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Horizons THE MAGAZINE O F T HE UN I V E RSI TY OF WA I KATO ISSUE 6: MARCH 2017 SECURITY on the rise Addressing issues in the Cloud and on the ground A Top New Zealander An educator making a significant difference Sharing the power Designing medical interventions that work
Whether you want to fast-track your career, change direction or enhance your employability, a postgraduate qualification from the University of Waikato will set you up for where the world is going. PhD student Jack Pronger is researching pasture types and their resistance to drought. It’s research that will be useful to New Zealand’s farmers. Join students like Jack and play a part in the country’s future. Choose from our range of postgraduate programmes including honours and masters degrees, graduate and postgraduate diplomas and certificates. To find out more about postgraduate study at Waikato, visit waikato.ac.nz/study/postgrad
FROM THE
VICE-CHANCELLOR
13 T
his issue of Horizons has a strong focus on issues arising
from the ubiquitous use of internet communication
in modern society. Cybercrime is one of the most
important threats arising from this reliance on the internet
What’s inside
and it will be part of the focus for the University’s new
Institute for Security and Crime Science. This Institute will in
turn be closely engaged with the new Centre for Evidence-
Based Policing in Wellington, a research centre established
Investing in Crime Science 3 by NZ Police with the University of Waikato as the primary
partner assisting police in their work to prevent crime and
Unlocking our geological past 5
protect the public. Reflecting this area of strength at the
A leader in education 6-7 University of Waikato, in April this year we will host more
than 400 cyber security experts from around the world for the
New deans, new ideas 8 annual International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
Old bones overturn migration theory 9 event responsible for cyber security international standards,
such as the ISO/IEC 27000 series.
Sharing the power 10-11
More and more, universities, other research institutes and
Getting the best honey 13
organisations are collaborating on projects, bringing a cross-
Awards for education research 15 section of knowledge, skills and ideas to the research pool and
securing outcomes that can have wide application. You can
PR in troubled times 19 read about some of these collaborations in this issue.
Late last year the School of Māori and Pacific Development
GETTING IN TOUCH changed its name to the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous
If you are interested in working with the University of Waikato, Studies to better reflect its teaching, research and outreach.
go to waikato.ac.nz/research, or email research@waikato.ac.nz Staff from the Faculty, and from Management are working
with the Waikato DHB and Māori health providers to develop
ISSN 2423-0545 (print)
a workable framework to improve health outcomes for Māori
ISSN 2423-0553 (online) in remote areas, while Associate Professor Maui Hudson has
been leading a Health Research Council project to develop
Writing: Alison Robertson (editor), Ann Huston, Nicola Lee, culturally informed guidelines to protect Māori interests in
Joanna Green. biobanking and genomic research.
Photography: Ann Huston, Craig Brown, Jeremy Tritt, It is always gratifying to see academic research applied in
Alison Robertson.
communities and having an impact. A fine example of that
is the work done by Associate Professor Mere Berryman to
SUSTAINABILITY raise the level of Māori achievement in schools. She was one
This publication has been printed with vegetable-based inks of three finalists for Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year. Four
and environmentally responsible papers, supporting the growth other academics in the field of Education were recipients of
of responsible forest management worldwide. This document New Zealand Association for Research in Education awards.
is printed throughout on Impress Satin, which is FSC certified
and from responsible sources, manufactured under ISO14001 As Vice-Chancellor I am committed to the highest levels of
Environmental Management Systems. The University of Waikato external engagement, and to quality research. I encourage you
is committed to reducing its environmental footprint. to contact our Research Office at research@waikato.ac.nz if
you are interested in working with the University of Waikato.
We look forward to your support as we continue to build our
profile as one of the great applied research universities.
PROFESSOR NEIL QUIGLEY
Horizons – research with impact
Dr Ryan Ko
2 University of Waikato
New Crime
Science Institute
Crime science is an emerging field of study that aims to develop a fast, practical and
effective scientific approach to crime prevention using data analysis to identify patterns.
P
olice services in the US and UK interpretation, psychology, sociology, its state-of-the-art research capability
are partnering with universities to economics, political science, engineering, to complement and assist crime
reduce crime by enabling the use law, and cyber security. science research.
of evidence-based policing in real time.
Now New Zealand is following suit. Big data is a crucial component in crime Professor Holmes says it was logical to
analysis and staff at the National Institute introduce new qualifications at the same
At the University of Waikato’s Hamilton for Demographic and Economic Analysis time as launching the Security and
Campus the Institute for Security (NIDEA) at Waikato will be feeding into Crime Science Institute. With support
and Crime Science incorporates four the new Institute as NIDEA has access from NZ Police, the University has
interlinked components; theories of crime to the Integrated Data Infrastructure developed a Master of Security and Crime
science, modelling and analysis of data on Suite that provides direct, secure access Science (MSCS), the first qualification of
crime and security issues in New Zealand, to Statistics New Zealand’s datasets. its kind in New Zealand and targeted at
the use of computer science to assist The FCMS’ Machine Learning Group current and future law enforcement and
evidence-based police work, and research and Centre for Open Source Innovation security practitioners.
in psychology relevant to criminal (COSI), which contains the world-leading
behaviour and police processes, such as The Institute will continue working with
pattern analysis tools WEKA (open-source
taking evidence from witnesses. NZ Police and Environmental Science
data mining software) and MOA (Massive
Professor Geoff Holmes, Dean of Online Analysis), will also be feeding and Research (ESR) to develop research
Waikato’s Faculty of Computing and information to the Institute. programmes aligned with “Policing
Mathematical Sciences (FCMS) says the Excellence: The Future”, NZ Police’s new
Waikato University is also home to the strategy document.
