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inSCight Inspiring stories from the Faculty of Science ISSUE 13 | DECEMBER 2019 Science in space Exploding binary stars We look at the pioneering computer models of how stars are born, live and die Some liked it hot What do we know about early life in our Solar System? Fun facts about space Best apps, websites and why the Milky Way smells like rum
HEADING
inSCight
Inspiring stories from the Faculty of Science
December 2019
EDITORS
Nicole Taylor-Gray, Cate Hennessy
WRITERS
A word from the Dean
Cate Hennessy, Kate Pitcher,
Nicole Taylor-Gray
WELCOME TO THE 2019 edition of inSCight.
This issue is themed ‘Science in space’. We will
Supporting alumni and
FEATURE WRITER be exploring some of the many ways in which the student innovation
Owen Poland (OP Media Ltd) faculty has been contributing to, and adopting, Our faculty and the wider University has been
DESIGN space-based research and innovation. quick to take up the opportunity that Rocket Lab
Jacinda Torrance When I assumed the role of Dean of Science has afforded us. Already we run an inter-faculty
(Verso Visual Communications) just over five years ago, I had no idea I would now be CubeSat competition for students.
writing about the burgeoning space industry in New In teams they design, and the winning team
PHOTOGRAPHY
Zealand, enabled by Peter Beck and his Rocket Lab implements, a CubeSat for deployment into space
Dean Carruthers, Billy Wong
start-up. Nor that one of my numerous compliance using donated launch capacity from Rocket Lab.
EDITORIAL CONTACT DETAILS duties is to ensure that anything we put into space This has created tremendous interest for space
inSCight has an ‘Orbital Debris Mitigation Plan’, so we don’t research among students – students like Anastaysia
Faculty of Science Communications leave space junk floating around. Kiddle, from the 2018 winning team Kessler, whose
and Marketing That we are now a space nation is both satellite launch is imminent (see page 20).
University of Auckland something to celebrate, and a pointer to how
Private Bag 92019 scientific and technological innovation can be rapid
Auckland 1142, New Zealand and truly disruptive – in this case by making satellite
deployment much more affordable globally and in
Email: science-marketing@auckland.ac.nz
the process creating a new set of industries for New
www.science.auckland.ac.nz/inscight
Zealand.
HOW ALUMNI KEEP IN TOUCH If we are to succeed as a nation in a future
To ensure that you continue to receive where two of our major export industries, dairy and
inSCight, and subscribe to @Auckland, the meat, are under increasing threat from technological
University’s e-newsletter for alumni and disruption (see www.rethinkx.com/food-and-
friends, please update your details: agriculture), we must create more knowledge and
Email: alumni@auckland.ac.nz technology-based industries to supplement and
www.alumni.auckland.ac.nz/update potentially replace our agrarian ones.
Relevant to the education sector we operate
CONTACT US
in, it is also interesting that our ‘export’ – teaching
If you are a Faculty of Science graduate and
international students – is now roughly equivalent in
have a story to tell about your experiences or
international income to New Zealand’s economy to
achievements, please get in touch.
that of the meat industry.
We also welcome feedback and suggestions
about this publication. If there’s something
you would like to see in the next issue, don’t
hesitate to contact us.
inSCight is available digitally – please email us
if you would prefer to receive the magazine in
this format.
In this issue
science-marketing@auckland.ac.nz FEATURES
The night sky taken from the Southern 4 Freedom to develop ideas on the 16 Some liked it hot
Ocean shoreline near Christchurch, New southern space frontier Was there once life on Mars? Two research
Zealand. Babak Tafreshi is an award-winning Meet Professor Guglielmo Aglietti, initiatives are looking into the evolution of
photographer, a master of night-time inaugural director of Te Pūnaha Ātea – microbes to find out.
photography and nightscape videos, a Auckland Space Institute.
science journalist and the founder of The 18 Stars on film
6 Exploding binary stars What will happen when a next generation
World at Night programme. He was guest
The work of Dr Héloïse Stevance and telescope starts to capture what’s been
speaker for the 2019 Beatrice Hill Tinsley
Dr JJ Eldridge unlocks the role of exploding described as the first motion picture of the
Lecture hosted by the Auckland Astronomical
binary stars in the life of our Universe. Universe?
Society and the Department of Physics at the
University of Auckland. 10 The Pulse of the Gulf
Cover photo: Babak Tafreshi Drones, intelligent vision and machine REGULAR SECTIONS
learning are just some of the innovative 8 Our alumni
tools being used to reveal the secrets of S cience alumni Joshua Rippon and Yaoyao
the Hauraki Gulf. Ding share insights into their careers.
14 Perspectives on Life in 20 Our students
the Universe We celebrate the achievements
We explore the big questions in of two of our students.
astrobiology and astrophysics as part
of the 2019 University of Auckland
Vice-Chancellor's Lecture Series.
2 inSCight / December 2019
IN THIS ISSUE
Our alumni are already finding work in From the sky to the earth
aerospace-oriented industries such as Rocket Lab
and Heroux Devtek (see page eight). Insight into the and beyond “Our academics continue
broader New Zealand space industry sector can be Beyond Rocket Lab, the faculty has long been to be at the forefront
found on page 22 in an article by Professor Juliet
Gerrard, faculty member, and Prime Minister’s Chief
involved in space-oriented research activity, from
astronomy to space-based remote sensing for
of new approaches
Science Advisor. applications, such as environmental monitoring and to astronomy... and
resource management.
Founding fundamental Our academics continue to be at the forefront astrobiology”
research of new approaches to astronomy. Statistician
Associate Professor Renate Meyer’s work on
A University Research Centre, Te Pūnaha Ātea separating a signal from noise enabled the LIGO in value, as discussed by Dr Nick Rattenbury and
– Auckland Space Institute, was established in experiment to detect gravitational waves and doctoral candidate Martin Donachie (see page 18).
