Category Archives: Science

National Science Challenge winners underwhelm

Posted on May 14, 2013 by

There’s only one word really to describe the winners of the National Science Challenge – ‘wow’ writ small. Or, perhaps it is just me that is completely underwhelmed by the announcement of 10 research areas that can comfortably be binned … Continue reading →

Posted in Entrepreneur, high tech, Innovation, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, sustainability, technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Kickstarting a San Fran Bay school science rap promotion

Posted on March 28, 2013 by

You obviously can’t keep a science rapper down. Tom McFadden, a Californian and Stanford biology lecturer among other things, completed a Masters in Science Communication at Otago University last year. Under a Fullbright Scholarship and the moniker ‘Rhymebsome’ he toured … Continue reading →

Posted in Early stage science, education, Innovation, SciBlogs, Science, technology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Callaghan Innovation – building the plane while they fly it

Posted on March 26, 2013 by

There’s a term that’s particularly loved by IT-oriented start-ups, ‘building the plane while you’re flying it’. The business case put forward for and by Callaghan Innovation doesn’t use the term. However, that’s what I interpret from the ‘Purpose of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, Early stage science, education, Entrepreneur, high tech, Market validation, SciBlogs, Science, start-up | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Little school thinks bearly big

Posted on March 19, 2013 by

“And the prize for the best use of social media and punching well above its weight goes to,”….drum roll….”Koputoroa Primary School”. This 170 pupil country school, seven kilometres north of Levin on the Kapiti Coast deserves heaps of praise, alongside … Continue reading →

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A solution to our lack of shared purpose around a science-innovation strategy

Posted on March 5, 2013 by

OK, now we have Callaghan Innovation gestating its way into life – with no indication of how long the process will take, or even what it is we’re trying to bring to fruition. At the same time we have the … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, Early stage science, Entrepreneur, high tech, Innovation, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, start-up | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Callaghan Innovation – wishing it all the best…..but

Posted on January 25, 2013 by

I hope I’m wrong about Callaghan Innovation, and for our country’s and industry’s sake that it is a roaring success when it stumbles into life on Feb 1. But, the portents aren’t good – and as a solution in search … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, Early stage science, Entrepreneur, high tech, Innovation, Market validation, Prototyping, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, technology, university, value-added food. processed food | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Change by chance, by design or by stealth – Callaghan Innovation’s ‘birth’ far from democratic

Posted on December 20, 2012 by

Hypothetically speaking, say we’re all on the same page and all wanting more to happen around the innovation space – you know, spend $X here and see a clear $Yreturn there. Say too there’s been a suggestion for an Advanced … Continue reading →

Posted in Early stage science, education, Entrepreneur, high tech, Innovation, Market validation, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, start-up, sustainability, technology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

If Callaghan Innovation is the answer – remind me again what was the question?

Posted on December 14, 2012 by

Well, surely I’m not the only one surprised that what was to be the establishment of an Advanced Technology Institute – or a supercharged IRL – somewhat on the model of Taiwan’s ITRI, is instead going to end up as … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, Early stage science, Entrepreneur, high tech, Innovation, Market validation, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, sustainability, technology | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Some worrying disquiet around Callaghan Innovation

Posted on December 6, 2012 by

From what I gather, it is not only me who has a degree of disquiet about the lengthy and somewhat secretive gestation taking place around Callaghan Innovation (the new moniker for the Advanced Technology Institute). Because part of the unease … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, high tech, Innovation, Market validation, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, technology, university | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Agricultural R&D – a fantastic legacy and a means to move forward

Posted on December 4, 2012 by

New Zealand, and its agriculture (systems) owes a heck of a lot to the billions of dollars poured into its research and development over the past 120 years. Our wealth has, literally, been built on sunshine, soil and fresh air … Continue reading →

Posted in high tech, Innovation, SciBlogs, Science, Science policy, sustainability, value added food | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment