the slogan ‘Women’s place is in – Dr Muriel Bell the home’.” In 1922, Bell graduated from medical school, but decided to stay on and do research on human metabolism. Particularly concerned with the thyroid gland in people suffering from goitre, her research contributed to the introduction of iodised salt – showing that increasing the level of iodine in the diet was an effective protection Prime Minister’s Department photograph, Box-184-127, Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hākena. against the illness. In 1926 she became New Zealand’s second woman to be awarded the research degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) – the first was Dr Margaret Cruikshank who with a focus on the newly established nutritionist (1940–1964), she increased obtained an MD at Otago in 1903. connections between disease and nutritional scientific knowledge of nutrition and Over the next decade, Bell’s award- deficiencies, leading research on vitamins helped establish nutrition and dietetics as winning work saw her hold a range of and minerals to prevent deficiency diseases professional fields in New Zealand. positions including lecturing at the Otago and, later, optimise health. Her early Muriel Bell was born in Murchison Medical School and conducting nutritional research into fats and cholesterol tackled the on the West Coast in 1898. Her parents research into, for example, the role of complexity of nutrition-related aspects of (Thomas and Eliza) farmed and operated a vitamins (while based at University College coronary heart disease. sawmill. They also gave advice and medical London) and soil deficiencies. On returning Driven by a deep social concern, help to the growing community – her father to Dunedin in 1935 to lecture in physiology especially for the health of women and stitched wounds and set broken bones. and experimental pharmacology, she later children, Bell’s nutritional advice – shared Says Bell: “The honour goes to my became a founding member of the Medical through radio talks, nutrition handbooks mother who gave me a strong body and Research Council, serving on its nutrition and her regular column with the New to my father who acquired a great deal of committee alongside her role on the Board Zealand Listener – may be commonplace medical knowledge from reading medical of Health as its only female board member today, but was revolutionary at the time, books – there was no doctor within 70 miles at the time. such as: eat more fruit, vegetables and milk and he used to be a sort of doctor for the In 1940, she took up the position of products, and cut down on sugar, fat and district we lived in, so I had the benefit of New Zealand’s first Nutrition Officer in the meat. During her 24-year tenure as state cod liver oil and such like in my childhood.” Department of Health alongside Director
41 HOCKEN LEGACY
of Nutrition Research at Otago Medical (1939), followed by School. Over the war years, the government Normal Nutrition – Notes frequently consulted with Bell about food for Nurses to help nurses rationing and, when shipping losses cut care for patients better. down New Zealand’s supplies of cod liver Her contributions to oil (at the time given to children because The Listener explained it contained vitamin D), she found an in everyday language alternative source of vitamin D in New the latest research in Zealand fish oils. She developed a recipe for nutrition – everything making rosehip syrup so that children could from “The Nutritive Value get vitamin C when the supply of oranges of Potatoes” to “A Talk ran out. on Liver” or advice for Later, when she became concerned parents about how to feed that vitamin C and riboflavin in milk are their babies cod liver oil destroyed by exposure to sunlight, it became or arguments for milk as a requirement that milk delivery vehicles “our best single food”. were covered. She also worked to have As Bell put it in an milk pasteurised and have unhealthy cows essay titled “Nutrition destroyed. Her conviction that milk was a Research”: “A great many vital food source and should be part of New people have enquiring DR MURIEL BELL’S conviction that milk was a vital food Zealanders’ daily diet led to a nationwide minds that make them source led to a nationwide programme of free milk to programme of free milk to school students. want to know whether school students. Milk in Schools, MS-1078/001, Muriel Bell Another ground-breaking initiative was they are doing the right papers, Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hākena. in showing a link between fluorine and thing by themselves or good teeth, campaigning long and hard their families and though as “Battleaxe Bell” for the introduction of it isn’t always a good fluoride into town water supplies. This led thing to be fussing about either health Yet despite the volume of papers and to massive reductions in tooth decay across or foods, it’s good to see whether there materials that share the life of Muriel Bell, generations of New Zealanders. is from time to time any ‘news from the she remains a somewhat enigmatic figure. As Bell eloquently describes in her stomach front’ and then put its items into Little is known of her personally, says essay titled “The Work of the Nutrition practical effect in one’s daily habits, but Diana Brown. Research Department”: “The sun of hope for keep them somewhere in the back of one’s “We can discover little for example about better teeth has already risen over the New consciousness.” how the early deaths of two siblings and her Zealand horizon… For the first of these According to her biographer, many of mother might have affected her. She married two decades it was a voice crying in the the current topics in nutrition research twice, both times to men many years older New Zealand wilderness, but today sees the bear a “striking resemblance” to the than she was; beyond the knowledge that expansion of the idea of mineral deficiencies range of projects that occupied Muriel they, most unusually for the time, took on affecting the resistance of teeth to decay.” Bell throughout her career, “reminding us the primary housekeeping duties.” Muriel Bell’s desire to build sound malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies are What we do know of this remarkable nutritional knowledge across the population still a major concern”. pioneer is that Muriel – who was awarded meant she committed much of her time Muriel Bell died in 1974. In 2020 the both a Fellow of the Royal Society of New to sharing advice and research in various Muriel Bell papers, held by the Hocken Zealand and Commander of the British articles, interviews and guidelines. As her Collections, were accepted to the UNESCO Empire – became a missionary in her own biographer puts it, “Muriel understood, Memory of the World Register. The register country. As her friend Marion Robinson nutrition is a cornerstone of individual lists inscriptions of significant documentary described: “Dr Bell did become a medical and public health. Nutrition researchers, heritage that contribute to New Zealand’s missionary, but in a somewhat unusual nutritionists and dieticians have a vital role history and heritage, and are significant way – as a home missionary bringing good in shaping the health of New Zealand.” to the identity of New Zealanders today nutrition to everyone through New Zealand.” Early on she helped create the handbook – a feat no one would argue Muriel Bell Good Nutrition: Principles and Menus achieved over her career. AMIE RICHARDSON
