UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO MAGAZINE 40MARCH 2015 INSIDE Housing and health 2014 Prime Minister’s Science Prize Coroner’s Court: insights and recommendations The One Health concept IVF pioneer Dr Richard Fisher Visit us instore or shop online at onlineshop.otago.ac.nz CONTENTS ISSUE NUMBER 5 Vice-Chancellor’s comment 6 Health and home The work of the He Kainga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme 40 has been recognised with one of New Zealand’s highest science honours 10 Stress brakes Dr Karl Iremonger’s ground-breaking work is rewarded with the Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize 13 Coronial review How is the New Zealand Coroner’s Court working and how are recommendations implemented? 16 Caring for change Dr Assil Russell’s humanitarian projects, both in her native Iraq and in New Zealand 18 People first IVF pioneer and Otago alumnus Dr Richard Fisher 21 Celebrating 25 years Te Tumu: School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies and the Māori Centre (Te Huka Mātauraka) mark their 25th anniversaries 24 The international volunteer Alumnus Dan Radcliffe’s personal search led to the establishment of his successful volunteer travel business 26 Apportunities New opportunities for technology transfer throughout the University 28 Opinion Professor David Murdoch discusses the One Health concept and its role in the fight against infectious diseases 30 Development The School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences is launching an endowment fund campaign 38 Student life The Otago University Debating Society 33 InBrief 44 Alumni news Research highlights 50 Books 40 UniNews 51 Whatever happened to ... 43 Hocken legacy … The Cook? 3 University of Otago Magazine A magazine for alumni and friends of the University of Otago Issue 40 MARCH 2015 ISSN - 1175-8147 Editor Karen Hogg Designer Peter Scott Writers Alison Cumming Ian Dougherty Karen Hogg David Murdoch Sam Stevens Rebecca Tansley The Kim Thomas Mark Wright University of Nigel Zega Otago Magazine Photographers Sharron Bennett Ross Coombes now has its own Alan Dove website David Hamilton Mark Harris Graham Warman Cover Professor Philippa Howden-Chapman Photo: David Hamilton Printing PMP Print otago.ac.nz/otagomagazine Circulation Development and Alumni Relations Office If you would prefer to read the magazine online and no longer receive a hard copy, please email • To update or change delivery address [email protected] • To read the Magazine and other alumni communications electronically • To receive just one “household” postal copy of the Magazine Please email [email protected] Telephone 64 3 479 4516 Editorial contact details University of Otago Magazine Marketing and Communications PO Box 56 Dunedin 9054 New Zealand Tel 64 3 479 8679 Email [email protected] Web otago.ac.nz/news/otagomagazine Copyright You are welcome to reproduce material from the magazine after gaining permission from the editor. All reproduced material must be appropriately acknowledged. The University of Otago Magazine is published by the Marketing and Communications Division of the University. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University. 4 VICE-CHANCELLOR’S COMMENT s I write this, we have just finished to drink, choosing instead to pre-load on A Orientation Week [O-Week] here cheap alcohol purchased in supermarkets in Dunedin. Once again, the press was and off-licence premises located on filled with unsavoury photos of glass- every street in their neighbourhood. We strewn streets and burned-out furniture. acknowledge that students are much I have received the usual string of safer if they are drinking in pubs and we letters from business owners in North applaud the efforts of Chris James, Noel Dunedin, members of the general public Kennedy and Greg Paterson to refurbish and parents who were understandably the Captain Cook Hotel [see page 51] concerned about the noise, mayhem and because the international literature general threats to safety in the area. clearly shows that students are safer if reminders of what we are dealing At the same time, I have also received they do their drinking in well-managed with. Yes, there are some trouble- the usual string of comments from on-licence premises. makers and they are always dealt with individuals who have argued that the The other unfortunate side to the appropriately, but the vast majority of press coverage is unfair because it only O-Week coin is that because the press these rowdy, messy and sometimes even highlights the negative aspects of the and the public are understandably mouthy students are not the bad people rituals that accompany the students’ distracted by the negative aspects of that the press portrays – in fact, they are annual migration to Dunedin and gives the week, they miss out on all the good remarkable