2019 to bring together academics from across open a new tool for observing the Universe. And We also have a long history of looking down.
the University interested in space-based research. astronomer Dr JJ Eldridge and postdoctoral I remember Stuart Bradley in Physics downloading
Professor Guglielmo Aglietti was appointed as research fellow Dr Héloïse Stevance are conducting and analysing Landsat images while I was doing
inaugural director, bringing with him extensive ground-breaking research on exploding binary stars my PhD many years ago. More recently Associate
experience at the Surrey Space Centre, working (see page six). Professor Rochelle Constantine, Associate Professor
on a range of spacecraft-related topics, from We have taken membership of the consortium Patrice Delmas and Dr Wannes van der Mark have
space missions design and delivery, to hardware building the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope been harnessing equipment from the aerospace
development (see page four). (LSST), a new type of telescope in Chile built to industry, as well as artificial intelligence, to identify
Within the Faculty of Science, we have another rapidly survey the night-time sky, recording the and understand the megafauna in the Hauraki Gulf
research centre, Te Ao Mārama – The Centre for entire visible sky twice each week. The map it (see page 10).
Fundamental Enquiry. Its mission is to answer produces will serve many purposes, from locating So, I do hope you enjoy this edition of inSCight.
fundamental questions that transcend disciplines, dark matter and characterising properties of dark I wonder what surprising thing I, or my successor,
such as the origin of the Universe and the origin energy, to tracking transient objects, studying our will be writing about in another five years!
of life (see page 14). Professor Kathy Campbell’s own Milky Way galaxy in-depth and identifying
work on the burgeoning field of astrobiology has an potentially hazardous asteroids. The data produced PROFESSOR JOHN HOSKING
important place in this research (see page 16). and accessible to our astrophysicists will be rich Dean of Science, University of Auckland
December 2019 / inSCight 3
OUR RESEARCH
Freedom to develop ideas on the
southern space frontier
The University of Auckland’s leadership role in New Zealand’s fledgling space sector has received a significant
boost with the appointment of the internationally leading Professor Guglielmo Aglietti as the inaugural Director*
of Te Pūnaha Ātea – Auckland Space Institute.
A FELLOW OF THE Royal Academy of Engineering,
Guglielmo graduated in Italy with a first-class
honours degree in Aerospace Engineering
before working on the Columbus module of the
International Space Station. In 1995, he moved
to the UK, working initially at the University of
Southampton before moving to Surrey as director
of the UK’s Surrey Space Centre.
“I have always worked in this area between
academia and industry trying to bridge the gap by
doing research, proof of concepts and ideas that
can be developed in industry.”
His recruitment was made possible by the
Tertiary Education Commission’s Entrepreneurial
Universities scheme. The scheme aims to attract
world-leading entrepreneurial academics who
will drive cutting-edge research that grows New
Zealand’s competitive edge – and strengthens
economic growth.
Describing the alignment between research,
education and industrial activities as crucial,
Guglielmo says that universities are a favourable
environment to generate new ideas and new
products with commercial potential which can
then be spun off to create a virtuous circle of
collaboration.
“These companies will grow and will end up
sponsoring research at the University, so you’ll have
a whole ecosystem that really works very well.”
After seven years at Surrey and various
successful space missions, Guglielmo says it was
time for a change and that “starting from scratch”
at Te Pūnaha Ātea gives him an opportunity to shrug
off a lot of the constraints from his old job and have
“almost a blank canvas to get things together”.
New opportunities ahead
in Aotearoa
As a multi-faculty space science and engineering
initiative, one of the key capabilities of Te Pūnaha
Ātea is to develop satellite missions to serve New
Zealand’s strategic scientific and economic goals.
Guglielmo says that being able to contribute to the
growth of the New Zealand space sector represents Professor Guglielmo Aglietti, Director of Te Pūnaha Ātea In that regard, one obvious opportunity could
a “very nice challenge to put in practice what I’ve be to support Rocket Lab with its ambitious plan
learned”. announced in August 2019 to recover and re-fly
Collaboration with key commercial partners, Rocket Lab founder Peter Beck clearly sees the company’s Stage One Electron launch vehicles.
like Rocket Lab, is another goal. Being close to the the value of working together with the University, As someone who understands the aerodynamics
launchers was something that Guglielmo missed according to Guglielmo, and companies will be of re-entry all too well, Guglielmo says “it might be
in the UK where they had to rely on countries like encouraged to use the University for cost effective
India, the US or China to get things launched. “Not research and development work – rather than
* Prior to Professor Guglielmo Aglietti's appointment, Professor
having direct access to space is always a bit of a invest in their own facilities – “because they can tap Richard Easther, Head of the Department of Physics acted
problem,” he says. into our resources only when they need it”. as interim Director
4 inSCight / December 2019
OUR RESEARCH
the kind of research that can be contracted to the
University to provide specific answers”.
Te Pūnaha Ātea is currently working on several
projects in collaboration with researchers in the US,
Germany and Australia, and Guglielmo is keen to
contribute to international projects that can produce
a critical mass where “everybody benefits from the
results, but we only pay a fraction of the bill”.
A fundamental education
for students
Developing a dedicated ground mission control
station like the one in Surrey is also on the
drawing board, and it’s possible that both space
centres could potentially co-ordinate activities to find a paying customer. “It’s a bit like the problem
across different time zones. “Working together with plastic in the ocean, it’s a good idea to clean it
we have much better visibility and much
better communication than if we were working
up but who is going to pay for that?” “I have always worked
Nevertheless, he says that universities have a
independently.” duty to address real issues like space junk. “There’s in this area between
A key influence in the evolution of Te Pūnaha
Ātea has been the Auckland Programme for Space
a clear need for methodologies to remove new
satellites once they have finished their missions
academia and industry
Systems (APSS). Over the past three years APSS has
attracted more than 400 undergraduates eager to
– and old pieces of debris – which has a lot of trying to bridge the gap
potential to expand technologies and create new
participate in the extracurricular Mission Proposal commercial opportunities,” he says. by doing research, proof
Competition which involves the design of tiny
CubeSat satellites – but offers no course credits.
In November, Guglielmo’s international
RemoveDebris team were awarded a prestigious Sir
of concepts and ideas
However, that might be about to change.
