What do you do on an average work day?  He aha tō mahi ia rā, ia rā?

I don’t really have an average day at work. At the moment I have two big projects that I’m working on: my Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, and Ahi Pepe MothNet.

Rutherford Discovery Fellowships are mid-career five-year research program run through the Royal Society Te Apārangi . Mine is called “Safe Havens and Battlegrounds”. I am investigating how thermal refugia (the 'safe havens' - small areas with cooler microclimates such as gullies or south-facing slopes) and interactions between species (the 'battlegrounds') might affect how our ecosystems respond to climate change. Then ultimately, how we might adjust what conservation to prioritise to reduce some of the landscape-scale effects of climate change.

I have had a few breaks so I am just at the start the fourth year of the Fellowship. So far, it has been a mix of alpine fieldwork, computer modelling, data analysis, some manuscript writing and grant writing to get more funding, and a few amazing working group meetings with collaborators and conferences. And a lot more of filling in expense claims, time sheets, budgets and internal reporting and admin meetings than I would have thought!

Ahi Pepe MothNet is a citizen science project that aims to engage teachers, students and whānau with moths, and with nature and science through moths. We’ve run two week-long wānanga (workshops) - one at Orokonui ecosanctuary in Dunedin) and one at Bushy Park in Whanganui. We’ve also produced a series of eight regional Beginners’ Guides to Moths, a set of classroom activities, step-by-step instructions and set up ecological experiments based on moths.

All our Ahi Pepe MothNet resources are in Te Reo Māori and English, including some of the videos we made with the Science Learning Hub , so my Te Reo Māori is slowly improving. I really love working with the tamariki, and the project partners I’ve met through Ahi Pepe are amazing. The best thing about science is when you get to work with amazing passionate people. The sort of people who just make things happen.

What did you study at school? And after high school?  I ako koe i te aha i te kura? I aha koe whai muri i te kura tuarua?

At School I took outdoor pursuits, maths, biology, chemistry, history, woodwork, and technical drawing. One of my teachers said I should take economics instead of woodwork, as 'girls don’t do woodwork'!

After high school I spent a year in Italy as an exchange student for linguistics (learning Italian by osmosis, and my exchange sister Francesca’s ultimate patience). After the first six months, my Italian was deemed fluent enough to attend the high school for art where almost no one spoke English.

Returning to New Zealand I spent a year working as a farmhand on the family farm; waitressing in the evenings and doing a first year statistics paper. I began University taking as many subjects as I could fit in - organic and inorganic chemistry, ecology, cell biology, whole organism biology, physical geography, botany, and anthropology. I wanted to be an ethanobotanist, recreating the ecology and landscapes of pre-Anthropocene peoples.

Was your study directly related to what you do now? He ōrite tāu mahi i taua wā ki tāu mahi o ināianei?

I haven’t thought about it in a while, but I guess I’ve circled right back to where I began. I spent eight years in the UK as a postdoc researching the effects of observed human-induced climate change on ecological systems, how this interacts with biodiversity needs and prioritising land space for ecosystem services.

Since returning to Aotearoa I’ve transitioned from a heavy user of citizen-collected scientific data to working at the other end of citizen science with the Ahi Pepe MothNet project, with a focus on weaving Pūtaiao (science), Taiao (environment), Toi (arts) and Te Reo Māori together through engagement with moths.

Academically my most recent paper investigates the possible implications of changing plant distributions due to human-induced climate change on impact on iwi prestige and gifting practices.

What would you like to share with young women who are thinking about their career choices right now?  He aha āu kupu hei āwhina i ngā rangatahi wahine e whakaaro ana ki tā rātou mahi mō te wā kei mua i te aroaro?

What would I share? That’s a tricky one. For various reasons the last year has been pretty tough. Sexism in science affects people differently at different stages of your career and in different ways. One thing that really surprised me was that because sexism is societal, women are just as sexist as men are, but I think it hurts more. So seek out people who lift you up - that's important.

Te āwheto kai paeka - the caterpillar eats the leaves - is a whakataukī that can be taken to mean 'try all the leaves and find out what you like best'.

Even if you don’t carry on in science as a career, take some STEM subjects [science, technology, engineering, maths] as they are so useful in so many ways in everyday life.

What are some of your career highlights so far? He aha ngā painga o te umanga e whāia ana e koe?

This is another tricky question!