Institute is a great opportunity for staff
Traffic and Road Safety (TARS) Research
and students to do high impact, cross-
Group, an independent provider of quality The University has made three key
disciplinary research and teaching.
research for NZ Police, Foundation for appointments to the institute; Professors
Crime science is multi-disciplinary, Science, Transfund, Road Safety Trust, of Psychology Maryanne Garry and
covering topics as diverse as geographic Land Transport New Zealand (LTNZ), ACC, Devon Polaschek, and Dr Joe Burton,
profiling, mathematical modelling and local and regional road controlling a Senior Lecturer in Political Science and
of patterns, hypothesis testing and authorities. The Group will be using Public Policy.
CYBER SECURITY SKILLS TASKFORCE professionals available to help defend organisations to protect themselves
Dr Ryan Ko, head of the cyber security the country against cyber attacks, from the increasing threat of cyber-
programme at Waikato University, is which cost the New Zealand economy attacks. "New Zealand is competing
one of eight people selected by the $257 million last year. for talent in a global market and it’s
government to be part of a Cyber important the Taskforce looks at ways
A pathway will be established for
Security Skills Taskforce to address in which New Zealand can grow its
junior analysts, including a level 6
the shortage of cyber professionals in own talent," Dr Ko says.
qualification and industry-supported
New Zealand.
internships, to be developed this
The Taskforce will be led by Hewlett
Dr Ko has extensive experience year. With a growing global shortage
of cyber security professionals, it’s Packard Enterprises Chief Technology
in cybersecurity skill and training
development, including establishing the estimated there will be a global Officer David Eaton, and includes
New Zealand Cyber Security Challenge. workforce shortfall of between one representatives from academia and
The Taskforce will focus on practical to two million positions by 2019. industry to ensure training meets the
actions to increase the number of cyber This shortage is limiting the ability of needs of industry.
Summer 2017 3
Horizons – research with impact
Major Security forum coming to nz
C
yber security experts from around member nations such as China. This is a organisations in their countries with only
the world will be gathering at the great achievement for New Zealand cyber one member per country. ISO standards are
University of Waikato in April for security on the global stage.” developed by groups of international experts
the annual International Organization for in response to requests from industry or
Standardization (ISO) event responsible ISO standards provide global alignment
other stakeholders such as consumer groups.
for cyber security international standards. of definitions, industry best practices,
frameworks and technical guidelines Dr Ko is also the principal investigator of
Event co-convenor and University of derived from subject-matter experts and the six-year $12.2 million MBIE-funded
Waikato Head of Cyber Security Lab Dr member country standards bodies. project STRATUS which aims to create
Ryan Ko says the event will bring about a suite of security tools, techniques and
400 cyber security experts together. The cyber security ISO standards
influence the policy and governance of capabilities that return control of data to
Hosted by USA-based Cloud Security information systems and assets such as Cloud computing users. Now in its second
Alliance (CSA) on behalf of Standards New critical data. year, STRATUS – Security Technologies
Zealand and supported by the University Returning Accountability, Trust and User-
of Waikato and Tourism New Zealand, the “By aligning with the standards, centric Services in the Cloud – is a team
28th ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27 Plenary and organisations can assess their current state, of leading cloud security researchers and
Working Group Meetings will be held at the identify gaps within their processes, and practitioners from University of Waikato,
University of Waikato from 18-25 April 2017. plan a roadmap to align to an international University of Auckland, Unitec Institute of
security baseline,” says Dr Ko. “The ISO Technology and Cloud Security Alliance.
“This cyber security event is one of two held standards are important for exporters as
each year by the Swiss-based International well. Products from organisations adhering “Currently, when we store and process
Organization for Standardization (ISO), and to the standards meet high criteria which data in the cloud, we need to trust
helps shape how the industry moves and ensures ongoing trade.” cloud computing company staff that
operates,” says Dr Ko. they will not abuse their rights,” says
Dr Ko says the University of Waikato
“The SC 27 working groups create and Dr Ko. “STRATUS removes the need
aligns to the ISO/IEC 27001 standard,
manage prominent international security to rely on trust, but rather, empower
which allows it to plan a framework of
and privacy standards such as the ISO/ users with actual control and visibility
preventative measures and security.
IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27018, which are over the changes in their data. Several
used to evaluate the best practices of ISO is an independent, non-governmental techniques to track the life cycle of data,
major organisations. With the support of international organisation with a and to process encrypted data have been
Tourism New Zealand, we were able to membership of 163 national standards developed and are now commercialised
win the hosting bid ahead of prominent bodies, which are the foremost standards with New Zealand partners.”
NATO’S DURABILITY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
O
ne of the new academics working Amongst other results, the research found
closely with the Institute for that there is strong appetite in
Security and Crime Science is Dr New Zealand for an ongoing partnership
Joe Burton. He lectures in Cyber Security with NATO, the world’s pre-eminent
and Cyber Warfare, and International military organisation, and that maintaining
Security, Strategy and Technology. His these linkages is seen as an important goal
PhD examined NATO’s durability in the of New Zealand’s foreign and security
post-Cold War period, particularly how the policy. As part of its engagement to date,
alliance has adapted to address emerging New Zealand has already contributed to
the NATO anti-piracy maritime mission.
security challenges.
Dr Joe Burton
Dr Burton says New Zealand interviewees
Recently, at NATO’s headquarters in
saw particular benefits in working with
Brussels, Dr Burton presented the results of NATO on a variety of emerging security Dr Burton’s current research interests relate
a multinational two-year research project challenges, including cyber security and to how regional security co-operation is
funded by NATO's Science for Peace maritime security. “NATO has become emerging on cyber security issues in both
Programme which examined how five of one of the most advanced actors on cyber the Euro Atlantic and Asia Pacific regions,
NATO’s Global Partners – New Zealand, issues in world affairs and has implemented and how new technologies, including
Australia, Japan, South Korea and Mongolia – a collective cyber defence policy to deter AI, drones, and cyber capabilities, are
perceive NATO’s role in international affairs. cyber attacks against its members,” he says. beginning to affect international security.
4 University of Waikato
Dr Adam Hartland
Unlocking our
geological past
A
University of Waikato scientist Wales. He was promoted to Senior “Caves can be thought of as nature’s
has been awarded a Rutherford Lecturer in Geochemistry at Waikato vaults,” says Dr Hartland.