42 UNINEWS
Funding for two core ranked in the 51–100 band, and 11 in the conditions) to investigate the connection 101–200 band. QS has also ranked the between infectious diseases and long- projects Otago Business School’s Online Master of term conditions to improve health Two University of Otago projects have Business Administration as number 10 in and equity in New Zealand. Otago’s been successful in the latest Centre of the world, up three from last year. Wellington-based housing and health Research Excellence (CoRE ) funding The University has maintained its research programme, He Kāinga Oranga, round. They will receive a combined position in the 301–400 band of the AWRU received just under $5 million to continue $69 million over a seven-year period (Shanghai) rankings and in the 201–250 research to maximise the health and well- beginning July 2021: the Dodd-Walls band in the Times Higher rankings. being gains from housing. Centre for Photonic and Quantum Researchers from across the University’s Technologies ($36,750,000) and Coastal Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington People: Southern Skies ($32,250,000). Impact rankings campuses also received funding for Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research projects including antimicrobial resistance, and Enterprise) Professor Richard Blaikie The University of Otago has been ranked abdominal aortic aneurism, Alzheimer’s says the funding is a significant show 23rd in the 2020 Times Higher Education disease, health inequities, heart disease, of support for two national research University Impact Rankings. ketamine therapy for neurotic disorders, centres that will benefit local and global The rankings measure how more inflammatory responses following viral knowledge. than 800 international universities are infection, and the hormonal regulation of “We are extremely grateful to the performing against – and contributing maternal behaviour. TEC [Tertiary Education Commission] to – the United Nations’ Sustainable A further $4.3 million was received by for this important funding. The Dodd Development Goals (SDGs), established Otago in the HRC’s new Health Delivery Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum in 2015. Research Investment round. This will Technologies – initially funded as a CoRE Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene support research in areas including in 2014 – will continue its work in world- Hayne says the results reflect the partnerships between DHBs and PHOs; class physical sciences research, while our University’s ongoing dedication to access to medicines; and the potential for Coastal People: Southern Skies project sustainable teaching, research and CT scans in the treatments and diagnosis will investigate ways to strengthen coastal operations. of heart attack patients. communities in the Pacific as they deal “We were the first New Zealand with the challenges and opportunities of a university to sign the international SDG changing climate.” accord in 2018, at which time we pledged Sophia Charter launched to contribute to sustainability, not only around our campuses and the country, The University together with the Crestani but also around the world.” family have launched The Sophia Charter, International rankings following the tragic death of Sophia
The University of Otago has placed at Crestani at a student party in North 184th in the 2020 Quacquarelli Symonds HRC funding success Dunedin in 2019. (QS) World University Rankings. This This is a shared commitment by confirms Otago’s place as one of the Otago researchers were awarded a total Dunedin stakeholders, including the top two universities in New Zealand and of $26,557,602 in the Health Research University, Police, Fire and Emergency among the top one per cent of universities Council’s June funding round. New Zealand, Otago Property Investors internationally. Two significant programmes were Association, the Dunedin City Council and QS has ranked four Otago subject areas supported. Infectious diseases expert OUSA. Its aim is to enhance the safety and in the world’s top 50 (up from two in 2019). Professor Michael Baker (Public Health, well-being of the student community in They are: sports-related subjects (13th); Wellington) received almost $5 million North Dunedin, within a fun, vibrant, safe dentistry (33rd); anatomy and physiology for a programme called SYMBIOTIC and secure environment, where residents (45th); and classics and ancient history (Syndemic Management of the Biology take responsibility for themselves, each (47th). A further 10 subjects have been and Treatment of Infections and Chronic other and the wider community.
43 UNINEWS
Emeritus professors MNZM (Honorary Member): Dr Johan (Humanities) Professor Tony Ballantyne Hellemans, for services to triathlon. will take up the role of Deputy Vice- The University Council has awarded the QSM: Ms Gillian Clare Bishop, for Chancellor (External Engagement). status of Emeritus Professor to: Professor services to conservation; Mr Trevor John Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Commerce) Barbara Brookes (History); Professor McGlinchey, for services to Māori and the Professor Robin John Broughton (Oral Diagnostic and community; Mr Malcolm Alan Walker, for Gauld takes over Surgical Sciences, Preventive and Social services to sport and education. the presidency of Medicine); Professor Jennie Connor the Association (Preventive and Social Medicine); of Asia-Pacific Professor Grant Gillett (Bioethics Centre); Appointments Business Schools Professor Pat Langhorne (Physics); (AAPBS) in Professor Paul Roth (Law); Professor Professor Colin Gavaghan (New Zealand November 2020. Warren Tate (Biochemistry); Professor Law Foundation Faculty of Andre van Rij (Surgical Sciences). Chair in Emerging Law professional Technologies) has practice fellow Allie Cunninghame has been appointed to been appointed as a Coroner, with her Queen’s birthday honours the Digital Council warrant taking effect on 30 March 2020. for Aotearoa New Dr Katharina Ruckstuhl (Otago Otago alumni and staff who received Zealand. Business School) Queen’s Birthday Honours included: Associate has been DNZM: Dr Karen Olive Poutasi, CNZM, Professor Robert appointed to the for services to education and the State. Aitken (Marketing) has been elected international CNZM: Professor John Norman Nacey, president of the Australia and New research board for services to health and education; Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC). of the Open Mr George Ngaei, ONZM, for services to He has also been elected chairman of Researcher and health and the Pacific community. Consumer NZ. Contributor ID ONZM: Dr Daryle Elizabeth Anne University of Otago, Wellington cancer (ORCID). Deering, for services to nursing; Professor epidemiologist
