Expressions of interest are being sought for the role of Science Leadership Team (SLT) member for the Processes and Observations Programme of The Deep South National Science Challenge.

The Challenge is undertaking and coordinating research that contributes to the Challenge Objective “To understand the role of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean in determining our climate and our future environment” in order to deliver the Challenge Mission “Enabling New Zealanders to adapt, manage risk, and thrive in a changing climate.” To achieve both, substantive and varied research projects are being undertaken across five key Challenge Programmes: Engagement; Vision Mātauranga; Impacts and Implications; Earth System Modelling and Prediction; Processes and Observations

Each programme works with key stakeholders (both researchers and end-users) to develop, implement, and disseminate research findings both within, and across, each programme.  Integration with other climate-relevant National Science Challenges is also a priority. 

The Processes and Observations science leadership position will provide critical science and planning support to the Deep South Challenge.   The successful applicant will draw on 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.  The specific Processes and Observations core projects cover: targeted observation and process informed modelling of Antarctic Sea Ice, assessment and validation of NZESM using modern and historic observations and the influence of the Southern Ocean in a warming world on New Zealand’s climate.  Additional funded contestable projects are in place along with a close working partnership with the Earth System Modelling and Predictions Programme. 

The SLT comprises the Challenge Director, Challenge Manager, and one representative for each of the five Programmes listed above.  The Director, on behalf of the SLT reports to the Deep South Board. Other advisory groups (e.g., Kāhui Maori, Engagement, and Independent Science Panel) provide external advice and counsel to the Challenge at large. 

Up to 0.2 FTE is available for this position, for a two-year term, with opportunity to re-apply thereafter.

This Challenge represents an exciting opportunity in the field of physical climate and other environmental research and SLT members will be central to the successful delivery of the Challenge.

Further information about the Challenge including a copy of the Research and Business Plan can be found on the Challenge website www.deepsouthchallenge.co.nz

For more information regarding this position, contact the Challenge Director, Dr. Mike Williams [email protected], +64-4-386-0389.  

To Apply please submit a current CV together with a cover letter outlining relevant experience and interest in the role to the Challenge Manager, Lucy Jacob ([email protected]) by Friday 30th September 2016.

The Deep South National Science Challenge is delighted to support this year’s Climathon in Wellington for the second year running.

The Climathon – which challenges participants to find ways for Wellington to adapt to climate change – will take place simultaneously in 121 cities in 34 countries on six continents, on 28 – 29 October.

Co-hosted by Wellington City Council and Victoria University – the free event will be held at an undisclosed location announced 24 hours beforehand to those who sign up.

Seeking creative solutions to big issues

The 24-hour Climathon brings together diverse skill sets to find solutions in a short time window. This style of problem solving has shown to be effective at creating unique and creative solutions to big and complex issues.  A broad range of skills is needed: designers, entrepreneurs, public sector, business people, students, technologists, researchers, scientists, environmentalists songwriters and artists are all welcome.

Rhian Salmon, Engagement Lead for the Deep South Challenge, said “the Climathon brings together a diverse group in a fun and dynamic forum to learn about the impacts and implications that climate change will pose for a specific location, explore the associated issues, and come up with innovative approaches to respond and adapt. It’s a positive experience for everyone and a great way to approach to issues like this that can often seem overwhelming.”

Climathon success stories

Last year, more people participated in the New Zealand thinktank event than any other city worldwide, and one successful Kiwi team was selected to present their ideas at the COP21 Climate Talks in Paris last December.  Another of the top New Zealand groups, Kaenga, is currently pitching their idea to investors in Berlin and en route to present at MIT, as part of their prize for 2015’s “Best Building Project.”

Councillor David Lee, from Wellington City Council, says finding ways to help Wellington adapt to climate change is crucial.  “Climate change will have significant impacts on the way we work and play in Wellington,” says Councillor David Lee. “Understanding the challenges we face and being early to see the opportunities they present right now will give us significant advantage in not only looking after our environment and people, but also on the world stage in the market place.”