Discovery Fellowship – a first for in 2014.
the University. “They contain archives of Earth’s past
His study addresses the need to find new climate in deposits collectively termed
Ten Rutherford Discovery Fellowships, ways of working out the exact range of speleothems. Common examples are
which are administered by the Royal past rainfall and air temperature variations stalagmites and stalactites, but many
Society of New Zealand, are awarded on over the recent geological past (up to the other cave formations can provide
a competitive basis annually for research last 10,000 years). valuable insights which can inform our
based in a New Zealand host institution. understanding of how our environment
The fellowships support the development “The fellowship will enhance my ability changes through time.
of future research leaders, and assist with to drive my own research, giving me time
“Speleothems offer many advantages:
the retention and repatriation of to focus on developing new insights while
they record information at high time
New Zealand’s talented early- to providing flexible funding to follow these
resolution, from months to years, to
mid-career researchers. lines of enquiry,” says Dr Hartland.
decades, and can form continuously
Using new approaches including trace for many millennia. They can be dated
School of Science Senior Lecturer Dr Adam very precisely using radio-isotopes, and
Hartland has been granted $800,000 over elements and magnetism, the project will
develop new records of the past climate they give us information from the major
five years for his project “Unlocking the landmasses where people live,”
karst record: quantitative proxies of past of the region, focusing on the major
Dr Hartland says.
climates from speleothems.” climate mode of El Niño – Southern
Oscillation (ENSO). Combining cave Speleothems can provide information on
Dr Hartland came to the University of monitoring, laboratory experiments and climatic changes of greatest relevance to
Waikato in December 2012 as a Lecturer, cutting-edge geochemical measurements, human civilisations, and can inform the
having completed a Postdoctoral the new records produced will alter the changes our climate is likely to show in
Fellowship in groundwater geochemistry existing understanding of cave science the coming decades resulting from
at Australia’s University of New South and the climate of this region. human activities.”
Summer 2017 5
Horizons – research with impact
Waikato academic leading
system change in education
Associate Professor Mere Berryman ONZM has been pushing for “equity and
excellence” in New Zealand classrooms for more than 20 years. This year her work was
acknowledged nationwide when she was named one of three finalists in the Kiwibank
New Zealander of the Year Awards for her initiatives to lift Māori student achievement.
D
r Berryman’s mission began others started to cause me grave concern,” teachers blamed the students, yet I could
with a germ of an idea she had she says. “Māori students weren’t doing see, despite some of them coming from
when working as a teacher at as well, and nobody seemed to see it as some harsh backgrounds, they were
Mount Maunganui Intermediate in the a problem but me. It was patronising and full of potential. But I felt like I was the
early 1990s. accepted; it was seen as normal." ambulance at the bottom of the cliff,
so I made the decision to leave classroom
“The disparity between the participation “Only the principal supported me when teaching and become a researcher, in
and achievement of Māori students and I tried to address the problem. Other search of some answers.”
Those answers then became programmes,
picked up by schools throughout
New Zealand and used as a template
in other countries. First there was Te
Kotahitanga, then He Kākano, followed by
Kia Eke Panuku: Building on Success.
Starting out as a researcher didn’t come
easily for Dr Berryman. Initially, after a
round of door knocking, she found funding
from Ross Wilson, then CEO of Specialist
Education Services. Later, Professor Ted
Glynn was appointed chair in Education
at Waikato University, and later still,
Professor Russell Bishop took up a chair in
Māori Education. They worked together,
driven by similar aims. At the same time,
Dr Berryman was enrolled in the Faculty
of Education at Waikato, completing
masters and doctoral degrees, all the
while adding to her research portfolio.
Together with Māori elders and others,
Dr Berryman and Professor Glynn’s first
research contract was secured in 1995,
to research ways to help parents and
schools better manage learning and
behaviour in both settings. Once Professor
Bishop arrived at Waikato, they developed
Te Kotahitanga, which supported teachers
to improve Māori students’ learning and
achievement and to provide culturally
responsive contexts for learning.
“It’s widely regarded as the most
effective programme of professional
learning and development of its type,”
Associate Professor Mere Berryman
Dr Berryman says.
6 University of Waikato
Students from William Colenso College, Napier
Te Kotahitanga is the only New Zealand “Kia Eke Panuku has strong academic Kia Eke Panuku and says Dr Berryman
programme to ever win a World theory behind it but has practical has had important input into system
Innovation Summit for Education solutions. It has led our staff to change. “She is a trusted advisor across
(WISE) Award. constantly reflect and improve their education agencies including the
teaching practice. Staff and student Ministry, the Auditor General and ERO.
He Kākano focussed on culturally interaction has become more responsive It’s also about teaching people to value
responsive leadership and Kia Eke
and reciprocal.” bicultural partnerships. It can’t be done
Panuku: Building on Success built on that.
by schools alone.”
The programmes were funded by the Since 2010 student achievement has
Ministry of Education. Kia Eke Panuku is a steadily improved at William Colenso Dr Berryman is currently involved in
strategic change-management approach College, and last year Māori student the new Investing in Education Success
that requires all participants to self- achievement at NCEA Level 3 surpassed policy of professional development
review their evidence of Māori students’ all other students. the Ministry is running, working in an
participation and achievement. They expert advisor role with a number of
must be open to the views of others, Mr Murfitt and Dr Berryman have
communities of learning. She is also a
and to make the necessary personal and addressed international audiences,
member of the academic advisory group
professional changes to ensure Māori in Qatar and Canada about culturally
working with the Education Council
students enjoy and achieve educational responsive pedagogies; how programmes
Leadership Strategy. Alongside that she
success as Māori. Kia Eke Panuku was such as Kia Eke Panuku and Te
continues to teach Masters-level papers,
led by the University of Waikato with Kotahitanga can be implemented,
supervise higher degrees, publish, and
contributions from teams from the and demonstrating their positive effects
seek out research funding.
