“I chose Massey simply because the name of the degree was different to all other universities – Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS), compared to Bachelor of Commerce. I thought this was a straightforward degree name and its difference would give me an edge when I applied for jobs.”

Fast forward to her final year majoring in Finance, Rhema was in a leadership class being taught by Dr Farah Palmer when she came to the sudden realisation that actually, this was what she wanted to pursue: a career in leadership.

“I signed up for a Master’s in Business Studies (MBS) and majored in Management to pursue leadership research. The whole experience was exciting and exhilarating. I had found my passion – women in leadership.”

After finishing her MBS, Rhema took on a role at Massey helping to manage the Young Women in Leadership programme, she then helped to launch the Strengths@Massey programme and the Kahurei programme.

Rhema Chatiya Nantham

When the role finished, Rhema and her husband moved around New Zealand for different jobs and experiences, but ever since her discovery of leadership studies, she knew she wanted her career to revolve around running leadership development programmes for women and helping women grow. In 2019, Rhema decided it was time to make that happen, so she committed to a PhD.

“My research learns from the experiences of women who grew up as ‘third culture kids’ to advance global leadership development by understanding the challenges that these children experience with each international move.

My research gives a voice to an underrepresented group because all my participants are women of colour, who have spent significant parts of their youth living in different countries.

They share their life stories, which are understood through a critical race feminist lens to appreciate the racist, sexist challenges they experienced from a young age and the coping strategies they used to adapt into their new socio-cultural contexts.”

Rhema feels blessed to have so many strong and influential women in her life, many of whom she has met along her Massey journey.

“My best friend is one of the first people I met at Massey. Ten years on, our friendship is stronger, and we have seen each other through every phase of our womanhood.

I believe that I can learn from every woman who is in my life and the beauty of being a woman is that we get to share our unique definition of womanhood and support each other.”

For Rhema, International Women’s Day is a universal reminder to recognise and celebrate women’s achievements and plights.

“It should be part of our everyday culture to celebrate diversity and provide platforms and opportunities to share. Our stories are our most valuable assets because they are unique to us, and we can only learn from one another through telling our stories.”

A couple of the tour participants.

A collaborative initiative between Massey University Students’ Association (MUSA), Museum Studies staff and students, and Beam and Flamingo scooters saw students scooting around sculptures and heritage buildings in the Turitea Heritage Precinct on Wednesday 2 March.

The idea came from Ramola Duncan, Events Lead at MUSA, who contacted Dr Susan Abasa in Museum Studies.

“We were looking to collaborate with Beam and Flamingo scooters to schedule a campus tour to show art, sculptures and buildings that might have significance, so I contacted Dr Abasa who jumped at the chance to be involved,” Ms Duncan says.

“I loved the idea of scooting around art. Ramola’s idea was just terrific,” Dr Abasa says. “Ramola was keen to involve students, which is how Lara Morgan and Charlotte Donovan became involved. Lara is just starting a PGDip Museum Studies and Charlotte has just finished. Together they hosted the tour and helped introduce the detailed information.

Charlotte says that she and fellow student Lara led the tour for new and existing Massey students. “This tour provided the opportunity to showcase various buildings and sculptures of note around the campus, and also provide a creative orientation for new students. The students rode on Flamingo and Beam scooters, which were kindly provided for the tour.”

The 30-minute tour had 15 students on the electric scooters. A detailed brochure was prepared to accompany the tour.

“I already had some information and photos for the sculptures as well as information about the heritage buildings,” says Dr Abasa. “Once we had narrowed the list of the places we would visit, I got more information from Tāmiro (Massey Library), Manawatū Heritage and DigitalNZ.

The team involved might be keen to do something similar for semester two.

“Heritage refers to what has been inherited from the past and guides us toward the future. We contribute to its endurance by being here, learning from it and making it part of our lives,” Dr Abasa says.

MLC students in the Massey-China Basketball Team

Massey’s offshore learning centres were officially launched this week with an online "virtual orientation."

Led by Deputy Vice Chancellor for Students and Global Engagement, Tere McGonagle-Daly, the online orientation linked Massey's three New Zealand campuses with our four Learning Centres in China located in Beijing; Nanjing; Tianjin and Hainan.

More than 300 Chinese students attended the online orientation, as well as Massey lecturers from Massey Business School, College of Creative Arts, College of Sciences, and College of Humanities and Social Sciences, who will be delivering the various programmes for the students throughout 2022.   

Following the online orientation, students were welcome in an on-campus orientation at each of the four universities in China.

Massey Learning Centres (MLC) offer students offshore a campus-like experience where they all live on-campus at one of Massey's strategic university partners in China, attending Massey classes that are delivered online from New Zealand.

By having groups of students in similar subjects grouped together on campus, they received support from Massey learning advisors, as well as the opportunity to socialise together. Students from one of the Learning Centres in 2021 even formed a 'Massey-China Basketball Team' to compete against local Chinese university teams.

