Stretching the traditional view of research impact in Aotearoa

Join Sally and Reece to hear about how the National Science Challenge - Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) has used its mandate to build capacity and capability in physical sciences and engineering, how SfTI has experimented with mission development and contracting processes to maximise opportunities for impact and how the SfTI research community has responded in engaging across institutional boundaries, with industry and with Māori.

The session will be interactive with discussion encouraged and a Q&A session to follow.

• Date: Monday 24 May
• Time: 12.30 – 13:30 NZST

Prof Sally Davenport MNZM, Director - Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge

Sally is Professor of Management at Victoria University Business School, and former Commissioner with the New Zealand Productivity Commission (2011-March 2020), however Sally’s academic life began as a research chemist. An Emeritus Investigator with the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Sally is also a Principal Investigator with Te Pūnaha Matatini, which develops methods and tools for transforming complex data into knowledge. With research interests covering the commercialisation of scientific research, entrepreneurship and the growth of high-tech firms, innovation strategy and policy, Sally has led research grants covering projects on competitive advantage in New Zealand firms, and sustainability and firm-level productivity in our biotechnology and food and beverage sectors. Sally is also an Adjunct Professor in the College of Business and Economics at the Australian National University, a Fellow of the International Society for Professional Innovation Management, a member of Global Women and was honoured as a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in 2018 for services to science.

Mr Reece Moors, Manager Programme Office and Strategic Relationships - Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge. (Ngāti Mahuta – Tainui, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue – Te Arawa)

Reece has more than 20 years’ experience in Māori Development and has an extensive knowledge of the innovation and business development eco-system. Reece was the inaugural Te Tumu Whakarae/Executive Director of the Māori Economic Development Unit of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Prior to this role, Reece held senior strategic and operational roles in Māori development in Callaghan Innovation, the Crown Research Institute – Industrial Research Ltd, the Ministry of Science & Innovation and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. Reece has a background in the strategic implementation of Vision Mātauranga. Reece was also Senior Manager Iwi/Māori Partnerships at the Ministry of Education. In the private sector, Reece worked for Telecom (now Spark) in corporate sales, events and sponsorship and has run his own consultancy business. Reece has a Bachelors’ Degree in Politics, Japanese, Economics, Management and International relations from the University of Auckland.