University of Auckland and Te Whare in schools and families when students
Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. It was adopted can enter a system that acknowledges This month Dr Berryman will be
by 94 secondary schools throughout their culture. speaking at the University of Exeter
New Zealand. about ‘Decolonising Teacher Education’.
Dr Berryman has gained satisfaction from
William Colenso College in Napier has Next month she’ll be at the Education
knowing her work has had substantial
a role of 410 students, 65% of whom and Ethnic Studies Summit at Chapman
influence. “ERO, for example, is building
identify as Māori. Principal Daniel Murfitt University in California.
its evaluation principles based on our
first started working with Dr Berryman in research. We know it’s not okay for Māori
2010 when, with support from his board, to leave their culture at home any more.
they also introduced Te Kotahitanga. Students should be able to enjoy learning
Two years ago they implemented Kia Eke Interested in working
and achieve success as Māori,” she says.
Panuku school-wide and Mr Murfitt says with Waikato?
the programme is now “business as usual” Elizabeth Eley from the Ministry of
Email research@waikato.ac.nz
at the College. Education worked with Dr Berryman on
Summer 2017 7
Horizons – research with impact
Professor Tim Coltman and Professor Mark Dyer
NEW DEANS, NEW IDEAS
T
wo new Deans at the University earth and creativity, putting people at and data management software and
of Waikato come with plenty of the centre. I think you’re likely to get services with customers in 148 countries.
industry experience. Professor Mark change for the better if you work from the He’s currently in discussions with SAS to
Dyer has joined the School of Engineering bottom up rather than decreeing from the develop a Business Analytics Masterclass
from Trinity College, Dublin, where for nine top down,” he says. that they will market to industry in
years he led TrinityHaus, an interdisciplinary
research centre, to provide innovative The support for multi-disciplinary study Australia and New Zealand.
solutions for buildings, neighbourhoods and and application is echoed by new Dean of
cities. Before this he spent many years in Waikato Management School Professor Professor Coltman has worked with
the construction sector. Tim Coltman. Ports Australia investigating ways to use
technology to guide ships into ports
The influence or impact engineering “I think business schools need to realise from shore-based operations, rather
can have on improving or shaping it’s not so much about educating business than having pilots go out to ships and
environments for the better is a big part students but teaching students how to
of Professor Dyer’s work. As a consultant put themselves at risk. “It’s complex
do business in the 21st century, whether
he advised the UK Research Council and research, but it’s also fun. It’s not just
they’re from the arts, science, engineering
the UK’s Environment Agency on flood or computing, even education,” Professor about developing a technological solution.
risk, contamination and land remediation. It’s getting everyone in the ecosystem
Coltman says.
“As a consultant I was always looking on board – legislators, insurers, the
“The challenge moving forward is to find pilots themselves, technology partners
at ways to see if we could do things
differently, maybe faster, with less risk, or new ways to balance the pressure for and owners, for example. My research
more cheaply, or looking for alternatives. scholarly rigour with the business need for is designed to assist port executives to
Returning to academia enabled me to research relevance.”
decide when to move, and at what pace
explore new industrial technologies or to introduce new innovations.”
Professor Coltman’s research is primarily
design techniques to promote innovation
in the areas of technological innovation
which would never be possible in industry. It currently takes about a decade to
and the management of innovation. His
“At TrinityHaus we took a multi- latest publication is the result of a two- get a major innovation idea to market,
disciplinary approach to engineering, year project with SAS, a market-leading Professor Coltman says. “I’d like to find a
including space (design), energy, air, water, provider of analytics, business intelligence way to shorten the process.”
8 University of WaikatoKaty Anderson and Dr Fiona Petchey
Old bones overturn
migration theory
P
acific migration theory has been To their great surprise – the ancient “When it comes to obtaining accurate
turned on its head with new sailors carried no trace of ancestry from dates, context is one of the most
research findings that show people who settled Papua New Guinea important considerations, and directly
prehistoric Polynesians were East Asians more than 40,000 years ago, which is dating the human remains often gives us
who swept out into the Pacific, and it in contrast to all present-day Pacific the best context possible,” she says.
wasn’t until much later that Melanesians, islanders who derive at least one-quarter
probably men, ventured out into Oceania of their ancestry from Papuans. Instead, “Disturbance is a common problem
and mixed with Polynesians. the women all shared their ancestry in archaeological sites and by dating
with the indigenous Atayal people in the burials we could be sure that the
Dr Fiona Petchey from the University of Taiwan and the Kankanaey people in scientists were testing the first settlers.
Waikato’s Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory the Philippines. This means that the
worked with academics from Harvard, Remote Oceanian pioneers swept past “What the individual ate can also impact
University College Dublin and the Max the archipelago that surrounds New on the age since 14C [radiocarbon] is not
Planck Institute for the Science of Human Guinea without much sexual engagement evenly distributed between the ocean
History in Germany to extract ancient with local people. and terrestrial environments. Incorrect
DNA from the skeletons of four ancient
women from the islands of Vanuatu and The results overturn the leading interpretation of the dietary 14C input
Tonga, dated to 2300 to 3100 years ago, genetic model for this last great can shift the ages by hundreds of years –
including three directly associated with movement of humans to unoccupied this is where my research comes in,” says
what’s known as the Lapita culture. but habitable lands. Dr Petchey. “In this case we were sent 36
bone samples and our job was to isolate
The research has been described as a Dr Fiona Petchey has been investigating
the protein to determine the age.”
“game-changer”. the tricky problem of dating bone from
these early Pacific colonists for the last The C14 signal can tell us what people ate
The team sequenced the DNA at up to 10 years. Her research has included the
when they were alive. “In Pacific people’s
231,000 positions across the genomes investigation of the age of 10 different
of each skeleton and compared the case it’s likely to be marine and earth-
Lapita burial grounds, including the sites
sequences to those of nearly 800 present- of Teouma (Vanuatu) and Talasiu (Tonga) grown foods. The percentages allow us to
day people from 83 populations in East which were studied as part of the ancient work out a correct time period by refining
Asia and Oceania. genome research. and measuring the graphite.”