Guglielmo says he’d like to “enable” students by
Arthur C. Clarke Award in the Space Achievement: that can be developed
Industry/Project Team category. The award, given
providing a fundamental education in satellite out annually, recognises outstanding contributions in industry.”
development that counts in terms of final marks. to space exploration activities. “This is a great
It means that when they embark on APSS projects honour, as we consider these awards like the ‘Oscars’
they’ll “hit the ground running” and go much further, of the UK space sector. I am delighted for the whole
instead of having to learn the basics of space team that worked tirelessly on this project,” says
engineering during the project. Professor Aglietti.
Also on the cards is a dedicated multi- As the 2018 winner of the APSS Satellite
disciplinary programme in space engineering or Mission Proposal Competition, the ‘Kessler’
aerospace engineering, with Te Pūnaha Ātea acting team (see page 20) has proposed the use of
as the catalyst, which would draw on the academic electrodynamic tethers to retrieve old satellites,
talent which already exists within different faculties and Guglielmo says students are often the ones with
at the University. As Guglielmo puts it, “if you get good ideas for new products. “We’re going to create
these things working together you create a synergy, more opportunities for students to transform their
so the value added is much higher than the value of ideas into proper enterprises with commercial values
your single parts working independently”. and real products.”
What’s more, he believes that being able to The ultimate aim will be to create a broader
provide a pipeline of graduates is a win-win situation space ecosystem by enabling companies to generate
because it helps meet the growing employment a wider range of services and products for further
needs of companies like Rocket Lab and provides development. “We want to have an entrepreneurial
graduates with immediate job prospects. That, in spirit that creates these new companies and helps
turn, helps the University “because we can show them to expand and grow on their own strength
that what we’re teaching is actually useful and they after they’ve been initially supported by the
can get jobs in real companies, so it really works for University – as well as helping existing companies
everybody”. to prosper.”
And it seems that Guglielmo won’t be alone in
Tackling real issues can lead his quest. Given the uncertainties created by Brexit,
to commercial success he says that some of his former colleagues have
also indicated a willingness to move to what they
During his time at the Surrey Space Centre consider to be a more fertile environment. “Europe
Guglielmo was the Principal Investigator for the is a relatively crowded place from a space point of
internationally acclaimed RemoveDEBRIS project view and here there is more freedom to develop
which successfully tested technologies for Active new ideas.”
Debris removal (ADR) such as a net and a harpoon.
The mission was part of a proof of concept
exercise which will hopefully pave the way for future APSS – www.apss.space.auckland.ac.nz
commercial development, but Guglielmo says the Te Pūnaha Ātea – Auckland Space Institute
challenge for Surrey’s commercial partners now is www.space.ac.nz
December 2019 / inSCight 5
OUR RESEARCH
Exploding binary stars
One of New Zealand’s most valuable export fish species is about to take on a new
persona in the world of astronomy as the chosen name for a software package that
could help unlock some of the secrets of the Universe.
CALLED HOKI BECAUSE it helps “fish Stellar mergers and we can do things that we couldn’t.”
The BPASS models have also
“This is where
through information” about the role
of exploding binary stars in the life
binary interactions been used to investigate the future
of our Universe, the computer code Where JJ differs from peers is the and predict what happens to stars
we come from, has been developed by postdoctoral acceptance of the fact that most 100 billion years from now even
though the Universe is currently only
absolutely. We are research fellow Dr Héloïse Stevance
who aims to bridge the gap between
stars in the Universe are born in
binary systems, where two stars orbit 13.7 billion years old. Which raises
made of stardust. observations and theory. around each other and sometimes the age-old question – could there
be life forms in other galaxies?
That’s what Carl “My goal is to write a little piece
of software that makes that job
merge, rather than from single stars
like the Sun. And BPASS models show “Will the Universe be more
Sagan said – and very easy and very foolproof for the that you only need 65-75 percent of habitable in the future? The answer
is probably yes because more of the
observer so that they have access to the stars previously thought to exist
it is true!” the theoretical code and can compare because binaries interact and merge. young stars will die and there’ll be
it to their observations. Focus more on “That number of stars is fewer supernovae and nasty things
– DR HÉLOÏSE STEVANCE the science and less on the nitty-gritty important because it’s how we work that can kill us,” JJ says.
and the coding – that’s my job.” out how much stuff is being formed,
Expected to be released in early how many black holes there are, Supernovae and
2020, Hoki leverages off the Binary
Population and Spectral Synthesis
how many neutron stars there are
and how many habitable planets
the origins of life
(BPASS) codes developed by Héloïse’s there could be. Suddenly if you’re Another key driver behind their
fellow astrophysicist, Dr JJ Eldridge, decreasing the number of stars, research is the quest to know
whose pioneering computer models you’re decreasing all of that in the more about the collapse of stars
of how stars are born, live and die Universe.” called supernovae which produce
have caused waves throughout the According to JJ, the reason why different types of elements – like
academic community – and changed single star models were preferred oxygen and iron – that are crucial
assumptions about the evolution of back in the 90s was because to life as we know it. “The oxygen in
the Universe. binary stars were complicated your lungs right now was created
“What my models can predict and potentially involved years of in a supernova, it didn’t come out
is what the galaxies will look like at computer time. of nowhere,” says Héloïse. “This is
different ages,” JJ says, “and that tells “Now we’ve got so much where we come from, absolutely.
you something about the stars that computing power it becomes so We are made of stardust. That’s what
merged.” much easier and that’s starting to Carl Sagan said – and it is true!”
change entrenched views about The abundance of oxygen and
Above and facing page: Dr Héloïse single star models. Having the iron has changed over the history of
Stevance (left) and Dr JJ Eldridge in computational power to do things the Universe because it came from
the Centre for eResearch Visualisation
Suite in front of representations of that were impossible before is different ages of stars that exploded
binary stars and an image of a galaxy. changing people’s minds that maybe at different times. However, JJ says
6 inSCight / December 2019
OUR RESEARCH
it’s more difficult to trace the origin wave event by comparing their a PhD and experience as a part-
of elements like gold, platinum and cosmological simulations with time support astronomer at the
silver because they came from very observations from multiple Isaac Newton Telescope in Spain. “The Universe
rare events such as the neutron star
mergers that have led to gravitational
instruments and telescopes.
