Te Aka Tauira Issue - Four 2022

Issue 4

Te Aka Tauira

Inside: Four generations of women Ones to Watch: Anika Perenara Being fashion forward

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A note from Student Health

Flu season > Keeping yourself and others safe With influenza making its way through the community, it’s important to look after yourself and stay home if you’re unwell. Other things to do while resting at home with the flu: » Stay hydrated to replace fluids lost through illness » Drink mostly water and avoid caffeinated or alcoholic drinks as these can aid dehydration

June News This issue: » Taking opera to the next level » Solving the fast fashion problem » Pics of the month » Four generations of women » Ones to Watch: Anika

» Eat only light foods when hungry

» Study tips

» Shower and bathe regularly and keep bedding clean

» Biomedical scholarship for a bright future

Influenza is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not help.

Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to help relieve fever, body aches and headache.

» Feed my flat

If you have any of the symptoms below, seek immediate medical attention: » A high fever that doesn’t come down, especially if you are pregnant » Chills or severe shaking » Difficulty breathing or chest pain

» Key dates and events Cover image: Graduation processions brought joy to Dunedin streets throughout the month of May

In other news:

» Purple or bluish discoloration of lips, fingers, or toes » Seizures or convulsions » Signs of other serious conditions, such as meningococcal disease Important points of contact: Student Health: phone 0800 479 821, open Mon-Fri 8.30am- 8.30 pm (Wed 9.45am opening) Healthline: nurse advice 24/7 phone 0800 611 116 Life threatening Emergencies: 111 Dunedin Urgent Doctor and Accident Centre: phone 479 2900, 18 Filleul Street, 8am-10pm

» What others don’t see » New Sexual Misconduct Action Response Team » North Dunedin street clean up » Te Kāhui Rangatahi o Taranaki ki Ōtepoti

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Taking opera to the next level Congratulations to Otago alumnus Ridge Ponini and current student Sarah Hubbard for reaching the semi-finals of the Lexus Song Quest. Ridge has an honour’s degree in Music and Sarah is studying for a Bachelor of Music.

In 2016 Sarah began singing with Opera Otago and has gone on to feature in several of their productions. She was the recipient of the Colin McDonald Memorial Prize in 2019 and 2021 for musical excellence at the University of Otago and will feature in New Zealand Opera’s 2022 production of Macbeth.

Since 2021 Sarah has been an alumnus of the New Zealand Opera School.

“I found out about getting into the Lexus semi-finals on my 21st birthday,which was a huge birthday treat! I cried tears of joy and immediately rang and notified everyone who had helped me get to this point,” Sarah says.

“The Lexus Song Quest is something I’ve been dreaming of for years as a young opera singer and making it into the semi-finals is like a dream come true. I am incredibly privileged to perform alongside some of New Zealand’s finest singers!”

Head of the School of Performing Arts Te Kāhui Tau Professor Anthony Ritchie says “the Lexus is Aotearoa’s premiere singing competition and a steppingstone for an international career. I am thrilled that Sarah and Ridge have made it to the semi-finals and wish them well. It’s a fine achievement and also a testament to their teachers, Tessa and Judy.”

“Making it into the semi-finals is like a dream come true.

I am incredibly privileged to sing alongside some of New Zealand’s finest singers.”

On 16 and 17 July the semi-finalists will compete for one of five places at the Grand Final Gala, which will be held on 23 July at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington.

Solving the fast fashion problem The World’s Challenge Challenge sees tertiary students from across the world competing for a top prize of $30,000.

The team representing Otago this year is made up of Law and Finance student Georgia Cleaver and Computer Science student Jacob Myron. The pair have decided to take on fast fashion as their topic and have been mentored

by Jude Chelliah.

“We chose fast fashion because of the serious environmental and social affects it has on the world,” Georgia says. “I don’t know it’s discussed as openly as it should be. We wanted to explore it deeper and see what options are available to help people avoid fast fashion. While there are some alternatives, they aren’t always convenient or affordable. We wanted to create an affordable, convenient way for people to get clothing sustainably and so we’re developing a business model.”

“This is a business plan we want to launch ourselves,” Jacob says. “We’ve just finished our branding and named the company The Loop. We quite often go into thrift stores and pick up pieces we would know sell better online and show thrift stores how their higher end items will do better this way.”

The World’s Challenge Challenge is an annual event open to current tertiary students from a select number of global universities.