Summer 2017 9Horizons – research with impact Sharing the power Diabetes research participant Wendy Easter from Te Kohao Health and Rewa Gilbert, community researcher at Te Kohao Health, and University of Waikato researcher Moana Rarere. 10 University of Waikato
New Zealand’s public health system is far from perfect. Despite constant policy
revision and well-intentioned interventions, people still fall through the cracks.
Often it’s the people in rural and remote areas, particularly Māori, who suffer
most through lack of access to health care.
A
s part of the National Science people with diabetes (mostly type 2) in own programmes, “what’s best for them,
Healthier Lives Challenge, a large New Zealand; 38,500 of them are Māori. using information that we can access.”
cross-sector group has come The plan is to first implement the
together to work on improving access to Moana Rarere from the National framework across two health providers,
Institute for Demographic and Economic
good health care. The project is called He and then take it wider to ultimately effect
Analysis at the University of Waikato is
Pikinga Waiora and its focus is diabetes. change at policy level.
project manager for He Pikinga Waiora,
Associate Professor Maui Hudson from linking with stakeholders, maintaining Professor Oetzel, a communications
partnerships with community groups specialist, has experience working with
the University of Waikato is leading the
and providing research assistance. “I see remote communities in the USA on
project with co-principal investigators
this project as all about helping whānau,” health projects. “We’re not looking for a
Professor John Oetzel from the University she says. “I’m excited to be a part of
and Dr Nina Scott from the Waikato DHB. one-size fits all solution here. We want
it, getting to work alongside community communities to take ownership of this
They are working with representatives and groups gathering meaningful data
community researchers from the Poutiri project – to work with us to design
that will be used to shape good,
sustainable interventions, so we need
Trust and Te Kohao Health plus other workable interventions.”
multiple stakeholders; that’s important.
researchers from the University, Wintec,
The researchers have developed an It’s a complex thing, but by bringing
and ESR (Environmental Science
implementation framework that has communities into the conversation to
and Research).
indigenous self-determination at its work on processes that are inclusive, the
The researchers are tasked with creating core. It is made up for four elements, all end result will be interventions that are
an intervention to address diabetes of which have demonstrated evidence more sustainable.”
of positive outcomes. Those elements
among Māori. “To help people make Dr Nina Scott, a clinician who works for
are cultural centeredness, community
life-style changes services need to engage the DHB in public health and policy and
engagement, systems thinking, and
in a culturally meaningful manner,” integrated knowledge translation. research, says more than ownership, it’s
says Associate Professor Hudson. “There is about “sharing the power”.
evidence to say interventions do work, The framework is intended as a planning
but those interventions aren’t being done.” tool to guide the successful development “The medical environment is a massive
and implementation of interventions. challenge, but with research we plan to
The Ministry of Health Virtual Diabetes Associate Professor Hudson says they find out what will make it work for the
Register estimates there are 260,458 want community groups to design their people who need it,” she says.
AGEING WELL CHALLENGE independence and, in particular, holistic, and cultural approach to
FOR KAUMĀTUA UNDERWAY significant life-transitions. meet the social and health needs of
Significant disparities exist between kaumātua and their whānau. “Instead
The model comprises two stages:
Māori and non-Māori around poor training of kaumātua who will then of thinking of the elderly as a burden,
ageing and health outcomes, which in serve as tuakana (peer educators) for we need to re-comprehend older
turn implicate individual, economic, other kaumātua (teina/peers). people as highly valuable assets to
social and cultural costs. The Ageing Aotearoa New Zealand. So our research
Well National Science Challenge Principal Investigator on the project is takes a strengths-based approach that
‘Kaumātua mana motuhake’ is seeking Professor Brendan Hokowhitu, Dean highlights the potential of kaumātua
to find a solution to the disparity of Waikato’s Faculty of Māori and
mana motuhake.
through an inclusive style of research. Indigenous studies (FMIS). Professor
John Oetzel and Dr Mary Simpson “We’ll be engaging with stakeholders
The study, with MBIE funding of from the University’s Management
$915,000 for 2.5 years, was launched throughout the project with the aim
Communication Department are also
in Hamilton last month and is a of scaling-up the intervention to larger
involved, having had a long association
collaboration between the University of with the Trust. They’ll be joined by organisations if it demonstrates efficacy
Waikato and the Rauawaawa Kaumātua Māori researchers, kaumātua, and and cost-effectiveness.”
Charitable Trust. The research will community health researchers.
be based on a ‘tuakana-teina’ peer- Chair of the Trust Owen Purcell says the
educator model looking at wellness, Dr Simpson says they want the study is an opportunity for kaumātua
social connectedness, life enhancement, outcome to be a strength-based, voices to be heard.
Summer 2017 11Horizons – research with impact
Taking
culture
into
account
Associate Professor Maui Hudson
A
s biomedical research practices improve health outcomes. But where it an international indigenous advisory
become more sophisticated, comes a bit unstuck is that in consenting group. “Basically people who have an
protecting the cultural and ethical to donate tissue for what’s called ‘future appreciation of the key issues Māori
interests of those who donate tissue or unspecified research’, you are essentially are facing in this area.”
take part in genomic research has become consenting to be uninformed about how
more important than ever before. your donations are being used. Sociologist Dr Barry Smith provided ethical
and analytical input to the project and
The University of Waikato’s Associate “In the discussions we’ve been having says it’s rare to have such specificity in a
Professor Maui Hudson led a Health with Māori we were asking ‘what document that outlines ethical approaches
Research Council-funded national would make you feel more comfortable to a particular area of research. “So this
research project to develop culturally about contributing to these kinds of project is unique, and very rewarding in
informed guidelines for ethical research to medical research practices, and how can that respect, given that many guidelines are
protect Māori interests in biobanking and these researchers maintain your trust more generic in nature.”
genomic research. throughout the process?’”
