Date: Wednesday 11 August 2021, 4 pm – 5.30 pm In-person venue: Seminar Room, Koi Tū, Fisher Building, Level 7, 18 Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland In the third of our monthly Koi Tū seminar series, Dr Paul Winton will … Read More
Update, 20 July: A video recording of the seminar is now available below Date: Wednesday 14 July 2021, 4 pm – 5.30 pm Venue: Seminar Room, Koi Tū, Fisher Building, Level 7, 18 Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland and online In the … Read More
Last updated 16 July 2021 With the release of the Government’s official COVID-19 tracker app, Dr Andrew Chen has been providing expert commentary on its advantages, disadvantages, how it compares to other apps used internationally, and its implications for privacy. … Read More
In a piece published in Newsroom, Dr Felicia Low discusses how poor maternal mental health acts as a biological contributor to the problem of intergenerational disadvantage in New Zealand. Stress during pregnancy may impact on the baby’s brain development, with … Read More
An official side-event at the 2021 High-Level Political Forum, International Science Council From ISC: The side event brought together policy makers, national science funders, foundations, development aid agencies and international science institutions to present a roadmap to how scale up … Read More
With Australia’s recent announcement of its plans to re-open its borders, there are now increasing questions around what New Zealand’s response should look like. Sir Peter joined Q+A’s Jack Tame to discuss the critical importance of vaccination in being able … Read More
In an interview with Stuff’s John Anthony, Sir Peter Gluckman shares some thoughts on what is needed to reopen New Zealand’s borders to the rest of the world. See Covid-19: How New Zealand might reconnect with the world after nearly … Read More
Julia Büdler, Koi Tū Research Assistant and Masters Student in Politics and International Relations The Koi Tū Seminar Series kicked off on Wednesday 9 June with Dr Matheson Russell, Associate Professor in Philosophy, Faculty of Arts. In a talk entitled … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman Director, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland 25 June 2021 I want to focus on the challenging climate in which we collectively need to make decisions – not just over the next few … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman and Binyam Sisay Mendisu, Programme Officer at the UNESCO–International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa, reflect in an essay on the lessons learned from Covid-19 for the science advisory ecosystem. The essay can be downloaded here, and … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman President-Elect, International Science Council 8 June 2021 Mr Chairman, I am delighted to speak at this opening ceremony as President-Elect of the International Science Council. The last 18 months have elevated discussion of risk to the front … Read More
Date: Wednesday 9 June 2021, 3 pm – 4.30 pm Venue: Seminar Room, Koi Tū, Fisher Building, Level 7, 18 Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures invites you to a seminar with Dr Matheson … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman President-Elect, International Science Council 24th May 2021 Albert Van Jaarsveld (Director, IIASA), in summarising the joint ISC-IIASA project on the need for mission-led approaches to sustainability, has made a cogent argument for a much more systematic … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman has been appointed by the UK’s national funding agencies as chair of the Advisory Group to the UK’s Future Research Assessment Programme. This programme was initiated to explore how UK’s higher education research performance can be better … Read More
It has been one-year since the release of the NZ Covid Tracer app to aid contact tracing efforts during Covid-19 outbreaks. In a piece for Newsroom, Dr Andrew Chen discusses how well the app has been used, how useful it … Read More
Tuesday 18 May 2021 New research shows stress during pregnancy is linked to impaired child brain development and can reinforce the cycle of cumulative intergenerational disadvantage. While sociological factors such as poverty and the wider environment play a large … Read More
The first of Koi Tū’s evidence briefs, this paper analyses and synthesises new research linking a mother’s prenatal mental health to the child’s brain development, and shows how this ties into the problem of intergenerational disadvantage in New Zealand. Children … Read More
Keynote address to Auckland’s Future, Now Auckland, Friday 14 May 2021 Sir Peter Gluckman Director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures at the University of Auckland ↓ Jump to PDF/video of speech New Zealand is not exactly … Read More
Peter Gluckman talks to Sir Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, in a new episode of INGSA’s Horizon Series. See also: First episode: Proactive science advice & the challenges of democracy, with Roger Pielke Second episode: Values, bias … Read More
The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, appointed by the World Health Organization to provide an independent review of lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, has released its report entitled COVID-19: Make it the Last Pandemic. As ISC President-elect … Read More
Flights have resumed between New Zealand and NSW, but the temporary travel pause may not be the last An article in The Conversation co-authored by Andrew Chen and University of Canterbury professor Michael Plank discusses the challenges of quarantine-free travel between … Read More