Alec Joseph Ekeroma, for services to and public health health and the Pacific community; Dr Garry researcher, Vernon Forgeson, for services to oncology; Professor Diana Awards and achievements Professor Ian David Lambie, for services Sarfati has been The University’s 2020 Distinguished to clinical psychology; Dr Brian Lindsay confirmed as the Research Medal has been awarded Turner, for services to literature and poetry. chief executive of to Professor David Murdoch (Dean, MNZM: Ms Carol Bartle, for services the government’s University of Otago, Christchurch). to health; Mr David Michael Benton, Cancer Control Professor Murdoch is also one of only for services to addiction support and Agency. three independent international experts treatment; Mrs Patricia Gwenieth Broad, Professor Helen Nicholson will step invited to advise the Oxford University QSM, for services to gymnastics; Mr aside from her COVID-19 vaccine development effort John McGregor Buchanan, for services position as Deputy (see pages 14-17). The University’s 2020 to music; Ms Sharon Anne Kearney, for Vice-Chancellor Research Group Award has been won by services to physiotherapy and netball; (External the Christchurch Heart Institute. Dr Alison Margaret Keeling, for services Engagement) The Rowheath Trust Award and Carl to gerontology; Dr Kevin Bartley Knight, to take up the Smith Medal have been jointly awarded JP, for services to education; Dr Priscilla role of Deputy to Dr Louise Bicknell (Pathology) and Muriel McQueen, for services as a poet; Vice-Chancellor, Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson Dr Janet Catherine Turnbull, for services Academic from (Physical Education, Sport and Exercise to health. January 2021. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Science) (see pages 36–37). Associate
44 UNINEWS
Professor Jackson has also received a Fulbright New Zealand awards: Tom (PASS) programme has been awarded national award for Sustained Excellence Devine, Emily Gordon, Ngarangi Haerewa, a Heroes Award for its “exceptional in Tertiary Teaching from Ako Aotearoa, Anežka Hoskin, Laura Mackay, Alice Marsh, quality of learning support care” during Kaupapa Māori category. Nathaniel Otley and Hamish Prince. the COVID-19 lockdown. The award was Early Career Awards for Distinction in Dr Carolina Loch and Dr May Mei made by the Higher Education Research Research have been received by: Dr Htin Lin (Dentistry) have won international and Development Society Australasia Aung (Microbiology and Immunology); Dr emerging leader awards from the (HERDSA) New Zealand branch. Rebecca Kinaston (Anatomy); Dr Khoon Lim International Association for Dental Microbiology and Immunology (Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Research. assistant research fellow Tom Devine Medicine); Dr Rachel Purcell (Surgery); Dr Leanne Te Karu (Pharmacy) has won has won the Gordon Watson Scholarship Stefanie Zollmann (Computer Science). the Community or Primary Healthcare from New York’s Columbia University Associate Professor Tim Woodfield Pharmacist of the Year Award at the enabling him to study the implications of (Orthopaedic inaugural New Zealand Primary Healthcare a global pandemic on indigenous self- Surgery and Awards, He Tohu Mauri Ora. determination and autonomy. Musculoskeletal Professor Mark Stringer, (Paediatrics Dr Haneen Alayan has been awarded Medicine, and Child Health, Wellington) has received the 2020 International College of Dentists Christchurch) the Farquharson Award from the Royal (ICD) Young Dentists Volunteer Grant. has received College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. the Australasian English and Linguistics honorary fellow Society for Dr John Hale has received the Milton Obituaries Biomaterials and Society of America’s honoured scholar Tissue Engineering Award for research award for his “notable contribution to Dr Lindsay Brown MNZM was a member excellence. Milton Scholarship”. of the University Council for 16 years and Associate Professor Anita Gibbs, Faculty of Law Dean Professor Jessica was Chancellor from 2004–2008, having (Social and Community Work and Palmer has won the Institute of Directors’ previously served as Pro-Chancellor. He Sociology, Gender Studies and Otago Southland Branch Emerging was awarded an honorary LLD degree by Criminology) and Professor Michael Baker Director Award for 2020. the University in 2008. (Public Health, Wellington) have received Dean of the Otago Medical School Emeritus Professor Margaret Loutit Critic and Conscience of Society Awards Professor Rathan CBE was appointed to a Personal Chair in from the Gama Foundation. Subramaniam, Microbiology in 1981. In a distinguished Professor Sarah Hook and Dr Allan has been made an career at Otago which spanned 40 years, Gamble (Pharmacy) have won Otago inaugural Fellow she was instrumental in establishing the Innovation’s Proof of Concept Grant of the Association Research and Development Office, and competition for 2020 with their novel of University was a gifted and highly respected teacher, approach to combatting antibiotic Radiologists (AUR). researcher and administrator. resistance in farm animals. They will use PhD candidates Emeritus Professor Patrick Molloy the $100,000 prize to make chemically- Holly Still FRCS, FRACS was instrumental in modified antibiotics – known as prodrugs (Geology) and Taylor Hamlin (Zoology, establishing the South Island’s first cardiac – which only activate in the presence of Maths and Statistics) have received surgery unit in Dunedin in 1973. A staunch infection. $20,000 doctoral scholarships from advocate of the unit, he led the surgery Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu (Pathology Antarctica New Zealand. team for two decades and pioneered and Molecular Medicine, Wellington) Professor Etienne Nel (Geography) cardiac surgery on small babies. and Professor Stuart Young (School of received the 2020 Distinguished New Performing Arts) have received 2020 Zealand Geographer Award and Medal for Scholar Awards from Fulbright New his sustained contribution to Geography Zealand. and development. Eight Otago graduates have won Otago’s Peer Assisted Study Sessions
45 ALUMNI NEWS