Moe Milne, an independent consultant
Part of the answer, Associate Professor and Māori health advocate, facilitated
Te Mata Ira Genome and He Tangata
Hudson says, is having robust guidelines many of the conversations with Māori
Kei Tua Biobanking guidelines draw on
that represent and protect Māori interests. as the research team was gathering
the foundations of mātauranga (Māori
information. She says the more in-depth
knowledge) and tikanga (Māori protocols “The resulting guidelines outline the the explanations of genetic research are
and practices) to establish frameworks cultural foundation and provide culturally for Māori, the more likely they are to work
for researchers engaging with Māori for grounded and ethical frameworks for in partnership with researchers.
genomic research and biobanking. biobanking and genomic research, along
with guidance on engaging with Māori “Māori want the opportunity to protect
Associate Professor Hudson says that and appropriate methods for research and their whakapapa, and genetic research can
with the increasing prevalence of genomic the resulting analysis and reporting.” provide an avenue for them to do that,
research, biobanks and the international but they want to understand it thoroughly
nature of research collaborations, it’s Associate Professor Hudson and his and come to a decision that encompasses
timely that Māori views on the practices team of researchers, which included Dr these learnings and their spiritual beliefs,”
are explored and, ultimately, protected. Valmaine Toki from Waikato’s Te Piringa says Ms Milne.
Faculty of Law, consulted a wide range
“You have this altruistic factor where of stakeholders to determine what was “So what it comes down to is contributing
Māori genuinely want to help by included in the guidelines, including iwi to the wider good of genetic research, while
contributing to research that aims to groups and scientists, with support from maintaining those core values and beliefs.”
12 University of WaikatoGetting the best manuka honey
U
niversity of Waikato Masters
student Stevie Noe spends most
days in a greenhouse collecting
and analysing nectar from Mānuka plants
in order to produce better honey.
“I’m measuring how much nectar is
produced in the flowers and how that
quality changes based on different
growing conditions such as temperature,
humidity and light,” he says.
Stevie tests the quality of the nectar
based on how much dihydroxyacetone Stevie Noe
(DHA) is present. DHA converts to
methylglyoxal (MGO) which is the key says. “Hopefully by the end of my study two University of Waikato postgraduate
ingredient that gives Mānuka honey its I’ll be able to tell growers how best to test scholarships and Pre-Seed Accelerator
reputed health properties. The more DHA their Mānuka plants to get top results out Funding (PSAF) from the Ministry of
there is in the nectar, the more MGO of their honey.” Science and Innovation.
there’ll be in the honey.
Stevie won the University of Waikato’s
“Honey is a big deal at the moment. Masters Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Interested in working
The industry is trying to grow as there’s competition where student researchers with Waikato?
more demand than supply, and the have to summarise their research in just
Email research@waikato.ac.nz
government is backing this growth,” he three minutes. He is also the recipient of
HONEY BEES AND NATIVE FORESTS
As part of a national science challenge
to protect New Zealand’s biodiversity,
improve biosecurity and enhance
resilience to harmful organisms,
Waikato University PhD student Rachel
Nepia is researching the impact of
the honey industry on indigenous
biodiversity. She hopes this will lead to
more effective management of apiaries
on public conservation lands.
The honey bee was introduced to New
Zealand in 1839. Its population has
doubled in the past five to 10 years.
Rachel will look at the reach of honey
bees in submontane forest (forest in the
foothills or lower slopes of a mountain
range) to see what native plant species Rachel Nepia
the honey bees are visiting and how
that overlaps with native flower visitors. “They have the potential to supplement to plants, deterring other more effective
pollination of native plants, fill gaps pollinators, and exacerbating invasive
Honey bees have been seen to visit created by extinct native pollinators, weed issues. If honey bees are present
about 180 native plants. Rachel aims to and improve genetic diversity of in large numbers they can deposit too
find out if the bees contact all the right fragmented plant populations. But much pollen on the flowers they visit,
parts of flowers to make pollination introduced bees can also have negative causing pollen crowding and lowering
possible and how much pollen is taken. impacts, including mechanical damage reproductive success.”
Summer 2017 13Horizons – research with impact
An App for Hamilton Gardens
T
he million people who visit enter a themed garden the app notifies
Hamilton Gardens each year now them that information on the garden
have an app available to help is available. Visitors can either read the
them get around the city’s number information on their phones or listen to
one tourist destination. an audio version.
The University of Waikato has worked Hamilton Gardens Business Development
with Hamilton Gardens staff to develop
Manager Malcolm Hazelton says the app
the Android app that provides information
tells the story of the history, meaning
about the history and design of the
themed gardens. and context of gardens throughout time.
“Interpretation is such an important part
The app can be downloaded from the of the gardens. I see the app being used by
Google Play store. It’s the work of staff tourists and local visitors alike.”
from the Faculty of Computer Science,
led by Associate Professor Annika Hinze. Mr Hazelton views the app as a starting
point in a long-term collaboration with
“I’ve done a lot of work around location- the University. “The potential for features
based app systems and it’s great to
within the app to support our unique
develop one for something that’s so
concept is unlimited. As new gardens are Chinese Scholar’s Garden –
popular,” Dr Hinze says. She created the Hamilton Gardens
app based on a framework she’s been opened we have the opportunity to tell
researching and developing for a their stories too.”
number of years. Interested in working
An iOS app is under development and Dr
The app contains images and text and Hinze says the next logical step would be with Waikato?
is triggered as users move into the to be able to listen to the commentary in
Email research@waikato.ac.nz
different garden spaces. When users other languages.
A second Eureka moment for student
A
n idea to turn wastewater into can benefit New Zealand’s economic,
high-quality phosphate fertiliser environmental and social wealth
earned University of Waikato and wellbeing.
engineering student Shalini Guleria second
place in the 2016 Sir Paul Callaghan “I proposed industrial wastewater be
Eureka! Awards. converted to a high-quality phosphate
fertiliser called struvite,” she says.
