Ian will explore the chemical interactions between toxic chemicals and biological systems. He’ll illustrate his talk with his research on the fumigant methyl bromide – a banned pesticide still used in NZ – and its health implications, the estrogen receptor and molecules that mimic its natural ligand 17β-estradiol and their implications for breast cancer, and androgens as drivers of prostate cancer cell growth and development. He’ll finish his talk with a brief foray into some of the molecules that you might prefer not to encounter in your food.

Mātauranga Māori in the classroom
Teachers are facing the challenge of teaching mātauranga in their classrooms. Some teachers may feel unqualified or that they do not have the knowledge to teach mātauranga. While this workshop will not be able to assure teachers that they will be provided with the resources, support, and subject knowledge to alleviate these concerns, I can give teachers a background understanding of mātauranga Māori. We can then attempt to answer some of your questions and perhaps formulate concrete strategies that will help you get what you need.I will give a brief 20-minute introduction to the mātauranga Māori world view focusing on how we teach and learn in Te Ao Māori. Then we can open the floor to discussion and questions that you may have.

Fluorescent Rocks and Minerals: A (hopefully) Illuminating Talk…
Some rocks and minerals are responsive to ultra-violet (UV) light, showing some rather interesting reactions. In this talk I will briefly explain the phenomenon of fluorescence and phosphorescence, and discuss some of the properties of minerals that cause them to glow. Illustrative examples of different processes will (hopefully) be incorporated in the talk using rock from around the world.

When young people consider subjects to take at school,  science seems to lag for many. One reason could be the lack of visibility of the amazing science based careers - which aren't just working in a lab or being a teacher. NZ has a growing agritech sector which relies on highly skilled, technical workers. This sector develops technology to support farmers be more efficient (like Halter, the cow collars) or downstream automation (like Robotics Plus apple packing). The agritech sphere has some great companies in NZ - both large and well-established and start-ups and everything in between. Careers that often have a very strong impact in the environment and communities, as well as being tech-focused. Finding ways to encourage all young people, and particularly young women, get involved is essential.

Forest restoration has been a key part of the development of the Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park for the last 26 years. Starting with a 200 Ha block of recovering farmland, hundreds of volunteers set about planting the native seedlings supplied to them by the local Council nursery. However, while the original forest was mixed podocarp-broadleaf forest, the seedlings supplied included very few podocarps and nearby seed sources are extremely limited. A flexible approach was taken to eco-sourcing, and the volunteer support group, the Makara Peak Supporters, purchased hundreds of podocarps from private nurseries. 

After twenty years, a survey of all podocarp saplings in the park was completed, leading to some casual observations of where different species were thriving. This was followed up with a science fair project by one of the youngest volunteers in 2019, and planting podocarps with renewed vigour from 2020. A follow-up survey was completed in 2023. The results of these surveys and innovative planting strategies will be discussed.

Decarbonising the Zinc Recycling Industry 
Zincovery’s ambition is to decarbonize the zinc recycling industry with our innovative process. This workshop will cover how Zincovery utilizes electrolysis, redox reactions, and precipitation to produce recycled zinc with a significantly lower environmental impact. These are all fundamental concepts taught in the high school chemistry curriculum, and this presentation will illustrate their role in solving real-world industrial challenges. 

The workshop will also emphasize how New Zealand is becoming a global leader in clean technology innovation. Companies such as Lanzatech, Rocket Lab, Mint Innovation, Openstar, Fabrum, Aspiring Materials, Geo40, and Zincovery, are developing better technologies for industries ranging from space exploration to renewable energy. These companies provide young New Zealanders who love science with exciting career opportunities in fields that will shape the future. By discussing the connections between science education and industry, this session aims to inspire teachers to encourage the next generation of scientists and engineers to pursue careers in these innovative sectors. 

Magforming Chemistry for A Sustainable Future
Imagine using children's magnetic building toys to inspire groundbreaking solutions for climate change and clean energy. These molecules serve as building blocks for constructing 3D networks filled with empty spaces, much like a molecular-scale apartment complex. We call these structures Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs). These fascinating materials act like microscopic sponges, capable of capturing and storing gases. 

Our research focuses on harnessing the power of MOFs and COFs to tackle two critical environmental challenges:
- Capturing methane, a potent greenhouse gas
- Storing hydrogen, a promising clean energy source

By bridging the gap between everyday objects and cutting-edge science, we hope to inspire your students to see the extraordinary potential in the world around them.

A damaged Earth but not a broken one: The case for urgent optimism with no room for complacency
The news is depressing with endless reports about the multiple existential threats faced by humans in the 21st century. In this presentation I’ll provide a brief description of the current status of the human induced climate crisis followed by my observations of the extraordinary progress being made towards sustainability with advances in disruptive technology including renewable energy, transport and agriculture. We dare not give into hopelessness especially when dealing with young people. Yes, we are facing a gigantic problem of our own making yet I remain optimistic: There is a case for urgent optimism, but with no room for complacency.  

From Gondwanan origins to poster children of dispersal: demystifying the new Level One Kiwi Genetics standard (CB1.3)
In this workshop I’ll take you through how our understanding of ratite evolution has changed with scientific advances in palaeontology, genetics and phylogenetics (building evolutionary trees), and well as demystifying common misunderstandings and the confusingly named “gene tracking methodologies”.

Supporting Pacific students into science: Learning from the voices of Pacific boys
In this session, Dr Martyn Reynolds will present some results of two research endeavours looking at the education of Pacific students in Aotearoa New Zealand. From the first, Pacific students’ ideas about success and thoughts about helpful teacher behaviour emerge. The Pacific boys involved offer ways of thinking about what teachers can do on a daily basis to construct more invitational classroom approaches. The second research features the successful science journeys of two Pacific boys. Their stories shed light on the kinds of realities experienced by some Pacific students and encourage teachers to pause for thought as a strategy when trying to be successful science teachers of Pacific students.Dr Martyn Reynolds was a teacher for 35+ years in the UK, PNG, Tonga and Aotearoa New Zealand. Since ‘retiring’ from the classroom he has continued to pursue ways of supporting teachers to create well-configured relational environments for Pacific students. He believes the best teachers are the best learners, and a good way to learn to improve Pacific education is to form close empathetic relationships with Pacific people, listening carefully and watching deliberately. 

Harnessing the power of the immune system – the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research
The Malaghan Institute of Medical Research is a charity, and New Zealand’s largest, independent medical research institute. We research to understand how to use the immune system to fight disease and how to develop new immunotherapies to effectively treat disease. Our work encompasses fundamental, translational and clinical research and focusses on cancer, infectious disease and inflammation. Two recent examples of our research are our CAR T therapy for B cell lymphoma which is currently in Phase 2 clinical testing and our COVID-19 protein-sub unit vaccine.Dr Kjesten Wiig is Deputy Director of the Institute and has a background in small molecule drug discovery for neuropsychiatric disease. In this talk, Kjesten will share some highlights from her career in the United States, as well as present some high- level data on Malaghan research projects.