Massey University has been a key partner in the NZPA since it formed with funding under the Ministry for Building, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Enabling Technology platform in 2013. Since then, the NZPA has worked with around 400 companies, generating product revenues of approximately $175m - an excellent return on MBIE funding of $12.8m. In recognition of this impact, the NZPA was funded for a further four years in the 2019 Wellbeing Budget under the Industry Futures initiative.

Massey’s AgriFood Digital Lab is an industry-focused research centre with a wide research spectrum including horticulture, precision agriculture, robotics, advanced materials, sports analytics and biotechnology. A suite of advanced technologies including electronics, robotics, Information Technology, computer science, data science, 3D printing, material science, sensor development, machine learning, image processing, coding, and industrial design unite the research group. MAFDL projects focus on developing AgriTech solutions to overcome challenges across a number of industries.

MAFDL Director, Professor Andrew East is delighted the university is partnering with the NZPA to form the hub.

“Professor Johan Potgieter, a leader of the facility, is a founding member of the NZPA and has made significant contributions to, and benefited from, the collaboration and its connections, with many of the commercial projects undertaken by MAFDL emanating from the NZPA’s collaborative model. We see this hub as a natural extension of the MAFDL’s capability and an opportunity for Massey to lead the way in areas such as sensing and automation, for which Johan is so well known.”

Massey University Professor of Robotics Johan Potgieter says, “We have created a hub for some of the most outstanding innovation, robotics, IOT, and 3D printing supporting the newly established NZ Product Accelerator Agritech Hub.”

The NZPA Agritech Hub, located within “The Engine” on the AgResearch campus in Palmerston North will support companies and research to accelerate commercial opportunities into local and international markets. The Engine is a new initiative that combines the best of Massey’s academic abilities, along with expertise in the translation of those abilities, to support companies to solve problems and realise growth opportunities.

Associate Professor Mark Jones, co-director of the NZPA, says, “We have developed a ‘pull science’ model of assisting New Zealand companies with technology solutions by tapping into the collective capability in our network and across the New Zealand Research and Development community. Massey’s contribution has played a key role in our success.

“The NZPA core team is based at the University of Auckland’s Newmarket campus and the formation of another hub in Palmerston North formalises the relationship with Massey. This new hub will facilitate easier access to our New Zealand-wide network for companies in the central North Island,” he adds.

“We have another hub being established at Victoria University later this year and we are in discussions with some of our other partners for similar NZPA hubs throughout New Zealand. These hubs will play a major role in creating a more collaborative and expanded technology network for the benefit of NZ enterprises.”

The NZPA is a collaboration of New Zealand universities and Crown Research Institute GNS Science.

Massey University Engineering PhD students and entrepreneurs, Tyrel Glass and Baden Parr, are creating game-changing technology for the agricultural industry.

Their agri-tech start-up Protag has now raised $1m from investors to fast-track the development of their smart ear tag sensors, which transmit crucial health and location data to dairy farmers within seconds.

Protag’s small internet-enabled device clips onto a cow’s ear, allowing farmers to continuously monitor the animal’s health, grazing and breeding habits. Machine learning is used to process data from the device’s temperature, movement, and location sensors, helping farmers map animal behavioural patterns and detect the early onset of illnesses in real time.

The funds were raised from a variety of sponsors including Finistere, OurCrowd, Fonterra, Sprout and Callaghan.

Protag co-founder Tyrel Glass says the company’s small, lightweight device is 100 times more power-efficient than other GPS-based devices using bulkier battery packs.

“We see a future where every farmer has detailed information on the health and wellbeing of every animal. The power of remote sensing in animal health is huge and Protag is the gateway into this data, providing advanced analytics for each animal that can map the whole story of the cow, and at an accessible price point for all farmers.”

Fellow co-founder Baden Parr adds, “Mastitis, lameness (leg and foot pain), and reproduction issues are the main ailments dairy cattle face. By detecting these early, Protag paves the way for more sustainable farming and improved animal welfare.”

The newly raised funds will be used to accelerate the company’s product development and validation in preparation for large scale trials planned for later this year, with several expressions of interest generated from farmers in Waikato and the South Island.

While the company has its immediate sights on the New Zealand market, where a farmer’s average dairy herd is 440 cows, Ireland and Brazil have been identified as future markets.

Associate Professor in Computer Engineering and PhD supervisor of Tyrel and Baden, Fakhrul Alam, says, "The students have created potentially game-changing technology for the agri-tech industry. Their engineering smarts, combining cutting-edge remote sensing technology and artificial intelligence, will bring crucial insights to dairy farmers.”

Commencing last week over a two-day wānanga, the awards contribute towards students’ study fees, research costs and provides academic, learning support and manaakitanga. The Te Rau Angitū Awards Programme is based on the Te Rau Puawai model that was established by Emeritus Professor Sir Mason Durie more than 20 years ago and is now hosted by the Office of the DVC Māori.