I feel like getting my PhD scholarship, graduating, getting the Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, successful grant applications, manuscripts finally being accepted, my Distinguished Service Award, and promotions should be the answer. But my real career highlights have largely been joint achievements. The Ahi Pepe camp in Whanganui. The Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ōtepoti senior class presenting the Ahi Pepe MothNet project at an international conference in Toronto; and before that at the Crazy Ambitious conference at Te Papa. The Puka Whakamārama o te Pepe Nui moths guides being published and sent out.

Likewise, the papers I’m most proud of are not my most cited or the ones in journals with the highest Impact Factor (a common but flawed metric). I’m more proud of some of the Methods in Ecology and Evolution papers I’ve been the Associate Editor for, as I am of some that I’m co-author on. Having my Hen Harrier paper being cited in a government policy decision to re-establish hen harriers in the South of the UK (later overturned, but hey still a highlight).

Seeing my students being gainfully employed in jobs they love is a big highlight for me too.

Why do you believe engaging in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is important to New Zealand?   He aha a STEM (pūtaiao, hangarau, pūkaha, pāngarau) e whai take ana ki Aotearoa?

Engaging in STEM subjects is so important for understanding everyday life. It’s not just about being scientists or engineers.

We’d have better policy decisions if our politicians had a better understanding of science and the environment. For example we’ve had consensus on the causes, and major implications of climate change for decades but we are still failing to act.

Understanding basic statistics, maths and technology and the scientific method puts you in a better position to interpret everything, from current events through to personal finances and medical decisions.

Why is it important to have more women working in STEM? He aha te take me whai wāhi ngā wāhine ki STEM?

It's important to have the diversity of our community represented in STEM. Scientists are often portrayed as lone genius types working in a cold and calculated manner, but the truth is science requires a lot of creativity and imagination. Which questions get asked, tested and eventually answered depends on the group of people asking them. Each scientist brings their own set of passions and experiences to science. Scientists are first and foremost people , and we all have individual biases. Different backgrounds make science better.

Barbara is a high country farmer's daughter, Quantitative Conservation Ecologist, Rutherford Discovery Fellow and Ahi Pepe MothNet co-ordinator.

This profile is part of our series of girls and women in STEM.

What do you do on an average work day? He aha tō mahi ia rā, ia rā?

My days are extremely variable. I nearly always have an aspect of Project Reef Life to manage (for which I am one of the project leads). I follow and engage with matters that I think are important for our future – most recently the AI forum held in Auckland. During the day I try and take photographs, and more recently have begun writing a marine based book! I enjoy being involved in community matters e.g. providing community feedback for Taranaki 2050, being on a group involved with a local civic centre, forum opportunities with Wild for Taranaki and submitting in local government (district and regional council) consultation processes.

I enjoy cycling, walking along the local beaches, gardening or using iNaturalist to capture observations! I fairly regularly have a chat via messenger with my daughters in Auckland and New York. In the afternoons or evenings, I attend meetings or club nights (some examples: Institute of Directors, BPW Hawera, Camera Club, Geological Society, public talks).

What did you study at school? And after high school? I ako koe i te aha i te kura? I aha koe whai muri i te kura tuarua?

I studied accounting, economics, maths and English. After High School, I attended Massey University where I did a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in accounting and finance. I then qualified as a Chartered Accountant whilst I worked for Audit New Zealand. After leaving Audit NZ I did a number of management accountant roles.

I have held a number of voluntary community roles throughout my life also. Whilst my daughters were studying music and singing, I learnt at the same time and sat exams in music (piano) and singing. The past five years my focus has been on educating myself on marine matters.

Was your study directly related to what you do now? He ōrite tāu mahi i taua wā ki tāu mahi o ināianei?

No, my study was not directly related – though skills developed have come in very useful. Funding, finance, the need for good audit trails and the soft skills of working alongside colleagues and clients - are aspects that impact on all sectors.

What would you like to share with young women who are thinking about their career choices right now? He aha āu kupu hei āwhina i ngā rangatahi wahine e whakaaro ana ki tā rātou mahi mō te wā kei mua i te aroaro?

Fuel your sense of curiosity and commit to lifelong learning. Widen your horizons by engaging with wide sectors of the community. Follow research both nationally and internationally. Consider joining memberships – I have joined the AI Forum, NZ Coastal Society and the Institute of Directors. Enjoy being innovative and be brave enough to challenge existing paradigms.

