News

University of Canterbury (UC) researcher Dr Sarah Kessans has been funded $500,000 to take biochemistry to new heights.

UC CNRE’s Senior Lecturer Gabriele Chiaro has won the 2020 NZ Society of Earthquake Engineering Otto Glogau Award for the best paper published in their Bulletin within the past three years.

Ten University of Canterbury research projects tackling the big issues have been green-lit with funding worth $23 million.

Satellites are increasingly being released beyond our atmosphere, but what happens if we lose communication with a satellite and can’t see it to understand why? University of Canterbury (UC) researcher Associate Professor Stephen Weddell says this poses a threat to the very communication technologies we use every day.

A UC research project evaluating the feasibility of hydrogen production in Antarctica could help to reduce carbon emissions in the future by replacing fossil fuels with a zero-carbon alternative.

Renewable energy solutions could change the way we store solar and wind. 

A University of Canterbury PhD candidate is fast tracking the commercialisation of a wine testing device with help from the KiwiNet Emerging Innovator Programme.

New research aims to improve coating technology so it can be used on rounded objects, which could disrupt a range of industries and create lucrative opportunities.

New research will explore how algorithms could help speed up New Zealand’s response to serious biosecurity threats such as foot and mouth disease and stop them spreading.

On The Conversation, Civil and Natural Resources Engineering lecturers Rebecca Peer and David Dempsey, and PhD student Karan Titus explain geothermal BECCS, a new method to capture electricity production emissions and trap them in geothermal fields.

University of Canterbury PhD student Jessica Fitzjohn is developing a new prize-winning tool for breast cancer diagnosis, which aims to break down the socio-economic, cultural and accessibility barriers of breast-screening.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel learned about aerial firefighting and toured a virtual reality hospital during a hands-on visit to the University of Canterbury.

The mussel and scallop industry could be revolutionised by a new autonomous underwater drone.

Led by a University of Canterbury engineer, researchers are drilling deep into Marlborough land to gain new understanding of liquefaction in gravelly soils, and the impact of their findings will reach beyond our shores.

Five exciting, future-focused projects have earned Teaching Development scholarships for University of Canterbury staff.

A new, free classroom resource encourages schoolchildren to use craft to discover the creative and playful side of maths.

The University of Canterbury is leading a research collaboration to track Moon-orbiting spacecraft, with assistance from NASA’s CAPSTONE mission.

A new motion simulator device at the University of Canterbury adds 360-degree movement to virtual reality experiences and could soon be used as a training tool.

Bringing new design concepts to life – from fishing trawl gear to titanium hip implants - is what inspires University of Canterbury graduate Stefano Barfucci.

Congratulations to Claire (Siqi) Dong who is the recipient of the Lewis Bradford Structural Engineering Prize 2020

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) aka drones are revolutionising surveying and inspection tasks that once required manned aircraft. Two University of Canterbury academics are working to take this capability to the next level, to enable drones to use tools with high precision in mid-air in difficult changeable settings.

Earlier this month, a rocket blasted off from the Waikato countryside, firing up through the clouds to an altitude of 31,000 feet – carrying with it the first biological experiments launched and recovered from a rocket in New Zealand.

What will we do with the knowledge that spiders can count and make calculated decisions?

When kiwi chicks first hatch out of their shells, they weigh around 300 grams. But this kiwi takes ‘tiny’ to a whole new level.

Professor Rob Lindeman, Director of HIT Lab NZ, is UC's project lead for exploring and programming the humanoid robot, 'Pepper', to interact most effectively with visitors at Christchurch International airport in a new collaborative project.

A University of Canterbury engineer’s work on liquefaction-induced land damage following the Canterbury earthquakes has been awarded a prestigious international engineering award.

A debilitating condition that affects about 10% of females in Aotearoa New Zealand, endometriosis remains virtually unknown or mysterious condition to most people. Can we engineer a solution to end endometriosis?

Studying how tiny amounts of liquid move through precisely engineered soft plastic chips is an exciting new field for scientists, particularly when applied to molecular and cell biology. In a science-meets-art twist, University of Canterbury researchers are now also unlocking the aesthetic potential of microfluidics, turning petite research aides into micro masterpieces.

A University of Canterbury (UC) PhD student has identified a renewable and affordable energy source with the ability to remove carbon dioxide ( CO2) from the atmosphere.

University of Canterbury engineering researchers are investigating an innovative method that could solve two wicked problems of climate change – creating renewable energy and reducing carbon emissions.

Seaweed-based plasterboard, an app to help young people navigate sex and relationships, and a system to make houses safer in an earthquake are some of the innovative University of Canterbury projects to win a funding boost this week.

Six University of Canterbury research projects aimed at tackling the world’s big issues have been green-lit with funding worth almost $17 million.