During the two-day wānanga more than 60 Māori postgraduate and doctoral students from across the university assembled together on campus and online to connect and engage in the practices of wānanga and whakawhanaungatanga. Students heard from Distinguished Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith, Te Toi Ihorei ki Pūrehuroa, and received tailored academic, learning and cultural workshops including raranga (flax weaving) while also being connected with staff from Te Mata o te Tau: Academy for Māori Research and Scholarship, and key academic and support staff in each college.

Te Rau Angitū is led by Dr Monica Koia who also leads Te Wheke a Toi: The International Indigenous Centre for Critical Doctoral Studies, and previously managed Te Rau Puawai, for many years.

Dr Koia says most Māori students study by distance, which makes this level of support so important. “We know these awards, in combination with our support programme, work for Māori because it draws on the exemplar programme Te Rau Puawai, run by Māori and underpinned by tikanga Māori principles like manaakitanga. We provide an holistic programme offering multiple learning support strategies such as wānanga to bring recipients together face-to-face and online, dedicated academic and learning mentors, visits to tauira and many more supports”.

Officer of Te Mata o te Tau and a Te Rau Angitū mentor Associate Professor Fiona Te Momo says the online and on campus wānanga meant Dr Koia and her team “were able to build a physical and virtual bridge through Te Rau Angitū to address the needs of students to engage culturally.”

One student said attending the wānanga helped her feel connected to others. “It was so great to know that I am not alone. Being given the space to share and laugh, was just what I needed to start this year”. Others commented that they were able to make new friends and that it was good to be in “a Māori safe place”. “My hauora has been replenished and my academic learning refilled,” said one student. Another said, “I was lost, coming here I found my way, I found my data analysis framework from our raranga session.”

Dr Koia says the programme is about walking alongside potential and current Māori students and their whānau. “The support is not just 8.30am to 5pm because we know that research does not necessarily stop on a Friday night. This is about making them a part of our Massey whānau and we become a part of their whānau too. We know the programme will help students to feel well supported, less isolated and more connected to other students and key staff members.”

DVC Māori Professor Meihana Durie says the programme is already having positive impact. “Under the leadership of Dr Koia, Te Rau Angitū has provided a critical connection to Masters and PhD pathways for Māori students, setting in place high levels of support and outstanding mentorship.  Te Rau Angitū, like Te Rau Puawai, emphasises provision of manaakitanga, an approach that we know is a major conduit for Māori student success. The influx of Te Rau Angitū participants this year demonstrates the high demand for access to support underpinned by kaupapa and tikanga Māori.”

The name Te Rau Angitū translates to ‘The many successes’ and signifies the whakapapa connection to the tuakana programme Te Rau Puawai.

The programme has a dedicated Kaihāpai Māori Tauira mentor Suzanne Hepi who provides daily academic, learning and manaakitanga, weekly night sessions on Tuesday from 6pm-8pm for whānau who work during the day, a dedicated space in Te Mata o te Tau and Te Wheke a Toi (Geography room 1.11) and hopefully, at some stage visit whānau in their whare.  The programme is also looking at establishing a tuakana, teina programme from within the awardees.

Supplementary rotary for research.

Overview of the dairy facilities.

Work is close to completion on Massey University’s Dairy 4 Farm, after the university partnered with AgResearch to boost on-farm research capability and facilities in the lower North Island.

The facility will enable greater interaction between staff and students of Massey and AgResearch, while also providing scope for a range of independent trials to operate at any one time.

The Dairy 4 Farm, adjacent to Massey’s Manawatū campus, has approximately 600 spring calving cows and is the largest of the university’s two farms.

Professor Paul Kenyon, Head of Massey’s School of Agriculture and Environment, says the new facilities will enable detailed research projects on the farm to be carried out at the same time as usual operations.

“The new facilities will boast two rotary milking platforms which will allow detailed research projects to take place alongside the farm’s daily operations. Other new facilities include a covered veterinary area for individual cow measurements and a multi-lane feed pad to enable differential feeding to various groups of cows. There will also be an effluent treating system, a data centre within the shed to store and manage research data, a teaching room and a biosecurity station.

“The partnership with AgResearch will help Massey build on its reputation of contributing world-leading pure and applied research, in partnership with industry, on matters that are of national and international interest including environmental impacts of climate change, biosecurity issues, animal welfare issues and economic threats posed by innovations in food production,” Professor Kenyon adds.

AgResearch Science Objective Leader and Principal Scientist Dr David Pacheco says it is rewarding to see the progress at the farm after the decision several years ago to invest with Massey in its development.

“With the expanded facilities available to us at the Dairy 4 Farm, we will be able to grow our science in critical areas such as greenhouse gas research, animal nutrition and health, through to finding ways to increase the value of New Zealand’s dairy products,” Dr Pacheco says.