The value of a career can be monetary but there are numerous non-monetary rewards that provide career satisfaction and ultimately life satisfaction (having been a volunteer hospice biographer I can vouch for this). By far the most enjoyable career and one where I have learnt vast amounts has been the role of a mother.

What are some of your career highlights so far? He aha ngā painga o te umanga e whāia ana e koe?

A highlight has been learning about the marine environment - in particular my local marine environment - and learning about methods we could use to survey it. I have had a world of sponges, bryozoans, plankton, hydroids, fish, oceanography, bathymetry and geology opened up to me. I appreciate greatly that I now work with an incredibly dedicated and innovative project team, collaborate with scientists from around New Zealand, educate and inspire youth and community of all ages and engage on marine policy matters.

Highlights, such as formal recognition through winning environmental awards, invitations to do a TEDx talk and being a Curious Minds Ambassador , are just as important as my highlights when a person says “I used to fear the ocean, but after your presentation I have changed my mind” and the highlight when a classroom of young children gasp in delight when they watch one of the Project Reef Life videos.

I can’t resist letting you know about another, slightly unusual highlight - finding a new species of sponge on my local beach, which is now a holotype with NIWA!

Why do you believe engaging in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is important to New Zealand? He aha a STEM (pūtaiao, hangarau, pūkaha, pāngarau) e whai take ana ki Aotearoa?

I believe STEM, that incorporates art also i.e. STEAM, is vitally important. Science enriches us, as it helps us understand our world and empowers us to communicate, engage and work on matters that impact on the health and wealth of people and the environment. How we communicate, engage and understand all sectors of the community is very important, and this is the role of many mediums - including art.

I greatly enjoy seeing the high school students we work with become confident and familiar with marine terminology, scientific methods, the technology we use and most importantly developing a questioning mind and wisdom for seeking the limitations of results. We have used art to inspire curiosity and educate – a large mural depicting the reef has been completed, and now in progress is the installation of metal shapes depicting local marine species and a scuba diver (the Project Reef is 23m deep) on high poles leading to the ocean.

Why is it important to have more women working in STEM? He aha te take me whai wāhi ngā wāhine ki STEM?

Purely on a personal stance - I have never thought of myself ‘being a woman working in a STEM field’ (rather I am a person who is ‘a member of a team’) but I appreciate that people respond and are inspired by others they can relate to, which can at times be linked to gender. I think diversity in a multitude of spectrums makes for stronger and more innovative outcomes – this should be the ultimate aim.

In Karen's early career she was in accounting, now she is involved in Project Reef Life - a community-led marine based project investigating reefs offshore South Taranaki funded through the  Participatory Science Platform. .

Watch a video aboutabout the project, featuring Karen.

This profile is part of our series of girls and women in STEM.

Every week, rain or shine, students from across the Wairarapa meet at South End School in Carterton to work on a truly unique project – turning the school’s empty paddock into an environmentally sustainable farm.

The project - called Te Kura o Papatūānuku Wairarapa Earth School - centres around student-driven research and development, rather than just teacher-led lessons. 

Classmates team up to explore an idea, problem or solution themselves while being guided by expert mentors such as architects, surveyors, scientists and business owners. The students also help each other, with the teens passing on what they know to younger participants.

Te Kura o Papatūānuku began in 2017 as a partnership between South End School, Kuranui College, Makoura College and the Wairarapa Montessori Charitable Trust. Students from these schools created a master plan to create a school farm and sustainable building – complete with a treehouse kitchen for learning to cook produce grown on the farm.

The end goal is to build a viable farming enterprise and teaching farm, as well as create the Wairarapa region’s first science hub for all locals – not just students – to learn about and take action for more sustainable living.

"The purpose is to create a cultural change to be more mindful of the environment and our impact on it," says project coordinator and biochemist Dr Emilie Neubauer.

Having students in the driving seat has led to the birth of multiple pilot projects working towards this long-term goal. The sustainable enterprise team, for instance, has collaborated with Boomerang Bags in Carterton to share skills and create zero waste products to sell at the local farmer’s market.

The students are also creating an outdoor garden classroom at South End School for exploring and trialling potential methods to be used on the farm when it is built.

Activities have included exploring how soil acidity can affect plant health and finding out which plants benefit each other as neighbours, as well as planting fruit trees and bushes, building bug hotels, setting up a composting laboratory, and constructing a wooden shed to house their gardening tools.

