Haere Mai - Welcome
Current NZ Time:
12:33:33 PM Thursday, 17 May 2012
Hamilton
Weather
From
the Vice-Chancellor
Professor Roy Crawford
 Welcome to this
latest issue of E-News. I enjoy these
opportunities during the year to keep our alumni and friends informed
about the
University’s accomplishments.
At the present time we are operating in a very tight
fiscal environment. In May we had the latest government Budget, which
was
generally neutral for universities, but we were pleased with the
announcement
of extra funding for science, research and technology. As our alumni
know,
research is an integral part of life at the University of Waikato, and
I am
proud of the contributions being made by our students and researchers
to
advance knowledge and contribute to innovation.
Universities contain more than half the country’s
researchers, generate nearly all the postgraduate students, and develop
research outcomes into commercial opportunities. In 2009, the
University of Waikato
signed new research contracts worth more than $38 million.
This is a figure I was proud to share recently when I held
a breakfast for key University stakeholders in the Waikato region.
It was a pleasure to report to them that 2009
was financially successful for the University, with revenue growth, and
an
increase in both enrolments and research income.
Our excellent staff make our University
successful, but prudent financial management is also crucially
important so that
we can continue to reinvest in ourselves. The University is working
very hard
to create a financially sustainable organisation so that we can compete
with
the best universities around the world. In this regard the excellent
support that
we receive from friends and alumni to help fund scholarships, research
and first-class facilities
is critically important and very much appreciated. Without this support
it
would be extremely difficult for us to provide a world-class education.
Many of you will have read about, or seen, students
graduating recently on our marae, in Tauranga and in Hamilton. About
1700 students
graduated, receiving a wide variety of degrees and diplomas and in this
edition
of E-News we highlight just some of their interesting stories.
You can also read more about two Honorary Doctorates
awarded at the Founders Theatre ceremonies – former Dean of the Faculty
of Law,
Margaret Bedggood, QSO, and Max Gibbs from NIWA who also has strong
connections
with the University.
Alumni, friends and stakeholders, I hope you
take pride in our continuing growth and accomplishments, and join me in
wishing
our newest alumni every success.
Generous
couple support musicians
GENEROUS
COUPLE: Ian and Agi Graham have been supporting the New Zealand Chamber
Soloists for several years.
Former
Waikato students may well remember Professor Ian Graham, perhaps as a
lecturer or supervisor in Computer Science, or striding out on campus,
off to a meeting or heading to his home on Hillcrest Rd.
These
days when he’s on campus you’re more likely to see Ian in the Academy’s
Gallagher Concert Chamber.
Click
here to view full article.
Help us
re-connect – 16,000 "lost"
Many
of our Waikato alumni have lost touch with us so we are
asking for your help to find them.
The
identity of our University consists of many elements. One of
the
most important is the thousands of unique individuals who flow through
our campus gates each year. Some will go on to take
fascinating
high profile roles, like our Distinguished Alumni Awardees.
Others will be the unsung heroes of their communities and
families. No matter where they are or what they’re doing,
Waikato
alumni make up the fabric that bind us together – and we want to know
about them!
We want to be in touch with as many alumni as
possible. As a University we believe that this is something
we must prioitise in order to achieve our goal to become a world-class
university.
You may be asking “Why keep in touch with my
University?” Here’s why. The University of Waikato
holds a number of events around the world each year, such as the joint
New Zealand University reception in China on 14 June and events in
Hamilton, Tauranga and Auckland later this year. In fact we
just held an Evening with Theresa Gattung in Wellington (sorry if you
missed it).
30,000 Off Campus magazines are posted annually to Alumni and
Friends around the world and this E-Newsletter goes to over 12,500
people every two months. But we want this number to grow.
The University of Waikato is producing groundbreaking research
on subjects as diverse as biodegradable plastic to finding a woman’s
soul. We are #1 in New Zealand in 10 subject areas and offer one of the
largest scholarship programmes of any New Zealand university and we
want to be able to tell you about it!