#IWD #BreakTheBias In the future we could each have our own Artificial Intelligence (AI) helper to help us achieve our full potential.

Te Whare Wānanga of Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) academics have been awarded two of four inaugural IIT-Delhi India-New Zealand Centre Fellowships.

Dr Sarah Kessans, a lecturer in the University of Canterbury’s School of Product Design, is passionate about growing stuff in space, ultimately food, fuel and pharmaceuticals to benefit society.

A University of Canterbury (UC) student has come up with a new computerised method of reading mammograms that could help radiologists detect warning signs of breast cancer.

Canterbury researchers working on cutting-edge solutions to some of the world’s toughest challenges have received a $28.9 million funding boost.

Canterbury engineers are moving forward with plans to manufacture a new base isolation system that will make Kiwi houses safer in an earthquake.

Breaking down barriers to equitable healthcare using technology and innovation has become the mission of Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) engineering researchers.

Aotearoa New Zealand is likely to have a competitive advantage when it comes to generating clean, green hydrogen and this edge should help the country reduce its future reliance on fossil fuels, says a leading sustainable energy researcher at the University of Canterbury.

Sustainable materials made from cabbage tree leaves and flax could soon be used to build high-performance skis and skateboards in Christchurch.

Surviving a 6.1 magnitude earthquake as a child set an academic researcher on the path to becoming an international expert in quake engineering based in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

A new study from University of Canterbury (UC) researchers, focusing on reliable energy generation, could be the key to recharging our communities.

#Earth&Ocean Hidden patterns in seismic signals could help forecast eruptions and prevent loss of life on volcanoes, according to pioneering University of Canterbury research spurred by the deadly Whakaari (White Island) eruption.

A new, more efficient way of testing illicit drugs could protect people’s safety and reduce the $1.8 billion cost of drug-related harm in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The University of Canterbury (UC) is lighting up its fire engineering research and looking forward to closer collaboration with the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) when the new fire station and research facility opens next door to the University’s Ilam campus.

A University of Canterbury Earthquake Engineering professor who is leading worldwide research into the effects of ground-shaking caused by earthquakes has gained almost $1 million from Marsden Fund Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden to accelerate his research.

University of Canterbury HIT Lab NZ is to host the 29th ACM Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) symposium in October 2023.

New Zealand’s electricity supply industry is facing an exciting future as technology strives to meet the challenges of creating a low carbon future, says the new Chairman of the Power Engineering Excellence Trust (PEET), a partnership between UC and major industry organisations.

A partnership between the University of Canterbury (UC) and Christchurch City Council is leading the world in understanding and adapting to risk from climate change.

How can we build on Mars? A casual chat with a geologist led a University of Canterbury (UC) engineering academic and his team to spend years researching how to build on Mars. It all started with Associate Professor Allan Scott and Geology Professor Chris Oze (Occidental College) pondering what materials were available on Mars to make concrete or ‘Marscrete’.

A University of Canterbury public talk – The Collapse of Morandi Bridge – presented by UC Engineering Professor Alessandro Palermo, explores the background and design philosophy of the designer Riccardo Morandi, overviews the construction and design of the Genoa bridge and highlights the possible causes of the collapse.

A $2 million partnership between New Zealand and German researchers aims to create new technology that could spark a breakthrough in green hydrogen production.

University of Cambridge researchers are using overseas data from geysers to inform research on geothermal instability in New Zealand.

Biodegradable plastics are supposed to be good for the environment but, rather paradoxically, because they are designed to degrade quickly, they can’t be recycled. Offering a potential solution, New Zealand researchers have found that compostable plastic can be turned into a foam that functions as building insulation as a way of recycling the material.

As computing systems become integral to our modern world, interfaces are growing more ‘intelligent’. A UC-led, international research project, supported with a $530,000 grant from the 2019 Marsden Fund Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, seeks to better understand both positive and negative factors in our experience of these interactive interfaces permeating our work, play and social lives.

Could we be close to having sustainable, continuously rechargeable batteries that power our lives?

UC Engineering PhD students have created a tool, affectionately known as BOB, to help prevent the third leading cause of death in New Zealand.

The Aotearoa New Zealand goal of zero emissions by 2050 brings urgency and pressure to create enough green hydrogen and safely store it for the future.

A University of Canterbury research team is another step closer to developing germ-proof surface coatings for environments such as hospitals, after an unexpected development in the lab.

Muhammad Rashid, a CNRE PhD student, is studying how building sprinklers can control fires caused by earthquakes

Does your future lie in the stars? If you’re working in the space sector in Aotearoa New Zealand or someone who wants to, there’s a network of Kiwi women committed to achieving stellar goals.

