Supporting research, science and Technology in the Wellington Region
Beatrice Tinsley (1941 - 1981) - New Zealand
Astronomer and Cosmologist
NEWS ON 6 June 2024
We have a wonderful series of lectures for 2024. You can download the schedule here.
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi Joint Public Lecture
On Thursday 27 June at 6.00 pm the Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi will host a free public lecture. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterward. Please come along. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Thursday 27 June 2024
6.00 - 7.00 pm at lecture theatre LBLT118, Laby Building, Victoria University of Wellington.
SURFACE TEMPERATURE TRENDS AND VARIABILITY IN NEW ZEALAND AND SURROUNDING OCEANS 1870-2024 AND BEYOND
Dr. Jim Salinger, Victoria University of Wellington
Surface temperatures in the New Zealand region, including land and sea, from instrumental temperature measurements have increased rapidly in recent decades. This huge area of 4 million sq km shows an increase of over 0.7°C from 1871 - 2024. Future warming from the late 19th century is projected to be 3°C by 2100.
The principal cause of these increases is the dramatic increase in greenhouse gases from human sources. However, significant variability can occur from year to year, and between decades, from natural causes. Six significant volcanic eruptions have caused temporary cooling, whereas positive episodes in the Southern Annular Mode, when westerly winds strengthen over the Southern Oceans, cause warning. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) causes swings between cooler El Niño and warmer La Niña periods of climate. Overall anthropogenic warming signals from greenhouse increases are projected to cause further warming during this century.
Brief Biography
Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year, Dr. Jim Salinger has devoted his research career to climate change and variability, including first uncovering warming in New Zealand in the 1970s. He contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change winning the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Winner of international and overseas awards, Jim is based at Victoria University of Wellington, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science.
A distinguished international climate scientist, he has dedicated almost fifty years to advancing climate science. Recognised as one of the first scientists to address global warming, his pioneering work in 1975 marked the inception of a remarkable career. Jim’s contributions include ground-breaking research on Southern Hemisphere climate change, earning him the prestigious New Zealand Science and Technology Medal in 1994. With over 190 publications and counting, Jim is an influential communicator on climate change, addressing audiences nationwide.
He was a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. More recently, Jim has garnered multiple accolades, including the 2018 World Meteorological Organization Award and the 2019 Jubilee Medal, in recognition of his lifetime achievements in climate and agricultural science. Today, he remains an advocate for environmental responsibility, offering practical advice through talks around the country and is a founding member of the intergenerational ambassadors – a collective looking to unite New Zealanders across the generations for positive change.
We hope to see you there.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi Joint Public Lecture
On Wednesday 26 June at 6.00 pm the Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi will host a free public lecture. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterwards. Please come along. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Wednesday 26 June 6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises, 11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington
Mass extinctions, the Earth System, and the importance of preserving the planet’s biodiversity
Mike Hannah, Adjunct Professor - School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington
Hardly a day goes by where there isn’t a media report of a species under threat of extinction or, in fact, going extinct. As species are being driven to extinction many consider that today’s biodiversity crisis is the beginning of a mass extinction event similar to those recorded in the fossil record. But is that the case? How close are we to events where up to 96% of species went extinct? In this lecture I want to set today’s human-induced biotic crisis into its historical setting. How do today’s extinction rates compare with the ancient extinction events? What triggered the ancient events? Is something similar happening today?
To answer these questions and more, we need to discuss the planet’s life support system, the Earth System. This autonomous system attempts to both maintain the planet’s climate in a more-or-less stable equilibrium and ensure that the climate is suitable for the continuation of life on Earth. It is, I believe, the key to understanding both the ancient mass extinction and today’s biodiversity crisis.
We hope to see you there.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
Biography
Mike completed his doctorate at Adelaide University, specializing in palaeontology and biostratigraphy, using microfossils to examine climate changes in the Indian Ocean region leading up to the mass extinction that ended the Cretaceous. Following his PhD research, he spent a number of years with ESSO Australia Ltd, studying microfossils from oil exploration wells located across Australia.
In the early nineties he joined Victoria University as a lecturer in biostratigraphy. At Victoria, he was fortunate to be involved in two major Antarctic drilling projects investigating the history of the Antarctic ice sheets. His book, Extinctions – living and dying in the margin of error, published by Cambridge University Press, was nominated as one of Nature’s top five books of the week where it was described as a 'measured, thought-provoking analysis.' It was also awarded ‘Outstanding Academic Title’ in the 2022 Choice Awards, from the American Library Association’s (ALA) prestigious annual list.