“The response to the hardship fund from the University community has been extraordinary and heart-warming,” says the Pūtea Tautoko Vice-Chancellor. “We are extremely grateful for the generosity shown by our alumni and friends, staff, students and parents. The responds to way they have reached out to help makes it possible for so many of our most vulnerable students to receive the support they need.” Professor Hayne has also donated student need 20 per cent of her salary for six months, with similar commitments from other senior staff; University Council members have donated THE STORIES STARTED in March. The response was immediate. 20 per cent of their Council fees for six months. Many students were struggling financially The University’s Development and DARO Director Shelagh Murray says Pūtea due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alumni Relations Office (DARO) led the Tautoko is a practical way people can make a They were facing additional costs and the announcement of the fund, emailing a letter difference, by helping to ensure the pandemic loss of part-time work, which they relied on from the Vice-Chancellor to all alumni and does not disadvantage a vulnerable group at a for vital income. For others, financial support friends. In the first hour $12,000 was raised critical time in their lives. from their families had greatly reduced. Some and, by the end of the first week, more than “The response from our alumni and friends postgraduate students were facing extra $95,000 had been donated. to help ease the impact of the pandemic tuition costs in order to extend their studies In the following months, the University on our students is a wonderful expression so they could complete their courses. community continued to respond generously of generosity from the heart of our Otago In response to the emerging need, the to the needs of the students. By the end of community,” she says. University acted quickly. In April, it launched September, 714 alumni, friends, staff, current With further funding received from the Pūtea Tautoko, which translates as “financial students and parents had donated more government, Pūtea Tautoko now totals $3.5 support”. The University committed an initial than NZD$408,000 to the fund. More than 388 million. By early October, approximately $3.0 $1.5 million to the fund, making it the largest donations have come from first-time donors million in grants had been made to support hardship initiative in its history. to the University. more than 2,000 students. At the time of its launch, Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne said the fund was an important way for the University to provide meaningful support for those students facing the greatest need. “The pandemic has created unprecedented levels of hardship within our student community and Pūtea Tautoko is a critical part of Otago’s response to support students through this challenging time.” Reaching out to the wider University community to seek support for the fund, she said “we are running out of words to describe the impact this virus has had on our community, our country and the world. But we have also seen extraordinary kindness and generosity as a result and I believe this fund will be a way for our community to express our support for students in a concrete way.” POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS DUNCAN COUTTS AND VICTORIA SUGRUE WITH THEIR DAUGHTER LUCY: “With both of us living off our scholarship stipends, knowing that the fund was there… took a lot of stress off the immediate worry of would we be able to pay our rent, our power, food.”
46 ALUMNI NEWS
Professors cycle for students
The fund is helping students Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Professor Richard Blaikie, cover their utility and electricity bills, together with Professors David Lont (Accountancy and Finance) and Gerry accommodation costs, travel costs Closs (Zoology) have turned an annual group cycle tour from Dunedin back to campus, essential groceries and to Nelson in November into a fundraiser for Pūtea Tautoko, with its own toiletries. Postgraduate research students dedicated Givealittle page (givealittle.co.nz/cause/cycleforstudents). have received tuition fees rebates and Professor Blaikie says it is a logical way to help “students who are trying scholarship extensions. to hang in there – completing their programmes, remaining in study. They’re Students from across the University a tenacious group that needs support, so anything we can do to help them community are being supported by the is a good thing.” fund – from international students, to first-year undergraduates, to final year PhD students. Around 80 per cent of grants have been allocated to domestic students, and 20 per cent to international students. For postgraduate students Duncan Coutts and Victoria Sugrue, the financial support they have received from the “I cannot thank you enough for the grant I received today. I feel so privileged to not only fund has meant Duncan has been able to have the opportunity to apply to the hardship fund, but to receive financial means to continue with his MSc in Anatomy and they support me in completing my final semester at University. The grant has already eased have been able to pay the bills over winter. some of my financial stresses, where I can spend less time worrying about money and Duncan received a two-month more time on study. I am truly, truly grateful.” extension for his scholarship stipend, “Ngā mihi nui to the student relief Pūtea Tautoko fund. I am absolutely grateful for while the couple, who have a one-year- your support.” old daughter Lucy and are expecting “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. This is going to be a huge help to me and my another baby at New Year, also received a whānau.” contribution towards living costs. “With both of us living off our Donors too have attached notes to their contributions, explaining why they have scholarship stipends, knowing that the chosen to support the fund. Alumna Nicole Warren says: fund was there, that there was somewhere “I don’t want students who have worked so hard to be at university, or were given a we could go to for support, took a lot of life-changing opportunity to attend university, to have that taken away from them by stress off the immediate worry of would we factors outside their control.” be able to pay our rent, our power, food,” One of many staff members to donate to the fund, Professor Craig Rodger says: says Duncan. “It made it a lot easier at a very stressful time, especially when we “In my life I have been an undergraduate and postgraduate student at Otago, and now have a wee one to care for as well.” a staff member. I know financial pressures can have a big influence on a student’s life Victoria, who is studying for a PhD when they should be studying – the scale of the COVID disruption is far bigger than in Anatomy, says the biggest help was anything which occurred in my lifetime. Knowing what a difference some financial help receiving the extension to Duncan’s can make, I felt compelled to help today's students by donating to the hardship fund.” stipend, because if he had needed to All students are eligible to apply to the fund. Applications are considered by several extend his study without getting any panels, all including student representation. The panels robustly assess hardship, funding it would have been very stressful, using tools the University already has to assess applications for existing hardship and he may have had to finish up and find a funds and for needs-based scholarships. Significant ongoing demand is expected for job to pay the bills. 2020 and the fund will continue to operate in 2021 as well.