people who will eventually far greater prominence to misbehaviour things. I have a unique vantage point become great partners, great parents, by students than to the misbehaviour of during O-Week. I spend five days (and productive professionals, and good other groups. nights) with our students, in formal citizens of New Zealand and the rest of Both sides of this story are true. As Orientation speeches and information the world. I recently reported to the University sessions, and during recreational I know this, not only because I spend Council, we have made major headway activities on the sports field, around time getting to know them, but because I in taking a bite out of the anti-social campus and at the stadium. have also spent time getting to know you, behaviour that is exhibited by some of This year, we held our inaugural the alumni of the University of Otago our students. The number of fires, the Academic Convocation Ceremony who – let’s face it – were also periodically amount of broken glass and the number in which we officially welcomed the troublesome as well. of students summoned to appear before incoming class of 2015. More than 4,000 I recommend that we keep the the Proctor has declined year after year. students who were new to Otago were spotlight sharply focused on the problem But we still have a long way to go. welcomed by Ngāi Tahu, OUSA president that we face during O-Week – that We live in a country with a Mr Paul Hunt, Dunedin Mayor Mr problem is large quantities of easily dangerously unhealthy relationship Dave Cull, Prime Minister the Rt Hon. accessible and inexpensive alcohol. Once with alcohol. If we are serious about John Key, and me. These 4,000 students and for all, this University, this city making additional changes to the student sat without making a sound, taking in and this country need to work together behaviour we don’t like, we have to every word of advice that was offered. to make it possible for our students to tackle the issue of dangerous drinking Throughout the rest of the week, I spoke spread their wings in an exciting, but per se, not only in Dunedin, not only at to dozens and dozens of students who safe environment. When it comes to Otago, but throughout New Zealand. The wanted to share their reflections on what the University and the city, I know that University is more than prepared to do they had learned at the convocation. everyone is up for the challenge. While our part, but to turn things around we Countless students also approached me we are at it, I would also like the spotlight require the support of everyone who has to discuss their dreams and aspirations to occasionally shine on the other things a voice. for the year ahead, and to marvel at the that I get to see, the little bits of “scarfie On a related matter, the University physical beauty of their new home city. magic” that happen each and every day. is often accused of closing the pubs I have no real forum in which in North Dunedin. Nothing could be to share these stories. They are not further from the truth. The pubs closed the kinds of things that the media because the students no longer went there cover. But for me, they are salient Professor Harlene Hayne Vice-Chancellor, University of Otago 5 FEATURE Health and home Multidisciplinary research providing practical solutions to improve the health and well-being of New Zealanders has been recognised with one of this country’s most important science honours. he University of Otago’s “We’ve worked for 15 years now with T Wellington-based Housing and a dedicated group of people. Being a Health research team has been awarded small country there’s a sense we need to the 2014 Prime Minister’s Science Prize. be generalists, but many of the solutions Led by Professor Philippa Howden- to the problems are on the boundaries Chapman, the 28-member He Kainga of one discipline and another,” Howden- Oranga/Housing and Health Research Chapman explains. Programme includes researchers in the “The research we’ve been able to areas of social science, epidemiology, do focuses on creating knowledge of biostatistics, engineering, physics, practical solutions to improve our old architecture, building science and housing stock and to bring it up to economics. more modern standards that specifically The team of five co-directors improve health and well-being. It’s includes Professors Michael Baker and very rewarding to have identified cost/ Julian Crane from the University of beneficial interventions that make a Otago Wellington, Professors Chris difference to health. It’s very satisfying Cunningham and Robyn Phipps from on all sorts of levels.” Massey University and Dr Malcolm Right from the start, the focus for Cunningham, formerly from BRANZ the team has been on addressing long- (Building Research Association of New standing quality deficiencies in housing, Zealand).