The names of our "lost" alumni have now been updated and
posted on our website by surname. Anyone who provides contact details
for someone on our list (including you!) will go into our monthly draw
to win one of our new branded T Shirts that we will post to you
anywhere in the world. It’s that simple.
Click here to view the "lost" graduate list.
Whether you’re “lost” or not, we want to hear from
you. Drop us an email and tell us about your successes: alumni@waikato.ac.nz
Update details for you and those you’ve “found” here.
Honorary
doctorate for long-time scientist
A
scientist
who’s spent nearly 50 years studying New Zealand’s lakes and rivers and
coastlines was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of
Waikato at the May 3 graduation ceremony.
Max Gibbs, a fresh water and coastal scientist with NIWA, is also known
internationally for his expertise in stable isotope techniques and
analysis – which involves identifying and measuring stable isotopes in
specific organic compounds as biomarker tracers.
“Max was a primary mover for the use of stable isotopic techniques in
ecological and environmental study,” says University Vice-Chancellor
Professor Roy Crawford.
“He literally wrote the manual for the continuous flow isotope ratio
mass spectrometer and he’s travelled the world to tell people about its
application in a wide variety of contexts. He works with a combination
of passion and ability and his achievements have been remarkable.”
Dr Gibbs’ career began as a technician at the DSIR’s Chemistry Division
in Lower Hutt and he later spent time in Taupo with the DSIR’s Marine
and Freshwater Division. He was a visiting fellow with Edinburgh
University and joined NIWA in Hamilton in 1992.
During the 1970s and ‘80s, Dr Gibbs devised new techniques for iron
measurement and water sampling that enabled scientists far greater
insight into the state of our lakes. He remains a member of the
Technical Advisory Group on the Rotorua Lakes for Environment Bay of
Plenty and has managed long-term water quality monitoring on Lake Taupo
since 1994 for Environment Waikato.
“He has the enviable ability to think outside the square,” says
Professor Crawford. “That’s been the hallmark of many of his studies
over the years. Through his position at NIWA, Max has supervised
graduate students and supported university staff who work in similar
areas of research. His observations, opinions and scientific
contributions have helped shape the thinking of colleagues and students
alike.”
Dr Gibbs says science and helping people are two of the many things he
enjoys in life and it’s fortunate he’s able to do both in his work.
“I have been fortunate throughout my career to be mentored and
encouraged by colleagues, many of whom are now world leaders in their
fields. It seemed only natural to pass on that encouragement and
mentoring to the students and colleagues I work with. To be nominated
for this award by my peers in recognition of work I really enjoy doing
was totally unexpected but much appreciated.”
Recognition
for human rights advocate
An
international advocate for human rights and former New Zealand Human
Rights Commissioner received the University of Waikato’s highest honour
this month.
Professor Margaret Bedggood QSO was awarded an Honorary Doctorate at
the University’s graduation ceremony on May 6, in recognition of her
significant contribution to the theory and practice of human rights.
Says University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Roy Crawford:
“Through her work for Amnesty International, Margaret has helped shape
the contemporary global understanding of international human rights,
while here in New Zealand she is rightly known as an inspiring teacher
and a tireless advocate for social justice.”
A respected academic and former Dean of Waikato University’s Faculty of
Law, Professor Bedggood served as head of the Human Rights Commission
between 1989 and1994. During that time, she oversaw the passage of the
Human Rights Act, widely regarded as a landmark piece of legislation
which has been of enormous importance to New Zealand’s constitutional
democracy.
A lifelong member of Amnesty International, she was elected to
Amnesty’s nine-member International Executive in 1999, a position she
held until 2005. There she was instrumental in broadening the
organisation’s focus to encompass social, economic and cultural rights.
Professor Bedggood has taught at the universities of Waikato, Otago,
Victoria and Auckland. She continues to supervise PhD students as an
honorary professor at the University of Waikato, and also teaches human
rights law at Oxford University.