To contribute to Pūtea Tautoko please go to the secure donation page: alumni.otago.ac.nz/donate/puteatautoko
47 ALUMNI NEWS
V A legacy of excellence
WRITING YOUR WILL, or updating We invite you to share our vision and • works of art, books, etc. it, is an inspiring time. It offers you the consider leaving a bequest to the University • stocks and shares opportunity to make the type of gift you of Otago Foundation Trust. This special • the residue, or part of the residue, of your always wanted to be able to make. A Will Foundation has been established by the estate after all other specific legacies have enables you to plan to safeguard the future University to receive and administer bequests been met of family and friends, and also to further your and donations. The terms of the Trust ensure • a contingent bequest – make a gift philanthropic interests. that the University gains the full benefit of all dependent on specific conditions. From its earliest days, the University of gifts made and that the wishes of donors are In leaving a legacy to the University of Otago has benefited from philanthropic gifts. fully observed. Otago, there are also options in how it With the generous help of alumni and friends All endowed gifts, whether modest or can be used by the University. who left a provision in their Wills, Otago has large, have lasting benefit. Leaving such a been able to advance quality education and legacy will enhance the University’s future A general purpose legacy gain world renown for both scholarship and and, through its influence on students and – an unrestricted gift. research. Such generosity has consistently society, the future of generations to come. You could assist the University of Otago in five contributed to academic excellence. Chairs, Such gifts keep alive the memory of those to key areas: lectureships, scholarships, buildings, libraries, whom they were dedicated and link the name • scholarships/student support sporting facilities, special collections, research of the donor to the University in perpetuity. • community outreach programmes and community outreach Any and all gifts can be a way for you to • teaching and research programmes have all been supported and honour someone living or the memory of • buildings/facilities funded by income from bequests. someone who has died. • libraries and collections. Each gift is a legacy: a unique, personal You will want to think carefully about your and enduring contribution to the University. legacy to the University of Otago. We urge The needs within these areas vary widely It is a gift that passes forward, ensuring that you to discuss your Will, or a codicil to your from year to year. Changes in the funding of future generations have the resources and Will, with your solicitor and your family (if students may mean that assistance by way opportunities they need to be successful and applicable) and decide how you want your of scholarships is required to ensure that to make a difference. legacy to be used by the University. there is equitable access to the University, or For over 150 years, our national and that books may be purchased for the library, international communities have been In making your decision, you have many or that teaching facilities may be updated. enriched as University of Otago’s staff and options open to you, including leaving: The development of a key piece of medical students have led the way in innovative • an exact sum of money or a percentage of or scientific research may depend crucially thinking, research, creativity and learning. your estate on the purchase of new and expensive You too can contribute to this. • property (home, bach/crib, land) equipment. A general purpose legacy to
48 INTEREST INDICATION FORM
the University of Otago gives the University It would help us greatly if you would share an indication of the flexibility to respond quickly to new and your intentions. We value the opportunity to thank you. changing circumstances and, for that reason, is Your pledge will be held in the strictest confidence and will of immense value. only be used to help us in our planning for the future. This is not a legally binding document. Or: A specific purpose legacy – a designated gift. You may have a particular affinity to a student Please tick: organisation, a school, department or centre, a I have already made arrangements for a legacy to the student club, or an area of study or research. University of Otago Foundation Trust. I am considering a legacy to the University of Otago You can also choose to make your legacy an Foundation Trust and would like more information. endowed or current-use fund. I would like to discuss in confidence a legacy to the Both unrestricted (general purpose) and University of Otago Foundation Trust. restricted (specific purpose) gifts can be May I please have an appointment? I have not left a legacy endowed or create current-use funds. to the University, but I might do so in the future. Endowments, also known as permanent funds, are designed to make annual distributions, preserving the capital, to support specific objectives. In contrast, current-use gifts are not Name: permanent and the principal can be used all at once or over time. Address: We hope that those who have had the advantage of an Otago education, and those Telephone number: who recognise the invaluable benefits the University has bestowed on the community for Email address more than 150 years, will consider supporting the University of Otago by including a bequest in their Wills. In all of these cases, the Director of Signature(s) Development or the Bequest Manager will be happy to discuss, in confidence, with you or your representative, your requirements in making Date / / a specific purpose legacy, or to develop other possibilities. We are committed to maximising All donations to the University of Otago Foundation Trust the benefit of your legacy while, at the same made within New Zealand are tax deductible up to the time, ensuring that your wishes are fulfilled. maximum set by the Inland Revenue Department. The Thank you for considering to assist the University of Otago in this way. University of Otago has registered charities in the UK and If you have made, or you intend to make, the USA. If you are living outside New Zealand, please a bequest to the University, we would greatly contact a solicitor in your country of residence for advice appreciate you informing us by returning on making a bequest. the interest indication form on this page. We For further advice, or to discuss in confidence your particular would like to acknowledge your generosity, circumstances, please contact: and will understand and respect any wish for anonymity. Murray Lopdell-Lawrence Also, a sample codicil form is available Bequest Manager on request. This can be used for a more Development and Alumni Relations Office straightforward bequest. Please seek legal University of Otago advice and, when completed, send us a copy. PO Box 56 Dunedin 9054 Tel +64 3 479 5286 Email [email protected]
49 ALUMNI NEWS
Events &reunions
We are looking forward to being able to meet with alumni in-person in 2021. But, rest assured, if this is not possible, we will be hosting a number of events and activities digitally and would love to meet with you via a virtual platform. We will also be extending another invitation to join our online book club in 2021. If you would like to organise a reunion please contact us for more information: [email protected]
DENTAL CLASS OF 1970 REUNION attendees and special guest, the School’s current Dean Professor Mike Morgan, outside the University Staff Club which was the Dental School’s first building. 2020 REUNIONS 18 November, Dunedin and Medical class of 1970 Central Otago Physical Education 28 November, Mautere, class of 1964 Tasman Dental class of 2010 4 December, Dunedin
2021 REUNIONS Dental class of 1980 February, Dunedin Home Science first-year TBC, Dunedin class of 1970 Medical class of 1971 19 October, Bay of Islands Medical class of 1976 28 October, Christchurch Medical class of 1980 TBC, Dunedin Medical class of 2000 TBC, Dunedin Salmond College 50th 26 November, Dunedin anniversary FORMER SCHOOL OF MINES STUDENTS (1960s–1980s) and Associate Professor Mike Buckenham gathered for a reunion in Thames. Final dates are subject to change. Please contact us for confirmation. Please look out for our emails and we invite you to follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/otagoalumni) otago/ac.nz/alumni/events to see the latest news.