Shalini presented her idea during a “Currently in New Zealand struvite
12-minute presentation alongside six formation is a problem in wastewater
other undergraduate finalists from around treatment facilities but I proposed that
New Zealand. This is the second time this problem is actually a solution to
Shalini has had success at the Eureka! some even bigger issues such as global
Awards as she also placed second in 2014. warming, depletion of a non-renewable
resource and water pollution.”
The purpose of the annual awards is to
identify and foster young leaders who Shalini received a highly-commended
will support economic growth through award of $5000 for her second place in
science, technology, engineering and maths the competition.
(STEM), while contributing to the late
Sir Paul Callaghan’s goal of New Zealand She was also awarded the $2500 Weta
becoming “the most beautiful, stimulating Digital Gold Scholarship for the most
and exciting place in the world in which innovative and creative engineering
Shalini Guleria to live and work”. The key part of the solution applying science for
Eureka! Awards is to show how STEM ideas technological innovation.
14 University of WaikatoFour awards
for education
research
Associate Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan
F
our University of Waikato education policy in Europe. At almost 1.1 assessment system. Professor Thrupp's new
researchers won awards for their million euros, this study was one of the book based on the study will be published
contribution to education by the largest social science projects funded by later this year: The Search for Better
New Zealand Association for Research the EU in its 5th Framework for Research Educational Standards: A Cautionary Tale.
in Education (NZARE). and Technological Development.
Associate Professor Jayne White
New to the University of Waikato, The research involved eight research received the Judith Duncan Award for Early
Associate Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan teams based in Belgium, England, France, Childhood Education Research, recognising
was the 2016 recipient of the Te Tohu Pae Hungary and Portugal and concerned
major contributions to New Zealand early
Tawhiti award for significant contribution the relationships between schools, local
childhood research for more than 20 years.
to Māori education. Dr Lee-Morgan is authorities and central government
the Deputy Director of the Te Kotahi in these five countries. The findings The Sutton-Smith Doctoral Award for an
Research Institute (TKRI) at Waikato. illustrated some convergence in education excellent doctoral thesis by an NZARE
Her research has included marae-ā-kura and social policy across them. Professor member was awarded to Dr Jeanette
(school marae), Māori-medium teacher Thrupp co-directed the team in England
Clarkin-Phillips. Her thesis was titled
education, and Māori pedagogy – all and undertook research in an English
"Fighting the odds to make it even:
of which concerns improving Māori local authority and its schools. He also
Mapping an affordance ecosystem in a
learner and whānau experiences and contributed to the overall analysis.
outcomes in education across the sector. kindergarten community."
More recently, Dr Lee-Morgan has been From 2004-07 Professor Thrupp had
investigating pūrākau as a Kaupapa Māori another large education project funded
narrative inquiry approach. by the UK’s Economic and Social
Research Council, involving schools in
Professor Martin Thrupp from Waikato’s the south of England, which revealed
Faculty of Education was awarded the how subtle differences in schools’ social
McKenzie Award for his substantial and organisational contexts impacted on
contribution to educational research school processes.
in the fields of policy and leadership,
and their impact on school outcomes In recent years Professor Thrupp has
and social justice. The McKenzie Award undertaken research in New Zealand
honours a current NZARE member’s primary schools funded by NZEI Te Riu
significant contribution to educational Roa, looking at the enactment of National
research, and to NZARE, over an extended Standards across six diverse schools. Known
period of time. as the RAINS project, the research illustrated
how schools took very different approaches
In the early 2000s Professor Thrupp was to the National Standards and highlighted Professor Martin Thrupp
involved in a large comparative study of advantages and disadvantages of the
Summer 2017 15Horizons – research with impact
Composer takes Omanu to Teldex in Berlin
I
n the history of audio recording, few
studios have earned legendary status.
Two of the most famous are Abbey
Road in London and Teldex in Berlin. It’s no
surprise then that University of Waikato
composer Martin Lodge describes having a
work of his recorded at the Teldex Studios
in December as “one of the great thrills of
my life.”
The opportunity came through the
initiative of leading German cellist
Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt. He was
keen to record Omanu, the virtuoso
composition for solo cello that Dr Lodge
was commissioned to write for Schmidt Associate Professor Martin Lodge (right) with his Berlin ‘Dream Team’
to premiere as part of the 2016 Waikato
International Cello Fest, held at the
Omanu. “The whole experience at the The recording of Omanu made in Berlin
University of Waikato and curated by
Teldex Studio was fantastic,” he says. “It is being mastered in Auckland by Wayne
cellist James Tennant.
was a privilege to have my piece played Laird and will be released internationally
The composition was inspired by Omanu by Wolfgang, one of the world’s greatest on the Atoll label later this year.
beach near Tauranga, where Dr Lodge grew living cellists. He didn’t just rattle through
up. He says memories of birds and the sea the notes but played with wonderful Dr Lodge says he recently learned that
were in mind when he wrote the music. understanding and commitment. The the winner of the 2015 Tchaikovsky
“Wolfgang enjoyed the challenges of playing matching technical virtuosity of the
Competition cello division, Andrei Ionita
Omanu and began looking for further studio producer and engineer were spine-
tinglingly fabulous. Everyone worked of Romania, played Omanu as part of
performance possibilities for the piece."
together as what I can only call the Berlin his final examination at the exclusive
Dr Lodge travelled to Berlin to take part Dream Team to make the occasion ideal Universität der Künste in Berlin in
in Wolfgang Schmidt’s recording of and unforgettable.” January this year.
Sea-faring poet drops anchor at Waikato
T
he University of Waikato’s 2017 “The good thing about piloting boats is
writer in residence is working on there’s often down-time, time to think,
his ninth collection of poetry, and often I’d jot down odd little phrases
which will have a distinctly Waikato focus. on scraps of paper and then make
something of them on my days off,”
Bob Orr knows the Waikato well even he says.
though he hasn’t lived in the region for
years. He grew up on a farm at Hoe-o- Bob uses a portable manual typewriter,
Tainui 20km north of Morrinsville and “screens make my eyes go fuzzy”, and
sometimes he’ll do between 30 and 40 Bob Orr
completed his secondary schooling at
drafts of a poem before he’s happy with
St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton.
the end result.
biennially in recognition of a distinguished
Bob started to write poetry when he was contribution to New Zealand poetry. He’s
His inspiration comes from everywhere,
a teenager, and he hasn't stopped since. he says, and his poems are often about been writing for more than 50 years.
