The scholar who created a world-class music school The University of Canterbury’s School of Music’s public-facing and performance activities moved in 2017 to UC’s original campus, now the Christchurch Arts Centre, when the old Chemistry Building came up for lease. Firstly, the school needed a leader who could modernise and revise its curriculum to align…
Author: University of Canterbury
The scholar who created a world-class music school
The scholar who created a world-class music school in post-quake Christchurch The University of Canterbury’s School of Music’s public-facing and performance activities moved in 2017 to UC’s original campus, now the Christchurch Arts Centre, when the old Chemistry Building came up for lease. Firstly, the school needed a leader who could modernise and revise its…
How to keep COVID-19 at bay during the summer holidays — and help make travel bubbles a reality in 2021
How to keep COVID-19 at bay during the summer holidays — and help make travel bubbles a reality in 2021 University of Canterbury academics Michael Plank and Alex James say with the summer holidays about to begin, we need to remain vigilant to keep COVID-19 at bay in The Conversation. But as the prime minister…
UC equips environmental scientists to make a difference
UC equips environmental scientists to make a difference In a first for Aotearoa New Zealand, the University of Canterbury (UC) is offering a new four-year degree to upskill environmental scientists during a time of rising concern about climate change. UC’s Director of Environmental Science Professor Sally Gaw says environmental scientists are needed to step up…
Award-winning project launches UC graduate’s career
Award-winning project launches UC graduate’s career An award-winning project into the 3D visualisation of an aerospace launch vehicle has launched University of Canterbury (UC) graduate Flynn Doherty’s career with leading aerospace manufacturer and satellite launch company Rocket Lab. Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Engineering, Professor Jan Evans-Freeman presented software engineering student, Flynn Doherty with the People’s Choice Award…
Canterbury Distinguished Professor Roy Kerr gives Black Hole lecture via Zoom
Canterbury Distinguished Professor Roy Kerr gives Black Hole lecture via Zoom The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is awarding the Oskar Klein Medal to the University of Canterbury’s renowned Canterbury Distinguished Professor Roy Kerr. Canterbury Distinguished Professor Roy Kerr is an eminent mathematician, known internationally for discovering the Kerr solution, an exact solution to the…
Marine protection falls short of the 2020 target, a UN treaty and lessons from Antartica could help
Marine protection falls short of the 2020 target, a UN treaty and lessons from Antartica could help World leaders pledged to establish a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) with the goal to protect 10% of the world’s oceans by 2020, but MPAs only cover 7.66% of the ocean across the globe. University of Canterbury’s…
Kate Sheppard House of “plots and schemes” opens as a public museum
Kate Sheppard House of “plots and schemes” opens as a public museum The Ilam house where pioneering suffragist Kate Sheppard lived and worked during her years of activism has been officially opened by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today. The Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hopes the house will be an ongoing source of inspiration into the…
Conclusion of review into published article Holding a Pen in One Hand, Gripping a Gun in the Other
Conclusion of review into published article Holding a Pen in One Hand, Gripping a Gun in the Other UC statement about the review responding to complaints about published article Holding a Pen in One Hand, Gripping a Gun in the Other. In response to these complaints, UC initiated a review process in accordance with our…
Record number of Canterbury students gear up to graduate
Record number of Canterbury students gear up to graduate Thousands of University of Canterbury (UC) students will fill central Christchurch for graduation processions, ceremonies and celebrations next week. The upcoming graduations will be the largest in the university’s 147-year history, with six end-of-year graduation ceremonies and two separate celebration events to be held at the…
Graduation hits the right note for Christchurch music veteran
Graduation hits the right note for Christchurch music veteran An 82-year-old composer will cap off a career of making and sharing music by graduating with a rare postgraduate degree from the University of Canterbury (UC). He’ll receive a Doctor of Music (MusD) at the Christchurch Town Hall to add to his Master of Music degree…
This uncertain world is our curriculum: tertiary education meets social activism
This uncertain world is our curriculum: tertiary education meets social activism What a few years it has been for young people demonstrating leadership on a global scale. Issues such as gun violence (March for Our Lives), climate change (Strike 4 Climate), and social justice (Black Lives Matter) have all profiled youth taking action for a…
Leading publisher on NZ culture to receive UC honorary doctorate
Leading publisher on NZ culture to receive UC honorary doctorate Prolific author, editor and curator Dr Peter Simpson, who has written and edited over 20 books celebrating this country’s art, literature and cultural history, will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) from the University of Canterbury (UC) at a graduation ceremony on 18…
Whānau focus for PhD graduate
Whānau focus for PhD graduate Studying at UC is a family affair for Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll and her two eldest sons. Annabel (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu) has balanced lecturing in Māori Health at UC, studying, training as a body builder, and parenting three sons – two of whom are also UC students. Annabel…
New graduate to inspire creativity in the next generation
New graduate to inspire creativity in the next generation UC graduate Rebecca Mcleod has landed one of the few full-time art teaching roles in Ōtautahi Christchurch in a highly competitive employment market. Rebecca McLeod graduated from UC with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (major in Painting) and a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education Rebecca says…
UC’s virtual graduates get to celebrate IRL in record-breaking graduation week
