Message from Society President – Dr Brent Clothier

Kia ora Fellows, 

I hope that you and you wider whānau have come through Cyclone Gabrielle. Kia tupato.  It is a salutary warning that climate change is with us.  Emission mitigations are hugely important in the mid- to longer-term.  But Gabrielle has focused our immediate attention on adaptation for the ‘here & right now’. Kia kaha.  Our Expert Advice & Practice team are in the process of updating our documentation on climate change.

In December, I had the privilege of attending the presentation evening of Powering Potential, where 58 senior secondary tauira shared what they had been learning and innovating over 3 days of working together on how to solve some of the world’s ‘wicked problems’ that were set for them by their mentors. These mentors were drawn from of our Early Career Researcher Forum. The problems included tackling inequities in the health system and the future shape of our research and innovation sector, mitigating climate change with forests, including kelp forests, through to understanding the importance of whakapapa and young people’s engagement with science for a sustainable future.  Now, I’m looking forward to our He Pito Mata event in April and further engaging with our ECRs.

Also in December, I had the pleasure of meeting with members of the delegation from the European Union, led by Ms Signe Ratso, Acting Director-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission and Chief Negotiator for the Horizon Europe Association. The delegation was in Aotearoa for formal negotiations in order that New Zealand can become an Associate Member to Pillar Two of Horizon Europe. This is the European Union’s largest ever global research and innovation programme and the global fund totals € 100 billion over 7 years.  We are likely to become the 44th Associate Member as the negotiations were positive.  A signing of the agreement is now imminent. New Zealand researchers and organisations should therefore start to form consortia with Horizons Europe partners to prepare project bids. See Horizon Europe Opens for New Zealand Applications.   This is an exciting opportunity for joint research projects on global challenges, such as climate change, the food-water-energy nexus, and global health. Since December MBIE have run a series of Horizon Europe roadshows. For a copy of the roadshow presentation or to ask questions on Horizon Europe Association, email the New Zealand contact point NZNCP@mbie.govt.nz. 

A recent ‘newsflash’ is that the EU and the British Government have just signed the trade accord ratifying the so-called Northern Ireland protocols.  With this post-Brexit roadblock removed, it seems that Britain will now be able to proceed to become an Associate Member of the Horizon Europe programme. A close-run thing it would seem in relation to the NI protocols!  So New Zealand researchers should now be able to begin to plan for Horizon Europe proposals that include British researchers as partners, as well as European collaborators.

Congratulations to all our newly elected Fellows.  Ngā Ahurei are the core of Te Apārangi, and this year’s cohort of newly elected Fellows encompass a huge range of disciplines and institutions.  We are strengthened as a Society through this diversity in breadth, and strength in depth.

Ngā mihi nui, nā

Dr Brent Clothier FRSNZ
President, Royal Society Te Apārangi