THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND ALUMNI MAGAZINE Ingenioauckland.ac.nz/ingenio SPRING 2020 ALL EYES ON CLIMATE CHANGE FOCUSING ON THE SCIENCE 40 Under 40 Covid-19 models Powerful proverbs Wise heads on The weighty task of Dr Hinemoa Elder’s young shoulders predicting pandemic cases whakataukī for a good life BIG PICTURE FLASH DANCE During the rare times students were able to be on campus in 2020, the popular and lively club expos were held. This image of a flash mob was captured during the opening of the Semester Two club expo, held in Grafton Atrium on 30 July. Photographer: Richard Ng this issue REGULARS 18 36 6 Doing the numbers Radar love Editorial For Covid-19 modelling, University of Golden Graduate Dr Alan Maxwell’s career Auckland academics collaborated with began when he placed a contraption on top experts all over New Zealand 14-17 of the Biology Building in 1947 News 21 Guest columnist: 24 37 Sir Anand Satyanand 22 Lessons from history A riddle picture Research Dr Felicity Barnes wants to strengthen The University owns around 1,700 artworks. our knowledge of Aotearoa’s past Linda Tyler picks out one of her favourites 26 7 tips to … learn te reo Māori 30 Taking Issue: 32 40 Can gangs ever be good for society? Out of the box Books Professor Anthony Hoete is a renowned Author Caroline Barron is featured in a architect who has returned to teach at the selection of recent books by University of 34 University after three decades overseas Around the Globe Auckland alumni and staff 42 Connection Points SUSTAINABLE The ‘plastic’ used to wrap Ingenio is 100 percent degradable and recyclable. Ingenio is also printed on environmentally friendly paper stocks. 4 | Ingenio magazine 40 Under 40 Dr Hinemoa Elder’s Shana Malio-Satele is one of our book Aroha has timely 27 38 messages for 2020 40 wise heads on young shoulders Cover story: Eyes 7 on the blue marble Professor David Noone and the Auckland scientists using their initiative with climate change auckland.ac.nz/ingenio | 5 Ingenio Editorial The University of Auckland Alumni and Friends magazine Spring 2020 ISSN 1176-211X Editor Denise Montgomery Executive editor Helen Borne Art design Stephen Wang, Ashley Marshall ACTING WITH Feature photos Elise Manahan, Billy Wong URGENCY Ingenio editorial contacts Communications and Marketing, f the Covid-19 crisis has taught us societal change and the collective efforts of all The University of Auckland anything, it’s that it is possible to act swiftly actors in society. Private Bag 92019, and decisively when faced with an acute Universities have a critical role to play in Auckland 1142, threat, and the joint efforts of many matter driving New Zealand’s transition to a low- New Zealand. when responding to mammoth challenges. emissions economy and, as civic institutions, we Level 3, Alfred Nathan House I 24 Princes Street, Auckland. We have witnessed this in the way that have a responsibility to do so. Telephone: +64 9 923 6061 our own Government and many others have As the cover story in this edition of Ingenio Email: responded to the crisis. Globally, universities illustrates, our research and teaching efforts [email protected] have also shown outstanding speed and agility span widely in producing the knowledge, Web: auckland.ac.nz/ingenio in their responses to the pandemic. At our own skills and innovations needed to address this How alumni keep in touch institution, staff and students have done an urgent challenge. Through our partnerships To continue to receive Ingenio and subscribe to @auckland, incredible job rising to the challenges brought and collaborations with government, the University’s email newsletter on by Covid-19. Within a matter of days, industry, community organisations and other for alumni and friends, enter teaching moved online ensuring continuity of stakeholders, we have the opportunity to your details at: alumni. learning for our students at home and overseas, make an impactful contribution to address the auckland.ac.nz/update and our researchers are still contributing to the defining issue of our time. Alumni Relations Office fight against the pandemic in many ways. Yes, it’s a challenge, but 2020 has been all The University of Auckland 19A Princes Street, While the current focus is on the immediate about challenges. Private Bag 92019 consequences of the pandemic, it’s imperative There has been some positive news in Auckland 1142, New Zealand that we use the economic recovery to build more other areas in recent months. In September, Telephone: +64 9 923 4653 resilient social foundations, reduce inequalities the Times Higher Education (THE) World Email: and fast-track New Zealand along the path University Rankings 2020 showed Auckland [email protected] Web: alumni.auckland.ac.nz towards a sustainable zero-carbon future. had jumped 32 places to sit