Category: Education

The report, commissioned by several government departments, was launched today by Economic Development Minister David Parker at Massey University’s Manawatū campus under the FoodHQ umbrella.

FoodHQ is a partnership between AgResearch, AsureQuality, the BioCommerce Centre, ESR, Fonterra, Plant and Food Research, the Manawatu District Council, the Palmerston North City Council, the Riddet Institute and the University.

The report, Emerging Growth Opportunities in New Zealand Food & Beverage Report 2017, was presented by author and Coriolis director Tim Morris. He highlighted the methodology used to find the emerging opportunities in chocolate, fresh cherries, breakfast cereals, muesli bars and flavoured beverages. 

Mr Parker said he was deeply impressed with the report. “Our total investment in R&D, at around 1.3 per cent GDP, is about half of where the OECD average is at, so plainly we have to do something different, and plainly the food and beverage industry will be a big part of that,” he said.

Parker talking about the report.

Future of food and beverage

FoodHQ chief executive Dr Abby Thompson says the report looked at a wide range of New Zealand food and beverage exports and identified several areas with significant potential for development.

“New Zealand’s economy was built on producing and exporting food and beverage products. We know international markets’ demands are changing, and it is important to identify areas that have the potential to further grow our exports in the coming years.

“The report has identified areas where we take advantage of our reputation for high-quality produce, our culture of innovation in food and our geographic location, which lets us supply out-of-season products to the northern hemisphere.”

The report was commissioned by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) with support from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Around 1700 secondary school athletes will be at Massey University’s Manawatū campus next week to participate in the New Zealand Secondary School Volleyball Championships.

Now in its 50th year, the annual tournament is being held in Palmerston North with the University’s campus serving as one of several venues.

The country’s largest secondary school sporting tournament will bring 172 teams from 106 schools to take part in the tournament, with 350 coaches accompanying the teams.

A number of tours will be held throughout the tournament for athletes wishing to explore the University’s Manawatū campus.

The Riddet Institute was established at Massey University in 2003 by Professor Singh and Professor Moughan. Under their leadership the institute has gone from strength to strength. It was selected as a New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) in 2008 and is now one of the leading food research centres in the world. It has secured millions of dollars in research funding from the New Zealand and international food industry for innovative food science and technology programmes. In 2012, Professor Singh and Professor Moughan were jointly awarded the Prime Minister’s Science Prize of $500,000, New Zealand’s most valuable award for scientific achievement.

While Professor Moughan will no longer be co-director, he remains very active in the Institute as one of the Principal Investigators. He will also assume the role of Riddet Institute Fellow Laureate in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Institute and to food research in New Zealand.

Professor Singh says, “It has been a privilege and an honour to have worked with Paul as the co-director of Riddet over the last 15 years. Because of his visionary leadership, the Riddet Institute has become one of the premier research centres in the world on a path to sustainable growth. Combining inter-disciplinary and creative thinking, our partnership has set a new vision and direction for food and nutritional sciences research.

“In his new role, we will continue to work together to further strengthen our science leadership and international profile and impact.”

Professor Singh is a world-renowned food scientist, whose research has focused on food colloids, food ingredient functionality, functional foods and food structure-nutrition interface. He has published more than 350 research papers in international journals, has been a co-inventor of 12 patented products/innovations, and has given more than 150 keynote address at international conferences.

In 2013, he was made a Distinguished Professor, the highest academic title the University offers and is normally bestowed on up to 15 professors who have achieved ‘outstanding international eminence in their fields’.

While he has more than proven himself in the academic field, he has also shown great skill as a leader in the scientific community, both in his role leading Riddet, but also heading the School of Food and Nutrition, and the Institute of Food Science and Technology (MIFST) from 2015-2017.

He has been instrumental in brokering important relationships with industry and bringing the best talent to the Centre, such as the recent appointment of Fonterra-Riddet chair in sensory and consumer science. Another highly significant deal has been the establishment of the AgResearch-Massey University Food Science Facility, with an initial investment of $45 million on the Manawatū campus.

