summer research project uoa

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Regulations - Other Programmes

Summer research scholarship programme.

1 In order to be admitted to this programme a student needs to:

a have completed at least two years of equivalent full-time study in a degree by the programme start date

b (i) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or postgraduate diploma or Bachelor (Honours) degree at a New Zealand university at the time of application

(ii) have been enrolled in an undergraduate degree at an international institution in the calendar year of the programme start date

c have a Scholarships Grade Point Average/Grade Point Equivalent of 5.5 or higher (5.0 for Māori or Pacific students) in the most recent two years of equivalent full-time study

d be recommended for admission by the Dean or nominee.

2 Students must complete this programme within ten weeks of initial enrolment.

Structure and Content

3 A student enrolled for this programme must complete course SUMRESCH 301.

4 These regulations have been amended with effect from 12 June 2024.

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Summer studentships

Summer Research Scholarships are a great way to gain valuable research experience, work with leading researchers at the University of Auckland, enhance your career opportunities and help you think about pursuing postgraduate study.

• Conduct a research project under supervision for 10 weeks over the summer months.
• Receive a tax-free stipend of $6,500.
• Open to high-achieving domestic students who are enrolled in a New Zealand and have the potential to succeed in postgraduate study.
• Due to the ongoing travel restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we are not accepting applications from students currently residing outside of New Zealand.

Application process

Applications are now closed. Successful candidates will be notified by Monday 8th November

Available Projects

Space flight is often associated with large movements of body fluids. This can result in unwanted accumulation of fluid in the lungs. The lung gas exchange tissue is very delicate, and cannot function properly when it contains too much fluid. Fluid movement can therefore be dangerous for the astronaut. We are developing a computer simulation of how the lungs change in space.

This summer studentship will involve researching the core variables to inform this computational model. Most of the project will involve undertaking a detailed analysis of literature and various other datasets from a range of spaceflight sources to characterise the differences between normal gravity and spaceflight. These data will then be fed into an already established lung model to determine whether we can mimic the observed lung function in human astronauts.

Strong literature and data summarising skills are required. A knowledge of basic physiology and or anatomy is an advantage. Computer or data modelling skills are not specifically required. However if the candidate is strong in these skills there will be an opportunity to work on the model (although that skill set is not a requirement to apply).

New Zealand’s emerging space industry offers a unique opportunity to integrate international best practices for environmental ordinated space design into the sector from its foundation. The integration of Sustainable design will reduce the impact the developing sector has on the environment and help ensure its longevity. Examples of environmental ordinated space design practices include the recently developed European Space Agency (ESA) Space Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Eco Design framework.

Through a pilot study, our research group has begun to benchmark the New Zealand Space sector and conduct a high-level Environmental impact assessment of payloads approved for launch from New Zealand. Using the Strathclyde Space Systems Database (SSSD) Life Cycle Inventory and OpenLCA, we conducted a higher-level Life Cycle Assessment model of approved payloads. To date, the model is using aggregated launch data and international values for products and impacts and needs to be refined to reflect the unique New Zealand context better.

The project will be a desktop study to refine and expand the current LCA model. The student will learn to use the LCA tool OpenLCA, while performing literature research to update impact factors for the New Zealand context.

The ideal candidate for this project requires no special skills or background, only a commitment to learning and a passion for a sustainable future and space sector. However, prior experience with Life cycle assessment and the OpenLCA tool will be a plus.

Te Pūnaha Ātea is developing plans to create a New Zealand node of the Australian Optical Communication Ground Station Network. This node will feature the capacity for quantum communications; in particular, storing information in quantum memories.

Free-space optical communications between optically enabled satellites and ground stations is performed by transmitting information encoded in lasers from satellites to ground.

Optical satellites transmit information in lasers of many different wavelengths. However, current quantum memories from The University of Otago can only store information if the incoming lasers have wavelengths of 580 nm, 606 nm, 793 nm, 1000 nm, and 1536 nm.

This project will involve:

• Designing a laser wavelength converter from one wavelength to another (including the aforementioned wavelengths) with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness and modular adaptability.
• Building, validating, and testing the design.

