New Zealand Archives

Embracing Indigenous knowledge for sustainable urban transformation

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Dionisio studies Indigenous understandings of holistic wellbeing.

Mainstream governance structures are rooted in Eurocentric approaches. At the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, Dr Rita Dionisio studies culturally reflective, place-based approaches to improving and measuring socio-ecological wellbeing in the face of climate change and declining socio-economic conditions. Dionisio argues that Indigenous-led philosophies and practices offer the opportunity to decolonise urban governance and embrace collaborative planning and partnerships […]

Supernatural curses in Pacific communities: A challenge for modern healthcare

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While largely ignored by modern medical science, spirituality and supernatural phenomena continue to play a significant role in the belief systems of Indigenous peoples. In the Pacific and Pacific diaspora, ‘curses’ are commonly cited as the cause of death, poor health, and diminished wellbeing. At The University of Waikato, Dr Apo Aporosa teaches future healthcare workers the importance of acknowledging […]

The BEST lines for skin surgery: A new paradigm

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To minimise scarring, skin surgeons are guided by Langer lines and wrinkle lines, first identified over a century ago. Although based on limited data from cadavers, these historical studies have steered skin surgery for both incisions and excisions until recently. In a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind study, Dr Sharad Paul at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand uses real-time skin […]

Traditional kava-drinking, cognition, and driver fitness

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Apo Aporosa has undertaken research into traditionally prepared kava drinking and its potential effects on cognitive function, with a particular focus on fitness to drive

Kava, or ‘the plant of the gods’, grows widely across tropical Moananuiākea (the Pacific). Used in traditional medicine, its roots are also ground and steeped in water to make a drink with relaxant effects. Kava has deep cultural significance, but because it is customarily consumed in large quantities over several hours, concerns have been raised about its effects on driver […]

Unearthing avian evolution: What can we learn from the skeletons of flightless birds?

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Dr Peter Johnston researches the sensory adaptations of different species of flightless birds in the southern hemisphere, understanding how moa and elephant birds may have adapted to diurnal life

The evolution of flightless birds is a conundrum that scientists are still trying to solve. Using his experience in clinical medicine, Dr Peter Johnston from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, has recently unearthed new information about the sensory adaptations of several species of flightless birds, including the now extinct moa. This work demonstrates that, in contrast to previous hypotheses, […]

Optimal lipid metabolism with disease-preventing functional foods

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Professor Harjinder Singh and Dr Alexander Acevedo-Fani research lipid digestion and the possibility of altering emulsion interactions

Dietary lipids (fats) from plant and animal sources are important components of the human diet as they provide essential nutrients for growth and development. However, overconsumption of lipid-rich foods can lead to hyperlipidaemia – a key risk factor for metabolic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Modulating lipid digestion and absorption through the design of food structures, matrices and […]

The 20-year-old mysteries of nu Octantis: Its almost unbelievable planet – or what?

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Dr David Ramm discovered the nu Octantis exoplanet almost 20 years ago while studying for his PhD and has since studied the seemingly impossible planet

When observing the light emitted by nearby stars as part of his PhD at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, Dr David Ramm made a discovery that turned astronomers’ understanding of orbital mechanics on its head. With an orbit lying roughly halfway between two very close stars in a binary system, the nu Octantis exoplanet seemed at first glance impossible. […]

How to use exemplars and rubrics to improve student outcomes

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Associate Professors in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Eleanor Hawe and Helen Dixon, specialise in evaluating and improving learning assessments. Eleanor is interested in goal setting, feedback, and peer review. Helen focuses on teachers’ beliefs and their effect on learning. In their study, ‘Using rubrics and exemplars to develop students’ evaluative and productive […]

Food security in an insecure world: Modelling self-sufficiency

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When global food prices spiked in 2008, many governments embarked on programmes to improve their country’s food self-sufficiency – but have they been successful? At Setsunan University, Japan, Dr Tetsuji Tanaka and Dr Jin Guo are quantitatively assessing the effectiveness of a number of self-sufficiency policies. They have studied regional and global volatility in beef and wheat prices, and used […]

The attraction of New Zealand: Gravity anomalies of the Taupō Volcanic Zone

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New Zealand’s Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ) is characterised by faulting, subsidence, voluminous volcanism, and geothermal activity. The gravity anomalies this activity produces have been mapped for more than 70 years. Through a new programme of collection and analysis of these data, Dr Vaughan Stagpoole, Dr Craig Miller and colleagues of GNS Science have revealed known collapse calderas in greater detail […]