Professor Singh has also been instrumental in bringing the world’s best international minds to our shores, including many sabbatical visitors and last year’s International Symposium on the Delivery of Functionality in Complex Food Systems – the first time this high-profile conference was been held in the Southern Hemisphere.

His international standing and outstanding contributions to food science have been recognised by several prestigious awards: the William Haines Dairy Science Award (USA), the Marschall Rhodia International Dairy Science Award (USA), Massey University Research Medal, JC Andrews Award, the Shorland Medal, International Dairy Foods Association Research Award in Dairy Foods (USA). He is an Elected Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, the International Academy of Food Science and Technology, Elected Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology, and Elected Fellow of the United States Institute of Food Technologists.

Assistant Vice-Chancellor Research, Academic and Enterprise Professor Giselle Byrnes says the University is delighted Professor Singh has taken on this important leadership role and she looks forward to working with him.

Chair of the Riddet Board Dr Kevin Marshall says, “The Board is delighted that Massey University has appointed Professor Singh as the sole director of the Institute to continue and enhance the great work that has been undertaken over the last decade. 

“The Board also welcomes the on-going involvement of Professor Moughan in the vital research activities of the Institute. His experience, leadership and world class research will continue to grow the Institute’s prestige both domestically and internationally.

It was getting into trouble as a teenager that set Paulé Ruwhiu, Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Porou,
on a social work pathway that will this year, see her complete a PhD.

“I remember mum and dad put me in front of this person called a social worker and he started asking me how I was feeling and all these other questions and I remember thinking – I can so do a better job than you and that idea sort of stuck.” 

With a strong sense of social justice and a desire to fight for the underdog she headed to Massey University in Palmerston North to learn about social work, but says she also found herself on a path of self-discovery. 

Growing up Ms Ruwhiu says she had been disconnected from her Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Porou roots. “I was born in Timaru in the South Island and at that time in the 1970’s I struggled with being Māori and what that looked like”. Heading to Massey as a mature student years later, one of the elements in the programme was about decolonisation along with kō wai au – knowing yourself.  With the help of strong Māori support I became very secure in my identity – balancing my mother’s Scottish heritage with my Tangata Whenua side.”

Identity is a strong thread in her academic journey. “When I worked in Māori mental health I realised that a lot of the Tangata Whaiora (a person seeking health) we were working with didn’t have a sense of who they are and where they came from, so that sparked the topic for my master’s degree.  I looked at three generations of Māori women and how Te Ao Māori [the Māori world] had been passed down through the generations. I was looking to see who provides you with the skills and tools to be able to build your identity. After completing my Master in Social Work, I left Māori mental health and went into tertiary teaching, and I found many Māori students coming into social work struggled with their identity, which ignited my interest in enrolling into the doctorate programme.”

For her PhD research Ms Ruwhiu chose a topic close to her heart – the process of decolonisation and the experiences of Māori social work students and Māori social workers. 

Now based on Massey’s Auckland campus she says while she misses the hands-on role of social work, teaching has its rewards. “I really enjoy that ‘a ha’ moment, when a student gets what I’m talking about. I’m quite a dynamic teacher – I don’t just stand at the whiteboard. I love to use different medium.” 

This year she will help run four noho marae where students get to stay a night on a marae to experience Māori culture first hand and to also learn about Māori models of practice when working with Tangata Whenua. “A lot haven’t been on a marae before so we work through all that anxiety and at the end of it they just absolutely love it and want to stay another night and that’s really awesome. I’m really in my prime teaching on marae.”

She says a strong sense of identity is crucial for Māori social workers. “It grounds you in your practice and provides you with the ability to connect when working with Māori.” Her advice to Māori students is, “Seek out Māori supports at Massey and make that connection, so you start to form strong relationships in your academic life.”