IRANZ news briefs
HERA intern Lydia Frater with Senior Structural Fire Engineer Mayank Shrivastava. Photo: HERA.
Bragato joint project wins $100k+ to research thiols in white wine
Dr Amanda Dupas de Matos, Food Experience and Sensory Testing (Feast) Laboratory Senior Research Officer at Massey University, has been awarded more than $100,000 from the Massey-Lincoln Agriculture Industry Fund for her project 'Realising the Potential of Thiols in White Wines: Sensory Consumer Responses and Chemical Characterisation' - a collaborative effort between Massey University, Lincoln University, and Bragato Research Institute which aims to address the knowledge gap around what thiol concentrations make for the most appealing wine.
Motu: Filling the gaps of missing productivity data
Recent research by Motu Affiliate Richard Fabling provides a productivity dataset that will be helpful to productivity researchers. The research looks at how productivity data is missing from the Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) for over a third of firm-year observations in “measured sector” industries, equating to a fifth of total labour in those industries.
Productivity growth is an important determinant of output growth in the economy and, therefore, aggregate improvements in income and well-being. The proliferation of high-quality worker- and firm-level data, places empirical microeconomics at the forefront of understanding the dynamics of productivity growth and identifying obstacles to higher productivity.
Richard has developed a method to fill the data gaps using an additional data source - firm-level annualised goods and services tax (GST) returns.
HERA hosts Professor Ian Manchester
The future of automation in heavy engineering and steel fabrication took centre stage when Professor Ian Manchester and his team from the Australian Centre for Robotics visited HERA at the end of last year.
This week-long engagement, was part of HERA's engagement with the Australian Cooperative Research Centre (ACM CRC) project which brought together global expertise and local insights to explore how advanced technologies can transform Aotearoa New Zealand's manufacturing and construction sectors. Joining Professor Manchester were Kieran Parker, Yiduo Wang, and Viorella Ila, who brought their specialised expertise to the discussions and site visits. Also contributing to the collaborative efforts were HERA's General Manager Fabrication 4.0, Michail Karpenko, and Senior Engineer for Advanced Manufacturing, Holger Heinzel; whose extensive industry knowledge added industry knowledge to the engagements.
Professor Manchester, a globally recognised authority in automation and robotics, leads the Australian Centre for Robotics at the University of Sydney. His institution is renowned for developing cutting-edge technologies to address complex industrial challenges.
Malaghan: Cancer Research Trust grant to improve CAR T-cell therapy
Postdoctoral researcher Dr Nathaniel Dasyam has been awarded a Cancer Research Trust grant to make CAR T-cell therapy even better - both in terms of safety and effectiveness.
“While our phase 1 trial showed very promising results, there's always scope for improvement. This grant will allow us to find what makes our CAR T-cells unique and, more importantly, identify what can be done to make them better. We can then take this information and design more effective therapies.”
Malaghan Institute and Victoria University 'renew vows' after 21 years of partnership
The Malaghan Institute of Medical Research and Victoria University of Wellington have recognised and strengthened their longstanding collaborative partnership with a new relationship agreement that aims to grow the biotechnology sector in New Zealand.
Malaghan Institute Director Professor Kjesten Wiig says the two organisations were effectively renewing their vows, 21 years after the institute moved to purpose-built facilities on the university campus in 2004.
“Being co-located on Victoria's Kelburn campus has provided opportunities for joint science programmes over the years, and for Malaghan staff to contribute to teaching and supervision of students. This new agreement reflects this longstanding relationship and looks to the future - using our combined strengths and networks to grow our shared capability in biotechnology and biomedical sciences,” she says.
“As a small, independent research organisation, fostering strong relationships with tertiary institutions, research institutes, hospitals, and clinics nationally and globally is vital for us to maximise the impact of our research. The relationship with Victoria serves as a blueprint for what can be achieved when organisations work together collaboratively with a shared vision.”
RNZ: Tackling cancer- Kjesten Wiig
In-coming director at Malaghan, Professor Kjesten Wiig has taken over the reins held for 30 years by Professor Graham Le Gros.
A neuroscientist by training, Prof Wiig's career has always had a focus on advancing science and innovation to improve people's health and ultimately save lives. Kjesten's nineteen-year-old son Karl died from a rare form of cancer almost four years ago. Kjesten tells RNZ's Susie Ferguson how a conversation with Graham Le Gros at the time lead to a job offer.
World-renowned cancer pathologist joins the Malaghan Institute as Distinguished Research Fellow
Professor Brett Delahunt, a long-standing scientific collaborator, has officially joined the institute, bringing a wealth of expertise to further cancer research.
Prof Delahunt remembers his first encounter with the Malaghan Institute, then the Wellington Cancer and Medical Research Institute, in the 1980s. He had recently graduated from the University of Otago Medical School and was placed in Wellington Hospital.
Cawthron: Seaweek Science Talk
Cawthron's first public event for 2025 is a Seaweek Science Talk at Cawthron Institute in Nelson on Tuesday 4 March. Held in collaboration with Nelson Science Society, this event will feature Cawthron marine ecologist Dr Al Alder, who will explore the challenges and triumphs of marine restoration in Aotearoa New Zealand. The presentation will be recorded for those who cannot attend in person.
Date: Tuesday 4 March 2025
Time: 5.30pm - 6.30pm
Location: Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax St East
82nd Annual Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture
The 82nd Annual Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture will take place on Monday 9 June this year. Save the date in your diaries and keep an eye on future newsletters for more information about this year's guest presenter who is a nationally-significant figure in New Zealand's scientific community.
Cawthron: 2025 Scitec Expo
A few weeks ago, Cawthron launched the 2025 Scitec Expo regional school science fair with a small event for teachers in their region. This year’s expo is for primary and secondary students and will be held on 19-20 August 2025 at Founders Park in Nelson. Nelson Pine Industries is supporting this event.
Lincoln Agritech internships open new career pathways
Two young wāhine Māori say summer internships with Lincoln Agritech have inspired them and helped to decide the path they want to take in their education and careers.
Dani Joy (Ngā Puhi, Ngati Whatua) and Lani Rotzler Purewa (Tūhoe, Ngāti Pūkeko, Schwarzwālderin) worked in the field and the lab in Lincoln and Te Urewera as part of the Pūhoro STEMM internship programme, helping with a project to screen biological agents of cereal and pea fungal pathogens. Lani also spent time learning about the mātauranga of her Tūhoe iwi, including its interface with science.
The Pūhoro internship programme provides opportunities for rangatahi (young people) who are studying STEM at university to gain real-world experience.
Lighting the fire - Lydia's summer internship with HERA
What happens when passion meets opportunity? For Lydia Frater, this summer offered more than just a chance to gain work experience - it was an opportunity to make an impact in structural fire engineering.
Lydia is a HERA Whanake Scholarship Recipient, and, as part of the internship opportunity, she worked on a HERA project in the Structural Systems team. Under the supervision of Senior Structural Fire Engineer Mayank Shrivastava, with General Manager Kaveh Andisheh providing guidance, her work has been focussed on supporting the development of innovative tools and cutting-edge research that aim to optimise fire protection and design in structural steel construction.
Date posted: 26 February 2025