“Our partnership with Massey means we can make the most out of combining our resources and expertise, while the close physical proximity of the farm to our respective facilities in Palmerston North makes everything simpler and more efficient. That close collaboration also means together we can develop the next generation of researchers to tackle the complex issues that New Zealand and the globe is facing.

“All of this benefits our dairy industry in New Zealand, and ultimately New Zealand as a leading international dairy producer.”

The Dairy 4 Farm is well known for its research into nutrient losses on heavy soils and recent collaborative work on partial housing systems for dairy cows. It has been operating for approximately 46 years and complements Massey’s Dairy 1 Farm - a 260 cow farm beside the Manawatū River.

Chief Flight Instructor Paul Kearney says the record reflects the efforts not only of the instructors, students, and the scheduling team, but also the efforts of the maintenance engineers. Under the close supervision of Maintenance Manager Tom McCready, they keep the aircraft in top shape. “It’s not unusual to see our aircraft start flying at 7am and still going at 9pm, seven days a week. A huge thank you to everyone who did their bit to make this happen," Mr Kearney says.

Bachelor of Aviation student pilots are required to complete a demanding schedule of training flights as part of their professional development. Achieving this schedule can be challenging as there are a number of factors that influence when flights are able to occur, such as aircraft availability, weather events, staff availability, and accommodating students’ academic obligations.

Despite this, the high number of flying hours achieved in January reflects very high productivity, says Mr Kearney.

He adds that this productivity is also tied to the requirement of keeping aircraft in a safe flying condition at all times, which the team of engineers are tasked with. This means adhering to the standard mandated ground aircraft maintenance inspections by hours, plus regular spot checks and responding to issues on demand as identified by pilots or students during flights.

“Achieving flight hours as submitted means that engineers, flight schedulers, instructors and students all have to work in sync, which is not always an easy task. As well as all that, the weather has to be suitable too.”

The team of maintenance engineers work to keep aircraft in safe flying condition at all times.

Increased productivity and accuracy have also been achieved by developing and adopting a Microsoft Power App to streamline the refuelling of Massey’s aircraft fleet. Via the app, students now submit an aircraft refuelling request and the School benefits from a vastly improved reporting regime on fuel usage and monitoring.

The new refuel app has increased productivity, accuracy and reporting.

Director of the Bachelor of Aviation programme Frank Sharp says, "With Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, we’ve had significant interruptions to the flying programme here at the Aviation Centre. However, I readily acknowledge the team effort that has resulted in the record flight hours for January and I know that everyone here is focused on continuing the momentum towards graduating more young aviators with a difference.”

Dr Christine Christensen.

This year’s Farmed Landscapes Research Centre (FLRC) workshop looked a little different than previous years, with the entirety of the three-day programme being held virtually due to COVID restrictions.

The 34^th annual event covered topics such as future farming opportunities, farm environment planning, soil conservation and management and smart tools and technologies. FLRC Research Officer Dr Christine Christensen was involved in organising the event, and says the workshop attracted around 240 registrants.

“Although the industry was excited about meeting in person at Massey after a two-year gap, when this option was taken away the move to the online format allowed many others to join and gave the speakers the platform they deserved. They were able to speak, present their work and participate in question and answer sessions without having to wait another 12 months. FLRC is proud to have delivered a thought-provoking and valuable programme, through a professional online format."

Keynote speakers included Dr John Roche from the Ministry for Primary Industries and Bryan Smith from the Ministry for the Environment. Minister of Agriculture Hon Damien O’Connor also addressed the workshop, speaking of the importance of soil health and initiatives that the Government is taking in the agriculture space.

FLRC engaged the services of Event Dynamics for the facilitation and administration of the Workshop. With the move online, Streamliner Productions streamed the event out of their studio in Wellington, with Dr Christensen and Associate Professor Lucy Burkitt chairing and running the sessions from the studio. FLRC Director Professor Chris Anderson said the overall result was high quality and professional.

The workshop demonstrated progress with He Waka Eka Noa, the Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership, and discussion throughout the three days explored the partnership between science and Te Ao Māori in underpinning a sustainable and prosperous future for New Zealand. With almost 90 papers presented, the industry continues to see value in submitting papers for the annual workshop.

Dr Christensen says the aim of the yearly workshop is to showcase Massey and FLRC as thought-leaders. "The data and information shared through the three days highlighted the important role Massey plays in New Zealand’s primary production sectors. Despite the online format, we provided the professional and valuable forum that our partners have come to expect from FLRC over the past 34 years."

Event chairs Dr Christine Christensen (left) and Associate Professor Lucy Burkitt.

The event has garnered significant media coverage by Rural News Group and Farmers Weekly.

FLRC values the long relationships with AgResearch, Ballance Agri Nutrients, Beef and Lamb New Zealand, Hill Laboratories, Horizons Regional Council, NIWA, Ravensdown, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, the Nutrient Management Adviser Certification Programme and the Foundation for Arable Research, through research and teaching activities over the years. Their ongoing support including sponsoring this event is appreciated.