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch, in association with the Royal Society Te Apārangi, presents a free public lecture.
The Royal Society - a cider-making club?
Dr Trevor Fitzjohn ONZM
Wednesday 22 May 2024
6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises,
11 Turnbull St, Thorndon, Wellington
The Royal Society London was formed on November 28, 1660, when 12 men met after a lecture by Christopher Wren (then professor of astronomy at Gresham College in London) and resolved to set up “a College for the promoting of Physico-Mathematicall Experimentall Learning.” Those present included Robert Boyle, Bishop John Wilkins, Sir Robert Moray and William, second Viscount Brouncker, who was to become the Royal Society’s first president.
Robert Boyle joined in 1663 and, in letters from 1646 and 1647, Boyle refers to "our invisible college" or "our philosophical college. The “Wadham”, also called the Oxford Philosophical Club, consisted of savants interested in experimental philosophy. The group included Christopher Merret and involved many doctors, including William Harvey.
Cider was a useful vehicle for scientific research, studying the ways of God, and was explored by these natural philosophers or early scientists (the word had not yet been invented). God is revealed in the growing of the apple trees and continued by Man in the manufacture of Cider. Hence, its early prominence. As the science became more scientific and less theological, cider-making ceased to be mentioned after about 1700, together with other observations - such as Silas Taylor’s method of catching rattlesnakes with a cleft stick!
“Pomona” (a large cider treatise) is an addendum to John Evelyn’s book, “Sylva”, which was the first book published by the Royal Society and is a collection of letters and essays on cider-making. It is an extensive resource of that time.
Collated by John Beale following the Trades programme of the Royal Society, the project was begun in 1662. Not only was the knowledge of cider-making published, but the key members, Beale Oldenburgh, Moray Evelyn Neile and Merrett, all grew orchards and swapped grafts of desirable cultivars. Robert Hooke even invented a new cider mill for the project. Of course, Issac Newton “invented gravity after watching an apple fall”.
We hope to see you there. If you wish to attend more such interesting lectures and discussions about important issues, please join the Wellington Branch.
You can join though our website and you will be very welcome.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
Biography of Trevor Fitzjohn
Dr Trevor Fitzjohn ONZM is a retired radiologist from Pacific Radiology in Wellington. Graduating in medicine from Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 1978, he studied Radiology and arrived in Wellington in 1986. Frustrated by the lack of new radiology techniques, he founded Wakefield Radiology, with co-conspirator, Dr Richard Feltham, to bring MRI PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) and PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography) to Wellington - achievements recognised in his award of ONZM. Applying his scientific knowledge and historical research to cider-making on his land in the Wairarapa, he has researched the early decades of the Royal Society and its own role in cider-making.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi Joint Public Lecture on Wednesday 8 May at 6.00 pm.
The Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi will host a free public lecture, in conjunction with the Wellington Astronomical Society. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterward. Please come along. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Wednesday 8 May 2024 6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises, 11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington Adventures in astronomy
Dr Ian Griffin
Since his arrival in Dunedin in 2013, Ian Griffin has been obsessed with the aurora australis. On clear nights, he can often be found on the back bays of the Otago Peninsula in pursuit of the aurora's elusive glow. Ian's passion for the southern lights has led him to embark on many adventures, including chartering Air New Zealand airliners to fly thousands of kilometres south of Aotearoa deep into the southern auroral zone. Despite being cautioned for speeding during the best auroral display of the past ten years, Ian's dedication to this fascinating natural phenomenon remains unwavering. Through his stories and pictures, Ian will share the highs and lows of his secret life as an aurora addict. David Lillis Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
Our first Wellington Branch lecture for 2024 was held on Wednesday 27 March at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises, 11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington
Navigating the relationships between science and traditional knowledge systems: lessons from Japan.