“The goal is to look at that
Like Elizabeth, she is a member of
the global Engrave collaboration
can make it, but
waves. galaxy and see what we can find with which constantly tracks events like how does it do
All of which comes back to their
current research into gravitational
the BPASS models,” says Héloïse.
“What can we learn about the stars
gravitational waves.
For her part, Héloïse is also
it? And how can
wave events which received fresh in that galaxy that people haven’t determined to introduce best we reproduce
impetus in 2017 when the LIGO found with their single star models?” practice to her work and has written
observatory detected what is known Hoki in Python which is considered what the Universe
by the purists as GW 170817 – a
gravitational wave relatively close
Collaboration the gold standard of astronomy. In
the interests of generating more
is physically
to earth that was produced by produces new collaboration, the code will also making?”
the dying minutes of two neutron
stars spiralling together and finally
models be fully accessible under an open
source licence. – DR HÉLOÏSE STEVANCE
merging. The development of BPASS involves And it seems that a new
Describing it as a violent a long-standing collaboration generation of stargazers is already
cataclysmic event which produced with Associate Professor Elizabeth being inspired to continue the
“massive fireworks”, Héloïse says that Stanway from the University of research. Supported by tutorials
neutron stars involve really “extreme Warwick who JJ has worked with from Héloïse, Hoki was successfully
physics” because they consist of since their PhD days at the University trialled at a UK summer school
a ball around 20 kilometres in of Cambridge. “She’d been working where JJ says students quickly
diameter and 1.5 times the mass on galaxies and I’d been working embraced a model that would have
of the Sun with gravity so strong on stars,” says JJ, “and we kind of traditionally taken much longer to
that the surface has virtually no merged.” understand. “Rather than taking
discernible bumps on it. Eighteen years later, Elizabeth them days or weeks to work out, it
“The Universe can make it, remains part of JJ’s gravitational took them a few minutes.”
but how does it do it? And how can wave project which is also useful As for their research into the
we reproduce what the Universe is because Warwick has a rapid follow host galaxy of GW 170817, JJ
physically making? Knowing that will up telescope that can track light as expects to publish something in
tell us a lot about the stars that give quickly as possible. “We can’t do 2020. They don’t know what they’re
rise to the things that we actually each other’s job, but we understand going to find but say “we know this
observe.” a lot about what each other does so is important, we just don’t know how
Funded by a $936,000 have been able to make this BPASS important.”
Marsden Fund grant, the current code. It’s taken a long time and it is
focus for JJ and Héloïse is to use the ongoing.” Watch Where do all the
BPASS and Hoki codes to investigate The collaboration has been elements come from?
the stars and galaxies associated deepened by the skills which Héloïse https://youtu.be/b9eFWbjd1Kw
with the 2017 gravitational has brought from the UK including
December 2019 / inSCight 7
OUR ALUMNI
Shooting for the stars
Physics alumnus Joshua Rippon’s childhood fascination with the Universe has led to a dream job with Rocket Lab
where he can indulge his passion for all things space.
“I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN fascinated
by the Universe and everything in it.
I remember watching documentaries
as a child about black holes, space
travel, supernovae, string theory, and
life on other planets, and I always
wanted to find out more. I chose to
study physics to follow this passion
of mine.”
It was a choice Joshua has
never regretted. He graduated with
a Bachelor of Science in Physics and
Mathematics, followed by a Bachelor
of Science (Honours) in Physics,
and thoroughly enjoyed his time at
university.
There were two things he
enjoyed most about studying
physics. The first was learning a
new idea or concept that changed
the way he saw the world. The
second was being able to share that
information with his classmates, or
the students that he tutored, and
seeing their faces light up.
Joshua Rippon. Photo: Rocket Lab
Where have you been working
since you graduated? failed. I’ve been part of six of those an ecosystem of companies and
successful launches during my time organisations working together
Straight after graduating in 2016
I moved to London with my partner
at Rocket Lab, and it’s an amazing to explore new frontiers in space. “I am motivated
to work and travel. I had a number of
feeling to know that I have played a
part in that success. What kind of impact do you hope by helping the
jobs: I was a teaching assistant at a
high school; I worked at a company
your work will have? people around
Where do you see your career At Rocket Lab, we are working on
called Kiwi Movers where I moved
people’s furniture; and I worked
heading? What else would you like increasing our launch frequency. me become
as a software developer at a data
to achieve? Our motto is, “we open up access to
space to improve life on earth”, and
better versions
I am motivated by helping the
analytics company. I moved back to
New Zealand a year ago and then people around me become better increasing our launch frequency and of themselves,
got a job as a software engineer at versions of themselves, so I see
myself moving towards leadership
the opportunities to get into orbit for
small satellite operators is key to this. so I see myself
Rocket Lab.
and management. I would also like Being part of the business moving towards
What do you do in your current to fulfill my childhood dream of going automation team means I can help
role at Rocket Lab? to space! achieve this goal by increasing leadership and
I am part of the business automation efficiency and reducing costs across
all of Rocket Lab’s teams, and I hope
management.”
team using web and cloud The New Zealand space indus-
technology to provide internal try has really taken off recently my work will help us get to space more
tooling for the company. Our tools (excuse the pun!). Where do you quickly, easily and reliably.
are used for mission management, see it heading in the future – what
production, launch operations and opportunities do you think will What drives you?
vehicle design. come up? Helping people and teams learn, grow,
I am optimistic about the future of and achieve their goals.
What has been the highlight of the New Zealand space industry. I
your career so far? Finally, tell us something about
think that we will see many more
yourself that we can’t learn by
Rocket Lab is rare in the space aerospace companies sprouting up
Googling you!
industry in that we’ve achieved off the back of Rocket Lab’s success.