Massey University knows the positive outcomes from events such as the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge Series, and has recently signed on as the naming rights sponsor for the Secondary School Tough Guy and Gal Challenge for 2022 and 2023.

Jacob Oram, Sport Advancement Manager, is excited the university has chosen to be part of the events. “This is a great opportunity for the university to partner with an event that sees participants across a range of ages and abilities challenge themselves in a unique and enjoyable race.

“For the past two years the Manawatū campus has hosted the Palmerston North Junior event, which has seen an amazing number of committed young runners descend on Massey’s fields, farms and the Community Athletic Track. The engagement between the wider community and the university is something that Massey values highly, so the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge is a fantastic vehicle to strengthen that connection.”

This year marks 20 years since the mud run began

New Zealand’s original mud run series, the Tough Guy and Gal Challenge started 20 years ago through the idea of Event Promotions General Manager, Murray Fleming. The event series gave Kiwi adult’s the opportunity to tackle a unique off-road running event where they get down and dirty through either a six kilometre or 12 kilometre muddy obstacle course. The courses consist of man-made and natural obstacles resulting in competitors having to crawl, climb, balance, or run and jump to make their way to the finish line.

The Secondary School Tough Guy and Gal Challenge was established shortly after in 2012 and is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, alongside the original Tough Guy and Gal Challenge’s 20^th anniversary.

The Secondary School Tough Guy and Gal Challenge not only offers an event specifically catered to secondary school aged students to attend alongside their school and see if they can be the Toughest School in their region, it also offers students the opportunity to gain NCEA Level 2 and Level 3 credits, making it a highly sought-after event from secondary schools around the North Island.

“Massey is the perfect partner to take this event through the 2022 and 2023 season as students heading towards their next phase in life will have the opportunity to learn about the possibilities at university,” Mr Oram says.

The decoy duck getting a paint job to resemble a female pūtangitangi.

With a paint job to transform it into a female pūtangitangi, the decoy was introduced into the aviary, and it wasn’t long before she was being investigated by the young male. Ms Svensson says he began spending more time out in the aviary swimming and hanging out with his new friend. “After nearly a month in our care he’s now grown into a beautiful, confident young male. Hopefully he’ll return to freedom with a fond memory of his friend and a vivid image of what to look out for in his future quest for a female companion.”

Learning about summer farming in what she knows as the middle of winter took a little getting used to for American student Katie Owens, but she says the knowledge gained from her virtual study abroad experience at Massey was interesting and informative.

“I enjoyed learning about farming and livestock from a different perspective than how we do in the United States, and it was cool to learn about deer farming since we don’t have that here. But it was just a bit weird talking about farming in the opposite months that we would here in the United States.”

The Animal Sciences student is currently studying at the University of Kentucky in Lexington USA and has just completed a Virtual Study Abroad programme at Massey during Semester 2, 2021. While she initially struggled with the time difference between Kentucky and New Zealand, Katie found the 24 hour window to complete assessments helped her keep up with the workload.

“Everyone I spoke to was super nice and really welcoming. If I ever had any questions, I would just email the course instructor who was really helpful. I feel like my course with Massey there were a lot more lecturers and topics covered than what we have in the US, so it was worth the effort as I got a lot out of the course.”

Katie plans to become a veterinary assistant when she graduates and believes the international perspective from her Virtual Study Abroad experience with Massey will help her future employability.

"It's not the same as studying overseas but I do feel like virtually studying abroad offers you something that you can’t get in a typical classroom at the moment," Katie says. "I've been able to build these intercultural relationships and have global communications."

She also has a few kiwi words to add to her vocabulary, relying on Google to translate some of the words she didn’t understand in her programme.

“I’d never heard of the terms “hind” referring to deer or “hogget” when referring to sheep and words like hectares instead of acres, or abattoir were completely new to me. Some of the spellings of words were also different too so I just googled the words to figure it out.”

While studying abroad has been challenging recently due to the COVID pandemic, virtual study abroad courses offer opportunities to gain international and intercultural education experiences for students who are unable to travel.

According to Massey’s Manager Global Engagement (Recruitment and Mobility) Greg Huff, virtual study abroad programmes provide an opportunity to make global education accessible to all.

“Not everyone has the ability to travel due to financial constraints, immigration complications or family situations. While we hope that every student at some point will have an in-person experience, these virtual programmes are still really rewarding."

Click here to find out more about Virtual Study Abroad at Massey.

COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins’ slip of the tongue has taken out New Zealand’s Quote of the Year competition, beating a toddler’s response to seeing a goat by a mere 0.5  percent of votes.

The quotes were neck to neck throughout the polling, which had a record 8,296 votes cast.

Hipkins’ slip of the tongue occurred during a press conference in August when he accidentally referred to New Zealanders going outside to “spread their legs”. The unusual health advice brought raised eyebrows from Dr Ashley Bloomfield who was standing next to him. The gaffe attracted 38.9 per cent of the votes.