Peter Gluckman President-Elect, International Science Council Download speech notes here The cluster of SDGs that are the focus of this year’s SDG review – hunger, poverty, health, institutional health and governance – were already challenging, and all have been … Read More
Keynote address from Sir Peter Gluckman to the Institute of Directors Download speech notes here See also: BusinessDesk: ‘New post-pandemic’ nightmare to last for years ($ – 6 May) I want to focus on the challenging climate in which … Read More
How do we help make New Zealand’s cities as productive and innovative as others around the world? Read more in this article on Stuff, which also draws on the topics canvassed in the November 2020 Koi Tū report, New Zealand’s … Read More
Join Peter Gluckman as he chats with Alberto Lidji, host of The Do One Better! Podcast, about science advice, policy making and science diplomacy in a post-Covid world. The transcript is available here, and can be downloaded via links at … Read More
The 2nd Global Forum of Funders, organised by the International Science Council, brings together leaders from national research funding agencies, foundations and development aid agencies to collaborate on supporting science for global sustainability. Sir Peter Gluckman gave the opening address … Read More
In a blog post for the International Science Council, Kristiann Allen discusses the lessons learned about the science-policy-society relationship from the collective global experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, and highlights several key recommendations that can be acted on at national … Read More
The UN Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA), which is part of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), has been leading a project to develop a set of principles of effective governance for sustainable … Read More
In a public lecture hosted by IIASA and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Sir Peter Gluckman reflects on the findings and recommendations of a joint IIASA-ISC initiative bringing together international expertise to guide recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic towards long-term … Read More
In the second episode of INGSA’s Horizon Series, Peter Gluckman chats with Assoc Prof Heather Douglas (Michigan State University) about the new social contract for science and science advice. See also: First episode: Proactive science advice & the challenges … Read More
The new report from Koi Tū, Uncertain but inevitable – the expert-policy-political nexus and high-impact risks, exposes gaps in New Zealand’s risk management ecosystem and argues that countries need to rethink how they prepare for and manage high-impact risks. The … Read More
-OP-ED TO ACCOMPANY THE RELEASE OF THE LATEST KOI TŪ REPORT ON HIGH-IMPACT RISKS– Sir Peter Gluckman Director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures It has been well publicised that public health experts have long predicted a pandemic … Read More
Countries need to rethink how they prepare for and manage high-impact risks, say researchers in a new report which exposes gaps in New Zealand’s risk management ecosystem. The report Uncertain but inevitable – the expert-policy-political nexus and high-impact risks says … Read More
Do you have a postgraduate degree in public health, public policy or a related discipline? We are looking for a new Research Assistant to undertake literature reviews and write synthesis reports, primarily in the field of human development and wellbeing. … Read More
The first episode of INGSA’s Horizon Series, a set of interviews with leading global experts at the science/society/policy interface, is out now! In this episode, Kristiann Allen talks to Prof Roger Pielke Jr (University of Colorado, Boulder), author of The … Read More
A paper by Matthias Kaiser, Andrew Chen and Peter Gluckman discussing the utility of the Global Health Security Index during the Covid-19 pandemic has been published in Health Research Policy and Systems. Abstract: Background This paper critically discusses the use … Read More
A review by Peter Gluckman, Anne Bardsley and Matthias Kaiser on the meaning, theory, and practice of knowledge brokerage at the science-policy interface has just been published in Humanities and Social Science Communications. Abstract: This article analyses the conceptual framework … Read More
The Government has proposed shifting control over water fluoridation decisions from local councils to the Director-General of Health. Peter Gluckman discusses this change with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB:
Science Advice to Government – Why is it Relevant? Peter Gluckman and other speakers deliberate on this topic as part of the workshop series Is Science Advice for Policy Useful in Modern Societies? organised by the Center for Philosophy of … Read More
Kristiann Allen and Tatjana Buklijas have written a blog post for the International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), an initiative that aims to provide research and evidence to assist policy makers in formulating effective strategies to tackle the social, economic and … Read More
Come work with us! Are you a social science or humanities scholar? We have a funded PhD opportunity at the University of Auckland with Kristiann Allen of Koi Tū and Jennifer Salmond from the School of Environment looking at public decision-making … Read More
In The Conversation Weekly’s latest podcast, COVID-19: where does the World Health Organization go from here?, Peter Gluckman shares some thoughts on the role of the World Health Organization in the Covid-19 pandemic (starts 12’11”).