Next steps for top projects

Top teams can win spots in Victoria University’s summer entrepreneurship accelerator, Victoria Entrepreneur Bootcamp, supporting them to develop their idea further. Other prizes are expected to be announced in coming weeks. Judges will look for the environmental, social and economic impact the ideas will have on Wellington, as well as their long term viability, scalability and sustainability. The expert panel includes climate strategist Rebecca Mills, ethical business strategist James Bushell, leading economist Geoff Simmons as well as climate professors and behaviour change experts from Victoria University, and Deep South representatives.

Want to know more?

You can sign up to participate in the event from the ClimathonNZ website or follow Climathon NZ on Facebook or follow CimathonNZ on Twitter.

The Deep South’s Impacts and Implications Programme is gearing up with a recent researcher workshop and the recruitment of a new science lead – Dr Suzi Kerr.

As one of New Zealand’s foremost climate economists and researchers, Suzi, a research fellow at Motu, brings a wealth of experience and strong networks to the Challenge.  Her new role involves being a key member of the Challenge’s Science Leadership Team and leading the Challenge’s Impacts and Implications Programme (I&I).

The I&I 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. It will build on the Climate Changes, Impacts & Implications for New Zealand (CCII) programme in some areas.

Suzi, who led economic research for the CCII programme, is focused on developing a research base for the I&I programme that is useful to end users. “I’m excited about working with the Deep South team and researchers in New Zealand to develop a strategic plan,” she said.  “Our modelling should be directed toward specific questions and produce regular outputs that are immediately useful to a specific end user.  These results can be tested with stakeholders before more resources are put into further model development and refinement of results.” 

Suzi takes over from Dr Daniel Rutledge who emigrated to The Netherlands with his family in June.  Her appointment follows a series of successful introductory webinars for I&I in June that reached around 120 stakeholders and researchers, and a workshop in Wellington in August. At the workshop, 35 climate researchers from around New Zealand met to discuss the I&I programme goals, potential projects and plan a collaborative approach.  

Outgoing Challenge Director, Professor Dave Frame, who led the workshop, said: “It was really great to bring people together for very constructive conversations. The level of collaboration in the room was very exciting.”

Mike Beare, a Science Group Leader at Plant and Food Research, who attended the workshop on behalf of the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, added: “It was a very interesting and productive discussion. I came away feeling very enthusiastic about the opportunities to bring a climate change perspective (through the I&I programme) to the Our Land and Water Land Use Suitability programme.”

Troy Baisden, a Senior Scientist at GNS, added: “The I & I workshop was a positive experience. The process got everyone’s ideas on the table first, and created an inclusive pathway forward for developing proposals and assigning leadership. Before I arrived I wouldn’t have imagined we’d leave the room with good connection between Deep South and Our Land and Water NSCs. The workshop generated a great deal of clarity and handed the task of developing workable proposals back to research leaders, where it should be.”

The Deep South is featured this month in a supplement of the top science journal Nature.  The supplement, Naturejobs Career Guide Asia Pacific, provides a guide for overseas scientists interested in working in New Zealand.

The article describes the opportunities New Zealand offers international scientists and highlights the work of Olaf Morgenstern (pictured above), originally from Germany, who is leading the Deep South’s Earth System Modelling and Prediction Programme.

Olaf, who arrived in New Zealand in 2008, works for the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) as a Principal Scientist – Atmosphere and Climate. He has also worked in the development of atmospheric chemistry and chemistry climate models in the UK and Germany, and had obtained his PhD degree in Switzerland.

His work for the Deep South involves working with collaborators to build New Zealand’s first Earth System Model. The model will improve New Zealand’s ability to predict future climates.  

Further to this, Olaf is a Principal Investigator of the Clouds and Aerosols project which will improve representation of clouds and their interactions in the Southern Ocean region. He also leads a stratospheric chemistry project which will improve the representation of the ozone layer in the model.

The Deep South has transformed the research landscape in the area of global climate modelling in New Zealand, giving researchers like Olaf new opportunities to develop their work across disciplinary boundaries.

Further reading

• Earth System Modelling and Prediction Programme
• Naturejobs Career Guide Asia Pacific

The Deep South National Science Challenge is delighted to announce two new key appointments to the team that is charged with enabling New Zealanders to adapt, manage risk, and thrive in a changing climate.

NIWA physical oceanographer Dr Mike Williams (pictured on the left above) has been appointed director of the challenge, taking over from Prof David Frame, who is returning to pursue academic research opportunities at Victoria University of Wellington.