The runner-up, with 38.4% of the votes, was “No, it’s a f…ing goat!” The quote is from footage of a Christchurch mother and her two-year-old daughter seeing a goat in their garden. Mimicking her mother’s surprise, the toddler exclaims: “There’s a f…ing goat outside!” Her mother responds: “It’s just a goat,” but the toddler corrects her: “No, it’s a f…ing goat!”

Winners from day one
Massey speech writing specialist and competition organiser Dr Heather Kavan said Hipkins’ and the toddler’s quotes were streaks ahead in the poll within the first hours of voting.

Kavan attributes their success to the light relief they provided during the pandemic. “The videos sparked wit and creativity across the internet as New Zealanders revelled in the footage.

“Almost immediately, Hipkins’ gaffe became a rallying cry to ‘Spread your legs, not the virus,’ and the toddler’s goat quote became an internet sensation.”

The gaffe that energised a nation
The full impact of “spread their legs” may never be known, and there is social media speculation that it could increase New Zealand’s birth rate, Kavan said.

“Twitter users re-imagined the war against COVID-19 through the new salacious lens. Tweet after tweet celebrated Hipkins’ trail-blazing approach and the revised X-rated meaning of ‘Go early; go hard’.
 
“New Zealanders posted photos of themselves and their pets spreading their legs, while the Royal New Zealand Ballet tweeted photos of its dancers doing sculpture-like leg poses that most of us could only dream of accomplishing.

“There was also a heady remix video with the sign language interpreter’s gestures portrayed as dance moves.”

This is not the first time a slip of the tongue has won Quote of the Year. In 2018, Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges beat top New Zealand comedians in the poll with his accidental reference to deputy Paula Bennett as ‘Paula Benefit’.

The toddler and the goat
Runner-up “No, it’s a f…ing goat!” was an unusual quote for the top ten because of the speaker’s young age. Although the two-year-old’s name was already public, the judges de-identified her in case the list had ramifications for her when she was older.

it was the child’s innocence that wowed voters, Kavan said. “Most of the other speakers had a topic of national importance and a relatively sophisticated vocabulary. But the toddler had a sincerity that viewers loved.”

Like “spread their legs”, the goat quote took on a life of its own, spawning social media commentary and a parody video in which the goat was replaced by footage of Donald Trump dancing. The parody has since been removed from YouTube.

Kavan said her favourite comment was by Twitter user Andrew Frame who imagined how annoyed New Zealand’s 26.16 million sheep must be that the country has gone viral because of a single goat.

Jemima Gazley  
Third place, with 13.8% of the votes, went to a more serious quote—Jemima Gazely’s “If I can't be cured, I'll be the cure.” Fourteen-year-old Ms Gazley was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer in February and spent her last weeks crowdfunding to help Australian researcher Dr Matt Dun find a cure.

“If ever a quote told a story, it’s this one. My hope is that Jemima’s family can take some small comfort from knowing her courageous words will endure.” Kavan said.
New Zealand’s Quote of the Year competition began in 2011 and celebrates the country’s best language moments. 

Two Massey University lecturers recently spoke at the inaugural International Potato Symposium. The symposium was jointly organised by Massey University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and was held online on 9 December. Speakers and participants from more than 20 countries, including New Zealand, China, Peru, Canada, and the United States, shared their thoughts and findings.

The symposium was focussed on presenting new knowledge on potato chemistry, nutrition and potato processing and how the potato can play an important role in food security and food sustainability in the next 30 years. Potatoes hold a strong influence in the food and beverage industry, due to their reputation as environmentally sustainable and a healthier plant-based food.

Associate Professor Jaspreet Singh from the School of Food and Advanced Technology says the annual Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technology symposia are timely, as the potato processing industry is looking for new ways to create healthy processed products.

“This symposium will shape the future research direction for this important food source. The purpose of the symposium is to feature high-quality advanced research and knowledge contributed by various potato research groups around the world. Introducing the symposium has encouraged researchers from academia and the potato processing industry to submit their research on the chemistry, nutrition and technology of tuber crops for presentation.

Top issues from healthy potato products to food sustainability and food waste utilisation were discussed at the symposium, through presentations and panel discussions. Some of these included the development of new and disruptive technologies and processes, potato protein as an alternative protein source, healthy potato products, utilisation of potato industry by-products and ‘waste streams’, which contribute towards the United Nations sustainability development goals.

One important presentation was based on “China’s potato staple food policy,” which highlighted the need for sustainable and balanced food utilisation. China is the world’s largest producer of potatoes.

Dr Lovedeep Kaur from the School of Food and Advanced Technology, and Associate Professor Singh, have published two editions of the textbook Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technology, and have recently been invited to publish the third edition. Theirs is the only book published on the subject so far.

Associate Professor Singh added that the symposium was well received by the food science community around the world.

