Newsletter
April 2021 issue
In our latest newsletter: We farewell two of our research leaders and welcome three more! Plus our friends at AF8 summarise new research on the likelihood of an Alpine Fault earthquake in the next 50 years, we showcase new research from recent PhD graduate Dr Becs Fitzgerald on volcanic ballistic projectiles, and meet two students in our Coastal programme.
February 2021
Our director Richard Smith reflects on a decade since the devastating February 22nd 2011 Christchurch earthquake. We also cover timely new research from Dr Christina Hanna on governance options for managed retreat, share research from newly graduated Dr Lauren Vinnell on the psychology of earthquake preparedness, and meet Whanake te Kura i Tawhiti Nui programme PhD student Ngawaiata Turnbull.
December 2020
We learn about new maps of Mt Ruapehu created with hyperspectral imaging technology, how a network of data sensors is tracking people movement in tourist hotpots, get to know our Built Environment co-leader Prof Tim Sullivan, and celebrate a range of successes and achievements in our research community.
October 2020
We learn about new ex-tropical cyclone modelling from our Weather & Wildfire programme, meet two new PhD students, and celebrate funding and award successes in our research community.
August 2020
We meet Earthquake-Tsunami programme co-lead Prof Andy Nicol and new PhD student Anna-Kay Spaulding Agbenyegah, recap our recent webinar on coastal adaptation, and hear about new research on citizen science and tsunami preparedness in Orewa.
July 2020
Director Richard Smith wraps up the first year of Phase 2, we thank and farewell departing Governance Group member Steve Weaver, celebrate an award-winning team and a new centre for Mātauranga Māori disaster resilience, and get to know science leader Dr Richard Turner of our Weather & Wildfire programme and PhD candidate Lucy Kaiser of our Mātauranga Māori programme. We also hear from a research team reviewing early warning systems, and round up the latest news.
June 2020
We welcome an important new report for the science sector, ‘A Guide to Vision Mātauranga’, contributed to by all 11 National Science Challenges and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. We welcome our new Challenge Coordinator Nicky Smith, announce the first of a new webinar series, catch up on an epic shoreline mapping project within our Coastal programme, and meet new students in our Urban and Coastal teams.
May 2020
Director Richard Smith writes that our recent spate of natural hazard events and the challenges posed by Covid-19 are a reminder that the best way to reduce the social and economic impact of disasters is through decisions, actions and investments that build our resilience beforehand. We also welcome new Challenge partners, celebrate an award-winning report, learn about new research on climate change and water infrastructure in Lower Hutt, plus meet a new PhD student.
April 2020
The Covid-19 edition
This month’s issue is dedicated to the collective effort to stamp out Covid-19, and plan our post-Covid economic recovery. We’ve gathered some of the excellent commentary from our researchers writing about Covid-19, and economic recovery after shocks. We also meet one of newest students Lucia Danzi, who is embarking on her PhD from lockdown in northern Italy.
March 2020
Director Richard Smith shares his thoughts on the Covid-19 pandemic and links to natural hazard resilience, we welcome our newest Governance Group member Dr Jessica Hutchings, and get to know our Urban theme leader Prof Jan Lindsay of The University of Auckland.
February 2020
In this issue we welcome our newest team member – Josh Te Kani who joins us as Vision Mātauranga Knowledge Broker. We feature a profile of Dr Acushla Dee Sciascia who co-leads our Mātauranga Māori theme, and look at new research from PhD candidate Lauren Vinnell. We learn about research from our RNC1 Economics programme which has been used in a new government report into fuel supply disruption, and round-up our latest news.
December 2019
Celebrating our successes
We celebrate recent honours at the NZ Science Awards, and new professorial titles for some of our theme leaders.
We also welcome new Challenge Manager Delia Tamsen, and feature profiles of our Earthquake-Tsunami theme leader Dr Bill Fry and new PhD student Sara Harrison.
November 2019
A closer look at Phase 2
In this issue we have some exciting news, and we take a closer look the themes and projects that form Phase 2 of the Challenge.
We feature a profile of our Coastal Theme co-leader Dr Rob Bell who just received a Lifetime Achievement award from NIWA, a new report about managed retreat and the RMA, as well as a round-up of our latest news and events.
September 2019
Welcome to Phase 2!
In this issue director Richard Smith provides an update on Phase 2, we meet new science communications adviser Caitlin Carew, and in the first of a series profiling our new science leaders, we chat to Dr Sally Potter of GNS Science who co-leads our Weather Theme. We also take a look at the latest Natural Hazards Research Platform annual report, and two of our researchers make the news as part of the global ‘Covering Climate Now’ media spotlight on climate change.