inside the top In the words of European Commission 150 universities in the world for the first time Disclaimer Articles may reflect personal president Ursula von der Leyen: “Sooner or since 2011. opinion that is not that of the later we will find a vaccine for the coronavirus. Around the same time, Dr Rhys Jones, a University of Auckland. But there is no vaccine for climate change.” senior lecturer in the Faculty of Medical and Audited by abc.org.nz According to the Intergovernmental Panel Health Sciences, received the Prime Minister’s Copyright on Climate Change (IPCC), we have until 2030 Supreme Award in the 2020 National Tertiary No parts of this publication to halve global carbon dioxide emissions if we Teaching Excellence Awards, the second year may be reproduced without are to avert irreversible and catastrophic climate in a row an Auckland academic has won the prior consent of the University of Auckland. All rights change. grand prize (see page 15). reserved. © The University We must act with urgency and decisiveness What a grand prize it will be for society if of Auckland 2020 in tackling the climate crisis. Reaching New some of the University’s best and brightest Zealand’s goal of transitioning to a zero-carbon minds can help solve the world’s climate economy by 2050 will require far-reaching challenges as well. PROFESSOR DAWN FRESHWATER Vice-Chancellor Cover concept: Jacinda Torrance Photo: Darryl Torckler 6 | Ingenio magazine Cover Story “We represent a group where climate is very strongly influencing ways of life, and where the survival of communities is really threatened.” – Professor David Noone, Climate Science Initiative, University of Auckland Few countries were ready for the pandemic that’s hit the world. So has the Covid-19 crisis taught us anything about ameliorating the threats of climate change? The world is heading to be 1 degree warmer in 2040, leading to fires, floods, heatwaves and scarcity of water and food. Aotearoa has committed to net-zero emissions of all Professor David Noone is the Buckley-Glavish Professor greenhouse gases, other than of Climate Physics. Photo: Elise Manahan biogenic methane, by 2050. But is that enough? Finlay Macdonald talks to scientists at the University, EYES ON THE including those involved in the new Climate Science BLUE Initiative, who are committed to Earth’s MARBLE survival. auckland.ac.nz/ingenio | 7 hen Professor David Noone That perspective is behind the establishment explains the hydrologic cycle of the University’s new Climate Science Professor Richard Easther in lectures, he likes to illustrate Initiative, which David came to Auckland says riding a bike is “my reminder to myself that the it with the famous image of to lead. Not only in the sense that we are all climate is changing”. WEarth, the “blue marble”, taken from space by connected to our planet and what happens as Photo: Elise Manahan the Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972. Yes, there are its climate changes, but also that many scientific conventional infographics that explain the way disciplines and fields of research must combine water moves in and out of the atmosphere quite well, but that first space ‘selfie’ really has it all. “I’ve been using it for years and it’s very effective,” says the Buckley-Glavish Professor of Climate Physics. “One of the questions we ask ourselves as “I often ask the question, when you look at this thing, what do you see? You see the a department, a faculty and as a university water cycle everywhere. You see the clouds, Antarctica, the ocean is dark blue, you see the is what are the big questions we’re facing landscape, the brown bits don’t have water, the green bits do. You see all sorts of subtle as a society in the 21st century, and where characteristics.” More than that, though, you see home. can we make a difference?” “When you look at that picture of Earth, you think, yeah, that’s actually where I live. – Professor Richard Easther, Head of Physics, Faculty of Science That’s my home. So there is that connection. And I show that because that’s how I feel. I’m delighted to share that with people.” and connect for us to understand and mitigate The image reinforces the sense of fragility the effects of that change. the blue marble faces with climate change. The potential to bring scientists and their The headlines are about global warming and work together to create something greater rising seas, but we are belatedly realising that than the sum of its parts was what attracted climate change affects every aspect of society. A the Australian-born scientist from his previous considered response to climate change requires position in the College of Earth, Ocean a multi-faceted, audacious approach that needs and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State to engage researchers across many disciplines.