50 ALUMNI NEWS
New members 20Twenties awards welcomed to Court of celebrate young Benefactors graduates UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR Around 40 senior staff and DR ROYDEN SOMERVILLE QC The University of Otago is delighted to announce addressed the Court of members of the Court of Benefactors’ annual reception, the winners of the inaugural 20Twenties awards, Benefactors of the University attended by around 40 guests. celebrating the outstanding achievements of our of Otago attended the Court’s youngest alumni. annual reception in October. The Court of Benefactors was established in 2006, with the aim of ensuring major donors are kept informed of developments at the Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle: Bethany Lomax: for her University. A general guideline for eligibility to the Court is a donation in recognition of contribution to space of $1 million or more and members include trusts, foundations, leadership, mentorship research. and of his higher studies. organisations and individual donors. Sophie Mathiesen: for her New members admitted to the Court in 2020 are: Dr John and Mrs Lisa Blakie: for her contribution to science Susan Ward; the Estate of J. A. Bell; and Port Otago. contribution to creative communication. and ethical video game Dr Ward was Chancellor 2009 – 2017 and Chairman of the University of Aidan Meyer: in development. Otago Foundation Trust Board of Trustees 2009 – 2019. He has facilitated recognition of scientific Thomas Devine: in curiosity for the betterment many major donations to the University. In addition, Dr and Mrs Ward recognition of his of the community. have personally supported various projects including the establishment leadership as Kaiāwhina Jo Mohan: in recognition of the John F. Ward Southland Entrance Scholarship; support for research Māori, mentorship and of of her entrepreneurial spirit in the consequences of pre-term birth; the Chair of Earthquake Science; pursuing higher studies. to better the environment. and support for research into brain health. Sinead Ford: in recognition Sophie Oliff: in recognition The late Dr John Arnaud Bell, a graduate of the University of Otago of leadership and volunteer of leadership and volunteer School of Dentistry, bequeathed $1.56 million to the University. This work. work in the health sector. bequest will be held by the University of Otago Foundation Trust as an Emily Fry: for her Daryl Pupi: for his endowment to provide ongoing funding for a Professorial Chair in Oral contribution to the field of contribution to health Biology in the School of Dentistry. The Chair will be known as the John digital technologies and and well-being through their security implications. Arnaud Bell Chair in Oral Biology and a refurbished lecture theatre in the leadership and innovation Faculty of Dentistry will be named the John Arnaud Bell Lecture Theatre. Sargam Goundar: for her of nutrition programmes. To mark the University’s 150th anniversary in 2019, Port Otago gifted contribution to climate Georgia Robertson: in change initiatives and her the University 0.45 hectares of harbourside land, which in the short term recognition of leadership in leadership. will be used as a recreation space. Over time, this property will be used to a non-profit organisation enhance Otago’s education, research and outreach efforts. Martin Hannah: for his that benefits education This year, the Court of Benefactors’ function was held in Te Korokoro contribution to child and projects. youth development. o te Tūī, the new Performing Arts facility and included performances by George Taiaroa: in music, dance and theatre students. In addition, members gathered for Francisco Hernandez: recognition of research in dinner and to hear speeches from the Chancellor Dr Royden Somerville in recognition of his response to Covid-19. leadership of climate QC, Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor Georgia Thomson-Laing: change initiatives. Humanities Professor Tony Ballantyne. in recognition of research Abby Howells: in into aquatic health for the recognition of her success betterment of community as a comedian, actor, health, and mentoring. improviser and writer. Kawiti Waetford: in Pinky Lal: in recognition of recognition of his success her extensive volunteer and as a performer and for leadership work. commitment to rangatahi.