100 percent mission success for Now people realise that it is possible I can rap the first verse of “It was a
our customers – in short, that means to work in the space industry in good day” by Ice Cube!
none of our missions have ever New Zealand, I think we will see
8 inSCight / December 2019
OUR ALUMNI
Making the world (a better place)
As a student, Biotechnology and Materials Engineering alumna Yaoyao Ding was inspired by her masters
supervisor’s passion for the nanomechanical properties of biomaterials. Now she’s an entrepreneur making
her own mark on the world.
“I’VE ALWAYS BEEN interested Through our training programmes,
in science and how things work. I we help people to develop a good
enjoyed all the practical work and lab understanding of the benefits and
experiences in my degrees – it was limitations of AM. Through our support
a chance for me to be creative and services, we continuously help our
make things happen.” customers during their product
Making things happen and, in development processes.
particular, making things, is what Recently, we’ve started to develop
Yaoyao has turned her hand to in instruments to monitor the powder
her career. After graduating from quality so we can reduce production
the Faculty of Science in 2008 costs and minimise the impact on the
with a Bachelor of Technology in environment.
Biotechnology, Yaoyao shifted to the
Why is it important for companies
Faculty of Engineering and took up
to be able to make their own parts?
a masters in materials engineering
Is it just because it’s quicker and
under supervisor Dr Michelle
cheaper? Or is it because sometimes
Dickinson. “From the first moment
it’s difficult to procure the parts
I talked to her [Michelle], I knew
they need?
I wanted to become a materials
engineer,” she remembers. With AM, there’s a quicker production
Yaoyao moved to Montreal, development cycle with the ability
Canada, after her masters graduation, to prototype parts. Companies can
and began her PhD in materials fabricate parts on demand, which
engineering at McGill University. She reduces their inventory, and it’s
then spent a year as a postdoctoral therefore easier to plan production
fellow at McGill, before taking because you have full knowledge of
a position working on additive production capacity.
manufacturing (AM) projects with Can you tell us about a recent
Heroux Devtek, a landing gear project or initiative you’ve
manufacturer. worked on?
Additive manufacturing (also
One of the challenges associated with
known as 3D printing) technology
AM is producing parts of consistent
has revolutionised the fabrication and
quality. In metal AM, parts are built by
manufacturing industries, making
adding (this is why it’s called ‘additive’
the production of parts and devices
manufacturing) multiple layers of
simpler, quicker, and more flexible for
metal powder, which is melted with a
organisations and individuals. Yaoyao Ding. Photo: Angelica Ivonne Valencia Ruiz
laser. The commercial and research
In 2018 Yaoyao established her
communities are trying to improve
start-up company, B3D Performance,
the quality and reproducibility of this building will help these industries very proud to see my instruments
which specialises in AM using metal
process. build high quality and cost effective hit the market and make an impact.
powders and lasers.
B3D was awarded funding by parts. A highlight for me has been to work
How did you become involved with the National Research Council (NRC) with people from very different
additive manufacturing? of Canada to develop a test tool How do you think AM is going to
industries, backgrounds and
I first became involved with AM capable of measuring the density of change the aerospace industry
cultures.
during my postdoc at McGill the metal powder bed. So far we have in particular?
University. My postdoctoral supervisor finished Phase I of this project and AM is going to disrupt the supply What drives you?
introduced me to the world of have produced a proof-of-concept chain, and bring product designers “To make the world a better place.”
AM, which is filled with fascinating instrument. We’re currently working on close to the manufacturing process. I love this quote from the movie
possibilities. I’ve stayed in the field building the MVP (most viable product) I imagine we’ll see a quicker product Zootopia. I’m driven to help more
ever since. and commercialisation. It’s really development cycle, along with more people understand AM technology
exciting. creative part design because of the and use it to their advantage.
What kind of work do you do at B3D
increased design freedom. A new
Performance? What kind of impact do you hope Finally, tell us something about
approach to data security will also be
At B3D, we work as a team. Our your work will have? yourself that we can’t learn by
necessary.
team specialises in AM using metal I hope to facilitate adoption of AM into Googling you!
powders, and serves as a bridge different industries, especially the What has been the highlight of I do Latin dancing, and received a
between the technology and the AM aerospace, biomedical and automotive your career so far? silver medal for Hustle. It’s a great
technology adopters. industries. I hope the machines we are I love being an entrepreneur. I will be way of relieving stress!
December 2019 / inSCight 9
OUR RESEARCH
The Pulse of the Gulf
Space research is playing an influential role in a very down-to-earth project that aims to unlock the biological
secrets of the Hauraki Gulf by using satellite imagery, drones, intelligent vision systems and machine learning to
inform the public about environmental issues that threaten its future wellbeing.
IT MAY BE NEW ZEALAND’S largest Marine Capturing an accurate Artificial intelligence helps
National Park, but very little is known about
what goes on beneath the surface. Which is why
picture of the gulf process visual imagery
Associate Professor Rochelle Constantine from the Called the ‘Pulse of the Gulf’, Rochelle’s latest With a PhD in Computer Vision, Faculty of Science
School of Biological Sciences and the Institute of project will focus on the feeding aggregations known technical manager Dr Wannes van der Mark is
Marine Science is on a mission to better understand in fishing parlance as ‘work ups’ that are a familiar providing technical and logistical support for
the key drivers behind marine megafauna – like sight to many boaties. “What are the drivers behind the project. He says that while humans have
whales – that provide important indicators of the these multi species feeding aggregations, what are exceptionally good visual abilities, such as finding
Gulf’s health. the things that draw these animals here in this time a face in a crowd, when it comes to the natural
“The key purpose of this work is to understand and place – and how does that change over time?” environment “trying to get a computer to do this is
the Hauraki Gulf and the megafauna, what In addition to images captured from air surveys, another matter”.
