COVID-19 Science Communication and other MacDiarmid news

1 June, 2020

vanessa.young@vuw.ac.nz

 

Playful GIFs and animated graphs

Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles and illustrator Toby Morris created playful GIFs and animated graphs – and they went viral. 

 

 

 

 

Crunching the Covid-19 numbers

Professor Shaun Hendy explains the math behind crunching the data on COVID-19.

 

 

 

 

How to tell it to kids

Our Nanogirl Labs partner, nanoscientist and educator Dr Michelle Dickinson, helped us explain COVID-19 to kids.

 

 

 

 

Independent Science Commentary and NZ's response win approval of PR professionals worldwide

You may have seen the international PR industry citing 'independent science commentary' as the most credible source of public information on COVID-19. The survey also selected New Zealand as having the most impressive response to the crisis.

 

Materials Science to tackle COVID-19

Anti-viral nano-engineered surfaces

Our researchers Dr Jenny Malmström and Associate Professors Geoff Willmott and Volker Nock discussed future strategies for manipulating the chemical and biological nanostructure of surfaces (door handles, light-switches) so viruses like COVID-19 can't stick.

 

 

 

Pivoting cow research to human immunity

MacDiarmid researchers Professors David Williams and Cather Simpson on how their start-up Orbis Diagnostics is shifting from testing cows' progesterone, and on raising $5.3 million to help validate the diagnostic system, to rapidly test whether someone has immunity to COVID-19.

 

 

Climate Change Mitigation

Fuelling NZ's future with smart catalysts

Molecular chemists are looking to find a way to turn CO₂ into a liquid fuel, like methanol. MacDiarmid researcher Professor Sally Brooker is leading a new collaboration combining chemistry and engineering to help fuel New Zealand's future.

 

 

 

Taking essential metals into a zero carbon future

Today steel is used in everything from roads to earthquake resilient buildings and electric vehicles. MacDiarmid researcher Dr Chris Bumby and his colleagues at the Robinson Research Institute are finding a new way to make iron that produces much less CO₂. 

 

 

 

Digital Resources for Teachers and Students

#BetterWorkStories

Our alumni are sharing their #BetterWorkStories explaining where science has taken them since graduating, with questions for students to reflect on. MacDiarmid Institute alumna Dr Bhuvana Kannan talks about nanofibre production and turning real science into a real product.

 

 

 

Physics of the Future

We've partnered with the New Zealand Institute of Physics to create resources for science teachers and senior students. If you know year 12 and 13 students studying Physics, they might like to check out this ten minute video of MacDiarmid researcher Dr Nate Davis speaking about his solar cell research and the physics behind it.

 

 

 

RNZ Nights' Materials: Fact or Fiction

In our partnership with RNZ Nights', our researchers are explaining the science behind fictional materials in Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Spiderman and Dr Who.