Our 20Twenties winners will be profiled on the Development and Alumni Relations website: otago.ac.nz/alumni
51 Books by BOOKS Otago alumni
Colonizing Madness: Asylum and Community in Fiji, by Jacqueline Leckie, Ko Aotearoa University of Hawai’i Press, November 2020. Tātou • We Are Kalimpong Kids: The New Zealand Story, New Zealand in Pictures, by Jane McCabe, Otago University Press, June 2020. An anthology Editors: Michelle Elvy, Paula Morris, Southern Spirit: The People and Places of James Norcliffe Southland, by Ian Dougherty, Saddle Hill Art editor: David Eggleton Press, June 2020. In the aftermath of the Christchurch terrorist Merchant, Miner, Mandarin: The Life and attacks of 15 March 2019, Prime Minister Jacinda Times of the Remarkable Choie Sew Hoy, Ardern declared “We are all New Zealanders”. by Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew and Trevor Agnew, These words resonated, an instant meme that Canterbury University Press, June 2020. asserted our national diversity and inclusiveness and, at the same time, issued a rebuke to hatred and divisiveness. A Partly Anglicised Kiwi: a Psychiatrist Ko Aotearoa Tātou • We Are New Zealand is bursting with new works of fiction, Remembers, by Brian Barraclough, edited nonfiction, poetry and visual art created in response to the editors’ questions: What is by Jennifer Barraclough, Overcliff Books, New Zealand now, in all its rich variety and contradiction, darkness and light? Who are April 2020. New Zealanders? The works flowed in from well-known names and new voices, from writers and Camphor for the Collywobbles: Ship’s artists, from Kerikeri to Bluff. Some are teenagers; some are in their eighties. Māori, Surgeon Dr Augustus Florance’s Voyages Pākehā, Pasifika, Asian, new migrants, young voices, queer writers, social warriors… 1857-1862, by Claire Le Couteur, The Cotter Aotearoa’s many faces are represented in this unique and important compendium. Medical History Trust, 2019. This anthology shows that creative work can explore, document, interrogate, re-imagine Vaccines & Vesicles: a History of Smallpox – and celebrate – who we are as citizens of this diverse country, in a diverse world. Vaccination in New Zealand, by Claire Le Couteur, Cotter Medical History Trust, 2019. The Colour of Stealth, by Mark Porath, Paradox Books, 2019. Nouns, verbs, etc. George R.R. Martin and the Fantasy Form, Selected poems by Joseph Young, Routledge, 2019. Fiona Farrell Alcohol: a Dangerous Love Affair, by One of New Zealand’s most versatile writers, Fiona Farrell has published four collections of poetry over George A.F. Seber and D. Graeme Woodfield, 25 years, from Cutting Out (1987) to The Broken foreword by Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Wild Side Book (2011). Nouns, verbs, etc. collects the best work Publishing, 2019. from these books, and intersperses them with other The Holy Spirit as Person and Power: poems thus far “uncollected”. Charismatic Renewal and Its Implications The themes are wide ranging: political and for Theology, by Rob Yule, Wipf and personal, regional and global, including love and Stock, 2019. birth and death, war and emigration, history and landscape. The poems mix lyricism with the flat and The Treatment of Kidney Failure in plainspoken mode of Kiwi vernacular; they channel New Zealand, by Kelvin L. Lynn, Adrian voices infrequently heard in poetry in traditional song and ballad forms. They are well L. Buttimore, Peter J. Hatfield, Martin R. crafted but unpretentious, jokey yet illuminating, self-deprecating but wise, sad and Wallace, 2018. funny and deeply human.
Alumni: if you have recently published a For further information: book please email [email protected] Otago University Press | otago.ac.nz/press | [email protected]
52 ADDENDUM
ANOTHER GREAT DISCOVERY – Conor Hassan with his
Guy Frederick great-grandfather Miles Barnett’s MSc thesis. Photo:
One family:
WHEN CONOR HASSAN came to Otago in 2017 from Christchurch he says he didn’t know much about his great- grandfather, apart from the fact he had studied physics and maths at the University and that his family was from Dunedin, having come from England. “I knew more about Miles’ dad, Louis, my What are the odds? Two Beverly Scholarships in one great-great grandfather. The Barnett lecture family, one hundred years apart. That’s a question theatre at the hospital is named after him – he that statistics honours student Conor Hassan might was one of the first surgeons in Dunedin.” That great-great grandfather is Sir Louis be able to solve, along with his great-grandfather, Barnett CMG, one of New Zealand’s most distinguished Otago physics and maths alumnus renowned surgeons. Sir Louis attended Otago Miles (MAF) Barnett OBE. from 1883 to 1884, later attaining his MB, CM from the University of Edinburgh and was the Add to that the improbability of Conor recently first New Zealander to become a fellow of the discovering Miles’ master’s thesis in a cabinet in Royal College of Surgeons of England. After returning to Dunedin he become Otago’s Department of Physics and the treasure Professor of Surgery at Otago in 1909. He chest of stories in a remarkable family history just was instrumental in the establishment of keeps on growing. the College of Surgeons of Australasia and
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Miles Barnett’s Beverly Prize certificate 1921 a pioneer in hydatids’ research. The Ralph Barnett Chair of Surgery at Otago is named in memory of his son who was killed in “He had all these hand-drawn diagrams. action in WWI. I’d heard about the work he’d done and it This was a high achieving family. Sir was pretty cool seeing something physical Louis’ other children were Geoffrey, also a from so long ago.” surgeon and lecturer at Otago; Denis who He said his uncle was “super-excited” at was appointed an Air Chief Marshal with the find, which is actually the second-oldest the RAF in the early 1960s and knighted thesis in the department’s thesis cupboard, KCB in 1957 and GCB in 1964; and and all the family has learned something Marjorie, who became deputy director of new about their relative. the nursing division of the Department of Miles’ thesis is entitled Analysis of Health and was awarded an OBE in 1954. Modulation in a Wireless Telephone Louis, Ralph and Geoffrey were all at Transmitter and analysed the operation Gallipoli. of some of the equipment used by Otago’s Professor Robert Jack in his experimental SCHOLARSHIPS A radio broadcasts of 1921 and 1922. CENTURY APART The current Beverly Professor of Physics at When Conor first received the Beverly Otago, Craig Rodger, says Professor Jack was Scholarship in statistics and mathematics a pioneer in radio research in New Zealand, in 2019, he didn’t realise that Miles had undertaking the first “wireless” broadcasts in physicist Edward Appleton. received