-INSIGHT- Rochelle Menzies[1] The world has changed significantly in recent decades, meaning contemporary youth are experiencing life in ways never encountered by previous generations. In this fast-changing world, younger generations face a myriad of challenges to their mental wellbeing, … Read More
Update (6 March 2021): Andrew’s article is now available in html/e-reader format and as a PDF. First posted 2 November 2020 New blog post: Dr Andrew Chen’s write-up on the challenges posed by the fragmentation of QR codes to NZ’s … Read More
-OPINION- Sir Peter Gluckman President-Elect, International Science Council Director, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland Right from the first appearance of the Covid-19 virus, nationalistic and domestic politics in many countries compromised the global response. From … Read More
Today marks the first anniversary of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures since we were officially launched by the Governor-General on March 4. Over the past year, the Koi Tū team’s highlights have been engaging with many academic, industry … Read More
-OPINION- Sir Peter Gluckman As the Global Covid Scenarios project gets underway, it is worth reflecting on New Zealand’s current and future strategy in dealing with the pandemic. I have been surprised how many think we can live with elimination … Read More
Dr Tatjana Buklijas, Koi Tū Associate Director – Academic, has been appointed a Senior Lecturer to the Global Studies programme at the University of Auckland. Tatjana will split her time between Koi Tū and the transdisciplinary Global Studies programme, which … Read More
Media release Wednesday 17 February Two top New Zealand scientists are key members of a new international panel mapping future Covid-19 scenarios. Epidemiologist Professor Sir David Skegg of the University of Otago and Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, the President-elect of … Read More
The content below has been reproduced from a 5 January 2021 post on Andrew Chen’s blog. Watch: Andrew discusses the letter in an interview with 1News Update, 10 February 2021: Read Minister Hipkins’ response to Andrew’s letter News articles on January … Read More
A blog post by Peter Gluckman for the Lisbon Council The European Commission has called for a “climate change competency framework” as part of the European Green Deal. What are policymakers trying to achieve through consideration of the role of … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman Keynote, Special Session at US-Korea Conference 2020: KOFST- KSEA Special Session on Science Diplomacy Thank you for the kind opportunity to speak at this meeting of the UKC. We are living in a world of multiple … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman Address to the Lisbon Council Roundtable, 15 December 2020 I will start my provocation with the fundamental question: what are we trying to achieve through consideration of the role of education in the climate change competency … Read More
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, is to be congratulated on a thoughtful, reflective report that covers the long-term challenges facing environmental research in Aotearoa New Zealand. The report, A review of the funding and prioritisation of environmental … Read More
A Global Young Academy/International Science Council dialogue Sir Peter Gluckman gave a keynote presentation on human development in a special dialogue session organised as part of the wider ISC/UNDP project on Conversations in Rethinking Human Development. Watch the video below:
New opinion piece: Dr Andrew Chen and Kristiann Allen write in The Spinoff about the use of emergent new technologies by the New Zealand Police, and what we need to know in order to assess the risks that these technologies … Read More
As part of the Frontiers Policy Labs initiative, Sir Peter Gluckman spoke with Prof Jean Claude Burgelman from Free University of Brussels about scientific advice and policymaking in the context of the COVID-19 response, as well as how science diplomacy … Read More
Opening plenary keynote speech, Climate Change + Business Conference 11 November 2020 Dr Anne Bardsley, Deputy Director, Koi Tū Video of Anne’s keynote speech Tēnā koutou katoa I’d like to first introduce Koi Tū briefly for those who don’t know … Read More
– INSIGHT – Dr Tatjana Buklijas, Associate Director – Academic, Koi Tū As both COVID-19 and climate change have shown us, inadequate policy response in various countries is often caused not by the lack of evidence but by insufficient … Read More
INGSA and Koi Tū, through the leadership of Dr Tatjana Buklijas and Kristiann Allen, have been part of the successful bid to participate in the newly established International Public Policy Observatory. Funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council … Read More
We need to make collective decisions to improve the long-term prospects of all New Zealanders in a post-Covid world — but what are the most critical issues we will face, and how can we best address them? The Future is … Read More
New Zealand needs to have tough conversations about how we can make collective decisions to improve the long-term prospects of all New Zealanders, says a new think-tank report. The Future is Now: Exploring the post-pandemic direction for Aotearoa New Zealand … Read More
Check out The Gisborne Herald’s report on Sir Peter Gluckman’s speech at the Edible Innovation event earlier this month in Gisborne.
New Zealand needs to refresh many aspects of its economic strategy including giving greater focus to innovation and the knowledge economy, says a report by some of our leading economists and researchers. They call for investment in Auckland as an … Read More
There is broad consensus that, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, New Zealand should aim to protect its social cohesion and promote our economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being. But how can we achieve these goals? A new Koi Tū … Read More
New article: In an article on The Conversation, Sir Peter Gluckman and Prof Alexander Gillespie discuss a new protocol that may be used in place of WHO’s current model for dealing with border-crossing infectious diseases, which they argue is outdated … Read More
In an essay adapted from the May 2020 piece Reflections on the evidentiary-politics interface, Peter Gluckman and Kristiann Allen discuss Bridging the cultures of science, policy and politics in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Preliminary findings from an exploratory study of the database In February 2020, when many parts of world were taking unprecedented measures to try to control the spread of the SARS CoV-2 coronavirus, INGSA turned to its global community for help … Read More
London 15 September 2020 Sir Peter Gluckman, Koi Tū: Centre for Informed Futures. I want to focus on the issue of trust. Using data is nothing new for governments – whether in the form of the doomsday book or … Read More
Sir Peter sat down with SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) for a Science for Policy podcast, in which conversation topics ranged from the factors driving the formation of Koi Tū, through to the global response to COVID-19 … Read More
Check out our latest newsletter – it covers just some of our latest work, including an opinion piece on the importance of sustaining democracy in challenging times, and reports and commentaries on rangatahi mental health and education. Plus, don’t forget … Read More