She was formerly Chair of The Human Rights Foundation, and is actively
involved with the Aoteaora New Zealand Peace and Conflicts Studies
Centre. She has served on the Film and Literature Review Board and on
the Refugee Council, and has a long-standing interest in social justice
issues within the Anglican Church as a member of the Third Order of the
Society of Saint Francis.
Digital
library innovator named World Class New Zealander
 The
man responsible for making New Zealand an international leader in the
provision of digital library software has won the 2010 World Class New
Zealand Research, Science, Technology and Academia Award, sponsored by
the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.
Professor
Ian Witten, who heads the NZ Digital Library Research Group in the
Department of Computer Science, joins an elite group of just 120 New
Zealanders deemed to be key influencers and leaders in their field of
expertise. The group’s open source Greenstone digital library software
is currently used in more than 60 countries and by UNESCO for tasks
ranging from collating information on disaster relief operations to
development work.
Click here to view full article.
Kīngitanga Day
celebrations
 In
April the University of Waikato hosted the second annual Kīngitanga
Day. This important day in the University calendar, held on
the
actual birth date of Kīngi Tūheitia, celebrates the University’s
distinctive heritage, history and relationships with the community.
As
part of the occasion the Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori Office and
University
of Waikato Foundation co-hosted a lunch for returning Māori
alumni. Foundation Chairman and alumnus Alastair Calder gave
a brief
welcome
in which he lauded Waikato’s special focus on Māori students,
highlighting the high proportion enrolled in law and education, plus
the groundbreaking research being undertaken to improve the performance
of Māori students in mainstream schools. Guests were then
honored
to hear from Mr Paora Howe, himself a Waikato alumnus, who has spent
his working life raising education standards in New Zealand
schools. Mr Howe spoke with knowledge and experience on the
issues facing those within the New Zealand school system, particularly
students from the Māori community. Paora has recently moved
back
to the central north island following many years working in Wellington
as a senior policy analyst and senior policy manager.
It is
hoped that year upon year we will welcome a growing number of Māori
alumni back to the University on Kīngitanga Day to celebrate their
achievements and encourage the next generation of students, including
individuals from all over the world, who are passing through the
University.
For more information on Kīngitanga Day, please visit click here.
Waikato
2010 graduation stories
Twins rate culture at Waikato
 Twin sisters
Neomai and Sela Pole do most things together – and uni was
no exception.
The
Tongan-born, South Auckland sisters graduated from the University of
Waikato on May 6 with Bachelor of Social Science degrees. They are the
latest in their family to graduate from Waikato, following in the
footsteps of their three older brothers.
“We’re not identical
twins, so we couldn’t do swappsies at lectures,” says 22-year-old
Neomai, who majored in psychology and education. “But we both wanted to
get away from busy city life so we could concentrate on our studies and
be independent.”
At Waikato, Neomai and Sela found there was life
outside Auckland.”We really got into Māori culture, something we
weren’t really exposed to in Auckland,” says Neomai. “We visited places
we’d never been to like Rotorua, Tauranga and Te Kuiti, and we got to
know the culture of New Zealand which is what Waikato University is all
about.”
Both young women have a strong commitment to their
community and have returned home to Otahuhu to spend some time with
their parents. Neomai is currently working as a community mentor for a
Māori urban authority, while Sela - who majored in human development
and psychology - plans to go on to a Masters degree in social work.
Education,
they say, is very important in their family. “Our parents left good
jobs in Nukualofa to migrate to New Zealand for our education,” says
Neomai. “Our time at Waikato has taught us to value our culture,
friends and especially education.”
Double success at Waikato
 They’re
identical twins who have just graduated from the University of Waikato
with identical degrees, and they’ve flummoxed employers by applying for
the same jobs.
Former Cambridge High students Mark and Simon
Wilkinson say they’ve been confusing people all their lives. “It’s hard
to differentiate our CVs,” says Mark, who with his twin graduated
earlier this month with a Bachelor of Management Studies (Honours),
majoring in economics and finance.
“We even did our final year
599 investigation reports for the same organisation. The Capital
Markets Development Taskforce was looking for two students, so it was a
perfect coincidence.”
