Browse: Home / Course Terms / Term 2, 2017

The University of the Third Age

U3A Okeover

Programme for Term 2, 2017

Term Completed

A Our Pacific Neighbours: Beyond the Beaches and the Palms

Dates: Thursdays 25 May, 1, 8, 15, 22 June

B Frontiers of Research – UC

Dates: Thursdays 25 May, 1, 8, 15, 22 June

C Art Galleries and New Artists

Dates: Thursdays 29 June, 6, 13, 20, 27 July

D Topical Issues for New Zealanders

Dates: Thursdays 29 June, 6, 13, 20, 27 July

Scroll down for full details of each course.

Times: 10.00 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.

Enrolments for this term closed on Wednesday 26 Jul 2017.

Officers:

Chairman:Howard Harvey021 1363043
Treasurer:Colin Freeman027 2369476
Please hand your enrolment form to the treasurer at the desk if he is available.


Course A

Our Pacific Neighbours: Beyond the Beaches and the Palms

Course organiser:Loanne Metcalfe

Presenter:Various

This series deals with the development of the Nations of the Pacific Islands, and some aspects of their current governance, economies and health care. The efforts being made to combat the devastation caused by natural disasters will be reviewed, and the challenges faced by students from the Pacific entering the educational system here will be discussed.

25 May:
Prof. Steven Ratuva, Director, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies and professor in the Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology on 'The Origins of Pacific Peoples'.Steven will review some of the mysteries and controversies regarding the voyaging of early Pacific settlers across the world’s largest ocean. He will examine some of the genetic, archaeological, linguistic and cultural evidence of the origins of the Pacific peoples.

1 Jun:
Prof. Steven Ratuva on 'The Dynamics of Geopolitics in the Pacific'.Steven will examine the complex geopolitical and development challenges in the Pacific in the fast changing world. The role of tourism in the development process will also be covered.

8 Jun:
Pauline Luafutu-Simpson, Acting Director of Pasifika Development, UC on 'Engaging with Pasifika Students - Exploring Commonalities and Differences'.This presentation will examine some of the barriers Pasifika students find themselves confronting when adjusting to a "new world" at university from both an international (those students coming from home islands) and domestic (our local cohort of Pasifika students) perspective. Pauline will highlight some of the strategies the Pacific Development team deploy to assist Pasifika student retention.

15 Jun:
Lala Gittoes, the Relations Manager for the Pacific Leprosy Foundation, on 'Medicine in the Pacific Islands'.Lala will introduce the history of leprosy in the Pacific Islands, and cover the current situation. She has travelled widely in the islands during the course of her work and will also cover other health issues there.

22 Jun:
Charlotte Welch-Cropp, civil engineer, on 'Life in the Solomon Islands'.Charlotte will speak about her volunteer work on Honiara. She served as an infrastructure advisor and created an emergency plan for their Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development to deal with the many natural weather events that strike in the Pacific. She will will cover climate change and the impact it is having on the Pacific Islands.


Course B

Frontiers of Research – UC

Course organiser:Gus Gale

Presenter:Various

25 May:
Dr. Rita Dionisio on 'Geospatial Research Supporting Christchurch’s Recovery'.The post-earthquake recovery of Christchurch, with its many challenges, has provided an unique opportunity to revise urban planning processes through a better integration of the communities’ perspectives about the future of the city. But what tools and methodologies are needed in spatial planning to make sure that Christchurch meets its full potential of such opportunity?

1 Jun:
Dr. Clemens Altaner on 'Establishing a New Forest Industry in NZ with Sustainable, High Value, Durable Eucalypt'.The NZ Dryland Forests Initiative (NZDFI) is focused on delivering sustainable development to our East Coast drylands by diversifying farm income through wood lots, providing chemical free posts for horticulture/vineyards and long term cross-arms for utilities, marinas and urban landscaping.

8 Jun:
Dr. Debra Wilson on 'Neuroscience and Criminal Investigation'.A multi-disciplinary team at UC is investigating the potential use of a technology known as “Brain Fingerprinting” and its potential use in criminal investigations as evidence in criminal trials. Brain Fingerprinting measures the response of a suspect’s brain when he/she is shown information from a crime scene that only someone present at the time of the offending would know.