Anthony Masamu Poole, Professor School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland
Like the debate that is happening today in New Zealand, Japan has had to reconcile traditions and traditional knowledge with scientific ideas. Professor Poole spoke of similarities between Japanese and Māori culture and recounted key episodes in Japan’s journey from ‘Sakoku’ (closed country) to a modern scientific nation. He discussed examples of how traditional knowledge in Japan has inspired scientific research, and spoke of the challenges that emerge when science and culture interact. He shared lessons that New Zealand might draw from Japan’s path to becoming a global science powerhouse. Photographs of Professor Poole’s lecture are given below.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
DOCUMENTS FROM THE 2023 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ARE BELOW:
DOWNLOAD THE MINUTES OF THE 2023 AGM HERE
DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA FOR THE 2023 AGM HERE
DOWNLOAD THE MINUTES OF OUR LAST AGM HERE
DOWNLOAD THE PRESIDENT’S REPORT HERE
DOWNLOAD OUR 2023 ANNUAL REPORT HERE
DOWNLOAD THE 2023 REVIEWER’S REPORT HERE
Royal Society of New Zealand Wellington Branch Hudson Lecture
On Wednesday 25 October at 6.00 pm the Royal Society of New Zealand Wellington Branch will host its 2023 Hudson Lecture. This is a free public lecture on quantum computing. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterward. We will also hold our brief Annual General Meeting that evening. Please come along. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Wednesday 25 October 2023
6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society of New Zealand premises, 11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington
An Evening with Quantum Computing
Professor Michele Governale, Victoria University of Wellington
Quantum mechanics has been a long-standing source of fascination and paradoxes. It is the quantum nature of matter particles that allows quantum computers to be more efficient than their classical counterparts for certain tasks as, for example, physics simulations. The idea to exploit quantum systems for simulating nature was first proposed by the great physicist, Richard Feynman, in the early 1980s.
Since then, there has been constant progress in the theory of quantum information. Once quantum algorithms can run on large-scale fault-tolerant quantum hardware, they can be employed to speed-up drug design, portfolio optimisation in finance, and quantum machine learning, to mention just a few applications. On the other hand, it has only recently become possible to create and manipulate individual quantum states with sufficient precision to realise quantum processors. However, these processors are still affected by noise in their operations and contain only a small number of quantum bits up to few hundreds. The quantum hardware available today belongs to the stage in the quantum-technology roadmap known as Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ).
In this lecture, Professor Governale will give a general introduction to quantum computers. He will discuss the physical phenomena that give quantum computers an advantage with respect to their classical counterparts and provide a brief overview of the physical realizations of current quantum hardware. Finally, he will speculate on the directions that quantum technologies might take in the near future.
We look forward to seeing you there.
David Lillis
Royal Society of New Zealand Wellington Branch
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and
the Royal Society Te Apārangi
Joint Public Lecture
On Wednesday 27 September at 6.00 pm the Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi will host a free public lecture. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterward. Please come along. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Wednesday 27 September 2023
6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises,
11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington
Dr. Kevin Faure, Stable Isotope Geochemist at GNS Science
The Auckland meteorite: revealing its composition and novel features
At 9:30 am on 12 June 2004, a 1.3kg rock crashed through the roof and into an Ellerslie family's living room, missing the owners and their grandchild, who had been playing on the couch only minutes before. Dr. Faure will describe the journey of sample access, classification and a novel feature of the meteorite called “Auckland”.
We hope to see you there.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and
the Royal Society Te Apārangi
Joint Public Lecture
On Wednesday 6 September at 6.00 pm the Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi will host a free public lecture. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterward. Please come along. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Wednesday 6 September 2023
6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises,
11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington
Developing a Nanotechnology to support
Green Ammonia Production
Dr Franck Natali is an Innovator Fellow at Breakthrough Energy
Download Dr. Natali’s Power Point here
Abstract
Transitioning the “Hard-to-Abate” sectors like aviation, shipping, steel, cement, fertilsers towards zero CO2 and greenhouse emissions has been extremely challenging. These sectors are the massive carbon emitters due to their enormous use of natural gases and crude fossil fuels. During this presentation, I will show how an opportunity suggested by bluesky research in materials science and physics and lab bench results opened a universal opportunity to decarbonise the industrial production of ammonia. Ammonia has been widely used as a fertilizer for the last century, but now, it is seen as one of the most promising clean fuel sources for generating electricity and powering ships.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
Obituary for Ross Moore (1935 – 2023)
The Royal Society of New Zealand Wellington Branch was saddened to learn of the recent passing of Ross Moore, former Chief Executive of The Royal Society of New Zealand and, later, member of council of the Wellington Branch. Ross passed away after a long illness at Sevenoaks Hospital in Paraparaumu, on Friday 11 August 2023. He was 88 years of age.