Even the Treasury couldn’t choose between
them: based on their 599 reports, the twins were jointly awarded the
inaugural prize for a student dissertation on capital markets sponsored
by the Reserve Bank, the Treasury and the Ministry of Economic
Development.
“Mine was on Kiwisaver and Simon’s was on interest
rates in New Zealand,” says Mark. “Simon opened his award letter first,
and I was absolutely gutted. Then I opened my one to find we were
sharing the $1,500 award.”
The twins are currently doing their
Masters degrees in applied economics and finance, and both are looking
at careers in the finance industry.
Not surprisingly, they’re
applying for exactly the same jobs. “We’ve definitely made an impact,”
says Mark. “I got a phone call from one company for a second interview,
and the woman said to just pass the phone over to my brother.”
The
twins put their success at securing job interviews down to Waikato
Management School’s good reputation. It’s one of only three
institutions in Australasia to have triple crown accreditation, an
international acknowledgement of excellence in business education.
“Coming
from Cambridge, we’re so lucky to have the best business school in New
Zealand just up the road,” says Simon. “Employers really care about the
triple crown accreditation, so that makes a huge difference going for
jobs.”
“When we go for jobs in Australia, they know the quality
of our degrees is as good if not better than Australian degrees,” adds
Mark.
Beca
scholarships boost engineering
 From left to
right: Peter Leijen, Kevin Weller,
Professor Janis Swan and Sam Garrett.
The
University of Waikato offers one of the largest scholarship programmes
in the country – and it is now even larger thanks to the generosity of
leading New Zealand engineering consultants Beca.
Beca has made
available up to three scholarships a year, worth $2,500 each, to
outstanding students entering their third year of study for the
Bachelor of Engineering programme.
The awards are targeted at
students in any one of three specialist areas: mechanical engineering,
process engineering and software or electrical engineering.
Click here to view full article.
Foundation
Trustee focus
 John
Revington is committed to Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty.
He’s a
Director of Beca Corporate Holdings - one of the biggest engineering
companies in New Zealand - and regional manager of Beca in Tauranga and
Hamilton. An engineer himself, he understands the value of
education, employs Waikato graduates and sees the University of Waikato
as a natural fit in the Bay.
He is one of two Tauranga trustees
on the Waikato University Foundation - an independent charitable trust
set up to raise funds to support and resource the University. Together
with businesswoman Adrienne von Tunzelmann, John champions the
University in the region and works to establish links between business
and the University. He was recently appointed deputy chairman of the
Foundation.
“New Zealand universities don’t have a history of
alumni or business giving money to support scholarships, building
programmes or specific activities, but for universities to compete
internationally they have to continually be looking at ways
to
enhance what they offer students by way of resources and learning
opportunities and it takes money to do that.”
John admits it’s
hard for some people to get their heads around the idea that
universities need to fundraise. “I’m not talking raffles or
sausage sizzles outside Mitre 10. It’s more sophisticated
than
that; our success is dependent on building relationships and getting
people to understand that by investing in a university they’re
investing in New Zealand’s future.”
John Revington
welcomes the news that the Government is increasing its spend on
research and development. “Obviously we don’t know the
details
yet, but it’s great news for academics, especially scientists and
engineers and with Intercoast [the Waikato-Bremen university coastal
research partnership] based in the Bay of Plenty there will no doubt be
new opportunities to explore and extend research.”
Beca employs
200 people between its Tauranga and Hamilton offices, and this year
awarded three scholarships to Waikato University engineering
students. The business provides work experience to students
too. “It’s important for the Bay of Plenty to attract new and
qualified young people to live and work in the region and to hold on to
the ones we’ve got. The more the University can offer
students
close to home, the more chance of young people staying to work in the
region and that in turn helps businesses to grow and expand the types
of products and services they can offer. And it’s hard to
fault
the lifestyle.”
John has lived in Tauranga most of his adult
life. He grew up in Ohope and as a keen skier he didn’t
object to
spending a year at Ohakune for Beca – working on the construction of
viaducts for the main trunk electrification – and another year with
Beca’s sister company in Canada. “There’s not a lot of snow
in
the Bay of Plenty, but I’m a sailor and it’s brilliant for that.”
