Sciences Lectures

Professor Jon Water's Inaugural Professorial Lecture on 6th of August 2013.

Jon talks about genetics and how DNA can be used to map extinction and recolonization - for plants as well as animals. He talks about populations of freshwater galaxiids that have been separated by geological events, and about prehistoric sealions and penguins that became extinct with human colonisation, and how new populations have then taken the place of those prehistoric species.

ProfessorDavid Wharton's Inaugural Professorial Lecture on 23rd of July 2013.

David talks about the importance of nematodes, and his particular research interests in how nematodes cope with the stress of extreme cold in Antarctica.

Professor Russell Frew's Inaugural Professorial Lecture on 2nd of July 2013.

Russell talks about using stable isotope ratios as "fingerprints" to trace points of origin. This research technique has practical applications in food traceability, biosecurity and forensics. Russell is currently based at the IAEA.

The International Symposium on the Future of Sport in Small Nations was held on the 21st November 2012. This talk is the introduction to the symposium, by Steve Jackson and Mike Sam, followed by the keynote address by Professor Barry Houlihan, exploring comparative sport policy analysis.

The International Symposium on the Future of Sport in Small Nations was held on the 21st November 2012. In this talk Professor Fred Coalter discusses the value of the Sports Monitor in evaluating the impact of sport - particularly in developing countries.

The International Symposium on the Future of Sport in Small Nations was held on the 21st November 2012.In this talk hugh Lawrence - senior advisor for Sport and recreation in he Ministry for Culture and Heritage - talks about the intersection between sport and culture, particularly Māori culture.

Professor Ian Jamieson presents his journey in the study of birds: conservation biology, the role and significance of genetic diversity, and his work in developing management tools for the recovery of threatened species such as the takahe, kokako, kakapo and others. Professor Jamieson's talk was presented on Tuesday the 4th of June 2013.

Professor Sir Peter Gluckman is Chief Science Advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister's Science and Advisory Committee. He delivered this special lecture at University of Otago, outlining the 10 Science Challenges endorsed by Government and selected by the NZ public. He explains the process of selection, what the challenges mean, and what the next steps will be. This talk was delivered on Friday 3rd of May 2013

Professor Steve Dawson's inaugural professorial lecture was delivered on the 7th of May. He spoke about his work on Hector's dolphins, and how this research very quickly became conservation research and the small population numbers became apparent.

The Ocean Acidification Symposium was presented by the Centre for Chemical and Physical Oceanography, in November of 2012. The day-long symposium featured brief presentations from a wide range of researchers, of which this is one: Steve Wilhelm explores the role of viruses in the ocean eco-system. Viruses break down bacteria making available many nutrients for the wider eco system.