makes it function and what’s important to keep it Rochelle wants to “look through the sea” which is Rising to that challenge is Associate Professor
functioning under some quite intense pressures.” where radar, drones and artificial intelligence come Patrice Delmas, head of the Intelligent Vision
Covering almost 5,000 square kilometres, in. “The world is a beautiful place when it’s in a Systems laboratory within the School of Computer
the relatively shallow waters of the Gulf have long controlled lab environment setting,” says Rochelle, Science, who admits that New Zealand’s harsh light
been recognised as a productive and dynamic but the reality is that the marine animals operate and strong wind present a challenging environment
ecosystem – from the abundant phytoplankton in a 3D environment and drones and underwater and that gannets do “lots of terrible things to our
at the beginning of the food chain to the mussels, cameras will allow her to step into that a lot better images. This is not a simple problem”.
rays, dolphins, Bryde’s whales and seabirds that than she’s ever been able to. Funded by the Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic
were recorded in oral traditions when Māori first On Rochelle’s shopping list is a fixed wing drone Research Initiatives Fund, postgraduate students
arrived. costing in the order of $200,000, and work is now are developing an interface for annotation tablets
However, fish and shellfish stocks are only underway using machine learning algorithms to train that will translate and extract data from the
“a shadow” of what they used to be in the Gulf computers to recognise a plethora of high resolution images which can then be subjected to artificial
says Rochelle, and she plans to draw on satellite images of sea life that have already been taken in the intelligence (AI) techniques like deep learning to
technology that is now being used in marine Gulf. But visually tracking a gannet that plummets help understand how the various animals move in
science to measure everything from whale numbers into the sea at 100 kilometres an hour and leaves a time and space.
to sea surface temperatures and phytoplankton. “I trail of bubbles before emerging a few seconds later “I’m quite confident we’ll get something out
want to be able to measure the ocean using some is easier said than done. of it and it will be quite exciting,” says Patrice,
of the remote sensing tools developed for space whose “end game” is to have the data on marine life
research.” available online for anyone to use. “I want to be an
10 inSCight / December 2019OUR RESEARCH
“There’s this really lovely
marriage that’s coming
from accessing the tools
and techniques that
have been developed
for space research.”
– ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ROCHELLE CONSTANTINE
enabler of these new technologies so that people
don’t need to understand what’s behind it but can
still get something interesting.”
For Rochelle, trying new things is “where
interesting discoveries are made” and the use of AI
tools will be a very efficient way to process visual
imagery – and save valuable time. “These new
technologies are incredibly powerful and affordable,”
she says, “and the more information that you put
into machine learning and AI development the
better they get.”
The collaboration between the biological,
computer and space sciences will hopefully allow
Rochelle to build up detailed and minute layers of
environmental information – including radar images
of ocean-surface micro-eddies that may influence
phytoplankton – to better understand the biology
and ecosystem connectivity and relationships
between the animals and their environment.
“There’s this really lovely marriage that’s coming
from accessing the tools and techniques that have
been developed for space research.”
Creating a framework to
preserve the environment
The inaugural winner of the Blake Environmental
Leadership award in 2018, Rochelle successfully
fought to slow the passage of ships through the Gulf
to prevent the killing of Bryde’s whales and says part
of the overall vision of the project is to get people
talking about the marine environment beyond it
being a great place to hook snapper.
“It’s actually a place with a lot of life that
needs to be looked after a lot better than we do
and hopefully the health and the mauri of the Gulf
will improve a lot as a result of this kind of work.”
Likewise, Patrice says the move towards seabirds and maybe whales use to detect prey. Above: Senior technician Esther Stuck (left) launching
automated systems could eventually provide people And, if Rochelle has her way, an array of cameras the drone with the support of photojournalist Richard
Robinson. Photo: Dr Charlotte Johnson
with a snapshot every day and create a framework and hydrophones will be submerged amongst a
Top: (from left) Associate Professor Patrice Delmas,
for future generations to better understand and work up in order to capture it from within. “That’s Associate Professor Rochelle Constantine and Dr
preserve the environment. “Kids get excited at a challenging part, but hopefully we’ll get data Wannes van der Mark.
school to be part of it, it’s very easy now to engage using that.” Facing page: Bryde's whale feeding in the Hauraki Gulf.
like that.” Behind the scenes, Wannes is helping to Photo: Stephanie Behrens
The ‘Pulse of the Gulf’ will also put the develop sensible tools and standard operating
University of Auckland RV Hawere to good use by procedures for use in the marine environment –
deploying more conventional research tools such and smoothing the way through the regulatory Mason Centre for the Natural Environment, the
as hydrophones to record both natural and boat framework for the use of drones. As he puts it, Chisholm Whitney Charitable Trust, the Auckland
sounds. “you don’t want headlines about drones crashing Council, DOC, and the Waiheke Brewing Company,
Water samples will also be collected to look into a boat full of school children!” Rochelle hopes the project will inform people about
for dimethyl sulfide – the so-called ‘smell of the Funded by generous grants from the what’s changed in the Gulf over the next decade
sea’ produced by phytoplankton – which some Foundation North G.I.F.T. programme, the George “and we’re hoping it’ll change for the better”.
December 2019 / inSCight 11SPACE FACTS
Did you know…
The time travel
If you want to time travel, all you have to do is look up.
The glimmers you see are snapshots of the distant Waipuna-a-rangi (17 Tauri)
past. The Andromeda galaxy is the most distant object
readily visible to the naked eye at 2.5 million light-
years away. So, the light you see from it tonight is 2.5
million years old. You’re seeing it as it was at the time
long before modern humans existed.
The width
The Milky Way galaxy is 105,700 light-years wide. It would take a
modern spacecraft 450,000,000 years to travel to its centre.
The smell and taste
The centre of the Milky Way smells like rum and tastes
like raspberries. This was discovered by the IRAM
radio telescope, which zeroed in on a gas cloud called
Sagittarius B2 at its centre. The IRAM detected a
chemical called ethyl formate which gives rum its
distinct smell and raspberries their distinct flavour.
Tupu-a-rangi (19 Tauri)
The make up
68 percent of the Universe is dark energy and 27 percent is dark
matter. Both are mysterious and invisible. That means that the
rest – everything on Earth, everything ever observed with all our
Looking for space and astronomy
instruments, all normal matter – adds up to no more than
five percent of the Universe. sites on the internet? Try these!