INGSA Executive Officer Lara Cowen has written a piece for Apolitical explaining the different ways by which policy makers can better access expert advice. Read the article here
– OPINION – Sir Peter Gluckman, Director of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures The complex balance of sustaining democracy while governing at a time of public health crisis surely must be one of the foremost issues for many … Read More
“What was done right and what has gone wrong in pandemic responses to date?” Next week, from 14-18 September, the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) and Koi Tū will host a global virtual meeting on the early lessons … Read More
In light of worsening mental health among New Zealand youth over the past decade, a new Koi Tū commentary piece is calling for urgent action to better understand the underlying factors and effective strategies for prevention and intervention. Youth mental … Read More
Mental health conditions amongst Aotearoa New Zealand youth have doubled in the past decade with mental health experts describing it as “a silent pandemic of psychological distress.” The psychologists and academics are calling for urgent action to better understand the … Read More
Page last updated 2 September 2020 In the wake of the re-emergence of community transmission of COVID-19 in New Zealand, Dr Andrew Chen has been providing expert commentary in relation to contact tracing and other related issues. *NEW* RNZ – … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman When one is starting on a research career, it is hard to appreciate the difference between a supervisor and a mentor. Some people can be both, but mentorship is something to be treasured. Mentorship is not about … Read More
New Zealand needs to refresh its broad economic strategy to focus on the weightless economy and the potential of the food sector, as the impact of Covid-19 on our economy hits home. That’s one of the recommendations from Sir Peter … Read More
Below are the notes for Sir Peter Gluckman’s keynote speech at the ANZ-KangaNews New Zealand Capital Markets Forum on 20 August 2020 Download speech in PDF format See also: Media release: Time to refresh NZ’s long-term strategy *NEW* Stuff: Government … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman gave a lecture to the Global Research Alliance‘s CLIFF-GRADS (Climate, Food and Farming Global Research Alliance Development Scholarships) alumni on The science-policy interface. The webinar can be viewed here: Courtesy of Global Research Alliance The presentation … Read More
A new book edited by Dr Andrew Chen, Shouting Zeros and Ones: Digital Technology, Ethics and Policy in New Zealand (Bridget Williams Books, 2020), delves into the impacts of digital technology from the individual to the societal level. It covers … Read More
Lockdown highlighted and exacerbated young Māori students’ life on the wrong side of the digital divide says a new report, which provides evidence and recommendations for how the disparities can be addressed. It highlights how iwi used their own resources … Read More
A partnership report by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures has examined how the COVID-19 lockdown has impacted on young Māori students’ educational experiences. Addressing rangatahi education: Challenges after COVID-19 reports on the challenges faced … Read More
Congratulations to Dr Anne Bardsley on her investiture yesterday (22 July) by the Governor-General of New Zealand! Anne was recognised in the 2020 New Year honours with a Membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her contributions … Read More
Major Austrian newspaper Der Standard has featured Dr Tatjana Buklijas’ recent essay on Viennese embryologist Samuel Leopold Schenk. (Google Translate) Published in History of Science, Tatjana’s paper reviews Schenk’s work and how the prevailing political and social forces, together with … Read More
Updated 3 July 2020 Thank you to the attendees of today’s Koi Tū webinar on Digital Technologies for Contact Tracing, presented by Dr Andrew Chen. Here are links to the recording and the presentation slides. Webinar information Want to learn … Read More
Three of New Zealand’s most influential and trusted public figures are calling for a conversation now on a cohesive national ‘reconnection strategy’ to re-open New Zealand’s borders. Former Chief Science Adviser to the Prime Minister Sir Peter Gluckman, former Prime … Read More
A new Koi Tū Conversation Paper co-authored by Sir Peter Gluckman, Rt Hon Helen Clark and Rob Fyfe calls for a public conversation on when and how New Zealand can reopen to the world. Download the paper, Re-engaging New Zealand … Read More
Our second newsletter, which summarises some of the papers arising from Koi Tū’s The Future Is Now Conversation Series, and showcases other insight/opinion pieces, is out now. Download it here
International Science Council Webinar Keynote address Sir Peter Gluckman President-Elect of International Science Council Director, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland June 25 2020 Webinar recording (6’21” to 21’21”) I would like to welcome all those … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman and Dr Vaughan Turekian, Koi Tū international affiliate and Executive Director of policy and global affairs at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, have written an essay exploring the role of science diplomacy within the … Read More
A commentary on Peter Gluckman’s blog Reducing harm: The challenge of difficult choices Prof Richie Poulton, CNZM FRSNZ Koi Tū Affiliate member During the last four months, under a menacing COVID-19 cloud, politicians and health practitioners the world over have … Read More
PD Gluckman The concept of harm reduction has a long history as an essential component of public health [1]. It is essentially a matter of making choices and taking actions which on the one hand reduce known health risks, but … Read More
New Zealand’s food and primary industries need to capitalise on our rising international reputation with a long-term food strategy that supports sustainability and can adapt to new technologies and consumer demands, say experts. The future of food and the primary … Read More
The sixth discussion paper from the Koi Tū ‘The Future is Now’ Conversation Series, The Future of Food & The Primary Sector: The Journey to Sustainability, urges New Zealand’s food and primary industries to capitalise on our rising international reputation … Read More
The fifth discussion paper from the Koi Tū ‘The Future is Now’ Conversation Series, Protecting and Promoting Mental Wellbeing: Beyond COVID-19, focuses on mitigating the threats posed by COVID-19 to the mental wellbeing of New Zealanders – both the already … Read More
“Go early, go hard, go local,” is the message of a group of mental health experts calling on the Government to urgently redesign how it provides services to protect mental wellbeing following Covid-19. In any given year, an estimated 20 … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman and Dr Anne Bardsley chat with Vincent Heeringa, host of the podcast This Climate Business, about the importance of integrated, long-term planning relating to the environment in post-Covid New Zealand. Listen to the podcast here (34’11”)