Returning to the Waikato region has everyday things; finding beauty in the
Bob can’t specify what he’ll be writing
familiar – the tyre shop and the hospice
meant a big change for the poet. For about in his next collection. “I don’t want
shop, for example. Then there’s the sea,
more than 30 years his “office” has been to restrict myself, but I’m here to
love, and observations of people.
the Hauraki Gulf where he worked on re-immerse myself in the Waikato
boats, most recently on tug and pilot Last year Bob won the Lauris Edmond landscape and we’ll see what springs
boats for Ports of Auckland. Memorial Award for Poetry, a prize given from there,” he says.
16 University of WaikatoUnlocking
The mysteries
of Foulden
Maar
Dr Beth Fox
A
n ancient crater lake in Central Once the process of destabilisation of
Otago has provided scientists with the ice-sheet was kick-started, it could
new insights into carbon dioxide keep going by itself.”
changes and the effects those changes
had on the Antarctic ice sheet 23 million Dr Fox says this information is important
years ago. as scientists study today’s CO2
concentrations and the melting ice
Dr Beth Fox, a paleoclimatologist from in Antarctica.
the School of Science at the University
of Waikato, says fossilised leaves found “We need to build on this new
at Foulden Maar near Middlemarch information by doing more analysis and
modelling. We don’t yet know at which cores, one 120 metres long and one 184m
hold evidence of a sharp increase in
point between 500 and 1550 ppm that long. It was while she was working on
atmospheric CO2 levels associated with
destabilisation of the ice took place and her PhD that Dr Fox had the idea to work
a major collapse of the ice sheet.
we’d also like to look at different plant on the fossil leaves and reconstruct CO2
Dr Fox and her colleagues Drs Tammo species to confirm what we’ve found levels from millions of years ago, but she
Reichgelt and William D’Andrea at so far,” says Dr Fox. didn’t follow it up until she completed
Colombia University in the US found that her doctorate.
changes in the stomatal cells and carbon Dr Reichgelt says some models have
isotope ratios in the leaves indicated a shown that at the rate we’re going She says the study was made possible by
major increase in the levels of CO2, rising right now, the Antarctic ice sheet might the fantastic level of fossil preservation
from about 500 parts per million (ppm) to reach a critical tipping point and start in Foulden Maar, where soft tissues are
between 750 and 1550 ppm over a span destabilising very quickly. They now have preserved right down to the cellular level,
of less than 10,000 years. evidence that it’s happened before. along with the fact that the sediment
contains annual layers, allowing for much
“What surprised us was how such Dr Fox has been working on the Foulden more accurate dating than is normal for
large CO2 fluctuations happened over, Maar core since she began her scientific such an ancient deposit.
geologically, relatively short time scales,” career. At the beginning of her PhD, she
says Dr Fox. was involved in the initial retrieval of the “It’s an amazing site, with many more
sediment cores, which involved six weeks stories to tell us about how climate has
“We found that atmospheric CO2 levels of diamond core drilling in Central Otago changed in the past,” Dr Fox says.
began to rapidly increase around the in the depths of winter, at temperatures
same time as the ice-sheet began to down to -6 degrees. Interested in working
decline and, more importantly, even with Waikato?
when the CO2 levels dropped back to A great deal of effort on the part of the
previous levels, the ice kept on melting. drilling team led to the retrieval of two Email research@waikato.ac.nz
Summer 2017 17Horizons – research with impact
Les Arthur
Online courts –
the way of the future?
A
Waikato University law academic’s is designed to be used from start to finish A similar online court system was recently
proposal to establish an online court by litigants without lawyers, although proposed in England and one of the most
and further increase the monetary lawyers would not be excluded. All the widespread concerns about it relates to
threshold of disputes tribunals could enable essential details of the case and the parties challenged by, or without access
more Kiwis who are unable to afford legal evidence they provide would be placed in to, a computer.
representation to secure access to justice. an electronic file, available to both parties “An essential element of the
and the court. development of an online tribunal would
Currently individuals and small businesses
be the availability of voluntary agencies
with civil claims can go to a disputes The software is designed to guide parties such as community law centres or
tribunal if the disputed amount is $15,000 through an analysis of their grievance in Citizens Advice Bureau nationwide to
or less or, if all parties agree, up to $20,000. such a way as to produce a document assist the computer-challenged,” says
The current proposal is to increase the capable of being understood by both Mr Arthur. He says he's had plenty of
monetary jurisdiction to $30,000. parties and the decision maker. This process support for his proposals from in and
would help to ensure the key facts and outside the judiciary.
Waikato Senior Lecturer and disputes evidence are clearly outlined when they
specialist Les Arthur says we need to arrive at the tribunal for a hearing. Mr Arthur teaches Legal Ethics, Mediation,
increase the monetary jurisdiction to Insurance Law and Advanced Civil
something a lot higher. “Appeals from the tribunal, which should Litigation at the University of Waikato.
include errors of law, could be submitted Before becoming an academic, Mr Arthur
“There are lots of low-value disputes electronically to a District Court Judge was in private practice doing general
that range around $50,000 which are and in some circumstances a decision litigation including insurance, family and
not worth going to the District Court, so criminal law. He was also a corporate
could be made on the documents,” says
there’s a large gap. The ceiling could be counsel for Vero Insurance for two years.
Mr Arthur, a former barrister and solicitor.
increased to $50,000 and the legal rights
of parties could be protected without “The online court system would resolve Interested in working
the assistance of lawyers through the common disagreements over issues such with Waikato?
development of an online court,” he says. as goods, services and property damage
Email research@waikato.ac.nz
Like the Disputes Tribunal, the online court more quickly and easily.”
18 University of WaikatoYou can also read