The successful candidate will exhibit the following attributes:

• Knowledge of the electromagnetic spectrum and optics. Previous work with lasers is highly desirable but not required.
• Engineering design skills.
• Previous knowledge and work with quantum mechanics, quantum communications, quantum memories are desirable but not required.
• Hands-on approach and creativity.
• Collaborative

First steps:

• Perform a literature review on wavelength conversion technologies that retains information in lasers. This will give you an understanding of the current technologies and the different approaches for a design.
• Design a wavelength converter which works with quantum memories, with an emphasis on cost-effectiveness and modular adaptability.
• Validate the design with supervisors and experts.
• Build and test the design.

If time permits, test the design with quantum memories.

Telescopes observe celestial objects in the sky. The telescopes are usually movable and can point at different positions in the sky. Very large scientific telescopes in astronomical observatories are highly specialised, very expensive and scarce. Hence, they must be used as efficiently as possible.

In a typical operation mode, a telescope will be configured to observe a given list of objects, which correspond to positions in the sky. It remains pointed at a source of the list for a certain observation period, e.g. 10 minutes, after which the telescope is rotated and tilted to point to the next object on the list. Due to the fact that the movement between positions takes time and that necessary observation periods might vary, this observation of sources becomes a difficult optimisation problem.

In this project you will develop scheduling and ordering algorithms to optimise the use of telescopes. This includes the development of a tool that can process lists of source to be observed which then creates optimised observation sequences that can be used for the operation of real telescopes.

There is a renewed interest in missions in cislunar space, the American Artemis programme and the Chinese Chang’e project are two examples. As a result, the space around the Moon will be populated with spacecraft, some of which will be manned. To guarantee the safety of these missions, it will be necessary to extend space situational awareness to cislunar space (i.e., determine where the objects are and predict their motion). This new need will bring many challenges. The difficulty to track these far space objects and the non-Keplerian, possibly chaotic, dynamics are two relevant ones. This research project aims to lay the foundations for the development new initial orbit determination algorithms tailored for non-Keplerian dynamics and the use of both ground- and space-based optical observations, an essential capability for space safety in cislunar space.

• Excellent mathematical skills
• Excellent programming skills (MATLAB/Python and C++)
• Excellent scientific computing skills
• Good knowledge of classical mechanics

Space enthusiast and ability to work independently

The student will develop a payload from concept to flight design of a satellite optical beacon to be flown on a future TPA-SI mission to support optical communications research. The student will work with space and ground segment teams to derive requirements and perform trade-off studies to build and test a prototype payload. Results from the build and testing will then be used to arrive at a final design.

• Applied physics and experimental physics experience
• Excellent electronics design, assembly and test experience
• Good embedded and general-purpose programming skills (C, Python)
• Understanding of spacecraft systems

Not required, but desirable:

• Optical physics experience (geometric)
• Mechanical design experience
• Good understanding of spacecraft operations

Full drivers’ licence

A thermal control panel is being designed using phase change materials to thermally clamp the temperature of an external panel in a CubeSat between 0 and +40degC to provide a comfortable operating condition for components. Channels within the panels will be filled with materials selected with appropriate melting points.

The student will develop a thermal model of the panel to determine the required properties and layout of the panel, leading to the design, manufacture and assembly of a prototype panel. The panel will then be tested compared to a control panel of solid material to validate modelling.  Results from the build and testing will then be used to arrive at a final design.

• Excellent Mechanical design experience
• Understanding of thermal transport
• Good programming skills (Python)
• Understanding of spacecraft environment

In order to make efficient use of internal volumes of small CubeSats, TPA-SI are working towards reducing the size of the spacecraft attitude control system. There is a need Reaction Wheels to provide full three-axis control of the spacecraft in an ultra-low profile, with the drive system of laptop Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) identified as demonstrating the required properties of stability, speed control, and physical dimensions.

To establish feasibility, the student will assess the general design of Reaction wheels and HDDs before performing a strip down inspection of an off-the-shelf HDD. Relevant components will be extracted and reconstituted into a novel prototype wheel design along with control electronics and appropriately designed wheels.

The wheel will then be tested to characterise behaviour and validate performance against expectations.

• Good mechanical analysis and design experience
• Excellent electronics assembly and test experience
• Electronics hobbyist

In the coming months test equipment will be delivered from suppliers or developed and manufactured at Te Pūnaha Ātea Space Institute.

