This is the first of a series of blogs where we explore the people, the science, and the purpose of the Deep South National Science Challenge. Lorraine Taylor takes a look at an Antarctic world sculpted by artist Gabby O’Connor.
“Oh wow, this is much better than the Antarctica exhibition you were going to take us to!”
This is fairly high praise from my 13-year-old son who is unenthusiastic about his mother’s holiday activities these days. However, his comment also illustrates the success that Gabby O’Connor’s current art installment at Porirua’s Pataka art space is enjoying with the many young visitors who have attended. I let him revel in the moment, watching the light bounce off the ice, the replica platelets as unique as snowflakes, and the continuous mesmerising video playing like a kaleidoscope in a large corner of the room, before I let him know this is indeed the Antarctica exhibit and unfortunately he might learn something this afternoon.
Studio Antarctica represents the biggest exhibition for Gabby O’Connor, a milestone in itself, and has been a dream in the making. Gabby has long been intrigued by icebergs and Antarctica, and didn’t hesitate to accept an invitation to ‘take photos’ as part of research project led by NIWA’s Craig Stevens, a marine physicist studying wave action underneath Antarctic ice sheets.
This dream trip for Gabby, has catalysed new inspiration for Gabby, who has been invited back to Antarctica later this year. As an artist, Gabby uses different tools than a scientist to document and capture her observations but shows that there are many synergies between art and science: both the artist and the scientist look very closely at phenomena around us, inviting others to look closely, too. Gabby herself says that for her art was a way of making sense of the world. Art can provide a window to a world that might not be obvious to the viewer, and can also provide an entry point to scientific endeavours.
The exhibit provides an engaging window into the Antarctic world. One installation allows the viewer to lie on the carpeted floor, looking up at the underside of an undulating ice sheet covered in platelets sculpted by the artist in surprising materials: packaging tape and plastic sleeves. The artist’s use of light, silk and plastic and uncountable hours of creation, allows the viewer to imagine themselves floating under the ice, looking up at thousands of crystal like platelets. On this occasion I lie beneath the large sculpture flanked by my son and a few of his friends. We chat easily, about icebergs, sea ice and platelets, imagining Antarctica, and what scientists might be researching there.
Despite his initial reluctance, my son is now fully engaged in the activity, at least for the moment, wooed by the artist who with her work invited him into another world and said, ‘hey, come look at this… look closely’.
The Deep South National Science Challenge has announced new funding for seven new scientific research projects to help New Zealanders better understand their future climate.
Associate Professor Sandy Morrison
The seven projects are worth $1.5 million in total and range from investigating Antarctic sea ice using drones, to improving predictions and understanding of the drivers of New Zealand’s climate, to exploring the cascading impacts and implications of climate change for Aotearoa New Zealand.
One of the projects is Te Tai Uka a Pia ‒ Iwi relationships with Antarctic and the Southern Oceans to enhance adaptation to climate change, and is being led by Associate Professor Sandy Morrison from the School of Māori and Pacific Development at the University of Waikato.
Associate Professor Morrison says different tribes and iwi have their own Antarctic stories. “According to Ngāti Rārua and Te Ati Awa, it was the Polynesian explorer Hui Te Rangiora who was the first human to travel to the Antarctic and he’s remembered at the meeting house Tūrangapeke at Te Awhina marae at Motueka. But this is just one version. I want to find out the other stories held by hāpu and iwi, particularly from the South Island – Te Waipounamu and the Chathams.”
Associate Professor Morrison says this body of mātauranga Māori will expand the range of Māori historical references to Antarctica. “We can then use this knowledge alongside science when preparing communities for climate change impacts, through awareness-raising, adaptation and mitigation strategies.”
As principal investigator on the project, Associate Professor Morrison will lead interviews with representatives from different iwi, hosting hui with communities or individuals in the top of the South Island, the West Coast and the Chathams.
“We will also hold a workshop with scientists involved in the Deep South Challenge to discuss what key science messages should be shared with Māori communities and explore how these can be connected with Māori relationships and references.”
Associate Professor Morrison will be working closely with Aimee Kaio from Ngai Tahu, and the research is expected to be completed by June 2018.
