October 14, 2015

Richard Newcomb, Principal Investigator of the Allan Wilson Centre,
Chief Scientist at Plant and Food Research, and Professor of Evolutionary Genetics, University of Auckland.

We can theoretically detect and differentiate a trillion smells. When the human genome was decoded, there were more genes for smell than anything else.

We only have 480 active odorant receptors out of 1000 available receptors present in our genome. These provide us each with our own unique smell perception of the world around us. So when someone says that wine smells like apricots to them, it may well be because of the differences in our genes.

[Read more…]

October 11, 2015

The Royal Society appointed a foreign secretary way back in 1723, but not until the 1980s did globalisation propel science diplomacy to the forefront of issues from food insecurity and collapsing ecosystems to the International Space Station and Square Kilometre Array, University of Otago Political Studies Department Prof Robert Patman told over 30 at Sunday’s Catalyst gathering.

Climate change is “the poster child” for issues that transcend states and require global scientific cooperation. The International Panel on Climate Change’s 2400 scientists have produced five major impact reports since 1998 and substantial agreement on both the causes and effects. By 2006, even George Bush had to acknowledge that the scientific proof was there and the US military now sees climate change as a strategic threat. But politicians tend to conceptualise graduated timelines, so do not see action as vital despite the critical nature of the impending tipping point.

Is there hope on this front? Yes, Prof Patman says. Governments are beginning to understand that we can’t afford not to act. The problem is, a mismatch between the dire need of the problem and the speed of political response.

How could we better harness the promise of scientific diplomacy? First, scientists should insert themselves more frequently into the diplomatic process and national debate that influences government. “It is incumbent on those who have the knowledge to share it and use it.” And politicians tend to act in response to public calls for action – which requires the public to understand the problems and demand solutions.

And secondly, sovereign states must come to terms with a fundamentally new environment where both problems and solutions transcend their sovereign boundaries and require global responses.

Towards this, the UN needs reform – to ensure it can be a forum for bringing together diplomacy and science on issues that can only be resolved on an international basis. Central to this reform is the need to get rid of the permanent members’ right of veto, Prof Patman said.

October 1, 2015

Isaac Newton ruled supreme in physics for 200 years, until trouble with the details (like the “ultraviolet catastrophe”) came to the fore by the end of the 19th century.

Then in 1900, Max Planck introduced the concept of a quantum of energy that explained why the proverbial poker in the fire went from red, to white, to the blue end of the spectrum… All to do with the frequency of different sized packets of energy.

University of Otago Prof David Hutchinson, director of the Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies, used analogies from children on swings to fast running rugby props to carry the crowd of around 60 through his “back of the envelope” equations linking Planck to Einstein, energy to frequency, double-slit wave diffraction to the coast in England… and beyond.

I guess you had to be there…

Because otherwise, as Einstein said of the birth of quantum mechanics; “marvellous, what ideas young people have these days, but I don’t believe a word of it.”

Quantum mechanics is neither magical nor mystical, Prof Hutchinson said, but it is “the most successful physics theory ever”.

Potential economic uses vary from tiny gyroscopes and aeroplane technology to medical imaging to allow us to see inside objects. Added Prof Hutchinson, none of this presented a problem with respect to the “tyranny of distance” that otherwise faced many New Zealand exports.

His final message? Go forth and study physics…

With thanks to the University of Otago for stretching their Winter Lecture Series both into spring and into Queenstown, especially for Catalyst.

September 19, 2015

Durham University (UK) physics lecturer Prof Tom McLeish traversed the history of the relationship between science and religion, looking at whether science had replaced God as an explanatory framework, historical narrative or as a source of mystery?

Did Darwin debunk religion? No – because creationism had already been debunked. Genesis is not be literally interpreted, Tom told the more than 60 people, from 10 years old up, gathered at The Rees Hotel Queenstown. Genesis is only one of many metaphorical creation stories in the Bible.

Albert Einstein said “Religion without science is blind. Science without religion is lame.” The vast majority of scientists don’t believe science has replaced God and removing “the false opposition of science and faith is going to be important in restoring a healthy public narrative for science – letting us have a grown-up conversation,” Tom said.

Powerpoint slides (click to download)

August 21, 2015

Professor Meliha Altunisik, an international relations and social sciences specialist at The Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey’s most prestigious university, spoke to around 50 people about Turkey’s Foreign Policy in the Middle East since the Arab uprisings.