After installation, a thorough validation and verification process has to start to ensure that the equipment is fit for purpose and all required qualification tests can be performed.

Most likely – but also depending on the progress in the next months – tasks during the summer studentship will cover finalising the commissioning of the device to measure centre of mass and the shock test bed. But also working on the shaker systems for vibration testing and with the passive vacuum chamber or the thermal vacuum chamber is a possibility.

A great insight into measurements and testing in general but also specifically in aerospace testing can be gained in this summer studentship.

Description:

• All applicants are required to apply for admission to the Summer Research Scholarship Programme, even if you are already an existing University of Auckland student.
• If you are awarded the Scholarship, you will be enrolled into a Summer Research course which will display on your transcript.

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• You are currently on: Arts Summer Research Projects

Arts Summer Research Projects

Earn money working with leading academics and developing your research skills. Applications for 2023/24 summer are now open.

The Arts Summer Research Scholarship programme offers students the opportunity to work with University of Auckland academics and assist them with a specific project.

The projects provide valuable research experience, enhance your career opportunities and help you think about pursuing postgraduate study.

Applications close Thursday 10 August.

How does it work?

• Conduct a research project under supervision for 10 weeks over the summer months.
• Receive a tax-free stipend of $6,750.
• Open to high-achieving domestic and international students who will have completed at least two years of equivalent full-time study in an undergraduate degree by December 2023
• There are a range of projects you can apply for across languages, politics, history, media and more.

Am I eligible?

If you meet the below criteria, you may be eligible. 

• You have completed at least two years of an undergraduate degree and are either:
• Enrolled in an undergraduate degree at a New Zealand university at the time you apply for the scholarship
• Or enrolled in a postgraduate bachelor (honours) or postgraduate diploma programme (some faculties) at a New Zealand university at the time you apply for the scholarship
• Or enrolled in an undergraduate degree at an international institution in 2023.
• You have a scholarship GPA/GPE of 6.00 or above (or 5.50 for Māori or Pacific students).
• You haven’t started a masters, doctoral, or taught postgraduate programme (some taught programmes are permitted: check the regulations), or be completing a dissertation or thesis on an extension

See full list of eligibility criteria here. 

Hear from an Arts Summer Scholar

Bethany shares her experiences about working on a Summer Research Project. 

Hear from Academics about the Arts Summer Research Scholarship

Some of our supervisors share their perspective on the Summer Research Programme.

AHI Summer Research Scholarships

One of the key goals of the AHI is student engagement. The Summer Research Scholarship programme run at the University of Auckland recruits high achieving student scholars and aims to give recipients research experience, an opportunity to work with leading researchers at the University of Auckland and contribute to the wider research community. It also allows students to explore the potential of postgraduate study.

The Auckland History Initiative views Summer Research Scholarships as an integral way to engage students in Auckland history and to strengthen relationships with the Auckland GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) sector. To continue this successful programme, the AHI is seeking potential private sponsorship, please contact: [email protected]

The new ‘Auckland Library Heritage Trust John Stacpoole Scholarship’

The AHI is delighted to announce a new named Summer Scholarship, ‘The Auckland Library Heritage Trust John Stacpoole Scholarship’ in recognition of John Stacpoole’s significant financial contributions and years of service on the Trust.   Read more

Peter Wallace

Peter (he/him) is in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Economics conjoint majoring in Political Science and Economics. Having spent much of his adolescence in his high school drama department and uncovering the many stories hidden deep within, Peter was intrigued by what histories the university’s own Theatre Workshop might be hiding.

The focus of Peter’s research was to understand the rise and fall of Auckland’s amateur theatre scene and why the individuals involved continually compromised their economic well-being for the sake of putting on a good show. Spanning the establishment of Theatre Corporate in the 1970’s right up until the indefinite hiatus of the University of Auckland’s Summer Shakespeare and arrival of the Pop-up Globe in the 2010’s, his work shines a light on the financial and logistical realities many aspiring theatres faced. Peter’s work takes particular interest in the events that befell the Summer Shakespeare festival in 1995, and the consequent nightmare that would continue until 2000. These are the stories of ambitious men and women, actors, directors and crews, all who exposed themselves to financial uncertainty so that they might bring culture and merriment to Tāmaki Makaurau. 