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand
The silence www.rasnz.org.nz
Stardome Conservatory and Planetarium
In space, no one can hear you scream. This is because www.stardome.org.nz
there is no air in space – it is a vacuum. Sound waves
Space Place
cannot travel through a vacuum.
www.museumswellington.org.nz/space-place
Dark Sky Project
www.darkskyproject.co.nz
Searching for alien worlds The World at Night (TWAN)
Astronomers are discovering more and more exoplanets – planets www.twanight.org
outside our Solar System – and finding out how different solar Astronomers Without Borders (AWB)
systems form. However, what excites people is the possible www.astronomerswithoutborders.org
discovery of another ‘Goldilocks’ planet like ours – one that
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
could support extraterrestrial (alien) life.
www.nasa.gov
Space.com
Orion, the future www.space.com
of space exploration Sky & Telescope
www.skyandtelescope.com
NASA is developing Orion to transport humans past
Earth’s orbit, to our Moon, and ultimately on a longer Space Calendar
journey than anyone has ever taken: to Mars – and back. www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar
Orion’s heat shield was put to the test on an uncrewed flight HubbleSite
in 2014, and it withstood temperatures of over 2,000 degrees www.hubblesite.org
Celsius. That’s about twice the temperature of molten lava.
12 inSCight / December 2019Ururangi (23 Tauri)
Waiti (27 Tauri)
Matariki (Eta (25) Tauri)
Tupa-a-nuku (28 Tauri)
Matariki
Waita (20 Tauri)
Herald of the Māori New Year
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Matariki is seen in the The Matariki star cluster is visible from most View the night sky by
northern sky, rising in the northeast and setting in places on the globe, so it has many names
the northwest. The cluster disappears from view and stories in different cultures. The cluster
downloading these apps from
in late autumn when it is too close to the sun to formed from a vast cloud of gas and dust about Google Play or the App Store
be seen. Its reappearance in the pre-dawn sky in 100 million years ago. The stars are therefore
SkyView® Lite uses your cellphone’s camera to
early winter (the end of May or beginning of June) ‘young’ by stellar standards (our Sun is 4,600
precisely spot and identify celestial objects in the
signals the beginning of the Māori New Year, a million years old).
sky – day or night.
uniquely New Zealand festival.
Telescopes reveal the cluster consists of nearly
Stellarium Mobile Sky Map has a catalogue
This celebration begins at the sighting of the next 1,000 stars travelling together through space.
of over 600,000 stars displayed as a real time
crescent Moon in June near the Winter Solstice. Over the next few hundred million years,
zoomable sky map. You will be able to identify
In 2019 Matariki was officially celebrated on 25 they will gradually drift apart as they orbit
stars just by pointing your phone at the sky!
June. Traditionally it signalled a new beginning; around the Milky Way galaxy. Matariki is one
a time for planting trees and preparing the of the closest star clusters to the Sun. Yet at a Redshift Take 3D flights to travel to any location
land for crops. It is now recognised as an distance of 440 light years*, it is more than 100 within our Solar System; orbit the planets and
important national event that brings family and times further away than the nearest star, Alpha their moons, and land on their surfaces.
communities together to reflect on the past and Centauri, which is 4.2 light years away.
Distant Suns (Max) has one of the most realistic
the future and to share knowledge, food and
Matariki contains a number of hot blue stars displays of the night sky, while being one of the
entertainment.
that light up vast sheets and filaments of easiest to use astronomy apps for casual sky
nearby dust, which the star cluster is now watchers as well as serious astronomers.
The brightest stars in the passing through. It appears to the unaided eye
Cosmic Watch includes a celestial calendar
Matariki cluster as an exquisite grouping of seven stars on the
providing you with all the important information
shoulder of the constellation of Taurus the Bull.
Matariki (Eta (25) Tauri), Waiti (27 Tauri), and significant celestial events that are visible
These stars are also commonly known as the
Waipuna-a-rangi (17 Tauri), Waita (20 Tauri), from your location.
Pleiades and the ‘Seven Sisters’.
Ururangi (23 Tauri), Tupu-a-rangi (19 Tauri),
Orion StarSeek 5 by holding your device up
Tupa-a-nuku (28 Tauri).
to the sky the dynamically changing map will
identify stars, constellations, planets as you pan
Our thanks to the Stardome who have *A light-year is the distance light travels in 1 year – around.
provided all content and the Matariki approx. 9.5 trillion kilometres.
image on pages 12 and 13. Remember to keep looking up!
December 2019 / inSCight 13OUR EVENTS
Perspectives on
Life in the Universe
Are we alone? Is there life elsewhere? How did life begin? There is something vaguely ‘Trekkie’ about
searching for the answers to questions about life in the Universe. Yet this is what the University of
Auckland’s Te Ao Mārama – Centre for Fundamental Inquiry focuses its attention on.
BASED IN THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE, Te Ao Finding the planets that are “If planets are too close to a sun, any water
Mārama is one of a handful of organisations and
institutes worldwide interested in the deep, simple
not too hot and not too cold will dissipate into vapour and if planets are too far
away from a sun, any water will freeze,” David says.
“fundamental” questions that are hard to answer Until 1995 the idea of life on other planets was “Planets in the habitable zone have liquid water and
and which transcend traditional disciplinary mostly confined to science fiction. Then along are often called “Goldilocks” planets…. we know
boundaries. Its name means the “world of life came the Doppler technique – an indirect method that life is possible within the habitable zone, but
and light”, the idea of breaking into light from for finding extrasolar planets – and the study of not outside it.”
darkness, and it is committed to working on these planets orbiting other stars became a key area of So far, we have discovered 4,000 planets
questions by drawing from both mātauranga astronomy. Other techniques for detecting planets but only about 30 of these planets have the
and science. use reflex motion and oscillation, radio velocity, temperature and conditions that could potentially
This year Te Ao Mārama was honoured to transit method and gravitational microlensing. hold liquid water. In the meantime, there are many
host the Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture Series – three New Zealand is uniquely positioned for these other questions to explore such as ‘what is life from
evening lectures and a panel discussion – themed astronomical observations because, as Professor first principles?’.