She spoke of Turkey’s journey from a policy of “zero problems with its many neighbours to zero neighbours without problems!” She explained the rise of the Justice Development Party, the AKP, their improvement of relations with all neighbours, the growth of trade and a strong economy, their investment in much infrastructure, and then the dissolution of all this following the Arab Uprisings.

AKP chose to support the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, they failed to persuade Al Assad to step down and then moved to support the opposition in Syria. Now they have around two million Syrian refugees scattered throughout the country and it costs more than $5 billion just to maintain the refugee camps. This has huge implications for Turkey’s economy, for her relationship with all her neighbours, with the Kurds and with her dealings with ISIS. AKP is being urged to take more action against ISIS, but Turkey’s border is very porous and ISIS members move in and out of the country.

When her address came to an end, Meliha answered question after question and displayed her deep understanding of a multitude of Middle Eastern affairs.

August 1, 2015

Queenstowner Lucia Dore’s documentary “Stepping Up” formed the springboard of the night’s investigation of New Zealand’s policy and treatment of refugees.

New Zealand’s quota of 750 refugees a year, unchanged in 25 years, puts us at 90th on the world league table. We are one of only 26 countries worldwide that has signed the UN Refugee Resettlement Programme, giving a clear pathway from arrival to settlement.

Afghan refugee Gul Agha Alizadah, son of one of the hundreds of Tampa refugees accepted by New Zealand, gave his family’s story “of hope and fear”. As a Hazari, he was part of an ethnic minority that had suffered “relentless discrimination” in Afghanistan since the 1800s.

Gul can still remember his dad, threatened by the Taliban, “disappearing” when he was eight years old. His shipload was spurned by Australian PM John Howard, sent to the Nauru detention camp and finally accepted by Prime Minister Helen Clark. Three years later, his father was able to sponsor his family to New Zealand.

Gul described how many of the children of Tampa refugees were now active members of the New Zealand community – helping with the Christchurch rebuild, setting up companies, nursing, being selected for the Youth Parliament and running community events.

His message? “We were given hope, a future and refuge by New Zealand when no one else wanted us and we are now determined to make a future for ourselves and give back to our community and give that hope that was given to us.”

Amnesty International NZ campaign manager Mo Farrell said they were calling for a doubling of the refugee quota. “The problem is global and it’s huge.” Lebanon had accepted 1 million Syrian refugees and Norway 2000 – two countries with similar populations to New Zealand.

She pointed out family reunification was not funded by the government, refugees had to pay for it themselves, and that numbers accepted under this had dropped. Mangere Resettlement Centre had been upgraded, so could accept more refugees.

Gul’s sister Nida said one way New Zealand could improve its refugees experience once in New Zealand was to provide more interpreters for the health system “where largely the problems are dismissed” through lack of understanding.

July 27th, 2015

Developing upon one of the themes of Monday night’s talk “History shapes, but geography defines” Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak – Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies (Faculty of Political Science) at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok and also the Kippenberger Chair for 2015 at the Centre for Strategic Studies, Victoria University – suggested that New Zealand would be wise to place a few of its strategic eggs in SouthEast Asia’s basket.

Despite being a somewhat arbitrarily grouped collection of nations – considered together more as a matter of post-colonial convenience rather than deeply shared cultures or histories – the region nonetheless encompasses 620 million people with a combined GDP of 3.63 trillion dollars.

These people and their economies are in a high state of flux – while borders are relatively established (with the possible exception of some maritime disputes) internal nation building, rebuilding, and even re-imagining, is proceeding at a rapid pace throughout the region. The trends, outcomes, and consequences of these transitions cannot help but impact upon New Zealand, just as they cannot help but offer opportunities to New Zealand to engage constructively in the region to mutual benefit.

Professor Pongsudhirak offered the gathered audience some deep and often unexpected insight into the turbulent melting pot that is today’s SE Asia; the cultures and intercultural tensions within it; and mapped possible scenarios for the developing directions of the region.