"I loved building the shed – it was hard work but really fun," says Shae, 12, from South End School. "I learnt a lot about the wood – like the texture and how to cut it a certain way and how to put nails in it the right way."

Instead of using a traditional farm or vegetable garden layout for the garden classroom, the students have planted their edible plants in a way that creates an ecosystem that will over time flourish into a ‘food forest’.

"We’ve planted things like lemon trees, nectarine trees, silver beet and lots of edible weeds like dandelions, which we can make tea from," says Lola, 14, from South End School. "We learnt about the edible weeds from a local woman who’s an expert on foraging."

All the activities students do through Te Kura Papatūānuku tie in with the national curriculum as well as being immediately applicable to their everyday lives.

"The hands-on outdoors stuff is a really immersive way to make the science relevant," Emily says.

The students are now investigating how they can use the garden classroom as a tool for teaching science, technology, engineering, maths and mātauranga (Māori knowledge) related topics to other students. 

At the same time, Emilie and the other project coordinators are taking the ideas on the road and offering sustainability lesson plans to other Wairarapa schools. The latest to get involved is Fernridge School in Masterton, where over forty students recently attended a workshop at South End School’s garden classroom.

"For me, the biggest highlight so far has been creating more space with and for other schools in the area and sharing it as a community hub," says South End School principal Clare Crawford. "It’s a great way to use what we’ve got and make the most of it."

Visit Te Kura o Papatūānuku website to follow their progress

About the project

Te Kura o Papatūānuku Wairarapa Earth School has been supported by the Wairarapa Montessori Charitable Trust and the Unlocking Curious Minds contestable fund. It is now a self-sustaining registered charitable trust.

Unlocking Curious Minds

Unlocking Curious Minds supports projects that excite and engage New Zealanders who have fewer opportunities to experience and connect with science and technology.

Find out more

This project, run by scentists at Plant and Food, aimed to help children realise that science surrounds them, demonstrate to them just how important science is in their daily lives, increase their interest in science for later in life, and help increase their competency for engaging in scientific issues that challenge our society.

Over 300 schoolchildren visited the Plant and Food Research laboratories at Lincoln to see first-hand the science and technology behind potatoes. Potato production was used as a relatable food (as most children eat it) to demonstrate to the children the types of science conducted at Plant & Food Research to create high quality food crops.

The children were taken on a tour around four different science stations where they learned about sustainable production of potatoes, plant breeding and biotechnology, food and nutrition, and protection against plant pests and diseases.

OMGTech! and MOTAT are joining forces for Techweek19 to engage and inspire young people, educators, industry and the wider public to explore the future possibilities of creativity, arts, science and technology (CAST)!

Over an action-packed weekend, MOTAT will host 5 different OMGTech! Rangers Events for kids, parents and teachers. It will be a fun couple of days of exploring and building confidence with technology for 5 - 12 year old kids in Auckland.

Find out more at https://omgtech.co.nz/cast

What do you do on an average work day?

On an average day I spend lots of time communicating.

I enjoy connecting with teachers, with scientists, with industry experts, with students as we develop our program to engage our rangatahi and Pasifka students together.

I also participate in a range of practical, hands on field trips with our young people. This I enjoy the most, as you see the sparkle and curiousity in the eyes of our young people. They come alive as they discover, explore and investigate little and big things in our environment and confront the real challenges facing our scientists as we work toward a more sustainable environment.

What did you study at school? And after high school?

At school I took all the sciences - maths, chemistry, biology and physics. I was also an avid reader and loved languages so completed literature along with a bit of French and Spanish. My first love at school was to become a vet so after high school I went into the natural sciences at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.

My career path took some turns and I was led to pursue an agri business management degree. Success here enabled me to secure a scholarship to the University College London Institute of Education, where I secured my Masters in Women in Leadership in Higher Education.  

Was your study directly related to what you do now? 

Yes and No. My science courses satisfied my desire for mathematics and for understanding the natural world while my management studies connected me with people and the career challenges faced by women.

What would you like to share with young women who are thinking about their career?

Every day that passes in our lives, fits into the future. It was not immediately clear how the path I was taking would lead to where I am today.

I benefited from wise counsel at key decision points in my career. Be open to the wise input of others.

Be diligent, remain focused and work hard at things you love doing.

Don’t be afraid of new opportunities. You will make mistakes, we all do. However keep moving forward. Your past mistakes do not define you, only the next choice into your future.