UC’s virtual graduates get to celebrate IRL in record-breaking graduation week The University of Canterbury (UC) is hosting two special Graduation Celebrations on Monday 14 December for hundreds of graduates who missed out on graduating in person in April and again in September when a special Graduation event was postponed due to the pandemic lockdown…
UC graduate and serial entrepreneur taking on the crypto world
UC graduate and serial entrepreneur taking on the crypto world Opportunity is everywhere if you are willing to grab it. For University of Canterbury (UC) student Charlie Kavanagh, who is graduating this week, UC has provided a number of opportunities for him to flex his entrepreneurial muscle and broaden his horizons with international travel. “I…
Design and chemistry make perfect potion for new UC graduate
Design and chemistry make perfect potion for new UC graduate Making skincare lotions and cosmetic creations for local and international markets is a way for Erin Chisnall to combine her skills as a chemist with her flair for design. Her graduation ceremony is this week but she is already working part-time at Peerage Products, a…
Aiming for the stars with double degree in science and arts
Aiming for the stars with double degree in science and arts At the age of 18, Hinerangi Curtis embarked on a five-year journey to achieve an ambitious goal: to complete a double degree – BSc/BA – majoring in Astronomy and Māori studies/te reo Māori at the University of Canterbury. “I chose the University of Canterbury…
Top freshwater scientist named as UC’s 2020 emerging career researcher
Top freshwater scientist named as UC’s 2020 emerging career researcher Dr Jonathan Tonkin, from the University of Canterbury (UC)’s School of Biological Sciences, has won the University’s 2020 Early and Emerging Career Researcher Award in recognition of his outstanding research contribution over the past decade. Globally, he is recognised both for his theoretical work…
UC’s first Doctor of Education returns to Te Arawa roots to graduate
UC’s first Doctor of Education returns to Te Arawa roots to graduate The University of Canterbury’s (UC) first Doctor of Education graduate will receive his qualification in his home town of Rotorua today. For his doctorate, Karaka-Clarke explored the challenge of incorporating Taha wairua (spiritual health), one of the four pillars of the Māori health…
Major step for Kiwi 3-D body scanner that could revolutionise medicine
Major step for Kiwi 3-D body scanner that could revolutionise medicine The ground-breaking MARS Bioimaging scanner, a revolutionary 3-D X-ray machine invented in Ōtautahi Christchurch, will undergo its first ‘real-world’ clinical trials early next year. It’s the latest development for this exciting kiwi initiative from UC and Otago Professors [and father and son scientists] Phil…
UC Writers in Residence 2021: Vana Manasiadis and Behrouz Boochani
UC Writers in Residence 2021: Vana Manasiadis and Behrouz Boochani The University of Canterbury’s Ursula Bethell Writers in Residence for 2021 have been announced. Behrouz Boochani (seen here with Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Professor Catherine Moran) will be one of the writers in residence hosted in UC Arts in 2021, which he describes as providing “precious…
Record number of taiohi Māori prepare for their journey to higher education
Record number of taiohi Māori prepare for their journey to higher education A record number of taiohi (young) Māori from schools across Ōtautahi Christchurch took part in science experiments, tested their Law knowledge and played Arts bingo in an interactive day designed to inspire students to further their study. UC’s annual Aukaha Tau 10 event…
Helping children read and succeed earns top award for UC researcher
Helping children read and succeed earns top award for UC researcher Decades of work aimed at improving children’s learning success and wellbeing has earned Professor Gail Gillon the University of Canterbury’s (UC) highest research honour. Professor Gail Gillon (Ngai Tahu iwi), founding Director of the UC Child Wellbeing Research Institute and an international leader in…
Sustainable burials – is water cremation the answer?
Sustainable burials – is water cremation the answer? As the shift towards sustainability continues, it is causing us to reflect not only on how we live but also how we dispose of our dead. UC Associate Professor Ruth McManus recently e-presented a paper called ‘The Sustainable Dead’ at an international ‘Death and Culture’ conference organised…
UC mentoring provides a springboard for Linwood College students
UC mentoring provides a springboard for Linwood College students A mentoring collaboration programme is enabling a smooth transition for students to tertiary education at Ōtautahi Christchurch’s Linwood College. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic | Tumu Tuarua Akoranga Professor Catherine Moran says the aim of UC’s mentoring collaboration pilot is to widen secondary school students’ understanding of tertiary…
Record numbers for Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University Graduation 2020
Record numbers for Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University Graduation 2020 A record number of tamariki have graduated from Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University over two nights of celebrations recognising their achievements in 2020. Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University 2020 graduates. The graduation to celebrate the achievements of Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s…
Challenge to accelerate innovation in the food, fibre and agritech sector
Challenge to accelerate innovation in the food, fibre and agritech sector The need for transformative innovation in the food, fibre and agritech sector is at the core of the latest Supernode Challenge which is now open to applications. With a total prize pool of $130,000, the Challenge is looking for ideas that are transformative and…
New music festival celebrates inspirations and challenges of lockdown
New music festival celebrates inspirations and challenges of lockdown Aotearoa New Zealand musicians who composed new work during lockdown are delighted to be able to play their music together at University of Canterbury’s (UC) mini-festival of Unexpected Musical Celebrations on 8 and 9 December. UC music performance and composition student Luka Reardon is looking forward…