Cross-posted from INGSA A new addition to INGSA/Koi Tū’s COVID-19 Video Series that asks a diverse range of experts: How has the world changed and what challenges will we face post-COVID? Prof Dietram A. Scheufele is the Taylor-Bascom Chair in … Read More
Cross-posted from INGSA A new addition to INGSA/Koi Tū’s COVID-19 Video Series that asks a diverse range of experts: How has the world changed and what challenges will we face post-COVID? Dr Leena Srivastava is Deputy Director General – Science … Read More
Environmental sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it is now a ‘must have’ that needs to be embedded into decisions about New Zealand’s future, say experts in a new report. The Environment is Now is a new … Read More
The fourth discussion paper in Koi Tū’s The Future is Now Conversations Series, titled The Environment is Now, discusses the centrality of environmental sustainability in decisions about New Zealand’s future. Download the discussion paper here See also: Media release: Environment … Read More
Cross-posted from INGSA The first in INGSA/Koi Tū’s COVID-19 Video Series that asks a diverse range of experts: How has the world changed and what challenges will we face post-COVID? Prof Tolu Oni is an urban health physician and epidemiologist … Read More
-OPINION- Prof Terrence Forrester Director of SODECO (Centre for Solutions for Developing Countries), University of West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica International Affiliate Member, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures The eruption of this viral (COVID-19) pandemic at the start … Read More
-OPINION- Dr Collin Tukuitonga Associate Member, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures Introduction The socio-economic circumstances of, and cultural practices among, Pacific communities in Aotearoa/NZ makes some of the measures required to contain or eliminate COVID-19, including contact tracing, … Read More
-OPINION- Colin Gavaghan, Alistair Knott, James Maclaurin, Kristiann Allen, Andrew Chen Last week, RNZ reported that NZ Police had been testing facial identification software from Clearview AI without “the necessary clearance.” Although the trial was seemingly abandoned at an early … Read More
The third discussion paper in Koi Tū’s The Future is Now Conversations Series, titled New Zealand’s place in the world: the implications of COVID-19, discusses how New Zealand can leverage its high international standing and hopefully COVID-19-free status for economic … Read More
New Zealand needs to leverage its safe, strong reputation and unique position for its economic advantage, say experts in a new paper that examines the effect of the pandemic on our international standing. New Zealand’s place in the world: the … Read More
-INSIGHT- Matthias Kaiser, Tatjana Buklijas, Kristiann Allen, Anne Bardsley, Cynthia Kiro and Peter Gluckman The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted for many the value of the natural, data and social sciences and of the normative disciplines for good public policies, … Read More
United Nations Science Technology and Innovation Digital Conference Contributions to the panel on Restructuring of Global Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Cooperation Post-COVID-19 15 May 2020 Sir Peter Gluckman Chair of the International Network for Government Science Advice President-Elect of … Read More
Koi Tū Affiliate member and Chief Science Advisor to the Social Wellbeing Agency, Prof Richie Poulton, has co-authored an information sheet discussing several reasons why we can be still be hopeful in the time of COVID-19. The paper, titled Maintaining … Read More
– OPINION – Why might having too many options for digital contact tracing registers present challenges, asks Koi Tū Research Fellow Dr Andrew Chen. As New Zealanders are venturing out of their homes into wider public and private realms this … Read More
Koi Tū Director Sir Peter Gluckman and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark are two of a number of international signatories supporting an open letter calling for action on agriculture and food security in the midst of COVID-19. The … Read More
– INSIGHT – Sir Peter Gluckman Chair, INGSA The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the interface between science and political decision making into sharp focus. The media and public in many countries are being confronted daily not only by a wide … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman was on tv/radio show Sarah’s Country to talk about the central role of farmers and the primary sector in future proofing the New Zealand economy. Listen to the podcast (~13 min) on YouTube (below) or Podcast.co.
In a wide ranging long-form conversation with BLAKE’s Jacob Anderson, Sir Peter Gluckman discusses the paths forward for post-COVID-19 New Zealand, the importance of transdisciplinarity, and how we can also tackle the issues of climate change, mental health wellbeing and … Read More
The second discussion paper of the Koi Tū: The Future is Now Series, titled He Oranga Hou: Social cohesion in a post-COVID world, examines the critical issue of how New Zealand’s strong national unity during lockdown will become increasingly tested … Read More
Top social scientists say New Zealand’s strong national unity during lockdown – reflected in a proliferation of teddy bears in windows and Anzac Day poppies on front lawns – is now under threat as grim new economic realities and prolonged … Read More
In a commentary published by the International Science Council, Sir Peter Gluckman reflects on the need for the prevailing human development paradigm to be broadened beyond its economic foundation. He argues that questions around the measurement of human capital could … Read More
Dr Tatjana Buklijas talked to Croatian Catholic weekly Glas Koncila about a broad range of issues related to Covid-19, including the value of historical pandemics in understanding and confronting Covid-19, the various ways by which epidemics have changed history, and … Read More
– OPINION – Rochelle Menzies Research Fellow, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures He aha te mea nui o te Ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman appeared as independent expert witness at the Epidemic Response Committee of the New Zealand Parliament. His opening remarks can be downloaded here, and the full video and Hansard transcript are available on the NZ Parliament website. … Read More
New Zealand has recently shifted to Alert Level 3, and the Ministry of Health has plans to introduce a digital contact tracing app to help limit the spread of Covid-19. What are some of the considerations that need to be … Read More
In an article for The Conversation, Dr Chris Tyler (UCL) and Sir Peter Gluckman discuss the reasons why governments were not better prepared for the Covid-19 pandemic, and the importance of risk registers in helping confront future crises. Read the … Read More
– OPINION – Sir Peter Gluckman Director: Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures We have managed though an early and very effective lockdown to get almost absolute control of COVID-19 spread in New Zealand. But we must be prepared … Read More
How should New Zealand move forward towards the post-pandemic future, and what are the key areas that we should focus on? Sir Peter Gluckman discusses these issues on Rebuilding Paradise with Paul Henry.