He
comes to Hamilton for Waikato University Foundation meetings every two
months. “I think we have a good balance of people and I think
I
joined at a good time,” says John. “The University’s Director of
Development Christine Brabender comes from the American environment
that has a history of fundraising and giving and she’s been
instrumental in easing the transition that we’re having to make in New
Zealand. I think she’s been a catalyst for invigorating the Foundation,
and I’m optimistic that we’ll develop new and exciting opportunities
for the university.”
Breakfast
with local business leaders
 The
University of Waikato Foundation hosted a breakfast featuring
Chancellor and Foundation Trustee Rt Hon Jim Bolger ONZ at the WEL
Academy of Performing Arts. Forty local business leaders
attended, including Hamilton City Mayor Bob Simcock and NZ Home Loans
Founder & CEO John Erkkila – both Waikato alumni – along with
Foundation Trustees and University Deans.
Foundation Chairman
Alastair Calder recognised the generous support that the University
receives from the business community with special thanks to Orbit
Corporate Travel, the Gallagher Group, the Waikato Times,
PricewaterhouseCoopers and BECA, among others.
Click here to view full article.
Click here to view photo gallery.
Communications
award for WMS alumnus
 Management
School alumnus Warren Rosser was this month awarded the Ted
Zorn Waikato Award for Management Communication.
Hamilton-based
Mr Rosser is the national internal communication co-ordinator for St
John. The Waikato Management School Ted Zorn award is
presented
annually to Waikato management communication graduates who are
excelling in their field and who have a strong focus on ethical
practice.
“It’s an honour to receive this award,” says Mr Rosser, who
was presented with the award at a special function on May 5.
“While I was studying, I never envisaged myself in an internal
role like this,” Mr Rosser says.
“Most
communication graduates probably imagine themselves in what’s perceived
to be the more glamorous world of PR, events and advertising, but
effective internal communications is where good communication really
begins; it should be part of your strategic planning. If
you’re
doing things right in-house then your staff become fantastic
ambassadors for your business.”
Mr Rosser left university with a
Bachelor of Communications, a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations
and finally, in 2006, a Master of Management Studies.
He
also tutored during his time at Waikato and worked on a major
biotechnology research project that was investigating public discussion
on genetic modification. From that he developed a framework to show the
ways that community groups can participate in public discussions.
“Warren
isn’t afraid to take on new challenges and explore new ideas,” says
Professor Ted Zorn who first instigated the award in 2004.
“He’s
one of those people who won’t ever stop learning and giving. One of the
things we really appreciate is that he continues to help our current
students, through an internship and guest lectures.”
During
the past year at St John, Mr Rosser has seen the introduction of an
intranet site and assisted with the implementation of a number of new
channels to deliver a variety of messages to staff.
“St John
comprises a mixture of paid and volunteer people. Their needs are often
different, but the very nature of our work means communication delivery
has to be timely, accurate and effective,” he says. “I’m
learning a
lot as we continually strive to deliver a better service to people
throughout New Zealand.”
2010
Alumni Association Masters scholar
 Congratulations
to Melanie Haeata, winner of the 2010 Alumni Association Masters
Scholarship. Pictured with her daughter and Vice-Chancellor Prof Roy
Crawford.
Melanie enrolled at the University of Waikato in 2005,
completing
her Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in 2009. She is now
working towards her Masters with a thesis that examines anxiety and
depression in antenatal couples. Melanie is a Hamiltonian and
the
solo mother of her 8 year old daughter. We are delighted to
announce that Melanie has also been awarded a Freemasons scholarship,
which was presented to her by the Duke of Gloucester in Wellington.
Click here to view full article.
Top
scholarships for Waikato graduates
Two University of
Waikato
students are among the four winners of the prestigious William
Georgetti Scholarships, awarded each year for postgraduate
study in a field that will benefit the social, cultural and economic
development of New Zealand.
