Community Science Projects Funded in South Auckland   19 Jul 2016

The pool of next-generation STEM-thinkers in South Auckland grows!
Community Science Projects Funded in South Auckland

July 19th, 2016

New, collaborative, community-driven, science projects are getting underway in South Auckland this month.

COMET Auckland, the organisation managing SouthSci, which is an initiative funded under government’s ‘Nation of Curious Minds’ strategy, have announced eight new Participatory Science projects to be funded as part of the initiative, in the South Auckland pilot region.

SouthSci project manager Dr Sarah Morgan says the Participatory Science projects are providing an excellent way to meet the aim of engaging local communities with science and technology.

“This year’s projects will welcome new communities to the SouthSci whanau, as well as see current ones grow, and open doors to exciting new science fields to complement the six excellent inaugural projects we funded last year”

“The new projects show how engaged in science South Auckland is getting – we have students aiming to help solve the housing and homelessness crises, communities passionate about restoring their land and awa, and groups interested in kai and exercise at school – all topics interesting and relevant to our communities”

The Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Sir Peter Gluckman, says he is delighted to see this second phase of the Participatory Science Platform (PSP) get underway in the South Auckland region.

“This new group of projects has brought new communities, new industries and new research institutions into the PSP and it is encouraging to see the relationships and networks growing,” Sir Peter says.

The eight projects have been awarded up to $20,000 each. They are:

1. Unitec with Dawson, Bairds & Rongomai primary schools looking at weta on school grounds, & DNA sequencing of their poo!

2. Rongomai Primary with the Liggins Institute (University of Auckland) analysing and re-designing their morning fitness programme

3. Manurewa High School working with the Liggins Institute (University of Auckland) looking at exercise for reducing diabetes risk

4. Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae and Koru Primary in collaboration with Sustainable Coastlines, analysing the distribution and type of litter, and marine-litter origins

5. Conifer Grove School and Food Scientists investigating healthy food consumption in their school, and artificial food additives

6. Aorere College and Wai Care investigating macroinvertebrate species diversity in soft and hard-bottomed local awa

7. Te Wharekura o Manurewa and Waikato University investigating water quality in the Puhinui awa and its effect on marine organisms

8. Alfriston College investigating the use of waste materials as sustainable building resources

ENDS

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