Our first newsletter is out! Read about the range of activities Koi Tū has undertaken to demonstrate its value as a source of informed insight in the wake of Covid-19 and its challenges. Download it here
For an unrushed, in-depth discussion of the issues arising in the wake of Covid-19, have a listen to Sir Peter Gluckman’s interview with entrepreneur Robett Hollis (1 h 22 min; livestreamed 22 April).
In an OpEd for the Dominion Post, Sir Peter Gluckman writes about sustaining social cohesion and public trust in the context of the existential threat posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Read the article here.
PD Gluckman, K Allen, A Bardsley, T Buklijas (Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, Auckland) M Kaiser (Centre for the Study of Humanities and Science, University of Bergen) This paper[i] places a more extensive discussion in the context … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman talks to Newstalk ZB’s Weekend Collective about New Zealand’s Alert Levels, our preparedness for future crises, and Covid-19 vaccine access.
Dr Andrew Chen talked to Newsroom’s Marc Daalder about the proposal to distribute Bluetooth-enabled cards (‘CovidCards’) to all New Zealanders to assist with contact tracing efforts. Read the article here.
The Covid-19 crisis presents multiple, complex and ongoing challenges for New Zealand. But it also provides an opportunity to consider our place in the world, and how we operate as a country and cooperate in future, according to a discussion … Read More
Exiting level 4 lockdown and moving to level 2+ can happen relatively quickly if monitoring and tracing are in place, and the Covid-19 testing capacity and speed of results is sufficient, according to leading New Zealand scientists. Sir Peter Gluckman … Read More
Koi Tū has released its discussion paper, titled The Future Is Now: Implications of COVID-19 for New Zealand, which focuses on the long-term challenges and opportunities posed by this hugely disruptive crisis, and how New Zealand’s future can be shaped … Read More
– OPINION – A new proposal for digital contact tracing has unique strengths, writes Koi Tū Research Fellow Dr Andrew Chen. Another week has passed, with a lot of activity in the digital contact tracing space. The Prime Minister … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman offers some thoughts on mandatory quarantine and its importance in suppressing COVID-19 infections in New Zealand. Read Collette Devlin’s report at stuff.co.nz.
The COVID-19 pandemic shows how critical it is for governments to plan and think long term. While it’s natural for most people to focus on the short-term and surviving COVID-19, we must not lose sight of the importance of longer-term … Read More
– OPINION – Professor David R Penman Director, David Penman & Associates Professor Stephen L Goldson FRSNZ Affiliate member, Koi Tū Principal Scientist, AgResearch and Professor, Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University Between us, having spent 100 years on pest … Read More
In an opinion piece for ResearchProfessional News, Sir Peter Gluckman writes about the immense challenge COVID-19 has posed to evidence-informed policymaking, and the need for science advice systems to adapt to address this and other global crises.
An international science advice network has launched a global Covid-19 policymaking tracker to keep track of how evidence is informing policy interventions by various governments across the world. Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures – a think tank and … Read More
Manuscript of the talk given at the launch of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures, Wellington, 19 March 2020 Prof Matthias Kaiser Centre for the study of the Sciences and Humanities (SVT), University of Bergen Associate member, Koi Tū … Read More
RNZ’s Phil Pennington reports on Sir Peter Gluckman comments on the status of contact tracing in New Zealand to combat COVID-19. Other interviews: Keeping Covid-19 under control: What NZ can learn from other countries – 4 April – 1 NEWS … Read More
– OPINION – The concept of digital contract tracing raises tough questions that require hard decisions, writes Koi Tū Research Fellow Dr Andrew Chen. Since we discussed contact tracing in the media over the past week, our Centre has … Read More
– OPINION – Rochelle Menzies Research fellow, Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures New Zealand is in a crisis, which is affecting the entire population, but will hit Māori particularly hard. What are the current systems for engaging … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman emphasises to RNZ the importance of rapid contact tracing in helping to limit the spread of COVID-19. Read his full comments here.
Dr Felicia Low spoke to NZ Herald’s Jamie Morton about Koi Tū’s new initiative to collate the emerging literature exploring the relationship between COVID-19 transmission and the weather. You can read the article here.
Dr Andrew Chen has expanded on the themes raised in his article, The trade-offs for digital data and contact tracing, in interviews with NZ Herald’s Jamie Morton (1 April) and RNZ Morning Report’s Susie Ferguson (2 April).
An article from the Times Higher Education on the lack of reliance on expertise in confronting the Covid-19 pandemic features comments from Sir Peter Gluckman. Read the article here.