What are some of your career highlights so far?

Definitely studying in London. The rich international culture was an absolute delight.

However, that experience is second to the joy I feel now when I see our youth’s eyes light up on one of our field trips. Nothing is more rewarding then to be able to bring the exciting and diverse world of science to the finger-tips of hard to reach kids and see the spark in them turn into a flame of interest and confidence. 

Why do you believe engaging in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is important to New Zealand? 

Society as we know it is changing right before our eyes. Our supermarket checkouts are increasingly automated. We use automation to check in flights. Our GPS is possible because of a connection to satellites thousands of kilometres in the sky. Our cell phones are advanced technological devices.

All of these changes and more are part of our everyday lives and they are powered by STEM. This knowledge is shaping the future and our young people ladies must master it and use it well.

Why is it important to have more women working in STEM?

Women have made major contributions to science in the past and they have many more discoveries to make to advance our understanding of the natural world.

Wonen were and are leaders in crafting the early platforms of programming or in constructing DNA. Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were African-American women in STEM who broke the racial barrier and skyrocketed to the top of their field at NACA, later NASA. The Oscar acclaimed movie Hidden Figures really highlighted simple, everyday women who were capable pioneers behind the scenes.

However, women bring another aspect to science that relates to the application and use of science for the benefit of others.  Take for example Dr Patricia Bath who invented a laser cataract treatment device called a Laserphaco Probe in 1986. Or Dr Mary Daly's groundbreaking research that included studies of the effects of cholesterol on the mechanics of the heart. Often a woman’s interest in the sciences go beyond the technology or the knowledge and she is keen to apply this to the benefit of others.

Lauren is the Educational Researcher of PTC Trust and Program Director of Indigenous Sparks™, a program designed to reach those traditionally underrepresented in sciences and technology and empower them with a new sense of vision as co-producers of our future world. Lauren is originally from the beautiful isles of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean and now lives in New Zealand.

This profile is part of our series of girls and women in STEM.

National Geographic has authorised the displayreproduction and tour of 50 treasuredof the most recognisable and popular photographs in Aotearoa New Zealand for the first time.magazine has published in its 120-year history.

TheThis exhibition features 50 striking images shot by some ofexplores the world's finest photographers of places, events, natural phenomenahidden worlds, secret stories and man made heirlooms seldom seen by human eyes.

Fromamazing places on the Moeraki Boulders in New Zealand toplanet through the Pope taking a selfie in Vatican City. In thismost compelling, iconic imagery compiled.  The exhibition of visual wonders, National Geographic reveals a world very few haveincludes, among the chancemany recognisable images, Steve McCurry’s  Afghan Girl and Nick Nichol’s  The Touch featuring Jane Goodall.

In addition to seeing the enhanced photos as they appeared in the magazine, visitors can hear the stories behind the photos and more about the photographers themselves.  For some images, visitors are able to see for themselves. It’s all here: a green-crowned brilliant hummingbird looking eye to eye with a pit viper, the Rayong Dam, an underwater park‘near frames’ taken by the photographer: the sequence of images made in Austria, ice caves, a supercell storm cloud,the field before and a royal white tiger.after the published picture.

Kia Rapua Science Playground and Space Central, both supported by the Unlocking Curious Minds contestible find, have been deemed 2019's most innovative education programme and most innovative public programme respectively at the Museum Awards this year.

Kia Rapua Science Playground was created for very young children to experience scientifically exploring the world around them using a portable playground that toured schools around the Otago region.

Space Central revolves around the Interplanetary Cycle Trail in Central Otago, a 100-million-to-one model replica of the Solar System running along the Otago Central Rail Trail in which cyclists can experience travelling through space and time.

Nathalie Wierdak, project lead for Kia Rapua, says, "I'm truly thrilled to see this project win the inaugural Most Innovative Education Programme award. I hope this can be a first step towards more science engagement opportunities for very young Kiwis. We learned so much from working in collaboration with early childhood education centres and their dedicated staff. They really played a key role in the success of our project."

The annual ServiceIQ New Zealand Museum Awards recognise the best and most innovative exhibitions, programmes and museum projects in Aotearoa New Zealand. Craig Grant, Director of Science Engagement at Otago Museum, attended the ceremony on Wednesday 22 May and accepted the awards on behalf of the project teams.