UC CNRE's Researcher has been received the Geotechnical Testing Journal's Outstanding Article Award

A University of Canterbury (UC) Kaipūhanga Rauropi | Ecological Engineer has $3 million and three years to help reverse water pollution with innovative sustainable treatment technologies, such as 3D-printed water filters made from biomaterials

Few areas combine art and science as well as perfumery, according to the University of Canterbury’s Head of the School of Product Design, Professor Conan Fee, who is giving a free public talk on making scents later this month.

A national research team, including several University of Canterbury (UC) researchers, has won the Prime Minister’s Science Prize 2020 for their mathematical simulation of Covid-19 infection modelling and their communication work.

A new study at the University of Canterbury will explore how public buildings, including schools, could be designed to use sustainable cooling and heating technology and help New Zealand achieve its net-zero 2050 goal.

New Zealand engineers aim to revolutionise the way we construct buildings with a modular building system that’s fast to assemble, recyclable and could be the answer to earthquake prone communities.

A Canterbury researcher hopes her newly-funded research will lead to better ways of managing endometriosis, a disease that affects over 100,000 Kiwi women.

A $250 prototype to help with one of New Zealand's most prominent respiratory illnesses was developed by Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) researchers.

A University of Canterbury-led project has won Government funding to explore how green hydrogen could provide sustainable transport, heating and electricity for New Zealanders.

Exciting new research has demonstrated cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls are feasible and cost-competitive with steel or concrete systems in low-rise buildings and offer significant environmental benefits.

The University of Canterbury’s Head of the School of Forestry, Professor Bruce Manley, has won a Forestry Science Award for his dedication to, and leadership within, forestry research, and his innovative work on carbon forestry.

A team of international researchers led by a University of Canterbury (UC) Engineering academic, believe they have discovered a potentially revolutionary key to reducing climate change impacts.

Two University of Canterbury mathematicians who helped develop world-leading modelling to guide New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic have won a prestigious award.

Two University of Canterbury students have spent their summer developing and 3D printing a model stink bug to help raise awareness of the potential for a costly invasion of the pest in Aotearoa New Zealand.

In an article on The Conversation, University of Canterbury's Dr David Dempsey, Dr Alberto Ardid and University of Auckland's Professor Shane Cronin explain how they are deciphering volcanic data.

A flexible, 3D-printed device that could help physiotherapy patients exercise more effectively is being refined and tested at the University of Canterbury.

Congratulations to Zincovery co-founders Associate Professor Aaron Marshall and Jonathan Ring, who have won Callaghan Innovation’s prestigious C-Prize.

A Kiwi Paralympic athlete has been given extra speed on the slopes after University of Canterbury (UC) engineers crafted a ground-breaking new aerodynamic design for his sit ski.

Fluid Mechanics PhD Candidate Jane Alexander talks about her passion for sustainability.

Agricultural methane is responsible for 41% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, but researchers want to change that by harnessing help from tiny living organisms.

A research facility prototype developed at the University of Canterbury will soon orbit Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

#Earth&Ocean Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is a global agro-economic powerhouse, home to 17 million people, but rising sea levels and the unsustainable management of water and sediment could drown the delta by the end of the century.

Forecasting grape yield is tough and errors can be costly, so UC researchers have been awarded $6.1 million to blend viticulture with robotics, 3D imaging, and data analytics for a fresh, refined, fruity solution.

New research using digital imaging could transform the field of cancer diagnosis in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr. Andres Valencia discusses recent wildland fires threatening kiwis' urban settlements and upcoming UC research projects aiming to tackle the problem.

Canterbury researchers at UC’s HIT Lab NZ are exploring how virtual reality could be used as a tool during remote medical assessments.

Twelve University of Canterbury-led research projects have been green-lit by the 2019 Marsden Fund Te Pūtea Rangahau to the total of $6.54 million in diverse fields of research. The research covers four of UC’s five colleges, and includes research in engineering, management, computer science and software engineering, linguistics, political science and te reo as well as physical, chemical and biological sciences.

In a New Zealand first, University of Canterbury Engineering students inspired by legendary Kiwi racer Burt Munro are taking on a world land-speed record in a rocket-shaped electric car they’ve designed and built.

Two University of Canterbury innovations are among the 12 finalists selected for the eighth annual KiwiNet Research Commercialisation Awards, designed to celebrate impact from science through successful research commercialisation within New Zealand’s universities, Crown research institutes and other research organisations.

On a mission to make earthquakes no more than a nuisance, UC Research Medallist winner Professor Brendon Bradley has built his career on fortuitous timing, hard work, and leaning into the basics.

As the government sets out New Zealand's border reopening plan, University of Canterbury's (UC) Professor Michael Plank, UC's Giorgia Vattiatio, University of Auckland's Professor Shaun Hendy and Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research's Audrey Lustig explain why MIQ may still be needed in the future.

In a new article on The Conversation, UC's Professor Michael Plank and UoA's Dr Dion O'Neale and Dr Emily Harvey look at the measures still in place to reduce COVID-19 transmission.