News & events
2023 Regional Lecture Series - Annual Report 2023
Good news for a change: Sustainability Tech in Aotearoa New Zealand and the science behind it
14 April, 2024
Sustainability has been a theme throughout our Regional Lectures Series over the past several years. This year we focused on tangible sustainability tech happening right now in Aotearoa New Zealand: 'Good news for a change: Sustainability tech in Aotearoa New Zealand and the science behind it'. We reached out to our partners and further into the wider deep tech start-up ecosystem to bring stories of sustainability tech, and looked at the science behind these discoveries, in particular the science that relates to the Institute's research.
The talks covered:
- The work of our partner GNS Science creating hydrogen micro grids in remote communities (Ngāhina Marae) and the science of green hydrogen fuel;
- Aotearoa New Zealand's biggest solar installation, being developed on 400 hectares of land alongside Christchurch International Airport runways, and the science of solar power;
- The science of converting waste to value, using the example of start- ups Geo40 and Zincovery; and
- The science of carbon capture by porous materials, using start-up Captivate Technology as an example.
Dr Michelle Cook (GNS Science-based MacDiarmid Institute alumna) was part of the Tauranga lecture, along with Dr Charlie Ruffman (Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland postdoc and MacDiarmid Institute alumnus) and Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington PhD graduate Calum Gordon.
Calum Gordon speaking at the RLS event in Tauranga
Charlie Ruffman (left) and Michelle Cook (right) speaking at the RLS event in Tauranga
The Tauranga lecture was held in association with Café Scientifique and attended by approximately 120 people. The team visited two schools and helped students make their own solar cells out of berries. At Matua Primary School they met with about 30 students from years five and six. They then ran a workshop for 15 home school students. It was great to engage with a group of students who have in the past missed out on visits from our scientists.
Calum Gordon and Charlie Ruffman delivering their solar cells workshop with home school students in Tauranga
Impressed by the enthusiasm and knowledge of the three young speakers. Our future is in good hands.
Attendee Tauranga lecture
For the Hawke's Bay lecture, Principal Investigator Professor Chris Bumby (Paihau-Robinson Research Institute) and Associate Investigator Dr Nate Davis (Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington) were joined by Robinson Research Institute (RRI) outreach coordinator Tahlia Crabtree. The three combined their visit to the Hawke's Bay with two school visits, to Napier Boys' High School and Karamu High School. The focus of the school sessions was on microscopy, with Tahlia bringing RRI's tabletop scanning electron microscope to the schools, as well as some light microscopes.
Tahlia Crabtree, Napier
Clear, concise, informative, and makes people think. Fascinating work - your visit is a highlight of our year.
Jenny Dee Hawke’s Bay Branch of the Royal Society Te Apārangi
Our Wanaka lecture was delivered by Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University-based Associate Investigator Dr Emilia Nowak and Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo University of Otago-based Principal Investigator and Deputy Director for Outreach and Education Associate Professor Anna Garden. Emilia also visited Mt Aspiring College while she was there and met with senior physics students to look at experimental fluid dynamics using a chocolate fountain, and to discuss the physics behind it based on simulation of non-Newtonian liquids with heat transfer.
MacDiarmid Institute presentations are always enlightening, topical and professionally presented (plus enjoyable). Well done!
Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo University of Otago-based Associate Investigator Dr Courtney Ennis and Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury-based Principal Investigator Professor Paul Kruger travelled to Nelson to speak at Cawthron INSPIRE, an annual festival held in Nelson for primary and intermediate age children (approximate ages 8-13). Courtney and Paul presented the Regional Lecture Series talk for the festival's community lecture and ran two workshop sessions for students aged between 8 and 13 titled 'What's open framework chemistry?!' with hands-on activities for the students to create their own frameworks for greenhouse gas capture.
Paul Kruger and Courtney Ennis in their first of two Nelson workshops where students created their own frameworks for greenhouse gas capture
It was all excellent, relevant and interesting – no need to improve!
Fascinating. Leaves TV for dead.
Read next
© MacDiarmid Institute 2024, All rights reserved
Website by WebWeaver Productions