“These really are the icing on the cake for both projects," he says. "The main reward was the amazing feedback we got when delivering the projects, but it’s always nice to be recognised by your peers, and given the quality of the other projects we were up against, it gives us confidence we’re doing something right!"

"It’s also great to be able to share this with all our project partners, including the early childhood centres, Central Otago schools, the Otago Central Rail Trail Trust, Ian Begg, Naseby Vision, Catalyst Trust, the Dodd-Walls Centre and NASA. They gave an enormous amount of time and resources, so having their efforts recognised as being of national quality is fab."

Learn more about Kia Rapua Science Playground

Learn more about the Interplanetary Cycle Trail

Unlocking Curious Minds

Unlocking Curious Minds supports projects that excite and engage New Zealanders who have fewer opportunities to experience and connect with science and technology.

Find out more

Lasers, rainbows and magnetic nanoparticles… it’s just some of the extraordinary science that is at your fingertips in the Mighty Small Mighty Bright exhibition now on at MOTAT.

Hands-on interactives will help all members of the family get to grips with the science of photonics, advanced materials and nanotechnology.

How do you bend light? How small is nano? How are advanced materials being used in our everyday lives? This thought-provoking exhibition aims to inspire kids to engage with STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) subjects and have fun along the way.

Mighty Small Mighty Bright is the result of an exciting partnership between MOTAT, The Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, and Otago Museum.

The Winter Solstice marks the longest night of the year, so what better way to celebrate it than with an evening of stargazing!

Skip the nail-biting over the weather forecast and join Otago Museum for an evening under the stars in the Perpetual Guardian Planetarium, where you’re guaranteed to have clear skies.

Following the show, hop on the Museum’s bus and visit the Beverley Begg Observatory with the Dunedin Astronomical Society to learn about observing the night sky, taking stellar night-sky photos, and hunting an aurora.

Book tickets ($15 child, $30 adult)

Visit Tūhura, our stunning science engagement development. The Tūhura Otago Community Trust Science Centre has over 45 hands-on interactives, including a giant DNA-inspired helical slide, and a three-tier tropical butterfly enclosure.

Your science centre admission ticket provides access to the multi-screen, laser-activated Beautiful Science gallery. You can also combine your science centre experience with a planetarium show with our special Tūhura combo deals.

Semiconductor—UK artist duo Ruth Jarman and Joe Gerhardt—produce spectacular, large-scale moving-image works that extend our experience and understanding of the world through the lens of scientific technology, making the invisible visible.

Many of their works have resulted from collaborations with prestigious science agencies, including NASA, CERN, the Smithsonian, and the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Galapagos Islands.

The exhibition’s central video installation 'Earthworks' (2016) uses data from real-world volcanoes, glaciers, and earthquakes—including the 2016 Kaikōura quake. Other works take data from the ultrabig to the ultrasmall, from activity on the surface of the sun to the movement of subatomic particles.

Immerse yourself in Semiconductor’s work at their City Gallery Wellington exhibition.

Exploration is in everyone’s DNA; we’re hardwired to be curious. This immersive media exhibition will take you on a journey with acclaimed explorer and filmmaker James Cameron, from the deepest parts of the ocean to some of his Oscar-winning feature films.

See his record-breaking dives in the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible and science platform he designed and built, and experience how his curiosity for understanding and exploring our oceans has shone a light on some of the least known places on earth.

The exhibition immerses you in an underwater environment using cinema scale projections, artefacts and specimens from his expeditions.

The Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka! Awards are a competition where contestants present speeches on a science, technology, engineering or mathematics idea of their choosing and how the idea will make New Zealand a better place.

The competition gets students to investigate how big ideas from around the world could increase New Zealand's economic, environmental and social wealth and wellbeing.

To deliver a successful Eureka! presentation contestants will demonstrate:

1. Knowledge of an area of science, technology, engineering or mathematics

2. How their area of knowledge and interest can be (or is being) applied to enable tangible benefit to New Zealand’s economic, environmental and social wealth and well-being, so helping deliver on Sir Paul Callaghan’s ambition for New Zealand

3. The presence and capability to communicate clearly, succinctly and persuasively to a general audience comprising people from business and the political arenas as well as the wider public

The winner is awarded the Sir Paul Callaghan Eureka! Premier Award and prize money of $10,000.

The three runners up will receive Highly Commended Awards plus prize money of $5,000.

The eight contestants selected as National Finalists will each receive a Merit Award and prize money of $1,500. 