Challenge director Professor Dave Frame said these are bold and exciting projects. “The physical science projects will help us improve climate models, which is important since climate models are the only tools that allow us to develop a coherent understanding of climate drivers and how they interact. It’s also good to be able to fund proposals which link Deep South research to society in constructive and useful ways.”
This funding is the latest allocation of money for the Challenge, which is one of 11 Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-funded initiatives aimed at taking a more strategic and collaborative approach to science investment.
What’s the next best thing to a visit to Antarctica? Attending the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute’s (NZARI) Winter School. Deep South Partnerships Director Susan Livengood goes back to school to find out more about Antarctica.
The Winter School, held on Great Barrier Island in May, provided a fascinating insight into cutting-edge science in Antarctica and an opportunity to take part in hands-on experiments with New Zealand scientists.
NZARI teams up with Antarctica New Zealand annually to give media, policy analysts, educators and sponsors a solid level on understanding of pressing issues for Antarctic ecosystems and how Antarctic research is contributing to a broader understanding of climate change.
This year’s theme was ‘Antarctic Ecosystems in a Changing World’. The school opened with an entertaining introduction to Antarctica by comedian Te Radar. This was followed by an overview of what climate change predictions mean for Antarctica by Professor James Renwick of Victoria University.
The next sessions examined how terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems may respond to climate changes such as warming, increased carbon dioxide and ocean acidification. These sessions were led by several Antarctic scientists: Professor Craig Cary, of the University of Waikato; Dr Vonda Cummings, a marine ecologist at NIWA; and Professor Ian Hawes of the Gateway Antarctica Research Centre at the University of Canterbury.
Professor Gary Wilson, Director of NZARI and Professor of Marine Science at the University of Otago said, “Winter School aims to take a practical approach to help those who communicate Antarctic science to the wider-public through a series of speaking sessions which all have a practical component – for example learning how to model and interpret data, thus better understand the science.
“It is one of many efforts NZARI is making to improve the communication of topical Antarctic and Southern Oceans research to the wider community.”
The Deep South National Science Challenge today announced new funding for seven new scientific research projects to help New Zealanders better understand their future climate.
The new projects, worth $1.5 million, range from investigating Antarctic sea ice using drones, to improving predictions and understanding of the drivers of New Zealand’s climate, to exploring the cascading impacts and implications of climate change for Aotearoa New Zealand. This follows an announcement of $9 million last November for six projects to begin the process of developing New Zealand’s first world-class numerical Earth System Model. This will simulate current climate and possible future climates under different scenarios of future global greenhouse gas emissions. The New Zealand Earth Systems Model will help advance understanding of Southern Hemisphere influences on the global climate and ultimately give New Zealanders a greater level of certainty in their planning and decision-making in the face of a changing climate.
Challenge director Prof Dave Frame said: “These are bold and exciting projects and we’re looking forward to seeing them get underway. The physical science projects will help us improve climate models, which is important since climate models are the only tools that allow us to develop a coherent understanding of climate drivers and how they interact. It’s also good to be able to fund proposals which link Deep South research to society in constructive and useful ways.”
This funding is the latest allocation of money for the Challenge, which is one of 11 Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-funded initiatives aimed at taking a more strategic and collaborative approach to science investment.
Gabby O’Connor’s exciting new exhibition is inspired by the science that is in constant motion on the icy continent. It is being held at at Pātaka ART+MUSEUM in Porirua from 19 June – 18 September 2016.
[Pātaka] Gabby O’Connor’s Studio Antarctica installation is the result of a creative collaboration between contemporary fine art and cutting edge scientific research. In 2015 O’Connor spent several weeks in Antarctica working in a shipping container laboratory on sea ice 4 metres thick over 500 metre deep McMurdo Sound. While making and researching her art, O’Connor helped world-renowned scientific research team, K131, document ice platelet structures found in these sub-zero oceans. This is part of a long-term art + science alliance that explores intersections between the two disciplines.
Studio Antarctica, the installation, is in three interconnected parts that reveals the processes of the project through photography, painting and drawing, a multi-channel video projection and a site specific sculptural work made from packaging tape and light.