“Participants from several countries joined the symposium to attend presentations by reputed speakers. The symposium highlights were the panel discussion on the future of potato processing and how the potato can contribute to achieving global food security and sustainability, keeping in view the changing consumer trends around health, taste and convenience. It was also great to see the enthusiasm and quality of the presentations by young scientists. Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technologies 2021 Young Scientist Awards were presented at the end of symposium.”

“This symposium fills a gap by providing an opportunity for potato researchers and industry professionals to update their knowledge on potato processing for better future and business opportunities.”

For more than 27 years Keystone Trust has provided support for young people from challenging backgrounds – both financial and circumstantial – to undertake tertiary study towards a professional career in the property and construction industry. The trust has assisted more than 180 rangatahi into the sector, awarding around $2 million in scholarship funding. Wrap-around support is also provided in terms of pastoral care, site visits, career support, mentoring, networking opportunities, introductions to sponsors, work experience and internships, and quite often full-time job offers at the conclusion of their study.

In 2022, Keystone Trust had 10 one-year tertiary scholarships on offer. An invaluable part of these scholarships is the industry connectivity that allows students to grow from the experience of being directly supported and mentored by their Key Scholarship Partner company. Massey students were awarded five scholarships.

Jason Barker, Matt Allan and Jay Barot.

Dr Gregory Chawynski, Director of Engagement, School of Built Environment and Senior Lecturer in Construction Management at the Auckland campus, says the School strongly supports and ensures students become eligible for the scholarship.

“Our school ensures all the candidates are screened and interviewed. The successful applicants are people who are determined to succeed and become leaders in the construction industry. We are very proud of the students who receive the scholarship and look forward to seeing what the future holds for them.”

Keystone Trust General Manager, Amanda Stanes, says the trust has had many Massey students go through the programme over the years.

The university is also working with Heritage New Zealand for the site to be listed on Rārangi Kōrero, the New Zealand Heritage List. Through these nationally significant mechanisms, the university acknowledges its obligations to protect and enhance the heritage value of this important precinct.

The site, to be known as the Turitea Historic Area, encompasses the Oval and the historically iconic buildings that surround it: the Refectory, Sir Geoffrey Peren building, McHardy Hall, the Registry building and Tiritea House.

The Oval itself has significance as one of the first purpose-built areas at Massey University, and for its continuous use since it was formed in 1929. It has further historical significance following its use during World War Two as a staff college by the New Zealand Army, who placed huts on the Oval for accommodation, and built McHardy Hall as the officers’ mess.

In this aerial view from May 1943, army huts are on the Oval, the foundations for McHardy Hall are laid and the extension to the Refectory is partly built.

For nearly 100 years the Oval has been prized for its garden parties, cricket and other sporting events, and casual and organised student activities, and has been likened to a village green. It has become an area of high social and aesthetic value to both students and staff and is seen as the historic heart of the Manawatū campus.

Massey University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says, “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with Palmerston North City Council to progress this important work to recognise the unique value that the Turitea Historic Area holds for the university and the wider community.”

National Facilities Director, Dr David Povey says, “It’s great to see our community and key institutions come together to properly recognise these historically important areas. The Massey property portfolio is large and diverse, and we are lucky to have a number of these heritage areas on our Manawatū campus. It creates a richness to the environment that all can appreciate and enjoy.”

Within the Turitea Historic Area, the university has already recognised the unique and special architecture of both the Sir Geoffrey Peren and Refectory buildings through individual heritage listings on Rārangi Kōrero. The creation of this wider historic area is a rare opportunity to provide heritage protection to the precinct itself. Other important Rārangi Kōrero listings on the wider Manawatū campus include Wharerata, Craiglochart, and Colombo Hall.

The Turitea Historic Area will be the third such designated area in Palmerston North, complementing two other important heritage sites that reflect the mana of the city - the Savage Crescent Conservation Area and the North West Square Heritage Area which encompasses George Street, Coleman Mall and sections of Cuba Street.

The university has worked closely with PNCC planners on this plan change, which is supported by Rangitāne o Manawatū and community stakeholders Historic Places Manawatū and the Palmerston North Defence Heritage Advisory Group.

Listing on Rārangi Kōrero with Heritage New Zealand will commence next year and will include further consultation and engagement with Rangitāne o Manawatū and community stakeholders, as well as an opportunity for current and past students and staff to share memories and contribute to the store of historical material.

Caitlin Snell - Highly Commended Fashion Design Award

Six students and graduates from the School of Design have received recognition at the 2021 ECC NZ Student Craft / Design Awards for their creative work.

The annual exhibition showcases the best work of tertiary students and recent graduates working across a variety of craft and design disciplines. The aim is to provide an opportunity for students to step into the creative industry with a coveted award to their name, as well as some financial assistance.