it too – in 1920, 1921 and 1922 – this country using his equipment. Their experiments confirmed the until someone in the Physics Department “The Physics Department was then existence of an electrically conducting layer told him. located in the University Clocktower, in the upper atmosphere that could reflect “I’ve never really cared about awards, but putting it right at the heart of this piece of radio waves beyond the curve of the earth, perhaps the coolest thing about getting the history,” he explains. “In some of his first and also showed that at times the reflections Beverly Scholarship was that Miles got it 98 broadcasts he asked listeners to telephone could come from a second, higher layer. years ago.” the University if they could hear his Their initial findings were published in Conor, who has recently received the transmissions. Professor Jack was initially Nature in 1925. scholarship for the second time, says Miles pleased when calls came in from the hill Professor Appleton was later knighted “obviously did pretty well” and after Otago suburbs of Dunedin city, but later very for his pioneering work in radiophysics and, went off to the University of Cambridge in surprised when telegrams arrived from in 1947, received the Nobel Prize for Physics the UK to do his PhD. other parts of the country to confirm they – and is said to have mentioned Miles in his Conor’s uncle John Harte has been too could receive his signals. Nobel Lecture. trying to track down Miles’ work to fill “Miles was working alongside Miles was awarded his PhD in 1927 and in gaps in the family history, especially Professor Jack on this world leading elected a fellow of the Institute of Physics concerning the research Miles was doing research – preparing him for his next step in 1929. After marrying, he returned to before and after Cambridge. into the world.” New Zealand, settling in Wellington where As part of his research, he asked Conor if he and his wife Margaret (Peggy) raised he’d like to try to find Miles’ master’s thesis. FROM CAMBRIDGE TO THE three children. He worked as a physicist Conor admits he wasn’t very optimistic MET OFFICE for the newly-established DSIR before about the possibility of it being there. Miles graduated MSc with double first- being appointed to the New Zealand “I’m like how long ago, 1922? I’m not class honours in physics and mathematics Meteorological Office in 1935 to develop sure I’m going to have much luck. So I just in 1924. the services needed for aviation, serving as went to the Physics Department and they At Cambridge he entered Clare College director from 1939 to 1962. asked if I knew what year it was, and I said and studied in the Cavendish Laboratory During WWII, the Meteorological 1920s sometime. Then we went and looked – where he was assigned by famous New Office became a branch of the Royal New and there it was. It was probably one of the Zealander Sir Ernest Rutherford to an Zealand Air Force. Miles became a Wing oldest ones they had in the cabinet – a small investigation of the propagation of radio Commander and, at the height of the war, hardbound book. waves under the supervision of English had nearly 500 staff stationed from the
54 ADDENDUM
equator to the sub-Antarctic islands. rely on him to follow the pack.” His older brothers Papu and James Highly regarded for his judgement, tact, She says he was away a lot of the time also came to Otago and studied computer quiet guidance and setting of high standards, for meetings to do with his work, including science and anthropology. he was made an OBE in 1945, a fellow of trips to the Antarctic and up to Norway and Last year Conor was awarded the the Royal Society of New Zealand in 1947, frequently in between. She has a photo of Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia and and Officer of the US Legion of Merit in him at the South Pole. spent a semester studying stats and maths 1948. He became the first vice-president “I think he was the most-travelled public and assorted sciences at the National of the World Meteorological Organisation servant during that time.” University of Singapore. Before starting (WMO) 1955-1959 and was a member of his term there, he travelled in China for the executive committee 1959-1962. He was ‘PRETTY DECENT’ AT MATHS five weeks on a volunteer programme also chair of the National Committee for the Maths talent runs through each teaching English. International Geophysical Year in 1957-58. generation of the family – Conor’s mother “It was just to see China a bit: you He died at Waikanae in 1979. Trish Harte is a maths teacher and another always hear so many stories about it. I went His daughter Jane, now living in of Conor’s uncles, David, was a lecturer over by myself and I don’t know Mandarin Paraparaumu, remembers her father as a in statistics at Victoria University of and didn’t go to Shanghai or Beijing and “modest and quiet man”. Wellington, before moving to Statistics people didn’t speak English, so it was a bit “He took his time thinking things Research Associates. touch-and-go sometimes, but it was fun, I through at the weather office. At the WMO “Everyone’s pretty decent at maths,” says enjoyed it.” it was very much the East and West block Conor. “People always said to me you’re just His honours research project is on and you voted for your block. Dad was going to go and do a maths degree and I the topical subject of modelling for fake known for thinking about what was said was always like, no I’m not. But then I guess news in elections and he says he definitely and would vote on the other side depending it just happened: you can’t control things wants to go on to do a postgraduate degree on what he thought was right. They couldn’t sometimes.” afterwards. “It would be kind of cool going overseas, but we’ll have to see how that goes. It’s a bit of a weird time.” With the discovery of the thesis, Conor and his great-grandfather’s story has also caught the interest of other academics at Otago, including Professor Craig Rodger, a fellow recipient of the Beverly Scholarship. Like Miles, Professor Rodger works in radio and did his postdoctoral studies at Cambridge. He says while he knew about the work in radio done by Professor Jack, he’s enjoyed learning about MAF Barnett as this piece of his department’s history has come back to light. “Physics is one of the founding research areas at Otago University,” he says. “But we have not strongly focused on our history – discovering that Prof Bobby Jack worked with a student who went to Appleton in Cambridge and then did great things for New Zealand has been a new thrill for me. And now Conor: well, I suspect he’s MILES BARNETT brilliant, just like his relative.” taken when he was at the University of Cambridge. MARGIE CLARK
55 Help us stay connected with you
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