“Perspectives on Life in the Universe”. World David Bennett explains, “we need to see into the “If we can agree on an answer to this, maybe
leading scientists shared how new developments centre of our galaxy and the centre is 30 degrees we will find other places we should be looking for
in astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics south of the equator, so it is much easier to observe life, like the methane lakes of Saturn,” David says.
and fundamental science are expanding our from the southern hemisphere”. He says one of the keys to finding signs of life
understanding of the origin and evolution of the Being able to observe planets orbiting around is spectra, “a prism that breaks light down into its
Universe. Their research efforts range from our other stars has helped us to develop theories on different spectrums so we can see what consistency
planet, to our Solar System, to exoplanets so far how planets form, including a standard calculation of methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen a planet
away they almost defy imagination. of the ‘habitable’ zone. has”.
14 inSCight / December 2019OUR EVENTS
“The presence of oxygen on earth is entirely
due to plants. If we destroyed all the plants, the
oxygen would rapidly go away. If we observe oxygen “Everything – and I do Vice-Chancellor’s Lecture
on an earth ‘twin’ that’s a good sign that there might
mean everything – that Series guest speakers
be life there.”
we touch or see or smell LECTURE 1
Defining life as we
understand it or taste is made out Discoveries of Extra-Solar Planets
and the Search for Evidence of
So how exactly are scientists tackling the search for
of atoms.” Extraterrestrial Life
extraterrestrial life in all the nooks and crannies of – PROFESSOR RICHARD EASTHER Professor David Bennett, NASA Goddard
our Solar System? And is there any point in searching Space Flight Centre and the University
for life on other planets if we don’t even understand of Maryland
what life is, or how and where it forms?
Professor Maria-Paz Zorzano discussed the
Building the Lego of LECTURE 2
latter as one of the panellists and during her own Searching for Alien Life in
lecture. the Universe the Solar System
“What is life? We were discussing this and From a physicist’s perspective, there are two truly Professor Maria-Paz Zorzano, Astrobiology
decided that it was pretty difficult to define,” fundamental ingredients for life: material that is able Center of the National Institute of
she says. “Life is something that uses energy in a to support complex systems and a Universe that can Aerospace Technology
chemical form. All the life forms that we know of on supply the energy needed to sustain it.
earth are based on carbon chemistry – so they have World-leading cosmologist and physicist,
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.
LECTURE 3
Professor Richard Easther, says particle physics
“We also know that life forms try and fight Letting Life Happen:
and cosmology can shape our thinking about the
against ageing and damage from the environment, from Particles to People
existence and persistence of life in the Universe, as
as well as creating extra copies of themselves well as when and where it can form. Professor Richard Easther,
containing genetic information that comes from the “Physicists are ‘reductionists’, we know that University of Auckland
‘parent’.” almost everything is made out of something else,”
Defining life is an ongoing debate which leads he says. “Everything – and I do mean everything – PANEL DISCUSSION
on to questions about what life needs to thrive and that we touch or see or smell or taste is made out Fundamental Questions on
flourish. There is agreement that carbon-based life of atoms.” Life in the Universe
forms need liquid water and nutrients, “but then we But like Lego even these can be broken down
also need to investigate ‘what are the limits of life’?” Professor Maria-Paz Zorzano; Dr Heather
into smaller ‘parts’ – protons, neutrons, electrons, Hendrickson, Massey University; Dr Dan
says Maria-Paz. quarks, gluons, etc. Given these raw materials and
“We are not particularly tolerant, we need Hikuroa, University of Auckland; Professor
the laws of physics, Richard says it is possible to Kathy Campbell, University of Auckland.
protection from ultraviolet radiation, we need a build up the properties of all the atoms that exist
moderate temperature, we need certain pressures. Chaired by Kim Hill, Radio New Zealand
and all the compounds they can form.
But there are micro-organisms we’ve investigated “However, it is not just enough to have the
that can enlarge our concept of limitations.” ‘possibility of atoms’ – the Universe actually has to
This is where Professor Kathy Campbell’s make them. Everything we can imagine has once
astrobiology research comes in (see page 16). Her
focus is on life in the Universe at the microbial level,
been part of a star and it takes billions of years to Te Ao Mārama – Centre for
build up the supply of atoms that went into our Solar
because the single cell life form is the simplest we System. But if we are going to have chemistry or
Fundamental Inquiry
are aware of and may leave remaining biosignatures anything else we need chemical elements and that
inside rocks on other planets, such as Mars. takes time.” The centre is led by director Professor Kathy
“Is there other life in the Universe? The answer Where does that leave our quest to find the Campbell from the School of Environment.
is we don’t know that yet. We know that planets and origins of life and the existence of life elsewhere She is joined by co-founders Professor
their satellites had different conditions in the past. in the Universe? The research is moving forward, Richard Easther from the Department
So, we are looking for remnants of carbon chemistry constantly adapting and evolving in small steps of Physics, Dr Daniel Hikuroa from Māori
and microbial forms inside a rock – a protective and giant bounds, as Te Ao Mārama and other Studies and Dr Emily Parke from the
environment for one or two cells to survive,” international initiatives confront these big questions School of Philosophy. The wider team
Maria-Paz says. at the frontier of science and philosophy. includes researchers from Biological
Our advice while we are waiting for new Sciences, Business, Computer Science and
insights? To quote our world-leading cosmologist, Engineering Science.
“Given that no one seems to have all the answers
“Believe it or not – the yet, we should take this time to appreciate that the
www.teaomarama.auckland.ac.nz
question ‘what is life’ level of emergent complexity in the Universe is truly
amazing!”
is still unanswered. Thank you to all our guest speakers.
We are still fighting and
arguing about whether Listen to Fundamental Questions on Life
in the Universe A Panel Discussion with Kim Hill
you can define life.” www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/smart_talk
– PROFESSOR KATHY CAMPBELL
December 2019 / inSCight 15You can also read