There are also many scholarships and internships on offer in addition to the prizes for presentations of merit.

Find out how to enter

Kick-start or rekindle a love of science teaching with the Sir Paul Callaghan Science Academy.

The Academy offers a fresh approach to equipping primary and intermediate school teachers with skills, resources and techniques to feel more confident in delivering the science curriculum – especially the Nature of Science strand – through an intensive, four-day programme, followed by ongoing interaction and support through the alumni network and its events.

Academy dates and locations

• Auckland Central – 9-12 September 2019
• Whanganui – 16-19 September 2019
• Kerikeri – 1-4 October 2019
• Whakatane – 8-11 October 2019

Register here

What do you do on an average work day? He aha tō mahi ia rā, ia rā?

I teach technology at Papakura Intermediate. My areas of teaching are coding, robotics and STEAM. The tech team and I teach client schools as well as our own students once a week for 90mins.

I am also the Assistant Principal so I work closely within the Leadership Team to support our kaiako (teachers) and students.

I'm the ‘Wellbeing Officer' in our school too, and love to think of innovative ways to promote wellbeing across our team.

What did you study at school? And after high school?  I ako koe i te aha i te kura? I aha koe whai muri i te kura tuarua?

At high school I studied Japanese, art history, drama, English, classics, and absolutely LOVED human biology. They didn’t offer it in Year 12 so I chose to take biology.

At the end of Year 13, I went to Japan on a two week exchange and it thoroughly opened my eyes to a new part of the world. After high school I decided to study something that made me happy, without stressing about what job it could lead to - so I chose Japanese. I completed my degree in Japanese and managed to fit in some short teaching contracts in Jeonju, South Korea and Wuhan, China before living and teaching in Japan. I wanted to continue to travel while making money and teaching English was the ticket. I then lived in Japan for 3 years teaching English at Junior High School.

When I felt like my time living there was up, I decided to return to Aotearoa to study Digital Media because I wanted to explore my interest in cinematography and editing. I really just like to study and learn about what interests me in different developmental points of my life.

I didn’t get into teaching until I was close to 30. Both of my parents are teachers so I know the realities of ‘teacher life’ and in a way, resisted it for a while. But the different paths I took while travelling always led to opportunities to teach, which I enjoyed.

Was your study directly related to what you do now? He ōrite tāu mahi i taua wā ki tāu mahi o ināianei?

For the most part, not directly. My studies in teaching and what I learned in my PostGrad qualification at the MindLab are directly related, for sure. I have really lived on the philosophy of doing what makes me happy, which has led to where I am today.

What would you like to share with young women who are thinking about their career choices right now?  He aha āu kupu hei āwhina i ngā rangatahi wahine e whakaaro ana ki tā rātou mahi mō te wā kei mua i te aroaro?

It’s great to have dreams and aspirations - a vision and drive definitely help in achieving those. But if you’re not sure what to do in the next phase of your life, studying or not, choose what makes you happy.

Travelling is an incredible gateway to independence, deeper learning about self and new experiences.

Also, don’t ‘pigeonhole’ yourself. As you learn and experience more, your interests grow and so do your areas of learning, so be open to further learning down the road - it doesn’t have to stop at your diploma / degree and it doesn’t always have to start at university.

If what you’re studying, learning or experiencing makes you happy, a career in that area will never feel like a ‘job’ and you’ll have fun while working!

What are some of your career highlights so far? He aha ngā painga o te umanga e whāia ana e koe?

Highlights include learning how to plan, teach and organise engaging and authentic Inquiry outcomes as part of an Inquiry curriculum team. I’ve loved supporting students to be confidently prepared and motivated to share their Inquiry learning with their whānau and school community. 

I’ve also really loved teaching alongside some incredibly talented teachers who have made it a fun space to work.

Why do you believe engaging in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is important to New Zealand?  He aha a STEM (pūtaiao, hangarau, pūkaha, pāngarau) e whai take ana ki Aotearoa?

Aotearoa prides itself on ‘Kiwi Ingenuity’ and that’s really what STEM is about - noticing a problem, asking how it could be better and having a good go at making something new or improved.

I like to think of STEM as this era’s "three Rs" - you can learn a great deal of base knowledge in all STEM areas and choose your choice of direction from there because it is so diverse.

New Zealanders are celebrated for performing successfully in a global context - and STEM is a great area to continue this.

