Fri 7, sat 8 July • 6.30pm, 8pm • 90min
TŪHURA Otago Museum – Beautiful Science Gallery • $45 • R18
fri 30 june to sun 9 july • 10am – 5pm
TŪHURA Otago Museum – hutton theatre • free
On the Origin of Faeces
Wine & Sound with
Dr Jo Burzynska
Micro-Folie Digital Museum
Sci Fight Science Comedy
Debate: We Should Fear AI
TUE 4, wed 5, thu 6, fri 7 JULY • 6.30pm • 60min
TŪHURA Otago Museum – Barclay Theatre • $30|$25 • M15+
SAT 1 JULY • 7.30pm • 90min
TŪHURA Otago Museum – Hutton Theatre • $30|$25 • M15+
On the Origin of Faeces is a scientific and comedic
investigation into the excellent world of excrement and
gut bacteria. How do astronauts poo in space? Did ancient
cultures worship poo? What lurks in a gut microbiome?
The answer lies within ourselves.
This is a s%^t show. Join science comedian Alanta Colley
for a festival of effluvia, exploring how gut bacteria makes
us who we are, and our gut feelings about poo. So grab a
stool and join us for a diar-really good time.
Experience wine like you never have before - with your ears!
Let the combination of wine & sound lead you to unexpected
places in this unique wine-tasting experience. Dr Jo Burzynska
is New Zealand-based wine writer, sound artist/composer
and researcher. Her work in these areas has increasingly
converged in projects that combine sound and flavour. This
includes a recent PhD investigating the influence of sound on
the perception of wine, and the production of multisensory
art and immersive experiences, such the establishment of the
world’s first wine and sound bar.
The Micro-folie Digital Museum is a collaboration between the
French Ministry of Culture and La Villette and is a collection
of thousands of pieces from famous museums around Europe
and the world.
Here for the first time in New Zealand, experience incredible
artwork and artefacts from these collections without
having to travel to each of the museums that house them!
The innovative software interfaces with tablets to allow an
individual experience in a shared space. This event has been
made possible with support from the French Embassy. Check
festival website for collection information.
Sci Fight Science Comedy Debate brings together comedians
and scientists to debate serious issues in a ridiculous way.
Proceedings are loosely held together by your definitely
qualified host, Alanta Colley [citation needed]. Sci Fight has
been described as a nerdy, silly, and only occasionally litigious
romp into what it even means to be alive.
University of Otago Business School, corner of Clyde Street and Union Street East
Saturday 1 July, 10am—4pm | Sunday 2 July, 10am—2pm | Free entry
Science Expo
Anatomy
Discover how we lived in the past, how this infuences who
we are today, and where looking to the future might shape
who we become. Visit each of our moments in time and
complete your time-traveller’s anatomy passport. Dig for
bones, paint your insides on a t-shirt, learn about advanced
medical imaging and more!
Archaeology
Archaeology is the study of the human past, using material
culture remains. Discover how we use artefacts and sites to
learn about the past, and gather lessons for our future. We’ll
ask the questions: What does it mean to be human? How do
we afect the world and the environment around us? How
has technology changed over time? What new sciences are
we using to learn about our human ancestors?
Botany
Plant biology is crucial to the health of the planet. Through
photosynthesis, plants have changed the Earth’s atmosphere,
transforming the planet and enabling life as we know it to
evolve. Plants now have numerous roles in mitigating the
efects of climate change and understanding the biology
of plants is crucial in addressing many of the challenges
involved with climate change.
Brain Health Research Centre
Join us to explore the greatest part of the body – the brain.
We’ll be running some demos of Positively Wired! Testing
your brainwaves and emotions through a headset, alongside
build-a-neuron and some cool illusions. A giant infatable
brain will also be on hand to walk through. Join us for a
special movie screening followed by a Q&A with brainiacs
(popcorn included).
Coastal People: Southern Skies
The vision of Coastal People: Southern Skies (CPSS) is
fourishing wellness (mauri ora) of coastal communities.
As a Centre for Research Excellence, our mission is to connect,
understand and restore coastal ecosystems of Aotearoa New
Zealand and the Pacifc through transformative research,
local action and unlocking potential through new pathways
to learning. Visit us at the expo to think about what mauri ora
looks like for us as individuals, families, communities and the
coastal ecosystem in which we live.
Computer Science
Get a glimpse into the future, explore the latest advances in
technology and see how we’re recreating the past.
• Meet our robot dog and fnd out how we’re teaching it to
fnd its way around.
• See how we’re creating playable replicas of Moriori
albatross bone futes, made more than 100 years ago on
Rēkohu / Chatham Island.
• Experience 3D virtual reality environments captured from
regular mobile phone cameras.
• Learn how AI is used to generate pictures.
• See how the technology we’re developing will give crowds
at live sports events enhanced experiences with
augmented reality.
Dentistry
We’ll bring a range of family-friendly hands-on activities that
explore dentistry as an art and a science, incentivizing the
public to refect on the importance of looking after their
oral health.