PICS OF THE MONTH

SIX60 scholarship recipients sharing their music with the band

Families gather to celebrate at May graduation

The most recent SIX60 visit to mentor scholarship recipients

Have an image to show off?

Graduation celebrations were full of positive support

Send it to: communications@otago.ac.nz

Four generations of women through Otago’s doors Graduation is a special time and a rite of passage for many. Even

people’s experiences of family and sexual violence proceedings as a

more so when a family celebrates the first direct fourth-generation

team manager in the NZ Ministry of Justice.

graduate woman to pass through Otago’s doors.

“I am so proud to see Kes graduating from the University of Otago,

Kes Harris-Handscomb crossed the stage in early May collecting her

and so proud of my mother and my grandmother playing such a vital

degree and representing those who came before her, her mother

role in making tertiary education accessible to women.

Lison Harris, her grandmother Professor emerita Jocelyn Harris and her great-grandmother Margot Ross.

The

Bachelor

of

Science

student

Second-generation Professor emerita Jocelyn Harris graduated MA in 1961 before heading on a scholarship to Birkbeck College London

(Chemistry

and

Science

Communication) says that studying at Otago is “in the blood”.

to complete her PhD. “Back then only 2000 students attended Otago University rather

“This graduation feels very significant considering it’s also representing

than 20,000 now. So we got to know people in other faculties very

four generations of women. At the time when my great grandmother

well. End-of-year exams meant that we had more time for drama,

was studying it was very uncommon for women to achieve higher

music and other activities. Tertiary education was free, and student

education and that’s kind of a testament to the women in our family.

debt wasn’t an issue.”

We have strong beliefs that women can succeed in areas that may not have always welcomed them. That legacy also gave me an idea of what studying at Otago may be like as a progressive place to be.”

The Dunedin-born graduate has recently returned to Wellington for work but says Dunedin is still one of her homes.

“I’m in my third week at the Intellectual Property Office in Wellington, starting my job as an Associate Patent Examiner. My family lived in Hong Kong for a few years and I did my schooling in Wellington. I wanted to study at Otago to experience the student culture and Dunedin felt like the choice for me with family attending before me and more family still in the city.”

Kes was originally set to graduate last year but due to COVID-19 restrictions the ceremony didn’t go ahead. This time she graduated successfully in the presence of her mother and grandmother.

Third-generation Lison Harris gained her BA Hons Otago 1993, LLB Otago 1998, and LLM Hong Kong 2006. Now she works to improve

Jocelyn grew up in Dunedin. After eight years abroad, she returned to Otago where she taught at the University 1971 – 2005.

“I was always very interested in women writers. My Contemporary Women’s Literature course was especially exciting, because the books were fresh and new – we were pioneers discovering them for ourselves.

“I had a wonderful time teaching at Otago and met many magnificent women who have gone on to great things. They were fizzing with excitement and new ideas about literature.”

First-generation Margot Ross graduated MA Otago in 1934. The first woman to teach in the History Department, she continued to lecture and write about notable New Zealand women, local history, and international affairs for the rest of her life.

Women gained degrees for the first time in the British Empire, right here in Dunedin, says Jocelyn. “The way has been paved by women such as my mother, down through the generations.”

STUDY TIPS FOR NEWBIES June Study Tips

Ones to Watch: Anika Anika Moana Kite Perenara is the recipient of a scholarship for Māori students in their second year of the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme.

Anika says she has always aspired to a career in healthcare and has a strong focus on improving health outcomes for Māori. She intends on continuing postgraduate study in pharmacy before pursuing a career as a prescribing pharmacist.

She hopes to be part of solving the lack of representation she sees in the pharmacy profession, particularly pertaining to Māori.

“This lack of representation has created a disconnect between cultures within this profession and the lack of a sufficient understanding is problematic, especially when translated into direct patient-pharmacist interactions,” Anika says.

“I believe it is imperative that a patient’s cultural background and beliefs are not only acknowledged but readily incorporated into the treatment and the services provided to them.”

Anika was born in Oamaru before moving to Dunedin where she grew up, her family also has ties to Matata. Prior to studying at Otago she attended Otago Girls.

“I am grateful to say that I have many inspirational figures in my life who encourage me to strive and offer endless support in whichever journey I choose to take. My parents have always provided a safe and supportive environment for me to make my own decisions and they invest so much of their own time into helping me achieve my goals.

“My Pop is someone who I probably look up to the most.

He is an extremely knowledgeable and skilful man who would never skip the opportunity to learn something new.

His patience and determination towards problem solving is very admirable. He strives to learn new things to help others, which is one of the many traits that I aspire to 6 possess,” says Anika.

Exam prep

It’s exam time already. As you prepare for your final assessments, take a minute to reflect on how studying and revising can support your goals. We’ve put together an onthe-day exam checklist for those required to sit their exams at home. » Check you have everything in place to sit your exam in your space » Put an “In Exam” sign on the door » Get rid of all distractions (shut the curtains, have a clear desk except for the resources you are allowed, put your phone on flight mode) » Have your permitted resources ready and available. If allowed, also have paper and pen ready to draw and make notes as you read the question to help organise your ideas » Re-read the instructions for the exam » If you need to download your exam or sit your exam online at a specific time, log on to the site at least 10 minutes before the set time to check everything works » Close all unnecessary tabs on your internet browser before starting the exam » Get your timer sorted with an alarm set to go off 15 minutes before the time is up » Have the AskOtago number (0800 80 80 98 or 03 479 7000) handy for any computer, internet or exam issues To find out more about preparing for an sitting your exams, check out our website.

Need Support?

The University COVID-19 website can answer your questions on life at University, staying safe in Red and ways to keep busy in self-isolation.

Visit us online to find out more.

Ones to Watch: Tithi The Biomedical Sciences programme awarded seven Elizabeth Jean Trotter Scholarships this year, contributing towards the tuition fees of high-achieving and well-rounded students.

Tithi Gandhi (BBiomedSc(Hons), Charlotte Blakey (Functional Human Biology major), Rose Harper (Infection and Immunity major), Flynn Macredie (Infection and Immunity major), Greta McClean (Functional Human Biology major) and Katya Sewell (Drugs and Human Health major) were the award recipients in the School of Biomedical Sciences.

“One student ate raw bacon for a few weeks.”

“The defining quality of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences is that it is interdisciplinary in nature, with students being able to select papers from multiple departments,” Associate Professor Liz Ledgerwood, the Director of the programme, says.

One of the recipients, Tithi Gandhi, is currently doing her Honours project in the Anatomy Department under the guidance of Associate Professor Megan Wilson.

A dinner party with friends and parents was the catalyst for Human Nutrition research assistant Kimberly Ti’s idea of Feed My Flat food bags for students.

“I received the Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences at the end of my undergraduate degree (BBiomedSc), where I majored in Reproduction, Genetics and Development,” Tithi says.

Kimberly recalls it was the reminiscing and sharing of flat cooking horror stories that provided the lightbulb moment.

“I had decided to pursue a postgraduate Honours degree under the supervision of Associate Professor Wilson because I wanted to experience doing hands-on research in developmental biology and epigenetics, fields that deeply fascinate me.”

“There were so many stories, such as the flatmate who put dried macaroni with cheese on top straight into the oven because he didn’t know the macaroni had to be boiled first. Or the one who ate raw bacon for a few weeks because he didn’t realise it needed to be cooked. I can still remember how much my tummy hurt from laughing.”

Fast forward several months and this week Feed My Flat, a non-profit food bag initiative, has officially launched.

Packed and dispatched from a sixth floor office in the Department of Human Nutrition, the week’s food bag consists of ingredients to whip up beef stroganoff, Brazilian chicken curry and pork mince soft tacos.

Receiving this scholarship has meant a great deal to her because it has given her the financial support she needed as an international student to do postgraduate studies.

“It has greatly motivated me to continue working hard and learning what I love,” Tithi says.

“In the future, I plan on pursuing research as a career and joining other like-minded people on the forefront of discovery.”

Sustainable and nutritional handy tips are posted on the Instagram account FeedMyFlat, which stars Human Nutrition staff sharing handy tips such as how to wash leeks, efficiently crush stock cubes, or chop an onion and not bawl your eyes out.

“We are hoping Feed My Flat will shape students’ future nutritional behaviour, and also the people around them when they leave the university, such as their whānau, friends and flatmates. And hopefully this will mean the end of uncooked macaroni being served up to flatmates!”

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KEY DATES & EVENTS June | Pipiri 03

Lectures end

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Queen’s Birthday

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Susty Bike Grab

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Exams begin

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Matariki Market

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Matariki

July | Hōngongoi 11

Semester 2 begins

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Last day to delete papers

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Dunedin Tertiary Open Days

Recurring Events Diversion Day Lunchtime Theatre Lunchtime Concerts

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