Why is it important to have more women working in STEM? He aha te take me whai wāhi ngā wāhine ki STEM?

Like Queen Bey says ‘who run the world?’ Women have so much to offer in the work space in regards to diversity, problem-solving, innovation, creativity, resilience and motivation. We like to challenge the way things are done to make it more efficient.

Women are needed in STEM spaces because if new innovations are only ever created from one male perspective, it means we’re never getting the whole picture.

Unfortunately, currently there are far too many dire examples of what can happen when women aren’t represented, when our views, experiences and voices aren’t taken seriously. This is why representation, diversity and gender equity in STEM spaces are so important for economic growth.

Oriana is Assistant Principal and Technology teacher at Papakura Intermediate. She is passionate about learning, travelling and not becoming a ‘dinosaur’ in the classroom. She is German Samoan, her village in Samoa is Satuimalufilufi and she has lived in Māngere Bridge, Auckland, most of her life. In her spare time she loves to discover new places in remote parts of Aotearoa with her partner.

This profile is part of our series of girls and women in STEM.

Taranaki’s Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society wanted to find out more about the pockets of kororā little blue penguins living along the coast, some in built-up areas where they share their habitat with port users, swimmers and boaties.

The Society teamed up with students from Devon and Puketapu Intermediate Schools to search out the kororā, then use temperature and video equipment to observe and record the penguins' behaviours.

Project lead marine scientist Elvisa Robb explains that, with no previous data gathered on the local penguins, the school students first had to research the species - including nesting behaviour and distribution.

Kororā hunt at sea for food during the day and nest in on-land burrows at night. Students performed night surveys to find out where the penguins were living and recorded their behaviours when they were sighted. The students used red light torches during these night surveys to ensure the penguins were not disturbed by bright white lights.

From there, with the assistance of computer and marine scientists, the students brainstormed the best ways to monitor the penguins so data could be gathered without being invasive to the birds.

The team opted for thermometers to record the penguin burrow temperatures and livestream this to the internet, which showed when penguins entered or left the burrows. Live online graphs showed when the burrow temperature had risen, indicating that there was a penguin occupying the burrow.

The findings showed that Taranaki kororā might have some different behaviours compared to other little blue penguins in Aotearoa.

According to the data collected, some Taranaki kororā begin burrowing earlier than the average penguin, and some use their burrows to rest in more sporadically than kororā in other regions.

Reaping rewards

Elvisa says the students connected strongly with the project and their work has raised awareness about the little blue penguin in the community.

“They went from thinking of the penguins as cute and fluffy to having a much deeper understanding about the birds' behaviours. They learnt that these animals are an important indicator species that can tell us about the health of the marine environment.”

It was rewarding for Elvisa also found it rewarding seeingto see the students develop throughout the project.

“We're“We are getting them to think about the process from the beginning and to brainstorm ideas, rather than just giving them the technology. In the future they can apply that knowledge to other situations, like how we might monitor other wildlife. 

"We want to empower them with the critical thinking skills required in science, so that when they grow up they maintain that curiosity.”

Port now looking out for penguins

Another positive outcome of the project is that the Society now has solid information it can share with users of local beaches and the port about the penguins.

“We have now got scientific data to use - not just in education but in decision-making around coastal planning,” Elvisa says.

The project has spawned a relationship between the Port Taranaki and the Society. They’re working together on beach signs that educate dog owners to keep dogs on a leash to protect the penguins, and the Port recently asked the Society to check some areas for burrows before undertaking maintenance work.

“It has been really beneficial for these big decision-making processes.”

Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society is now using the information gathered to strengthen community education about the Taranaki kororā, including providing education resources for teachers to use in the classroom.

Watch a clip about the project that aired on the children's TV series Fanimals.

Follow the project on Facebook

About the project

Finding Little Blue is run by Ngā Motu Marine Reserve Society in partnership with Devon Intermediate School and Puketapu Intermediate School, with support from the Taranaki Participatory Science Platform.

Participatory Science Platform

The Participatory Science Platform supports collaborative projects that bring together communities and scientists or technologists on research investigating a locally-important question or problem.

Find out more

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The School of Rocks will enable Waitaki schools to explore local geology using spatial technology, raise community awareness of local geologic heritage, and become kaitiaki of special geological sites within the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark.

Giving opportunities to youth of rural, remote location, and unable to obtain STEAM education, to access coding and robotics programs delivered online, and to interact through specific locally planned events.