Distinguished Research Medal Professor David Murdoch
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V`` 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 1 CONTENTS 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 2 CONTENTS 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. 4 VICE-CHANCELLOR’S COMMENT 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.