More about:

1. The Centre for Strategic Studies
2. Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak
3. Democracy and Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia: Implications for New Zealand (slides)

July 22, 2015

More than 200 Queenstowners turned out to learn about the different perspectives of affordable housing and discuss ways forward for Queenstown. You can see the presentations at https://youtu.be/DTaiinLRgrs

Or the very quick version:

• Shamubeel Eaqub (former NZIER principal economist and author of Generation Rent):

The market will not self-correct, current policies (rental, tax and banking) favour the rich and do not work, and the government shows no signs of wanting to change them. Local solutions are needed – and housing solutions proposed/implemented in Auckland will not work here as the problems are different. We have a moral obligation and economic imperative to ensure housing solutions for workers. Retained affordable housing – i.e. housing that remains affordable to successive owners – is key. Millennials will be the agent of change – no longer requiring huge homes on big sections.

• Scott Figenshow (CEO of Community Housing Aotearoa and former QLDC planner):

Long history of housing crises in Queenstown. 40% of Queenstown houses are second, third or fourth homes. Employers used to have to provide worker accommodation and plan change 24 had mandated developer contributions to community housing, but neither is still the case. Community housing sector has the capacity for housing 50,000 people NZ-wide by 2020, operating on a not-for-dividend, tax exempt basis. Needs to be driven by regional/local communities despite being policy driven by Central government. Retention mechanism vital.

• Tommy Honey (architect and Radio New Zealand urbanism commentator):

Quarter acre property with stand-alone home no longer a realistic expectation for much of NZ. Embrace intensification and higher density, based close to infrastructure and jobs. Need better public transport and build small, warm homes that are net electricity generators. Encourage high-quality prefabricated architecture (portable, economic, efficient) owned by investors on leasehold land and rented to seasonal workers/visitors (the stationary VW Combi concept). Transient housing in the centre, to minimise transport load. People need to be trained to save early on if they want to buy a house.

• Peter Southwick (Wanaka developer and Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust):

QLCHT housing 300 people at present, but with abandonment of plan change 24, they no longer have a mechanism to gain capital from developers’ value uplift so there are challenges ahead. He tried to develop small affordable housing in Wanaka but failed – expensive place to build. Costs: 6% Council, 6% GST, 53% construction and site works, 25% land and services and 10% profit. But housing is still affordable if you rent where you work and buy where you can afford. This is a western world problem with no simple solution but small steps, like QLCHT, matter. Requires the goodwill of the whole community and leadership from the wealthy.

And among suggestions and feedback from those attending:

• Avoiding fuel poverty a big issue. Housing needs to be affordable for those occupying it.
• Lakeview an ideal site for affordable housing – close to town, owned by Council.
• Community should get proportion of GST it sends to Central government towards affordable housing
• 3800 unoccupied homes in Queenstown at last census. Tax them? Bylaw so they have to be rented out?
• Council should deliver planning/zoning/infrastructure more quickly.
• Be radical in some places with intensive zoning and stop the urban sprawl.
• Imitate Tamaki We Development Company.
• Put duty on employers to provide worker housing.
• Queenstown can’t bear the shift of foreign capital into our residential market forever.
• Dense and intense housing requires good architecture and planning.
• Change rating policy so that can facilitate worker accommodation in existing properties.

July 1st, 2015
Fund raiser for victims of Nepal’s earthquakes. The World Bar, Queenstown.

Speakers Guy Cotter (Wanaka based Adventure Consultants) and Jason Laing (Queenstown helicopter pilot) had the crowd enthralled with their stories and images from their experience during and immediately post the April 25th earthquake.

MC Calum McLeod then had the packed crowd laughing and digging deep into their pockets for the charity auction. A great night had by all we raised nearly $10,000 for the Nepalese, to be shared between the Juniper Fund and Tsering’s Fund, both directly helping Nepalese displaced by the earthquake.

 

June 27, 2015
Catalyst’s Otago University Debating Society Workshop at Wakatipu High School

Wakatipu High School hosted the second annual OUDS workshop, when six of our region’s top debaters travelled to Queenstown from Dunedin to teach students the art of debating and public speaking.

Some 25 WHS students participated, along with several students from Mount Aspiring College and Cromwell College. The afternoon started with a show debate on the motion “This House Would Assassinate Foreign Dictators”, which the students watched in awe as the University debaters flaunted their talents in word-wizardry and the power to persuade. Students were then put into small groups and coached through the process of developing and presenting an argument in the context of a debate.

The intensive workshop ended with the coaches giving students 40 minutes to prepare an 8 minute long argument affirming or negating the moot “This House Would Pay People for their Organs”. Although many found this intimidating, everyone gave it a go and made the most of the experience. Many natural talents shone through.

The workshop was an extremely valuable opportunity for our students and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.