Food Science
Join us as we present a ‘crop to cup … and beyond’ concept.
Sample our oat milk ice cream, served in a sweet upcycled
cracker cup. ‘Step along the supply chain’ to learn about the
diferent ingredients and processes involved. We’ll emphasise
the importance of sustainability and circularity throughout
the entire supply chain, highlighting the role of agricultural
and food scientists in ensuring products are of a high quality,
safe and meeting expectations of the end consumer. We will
also bring along our smoothie bike so the kids can make a
treat!
Genetics and Biochemistry
A combination of the Genetics teaching programme and the
Department of Biochemistry, showcasing how lessons and
methods used in the past are used today, and to educate
our future.
Geography
The world around us is always changing, and this is
something that Geographers study a lot. How have
landscapes changed in the past and how will they change in
the future? Will future landscapes be able to provide enough
space for our plants and animals, and enough food for us
people?
Geology
Come see our wall of luminescent mineral rocks from the
past and experience the magic of their vibrant colours. Plus,
discover the secret world hidden in rocks with amazing UV
light technology.
HeartOtago Research Theme
HeartOtago invites you to compete against your family
and friends. See who can get the highest heart rate and
generate the most power in a 20-second cycle sprint.
For those not interested in working up a sweat, we will be
running our cold stress challenge – see if you can dip your
hands in an ice bucket for 1 minute! While doing these
tests, we will teach you about measuring heart rate and
blood pressure, and how you can keep your heart healthy.
We will also have microscopes set up with rat heart
anatomy sections.
Human Nutrition
Food provides fuel and nutrients for our bodies. In New
Zealand, the foods that we eat and our portion sizes have
changed over time. How do your portions compare to your
parents? Join us at the expo to fnd out more!
Information Science
Come see us at the Department of Information Science
booth for:
• Virtual Māori storytelling: Immerse yourself in the world of
our Māori partners.
• Climate change and sea level rise: See the potential
efects of sea level rise on the assets of the Ngāi Tahu iwi.
• Pervasive augmented reality: Experience a future where
AR goggles are as normal as sunglasses.
Marine Science
The ocean’s impact on our world is huge – and understanding
our ocean planet is essential for meeting the challenges of
our collective future. Learn about conservation, restoration
and climate change from a marine science perspective,
meet your coastal neighbours with live animal exhibits and
investigate the concerns for our future ocean. Hands-on
exhibits will highlight what makes our Southern Ocean
special and how we can step up as kaitiaki for our marine
environment.
Mathematics and Statistics
Warp your point of view by travelling near the speed of light.
See how gravitational waves bend spacetime. Fall into a
fractal. Wrap your head around some curly probabilities.
Try your hand at some tricky puzzles in our chill-out zone.
Microbiology and Immunology
Fresh foods, prepared foods and even preserved foods are
often contaminated with spoilage microorganisms, as well
as some pathogenic microorganisms that can cause disease.
Microorganisms are important spoilage agents of foods,
causing food shortages and economic loss.
Ngāi Tāhu Māori Health Research Unit
Join us on a journey through the science of medicines!
Get hands-on with nature’s medicine chest to discover and
explore rongoā rākau and where medicines come from.
Investigate how medicines are made, and how to use them
safely to protect ourselves and our planet. Get creative and
Go Viral at our D-Bug Game Design station – use modelling
clay to sculpt your very own virus-related game character and
3D scan your creation to see your character come to life.
Pharmacy
Come along and learn how medicines are created, the
diferent ways we can administer medicines to people, and
what’s in store for the future!
Psychology
Psychology is the science of behaviour, brain and cognition.
We explore the complex way humans and other animals
interact with the world and each other, with topics like:
Why do we copy what everyone else is doing? Why can’t
I concentrate after staying up all night? Why does my dog
listen to me but not to my friends? Come along to participate
in some classic psychology experiments and to fnd out more
about Psychology.
Science Communication
Have you ever wanted to learn how to animate your own
stories? Or bring your own art to life? Join the Department
of Science Communication staf and students as they inspire
you to start your own digital animation journey. At our mobile
animation station, we will show you how to make simple 2D
digital animations, as well as funky, fun, artistic, stop-motion
animations.
Surveying
Measure, analyse and visualise our world through the science
and technology of surveying and geospatial. Robotically
measure where locations are in 3D. Build a digital urban
model from millions of 3D points. Create live 3D landscapes
in sand and experiment with virtual water fowing over
your designed surface. Experience remote places through
geospatial virtual reality. Explore 3D change in digital
environments (of Dunedin, Whakaari White Island) built from
3D reality capture technology.
Zoology
What kinds of animals live in and around Dunedin? What
animals lived here in the past, and what animals might live
here in the future? Come and see what animals are around
us, and how and why scientists in the Department of Zoology
are studying them.
University of Otago
Image: Trevor Cokley
For further information and an expo map, visit:
scifest.org.nz/programme/expo
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12 NZ INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2023
scifest.org.nz