The Deep South National Science Challenge is proud to be associated with this exciting project!
Deep South Director Professor Dave Frame joins Dr Daniel Rutledge in a public webinar to introduce the Deep South’s developing Impacts and Implications programme.
A series of public webinars were held early this month to introduce the Deep South’s developing Impacts & Implications Programme.
At least 120 people from 65 stakeholder or researcher organisations participated in the webinars to hear more about the Impacts and Implications programme. The programme will help New Zealanders thrive in a changing climate by bolstering and coordinating New Zealand’s capacity to anticipate potential impacts, understand the implications, and plan and adapt accordingly.
Programme leader Dr Daniel Rutledge said: “We were very pleased with the level of interest and representation from around the country, and with the thoughtful questions and discussion that resulted.”
The webinar began with an introduction to the Deep South National Science Challenge from its Director, Professor Dave Frame. This was followed by an overview of the Deep South’s Impacts & Implications Programme by Dr Daniel Rutledge. Daniel described the programme’s focus on extreme weather events, drought, sea level rise and shifts in temperature, rainfall and wind statistics. He outlined opportunities for funding and partnership.
The webinar format was chosen to maximise the potential for participation by keeping travel costs and time commitment low. It was welcomed by participants who were thankful for the opportunity to participate.
To register as a potential partner and to find out more about the Impacts and Implications Programme, please send an email to [email protected] and register your interest as follows:
Potential Partner – you want to actively engage in future programme development and potentially become a partner by leading or contributing to a bid to the funds
Representative User – you want to actively engage in and help direct future I&I development on behalf of your community, organisation, industry, iwi, etc. but do not intend at this stage to lead or contribute to a bid to the funds
Please understand that registering interest as a Potential Partner or Representative User does not guarantee your active participation. As signalled at the webinar, we need to be strategic about how we proceed to achieve balance between our broad remit and resources.
The Wai O Papa/Waterlands Exhibition is the first of a series of public exhibitions which explore how sea level rise might act as a catalyst for the restoration of well-being to the land, the water and its peoples.
Exhibition details
See the flyer below for more details about this exhibition, its opening times and venue.
Expressions of interest are being sought for the role of Science Leadership Team (SLT) member for the Impacts and Implications Programme of The Deep South National Science Challenge.
The Impacts and Implications science leadership position will provide critical science and planning support to the Deep South Challenge. The successful candidate will draw on their extensive knowledge and research networks (both national and international) to ensure the wider research programme contributes to the Deep South objective and mission and will provide support to individual research projects to ensure they are delivered on time, to spec and within budget.
This position is available Up to 0.2 FTE for a two-year term, with opportunity to re-apply thereafter.
The Deep South Challenge is pleased to announce its first Contestable Funding round.
The Deep South Challenge has built an effective Mission-centred core research plan centred on five research programmes:
Engagement
Vision Mātauranga
Impacts and Implications
Earth System Modelling and Prediction
Processes and Observations.
Contestable funding request for proposals
In addition to programme-oriented funding, the Deep South is now conducting an open “Contestable Fund” process that invites ideas for focal area-based research aligned to any, including possibly two or more, of the five programmes. More information on the programmes, focal areas, and the contestable funding process can be found in the below documents.
The Deep South Science Challenge Engagement Programme is currently seeking talented people and potential projects that can help turn our vision— “improving New Zealanders’ ability and capacity to make decisions informed by DSC-related research”—into a reality.
This workstream is responsible for organising engagement activities targeted to the general public. It will also have responsibility for media and social-media, internal communications processes, establishing linkages with other partners in climate change engagement, and coordination of the engagement advisory committee and funding processes.
We are currently seeking a part-time coordinator for this workstream. Closing date: February 3rd, 2016.
People who have ideas for projects and engagement activities that would help deliver this workstream can apply for funding support through either an Engagement Expression of Intent (EoI) process or the Contestable Fund.
The Programme will be channelling its resources into coordination and delivery of four workstreams. Each workstream is connected to realising the overall goal and objectives outlined in the latest Engagement Update.
Budget
The proposed distribution of the Engagement budget by work streams is shown below:
Engagement Programme budget
Individuals or groups with ideas for activities that can deliver on any of these work streams are encouraged to consider the two funding opportunities described below. Further details about these work streams and associated coordination opportunities below.
How to apply for funding for a DSC Engagement project
Funding for projects that contribute to the Deep South Challenge (DSC) Engagement Programme goal and objectives is available through either the DSC Engagement Programme Expressions of Intent (EOI) process, or the more general DSC Contestable process.
The Engagement EoI process is appropriate for applications of approximately $2-10k and is assessed quarterly. Please download the below form for more details and submit completed forms to [email protected].
For larger projects (up to $300k), applicants are encouraged to consider the DSC Contestable process, please click here for more details.
This is an annual funding round. We especially encourage applications that consider how an Engagement component might complement or collaborate with DSC science research that has either been funded, or is being proposed.
Workstreams
Broad and Internal Engagement
This workstream is responsible for organising engagement activities targeted to the general public. It will also have responsibility for media and social-media, internal communications processes, establishing linkages with other partners in climate change engagement, and coordination of the engagement advisory committee and funding processes.
We are currently seeking a part-time coordinator for this workstream. Closing date: February 3rd, 2016.
People who have ideas for projects and engagement activities that would help deliver this workstream can apply for funding support through either an Engagement Expression of Intent (EoI) process or the Contestable Fund.
In order to help profile the breadth and diversity of DSC research occurring around the country, we are also keen to work closely with scientists and media officers from all DSC partner organisations. To help facilitate this, we have created:
an email list for DSC media partners. Please subscribe on the Deep South Challenge website here.
This workstream is responsible for providing training and support to a range of intermediaries and other community and sector leaders to enable them to communicate about climate change more accurately and effectively. It will also facilitate climate change engagement activities across New Zealand.
During 2016, while we are building up our programme, the DSC is seeking to partner with external organisations that have common interests and goals related to climate change engagement. Please contact us if you are interested in partnering on a capacity-building or training activity that might fit within the Engagement Programme goal and objectives. We are particularly interested in supporting activities that enhance national capacity in climate change engagement, and/or the ability to facilitate activities related to climate change science (especially earth system modeling), impacts and implications, and adaptation. We are open to discussing activities tailored to a specific sector, or a more general audience.
Tailored Engagement
This workstream will work closely with, and be supplemented by, the emerging Impacts & Implications programme to ensure key decision-making groups are informing, and informed by, DSC-related science. During 2016, the Climate Change Impacts and Implications (CCII) programme will share its outcomes and learnings, which include not only biogeophysical impacts and their implications for adaptation, but also identification of key decision-making areas and audiences. An important role of this work stream is to ensure that these outcomes can be upscaled to better support decision-making about climate change in key sectors across New Zealand.
We are currently seeking to open discussions with individuals or groups who might be interested in facilitating this workstream. While we are clear on the scope of work, we are very open to how such a contract might be managed.
The successful individual or group will be responsible for strategic development of mechanisms to support decision-making related to climate risks such as extreme weather events, changes in mean weather, droughts, and sea level rise. Part of the role involves identification of key sectors that can be usefully infomed by DSC research outcomes, will be impacted by these changes and also able to implement and leverage adaptive behaviour.
This will involve identifying and building targeted relationships with key sectors, which may include regions with a high population density and those providing services to that population (eg, utilities, transport, energy and water); other infrastructure providers (eg, building, property and insurance industries); finance (banking); local, regional, and central government; Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and active local communities; primary industries (agriculture, forestry, fisheries); and the recreation and tourism industries.
The role will also be responsible for developing and supporting appropriate initiatives and co-creation of engagement activities to ensure DSC research both responds to, and informs, these key sectors in their decision-making related to climate change.
Evaluation and Research
This workstream will ensure that the Engagement Programme is achieving its goal and objectives by continually assessing the effectiveness of engagement activities. The results of which will also inform research on effective engagement on climate change. This workstream is being managed internally within the programme, but we welcome interest from individuals or groups with experience and interest in collaborating on this workstream.
Contact
If you would like more detail on the Engagement Strategy, or to discuss any of the above opportunities, please contact the DSC Engagement Programme Lead, Dr Rhian Salmon, on [email protected]