Dr Williams has been associated with the challenge since its inception, and has been a key member of its leadership team as Science Leader for the Processes and Observations programme. His main research interests are in ice-ocean interaction, and the impacts of a changing Southern Ocean on Antarctica.

After completing his PhD in Tasmania, he worked as an assistant research professor at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, before returning to New Zealand to work at NIWA.

Dr Williams says the opportunity to take on the directorship of the challenge was too good to pass up.

“It is a privilege to lead something that will have huge benefits for New Zealand as the impacts of climate change take hold. This role feels like a natural progression from the challenge development work I was involved in and I am keen to keep the challenge moving forward.”

One of his first jobs is to establish the final parts of the challenge over the rest of this year, including the Impacts and Implications programme.

Meanwhile, the second new appointment is Dr Suzi Kerr who will lead the Impacts and Implications programme.

Dr Kerr was founder of Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, and is New Zealand’s leading climate change economist. Her Harvard PhD was on international environmental agreements and emissions trading schemes, which remain a strong interest for her, but she has also conducted many studies into other aspects of climate change, particularly those relating to the land sector.

The Impacts and Implications programme will bolster and coordinate New Zealand’s capacity to anticipate potential impacts, understand the implications, and plan and adapt accordingly.

“I’m excited about working with the Deep South team and researchers in New Zealand to develop a strategic plan,” she said.

“Our modelling should be directed toward specific questions and produce regular outputs that are immediately useful to end users.”

Deep South is one of 11 Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment-funded initiatives aimed at taking a more strategic and collaborative approach to science investment.

One of the key aims of the challenge is to develop New Zealand’s first world-class numerical Earth System Model that will simulate current climate and possible future climates under different scenarios of future global greenhouse gas emissions. This will ultimately give New Zealanders a greater level of certainty in planning and decision making in the face of a changing climate.

Contact

Dr Mike Williams, Ph 021 044 7645

Dr Suzi Kerr, Ph 04 939 4250

The Deep South National Science Challenge is proud to support this year’s Climate and Business Conference

The conference, to be held in Auckland on October 11-12, is expected to draw 200-300 delegates from business, governments and society. The event builds on the success of last year’s conference with topics such as adaptation, finance, business strategies and carbon markets.

Prof Dave Frame, Director of the Deep South, will present at the conference and the Challenge will have an exhibition table.

Other conference supporters include:

• Climate Change and Business Centre (CCBC)
• Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA)
• Environmental Defence Society (EDS)
• Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ)
• Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC)
• Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ)
• Sustainable Business Network (SBN)
• International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
• The programme outline is now available and registration is live

Visit the Climate and Business Conference website

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’.

Find out more

For more information about the Studio Antarctica Exhibition at Pataka

Hear more about Craig Stevens’ work in Antarctica

Listen to Gabby talk on Radio NZ about Antarctica, ice platelets and the opening of her exhibition – standing room only – in June

Take a look at Gabby’s online gallery

Read about Gabby’s Antarctic adventure in her blog.

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.

Read more about the School of Māori and Pacific Development at Waikato University.

Read the Deep South project brief

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.”

Find out more 

Visit the NZARI website

Visit the Antarctica NZ website 

Search for them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

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.

The new projects:

• Improving the simulation of stratospheric chemistry in the New Zealand Earth System Model, led by NIWA, Wellington
• Seasonality of Southern Ocean Dynamics from Antarctic radiocarbon observations, led by GNS Science
• Climate model evaluation using satellite simulators: A like for like methodology, led by University of Canterbury
• Te Tai Uka a Pia – Iwi relationships with Antarctic and the Southern Oceans to enhance adaptation to Climate Change, led by University of Waikato
• Cascading impacts and implications for Aotearoa New Zealand, led by Victoria University of Wellington
• Versatile 4D drones for observations of Deep-South key Earth system processes, led by University of Canterbury
• Developing capacity in process assessment and improvement in NZESM through the use of the single column version of the model, led by Bodeker Scientific

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.

For more information contact:

Lorraine Taylor, Engagement Coordinator                         Ph 04 463 5474, [email protected]

Prof Dave Frame, Deep South Challenge Director             Ph 04 386 0838, [email protected]