Tehnuka Ilanko,
who’s just completed an honours degree in
earth sciences, will receive $108,000 over three years for doctoral
studies in volcanology at Cambridge University. She’ll be working with
Dr Clive Oppenheimer, coordinator of the Cambridge Volcanology Group,
on a study of the active lava lake on Mt Erebus in Antarctica.
Rebecca Rose, who
graduated from Waikato with a conjoint
Bachelor of Management Studies (Economics) and LLB (Hons) degree, has
been awarded up to $45,000 to do a one-year masters degree in law. She
has yet to decide where she will study, but is considering Cambridge
and Oxford in the UK and Harvard, NYU and Chicago in the US.
Click here to view full article.
Wellington evening
with Theresa Gattung
 Waikato
Distinguished Alumna Theresa Gattung provided an engaging and enjoyable
presentation at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce in May. The event
was hosted by Vice-Chancellor Prof Roy Crawford and 64 guests attended,
including Lt. Gen Jerry Mateparae, Distinguished Waikato Alumnus and
Chief of the NZ Defence Force; Emeritus Prof Tamati Reedy, Former
Pro-VC Māori and Founding Dean of Māori and Pacific Development; and
Anthony Scott, CEO of Science NZ.
Theresa spoke of her University
experience and her roles at Telecom and at Wool Partners International,
and autographed copies of her book, Bird on a Wire: The Inside Story
from a Straight Talking CEO.
The event was a great success, with the 28th Floor view from
the Majestic Centre, providing a stunning backdrop for the evening.
Photo gallery.
Kea
New Zealand is excited to launch Pass It On
 An
initiative designed to connect New Zealand businesses with the world
using our
global network of 1 million ex-pats, especially in the lead up to Rugby
World
Cup 2011, when the world will be watching New Zealand. Please visit www.passiton.co.nz
to
support the initiative by signing up and passing on the video content,
which
showcases the best of New Zealand.
There
are also nearly $300,000 worth of prizes up for grabs for those who
sign up before the end of May including the highly anticipated Ex-Pat
Recon Tour – an extravagant ten day tour of New Zealand where four Kiwi
ex-pats and their friends, will be given the red carpet treatment!
They’ll enjoy two days at the exclusive Haka Lodge, a day sailing on
the Waitemata Harbour, three days of adventure activities in
Queenstown, a helicopter ride to Boomrock Lodge in Wellington, two All
Blacks tests and they’ll even attend a closed captains run.
If you think your friends can handle it, tell them to sign up
and Pass
it On!
Faculty
of Education celebrates 50 years of teacher education
The first student intake for the Faculty of Education,
formerly the
Hamilton Teachers’ College, was in 1960. It is now the No1
education
school in the country according to government rankings.*(Colleges of
education and university scores combined.)
Throughout 2010 there
will be a series of symposia, which will be advertised on their website
and on the University of Waikato online events calendar. For further
information view the Waikato Faculty of Education
website or contact them on (07) 838 4500 or email celebrate.50years@waikato.ac.nz.
Te Piringa - Faculty
of Law – upcoming events
The
University of Waikato's Law School is now known as Te Piringa - Faculty
of Law. Te Piringa translates as "the coming together" and
reinforces the University's distinctiveness, and the Faculty's
commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi, to biculturalism and to teaching
the law in its broader contexts.
The Faculty is planning
celebrations for its 20th Anniversary in 2010 and in 2011 and is also
planning an alumni event in Vanuatu and Samoa in 2010. For more
information about the anniversary celebrations click here. For more
information about the alumni event in the Pacific, please contact Linda
Te Aho naumai@waikato.ac.nz.
Do we have your updated contact details? Email them to alumni@waikato.ac.nz
or use the online update form.
Waikato
Graduate Women is a branch of the New Zealand Federation of Graduate
Women. It works to empower women by offering a range of
scholarships and providing opportunities to engage in advocacy at
local, national and international levels. For more
information
visit: www.nzfgw.org.nz
Waikato
University events calendar
Click here to view the Official Uni Events.
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