Video competition: 180 Seconds of Fascination

VIDEO COMPETITION:

180 Seconds of Fascination

IN HŌNGONGOI JULY ENTRIES OPENED FOR THE 2020 EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS VIDEO COMPETITION. THIS COMPETITION PROVIDES A CHANCE FOR NEW ZEALAND-BASED RESEARCHERS WHO ARE ENROLLED OR WITHIN 10 YEARS OF A POSTGRADUATE QUALIFICATION TO SHARE THEIR RANGAHAU FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN ONE OF FIVE PRIZES.

The Kaiarataki Achiever Award in the professional video category, with a $2000 prize, was won by Anna Walsh, a materials scientist at BRANZ. Anna’s research supports the understanding and development of innovative materials that offer the potential to raise the quality of New Zealand’s buildings. She and her team are working to use structural insulated panels, or SIPs, as a potential solution to New Zealand’s need for fast, affordable housing. The Kaiarataki Achiever Award in the nonprofessional video category, with a $2000 prize, went to Subin Jeon, a plant molecular biologist from Plant & Food Research. Subin’s work consists of characterising genetic changes arising from CRISPR/Cas9 editing, as part of a project developing fast-flowering plants that are smaller and flower earlier to create crops previously considered too large for indoor farming. Te Ao Māori Award, with a $2000 prize, was awarded to Wanda Ieremia-Allan (Vaie’e, Matautu-Falealili, Safotulafai, Sapapali’i, Lalomanu) and Ammon Apiata (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Koata) from the University of Waikato. Wanda and Ammon are working to draw attention to early 20th century Indigenous textual archives as contested sites of investigation, celebration and innovation. Their research aims to reawaken Indigenous writing, knowledge and histories. The Moana Oceania Award, with a prize of $2000, has been won by Emma Powell of Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka. Emma’s research focuses on the genealogical practices of Cook Islands Māori people. She studies the everyday lives of Cook Islands Māori people to explore how ‘akapa’anga, or genealogy, is used and understood.

The People’s Choice Award, with a $2000 prize, went to Dr Fahimi Ali of Weltec. Fahimi studies how people with disaster experience assess and decide the accuracy of information they receive and to whom the information is relevant.

The competition is sponsored by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Royal Society Te Apārangi.

VIEW WINNING VIDEOS

bit.ly/2020HL-42