An excerpt of a longer manuscript currently under preparation – INSIGHT – Prof Matthias Kaiser, Koi Tū International affiliate member Dr Tatjana Buklijas, Associate Director – Teaching, Koi Tū Introduction Mathematical models have occupied unusually prominent place in the … Read More
– OPINION – Dr Tatjana Buklijas Associate Director – Teaching, Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures As governments around the world try to contain the pandemic of Covid-19, they often draw on experiences of past epidemics. The swift and … Read More
– OPINION – Kristiann Allen Associate Director, Policy and International Engagement, Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures We are living in an extraordinary time. The pandemic now gripping the planet – massive and urgent in itself – is … Read More
– INSIGHT – Dr Anne Bardsley Deputy Director, Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures Resilience relates to the ability of an organization/country to adapt or transform positively in response to significant transitions or threats to its wellbeing, arising … Read More
– OPINION – Prof Stephen Goldson FRSNZ ONZM Affiliate member, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University and AgResearch Like every New Zealander (and visitor), because of the Covid-19 pandemic, I now am in … Read More
There is a lot of interest in whether COVID-19 transmission is affected by temperature, and in particular what will happen as New Zealand enters autumn and then winter. The available data are of course limited and largely ecological in nature, … Read More
– OPINION – Dr Andrew Chen Research Fellow, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures Contact tracing is one of the most powerful tools in containing the spread of an infectious agent like SARS-CoV-2 (the pathogen that causes COVID-19). … Read More
The International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) has launched a new database of resources on the effective utilisation of evidence into policy and practice with respect to COVID-19. INGSA Chair Sir Peter Gluckman explained to Times Higher Education the … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman Science is critical to progress on the sustainability agenda, however most focus of governments and UN agencies has been on roadmaps for using science and technology to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Rather, it became clear … Read More
Koi Tū is fortunate to have been able to host Prof Karen Hussey, Director of the Centre for Policy Futures at the University of Queensland, and Koi Tū international affiliate member, in early March. Trained as a political scientist and … Read More
Sir Peter emphasises to Seven Sharp reporter Tim Wilson, and Breakfast’s John Campbell, the importance of adhering to level 4 restrictions, including social distancing, to slow down the rise of COVID-19 cases in New Zealand.
– INSIGHT – Sir Peter Gluckman Director, Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into stark focus the interaction between science, experts, society, policy making and politics. Across the world this interaction is playing out … Read More
In view of the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 in New Zealand, the official Wellington launch of Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures on 19 March was moved online. The launch included a presentation of the Centre’s strategy … Read More
HINA, the government-owned national news agency of Croatia, has sought expert commentary from Dr Tatjana Buklijas about how COVID-19 compares to historic epidemics, and what we can learn from pandemic histories. The interview has been published by several news outlets … Read More
Sir Peter joined Newstalk ZB’s Andrew Dickens to talk about his new book Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation and the work of Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures. Listen to the interview here.
On 27 February 2020, Koi Tū: the Centre for Informed Futures hosted a conference and workshop Knowledge and democracy: Mobilizing multiple types of evidence for public deliberation through ‘Complex conversations’. The meeting launched the two-year MBIE Endeavour Smart Ideas project, … Read More
Congratulations to Koi Tū – Centre for Informed Futures Research Fellow, Dr Andrew Chen, on being awarded a Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Best Doctoral Thesis (2019)! Andrew’s thesis, The computers have a thousand eyes: Towards a practical and ethical video analytics … Read More
Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures was officially launched on 4 March 2020 by the Governor-General of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon Dame Patsy Reddy. Speech notes – Governor-General Speech notes – Sir Peter Gluckman News release Photos from … Read More
In an in-depth and wide ranging interview, Sir Peter chatted with Armen Shirvanian about his research background, his decades long collaboration with Prof Mark Hanson, and the concepts raised in Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation. You can listen … Read More
In a chat with RNZ’s Kathryn Ryan, Sir Peter discussed the key themes of his new book Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation and how they relate to some of the major components of SciPoDS’ work. The podcast can … Read More
Koi Tū Deputy Director, Dr Anne Bardsley, recognised in the 2020 New Year Honours We were delighted that Anne’s many contributions were recognised with the award of Membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her contributions to … Read More
A Nature comment piece co-authored by Kristiann Allen describes a consensus definition of predatory journals and publishers, so as to provide a reference point for further research into their influence and pervasiveness, and possible areas for intervention.