I knew Ross is his roles as CEO and as council member, but will remember him more as a personal friend. He and I used to meet on a regular basis for coffee and discussions about science in New Zealand.
The Wellington Branch extends its condolences to all of the Moore family, including his wife, Gretchen, their daughters, Vicki and Robyn, and their son, Kelvin.
The online obituary for Ross can be found here:
https://www.legacy.com/nz/obituaries/dominion-post-nz/name/ross-moore-obituary?id=52703910
David Lillis
Download our 2023 Public Lecture schedule here:
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
the Royal Society Te Apārangi
Joint Public Lecture
On Wednesday 30 August at 6.00 pm the Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch and the Royal Society Te Apārangi will host a free public lecture. We hope that you will attend and contribute to the discussion afterward. Please come along. This lecture will give you an opportunity to meet some of Wellington’s Islamic community and try out a little Islamic food. Full details of the lecture are given below.
Wednesday 30 August 2023
6.00 - 7.00 pm at the Royal Society Te Apārangi premises,
11 Turnbull St. Thorndon, Wellington
Medieval Muslim Scholars: Advancements in Astronomy, Timekeeping, and the Unique Hijri Calendar
Dr. Salman Ashraf
Abstract
During the Medieval period, Muslim scholars made significant contributions to various fields of scientific knowledge, particularly astronomy and mathematics. Muslim scholars drew inspiration from ancient Greek, Persian and Indian knowledge while pioneering new fields of study, such as algebra, chemistry, medicine, optics, and astronomy. This presentation highlights the exceptional achievements of Muslim astronomers, particularly in the development of planetary motion tables and innovative devices, such as astrolabes, quadrants, sextants, and clocks, which play vital roles in astronomical observations.
Timekeeping practices have been prevalent since ancient times, employing units such as day, solar year, and lunation. However, calendars have emerged as explicit systems for organising times and determining religious festivities. The Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri Calendar, has a distinct place in the history of timekeeping. Unlike other religious calendars that synchronise celebrations globally, the Islamic calendar holds an intriguing position to celebrate Muslim festivals on different days across the world.
Dr. Salman’s Biography
Dr. Salman Ashraf is a Remote Sensing Scientist at GNS Science. His area of expertise lies in processing aerial and satellite-borne multi-spectral and thermal images to understand, monitor and map natural Earth processes and resources. He graduated in Space Science in the mid-nineties from Pakistan and has since held a keen interest in mathematical astronomy and calculations to determine lunation, a building block of the Islamic calendar.
We hope to see you there.
David Lillis
Royal Society Te Apārangi Wellington Branch
The 2021 Curtis Lecture
Professor James Wright, of the University of Auckland, gave the Curtis Lecture (on hold since 2021) on Thursday 27 October at 5:30 pm. This lecture was held in the newly-renovated Physics teaching space in the Laby building (LB203). The lecture was titled ‘New coordination compounds with a metallic ring’.
As a tribute to Professor Neil Curtis, in this talk Professor Wright presented a selection of recent research results that involve transition metal coordination compounds with ring-like structures.
The abstract for the 2021 Curtis Lecture is here
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
OUR ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) will be held at 6.00 pm on Wednesday 26 October in Lecture Theatre GBLT3 (ground floor of the Old Government Building, 55 Lambton Quay, Pipitea, Wellington).
The Minutes of our 2022 AGM are here
Our 2022 Annual Report is here
The 2022 Auditor’s Report is here
Following our AGM, two of our Ph.D scholarship winners, Solomon Gurmu Beka and Maria Rabino-Neira, will give presentations on their research on aviation medicine and law relating to terrorism respectively. In addition, our Wellington Branch prizewinners at the Wellington Regional Science Fair, Kaita Hummel-Jibiki and Simon Langham, from Tawa College, will talk about their winning project - Resilient Rotifers. Their project focused on constructing a rudimentary way of analyzing water samples using rotifers (freshwater zooplankton) found in the water.
Click here for details of their research
THE 2022 HUDSON LECTURE
We hosted our 2022 Hudson Lecture at 6.00 pm on 14 September at the Royal Society of New Zealand premises, Thorndon, Wellington. Dr Michael Johnston gave our Hudson Lecture this year.
To hear Dr. Johnston and download his Power Point click here