15 Jun:
Dr. Patrick Shepherd, composer, performer, conductor, educator and UC researcher, on 'Seeing Red or feeling Blue? Or does it just taste Spikey?'He will explain what SYNAETHESIA is, its historical journey from the Greeks to present day and what he has discovered through his personal research. He will also discuss how one stimulation of one sensory pathway in the brain links to automatic involuntary experiences – such as hearing colours, or tasting shapes!!

22 Jun:
Dr. Paul Gardner on 'Digging Deeper into Genomics'.Genomics provide us with powerful, data-intensive tools that are broadly applicable to a range of biological and biology-inspired questions. These applications range from understanding the basics of evolution, measuring selection and adaption, finding genes, new species, improving health, agriculture and conservation outcomes, and more speculative applications such as designing better hard drives and reviving extinct species.


Course C

Art Galleries and New Artists

Course organiser:Denise Burrow

Presenter:Various

29 Jun:
Jamie Hanton, curator, The Physics Room, on 'The Non-profit Art Space in the Arts Ecology of Aotearoa'.Contemporary project spaces and artist runs spaces play an integral role in the arts ecology of Aotearoa. Whether they are self-funded or receive funding from local or central government, these spaces provide opportunities for both emerging and established artists to develop their creative practices through experimentation. But how do these spaces, and the values they celebrate fit into a system that privileges outcomes rather than processes?

6 Jul:
Min Kim, artist on 'The Artist's Journey'.Min will speak about her own experiences as an artist both in South Korea and in Christchurch. She will share her wonderful experiences and inspirations that led her to a successful career as a practising artist and gallery owner.

13 Jul:
Marian Maguire, artist, on 'The Odyssey of Captain Cook'.Marion is best known for images that combine Greek vase painting with New Zealand colonial history. Her recent fireplace paintings, however, are more mythological than historical. She will talk to us about how she reimagined Homer’s Odyssey. In her version Odysseus, the ancient hero, strays so far off course that he ends up in the South Pacific.

20 Jul:
Dr. Lara Strongman, Senior Curator, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu, on 'The Wisdom of Crowds'.Lara will talk about crowd-funding and Christchurch Art Gallery’s collection, from Gibb’s Shades of Evening to Parekowhai’s Chapman’s Homer.

27 Jul:
Warren Feeney, Art Critic, The Press on '10 Art Galleries to Visit'.TBA


Course D

Topical Issues for New Zealanders

Course organiser:Kathryn Ell

Presenter:Various

29 Jun:
Emeritus Professor John Burrows ONCM QC CNZM on ‘New Zealand’s Constitution’. New Zealand is one of only three countries in the world not to have a written constitution. Should it have one? If so, what should it contain? How well does New Zealand's informal unwritten constitution work? How effective are our checks and balances on the abuse of power?

6 Jul:
John Laurenson, Principal of Shirley Boys’ High School, on ‘Our Children Are Not Pawns’. John will discuss his belief that education should be based on cooperation between teachers and schools. He will contend that our education system is based upon competition between schools resulting in a socio-economic division in the country and a weakening of society and its ability to evolve positively.

13 Jul:
Dr. Tara Murray, lecturer, School of Forestry, UC, on 'Biosecurity Issues in New Zealand'New Zealand's stringent biosecurity regulations are pertinent to both our economy and the natural environment. Tara will give an overview of the biosecurity system, how it works and its objectives with examples drawn from agriculture, forests and waterways. Social and cultural values will be included.

20 Jul:
Veronika Meduna, science writer and broadcaster, on ‘Towards a Warmer World’.The world has warmed by about one degree over the last century and a half. New Zealand will experience significant climate change with impacts such as extreme weather events, distorted ecosystems and disruptions to agriculture. Veronika will discuss what we can expect and how to prepare for it.

27 Jul:
Tara Ross, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, UC, on 'The Media in New Zealand'.In the age of fake news and alternative facts, we need quality journalism more than ever. Yet newsrooms are under significant pressure, not only from digital disruption, but also shifts in audience behaviour. This talk will explore what it means for New Zealand's news media.