The six students and graduates that became finalists are:

• Laura Graham - Winner of Surface Design Award
• Caitlin Snell - Highly Commended - Fashion Design Award
• Jing Hé - Highly Commended - Fashion Design Award
• Jacqueline Solis - Highly Commended - Innovation in Sustainability Award
• Eva Ngamanu – Highly Commended – Surface Design Award
• Ella Brownrigg – Highly Commended – Surface Design Award

Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Fashion Sue Prescott says the students have done well to receive these accolades despite another year of COVID interruptions.

“Laura picked up new skills with the extra time she had this year with various lockdowns. She learnt rug making and started to experiment with 3D forms using 2D techniques to build Leopard Vest with some old coffee sacks as her base cloth.

“The determination our students have shown to meet the challenges of interrupted studio time are commendable. They’ve had to be flexible to adapt to new ideas, materials and methods at short notice, whilst upholding their sustainable values at all times.”

Surface Design Award winner Laura Graham says her winning piece Leopard Rug Vest was created at home during the lockdown.

"Leopard Rug Vest is an excerpt of my graduate collection Sow’s Ear / Silk Purse. This collection of curated, created and converted curio reintroduces social values into obsolete found artefacts. A series of upcycling practices alongside intricate symbolic surface design are brewed for a potion that rivals the flatness of commodity fetishism.

“My vest was met with great enthusiasm when introduced back into university after its creation at home. I am thankful for my mentors and peers in the fashion department for their attentive support and zeal for eccentricity.”

Caitlin Snell, whose work was highly commended in the Fashion Design Award category, says she was pleasantly surprised with the result.

“I had entered my collection with very few expectations because the method and execution of my pieces is very different due to the influence the pandemic had at the time. It was such an awesome feeling finding out I was a finalist. I am excited to keep creating!”

Lecturer & Major Co-ordinator in Textile Design Angela Kilford, Te Whanau A Kai, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, says the awards provide an insight into the future of design, through outstanding design projects by Aotearoa’s finest emerging talent.

“Ella Brownrigg’s aptly named project Patterns of the Pandemic is described by the designer as a ‘textile time capsule of the moment’. This rhetoric could be applied to the exhibition as a whole, in that all of these projects have been produced under the extra pressure and stress of a global pandemic. In this context, each and every finalist should be highly commended. A very special congratulations to winner Dan Collings whose jacquard knit project looks at ways of creating fashion by exploring the view of gender as a spectrum rather than as binary.”

The academic monograph category celebrates a significant scholarly work that has contributed to, defined or redefined an area of psychological knowledge.

Professor Riley co-authored Post feminism and Health: Critical Psychology and Media Perspectives alongsideAssociate Professor Adrienne Evans from the Postdigital Cultures Research Centre, Coventry University, United Kingdom and Dr Martine Robson from Aberystwyth University, Wales.

The book, published in Routledge’s Critical Approaches to Health series, is part of the growing field of books on postfeminist studies. Professor Riley studies postfeminism as a set of ideas about ideal femininity that circulate across a range of actors including media, everyday talk between family and friends, advertising, and public institutions.

“I am thrilled,” Professor Riley says. “We thought we had something important to say that would give new insight into the challenges women have when trying to live a good life and be a good health citizen, and we also wanted to offer a direction for bringing psychology and media studies together, so this award really validates what we tried to do. It’s feels great to have this recognition.”

Children’s University is an international charity that partners with local universities to engage children and young people in exciting, out-of-school learning opportunities with an aim to raise their aspirations for higher education and encourage lifelong learning.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students, Alumni and Global Engagement Tere McGonagle-Daly says, “As lifelong learning is something Massey University strongly believes in, we knew Children’s University was a good fit for us.

“This pilot was the first step in launching this valuable community-focused programme across the North Island. Massey’s Māori name is Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, which means ‘From inception to infinity’. It is a name that celebrates the importance of lifelong learning. Children’s University is about helping young people encounter things that will inspire their learning journey. I’m thrilled that Massey has been entrusted with this programme and look forward to seeing many more graduations like this one.”

Longburn School Principal Jo Emerson says it has been great to see the students engaging with different activities through the online portal and learning destinations.

“The programme has enhanced the students' motivation to take ownership of their learning, encouraging them to learn new skills and complete a range of exciting activities to achieve the number of hours required to graduate.

“We look forward to embedding the programme further for our students in 2022, supporting them to achieve their goals in partnership with the Children’s University team.”

Speaking on behalf of the university at the graduation ceremony, Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes says she was delighted to see the next generation of young people moving forward in their education journey.

“A huge thank you and congratulations to the graduates and their families. You have completed your learning hours in record time. Your persistence in the face of disruptions related to the pandemic speaks to your resilience and determination. You have already demonstrated the characteristics of lifelong learners.

“For those of you who will return next year to Longburn School and Te Kura o Wairau, I hope you will continue your involvement with Children’s University to achieve the next level of the awards. In conclusion, I hope the activities you have participated in have ignited a spark for lifelong learning.”