Our first newsletter is out! Hear from SciPoDS Director Sir Peter Gluckman, learn about the SciPoDS Advisory Board and find out some of the activities that our members have been involved in recently. To subscribe to our newsletter, please fill … Read More
In an op-ed for the New Zealand Herald, Sir Peter and Prof Mark Hanson ask, Are humans too ingenious for our own good? The piece provides an overview of their recent book Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation, which … Read More
Sir Peter and long-time collaborator Prof Mark Hanson sat down with Donna Chisholm from North & South magazine, to discuss their new book Ingenious: The Unintended Consequences of Human Innovation (Harvard University Press). The interview is available here. See … Read More
Sir Peter headed an expert panel discussion on Trusting in truth: Fact-based leadership in a contentious world, in an event co-hosted by the Minister for Climate Change, Hon James Shaw, and BlacklandPR. The notes for his opening address, titled Towards … Read More
SciPoDS is currently hosting Prof James Wilsdon as a Distinguished Visitor of the University of Auckland. Prof Wilsdon is Director of the UK Research on Research Institute, Professor of Research Policy at the University of Sheffield, and vice-Chair of INGSA. … Read More
Sir Peter gave a speech to the Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based think tank and policy network, at a high-level roundtable on The Future of Work: How Better Family Policy and Access to Lifetime Learning Will Drive Europe’s Development. Notes for … Read More
Sir Peter was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bergen, Norway, and gave a speech on Science in a global perspective – challenges ahead. The speech notes can be downloaded here. Sir Peter’s acceptance speech on behalf of … Read More
Arotakenga Huringa Āhuarangi: A Framework for the National Climate Change Risk Assessment for Aotearoa New Zealand, developed by a panel of experts led by Dr Anne Bardsley, has been released today. Further information is available in a press release from … Read More
Dr Tatjana Buklijas, Kristiann Allen and Dr Anne Bardsley, together with Dr Jacquie Bay (Liggins Institute) and Dr Matire Harwood (School of Population Health), have been awarded a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour Fund Smart Ideas grant. … Read More
In an interview with RNZ’s Morning Report programme, Dr Andrew Chen discussed the implications of Auckland Transport’s plan to expand the CCTV network across the city. The interview is available for listening or downloading here.
Sir Peter sat down with Jim Mora for RNZ’s Sunday Morning programme. The interview can be listened to or downloaded here.
Sir Peter delivered the keynote lecture at the 2019 Horticulture NZ conference. Media and links: Speech notes Media release Media reports in RNZ, Stuff, and NZ Herald (article 1 | article 2)
Sir Peter talked about the 10 rules for policy brokerage at the Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN) meeting on evidence-policy brokerage. The Powerpoint slides are available here.
Sir Peter gave the keynote presentation at the joint INGSA-Research Council Lithuania workshop on Security challenges in the digital era: the role of science advice. The Powerpoint slides are available here.
Sir Peter gave an address at a University of Oxford workshop honouring Jerry Ravetz (who along with Silvio Funtowicz developed the concept of post-normal science), on the occasion of his 90th birthday. The speech notes are available here.
Sir Peter delivered a lecture on Translating evidence to policy: principles and practice at a workshop in Copenhagen jointly organised by INGSA and the EU’s LifeCycle Project. The Powerpoint slides can be downloaded here.
Sir Peter delivered a lecture on Expanding the diplomatic toolkit: the further evolution of science diplomacy, as part of Wolfson College’s Diplomacy for the 21st century lecture series. This lecture was also delivered to the New Zealand High Commission on … Read More
The Times Higher Education has published an interview with Sir Peter Gluckman: Engage with climate deniers and anti-vaxxers, says science chief (free registration required).
Sir Peter Gluckman delivered the keynote address at an INGSA capacity building workshop on science advice that was run at the 2019 Global Young Academy AGM and international conference in Halle, Germany. The Powerpoint slides can be downloaded here.
This ANZAC day, Sir Peter Gluckman gave an address to the ANZAC ceremony at Auckland Grammar School.
Dr Tatjana Buklijas has written a piece for Newsroom on the possible role of past trauma on poor health outcomes.
Sir Peter has written a commentary for the New Zealand Herald on the changing nature of our world and the consequent implications for democracy.
Dr Vaughan Turekian, Executive Director of the Policy and Global Affairs Division (PGA) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, has been in New Zealand as the first international guest at SciPoDS. In addition to delivering the Norman … Read More
Dr Anne Bardsley has been appointed Chair of the expert panel tasked with creating the framework for New Zealand’s first National Climate Change Risk Assessment. Further information is available in the press release from the Minister for Climate Change, Hon … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman spoke at the launch of the inaugural Kupe Leadership Scholarships on Democracy, Leadership, Difficult Conversations and Truth-Decay. The speech notes can be downloaded here. The Kupe Leadership Scholarships offer a bespoke leadership development programme alongside the scholars’ … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman was named 2019 New Zealand Communicator of the Year by BlacklandPR, for his debunking of the “meth test myth” and stimulating public discussion on contentious issues such as genetic modification. Press release
Dr Tatjana Buklijas was a speaker at the Centre for Social Impact’s 2019 Kōtuitui (interweaving conversations), the theme of which was Collective and intergenerational trauma in New Zealand/Aotearoa – a conversation towards healing (21st February). Dr Buklijas’ presentation can be … Read More
The SciPoDS/INGSA team led a workshop on evidence and policy for a group of about 40 staff and students from the University of Auckland’s Department of Engineering. The students belonged to the Faculty of Engineering’s Dean’s Leadership Programme, an initiative … Read More
Sir Peter Gluckman made the keynote introduction to the October 2018 OECD meeting on standards of evidence in policy advice. The presentation slides can be downloaded here. Background Fostering evidence-informed policy making in a post-truth context is challenging. Governments recognise … Read More
At the request of the Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation of the OECD, INGSA has released a report on wellbeing in the age of rapid digital transformation. Involving collaborative input from experts across the humanities, social and technical sciences, … Read More