Peter would like to thank Dr. Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their invaluable contribution in the completion of this project. Ian Brailsford of the University of Auckland’s special collection deserves a special thanks for processing innumerable requests over the project’s duration. Finally, he would like to thank the archive team at the Auckland Central Library, the University of Auckland’s Special Collections and to Johnathan and Mary Mason for funding the scholarship. 

Katryn Baker

Katryn completed her Bachelor of Arts in Art History and History at the University of Auckland in 2023 and is currently undertaking her Master of Arts in Art History. Growing up in Rotorua, Katryn was always fascinated with how lively and dynamic Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland was, and this fascination continued throughout her studies here in the city.

Katryn’s research considers where women were positioned in the Auckland art scene and how this changed and developed from 1928 until the late 1980s. This interest in the lives of women artists was sparked in her early research when she noticed that men such as Colin McCahon were situated as the drivers of art history, often at the expense of marginalising women artists. Katryn took this research opportunity to uncover the role that women played in the Auckland art scene, discovering just how important and influential they were too. 

Katryn would like to thank her supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their continuous support and encouragement throughout this project. She extends a sincere thank you to Johnathon and Mary Mason for funding this scholarship. Katryn would also like to thank the EH McCormick Research Library, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, and the University of Auckland Special Collections for their guidance and advice. She would like to give a special thanks to Leanne Radojkovich at the Angela Morton Room for giving Katryn advice at the start of her research and providing invaluable materials and insights, and to Associate Professor Linda Tyler for being her expert adviser later in Katryn’s research, providing critical information for her research. 

Finally, Katryn would like to thank the many women artists she researched for their determination to continue pursuing their passion as artists despite often being undervalued and overlooked. Their fearless intentions to create will continue to inspire generations to come.

Benjamin Agnew

Benjamin is currently in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English, alongside a Bachelor of Laws.

His project looked at the history of Crown Lynn Potteries Ltd. with a specific focus on how its fortunes interacted with the economic and cultural factors of the day. Though an iconic part of New Zealand history, surprisingly little has been written about the company, partly due to a number of factory fires which have destroyed records. Benjamin particularly wanted to track the company’s relationship with broader economic policy and investigate some of the under-represented aspects of its legacy, such as its complicated relationship with its majority M ā ori and Pasifika women workforce on the factory floor.

Benjamin would like to thank his supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder, for their advice and support throughout the project. He would also like to express his gratitude towards the many other librarians and archivists at the University of Auckland and Auckland Libraries who assisted him with this project. The project would not have been possible without invaluable support from Louise Stevenson and Te Toi Uku Crown Lynn and Clayworks Museum, who provided the use of their archives and help navigating them. 

Leane Te Boekhorst

Leane is in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Global Studies conjoint majoring in Criminology, Psychology and Global Politics and Human Rights. Contrary to her current studies, Leane wishes to complete her Masters in Primary School teaching next year. 

With a major in Criminology, Leane thought it would be fitting to look into the criminal past of Tāmaki Makaurau. Her main research focus was on understanding the penal reform movements that operated in Mount Eden Prison and Auckland. Her research was built from a fascination of wanting to learn more about how crime, punishment and treatment of offenders was rationalised prior to the 21st century. The research focused on key stages of development in the penal reform area, from the opening of Mount Eden Prison to the end of the 20th century. 

Leane would like to thank Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their support and guidance throughout the project; the teams at the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections and the University of Auckland Special Collections team. She would also like to thank the staff at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, the Alexander Turnbull Library, Archives New Zealand, the Salvation Army and Te Pa. Lastly, the Auckland Libraries Heritage Trust for funding her project. 

Emily O’Callaghan

Em is in their fourth year at the University of Auckland, studying a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts conjoint majoring in History and Politics and International Relations. As a keen gardener and regular market-goer, Em is interested in the ways the production and consumption of goods has changed over the decades. In research for this project they fostered a deeper understanding of the interplay between labour and migration histories – and how this shaped Auckland’s now-distant produce economy. 

Em’s project discusses three key case studies from the 1890s to 1920s period: Chinese market gardeners and grocers, Dalmatian growers, and itinerant fruit and vegetable hawkers. In their discussion they seek to highlight the immense contributions of various migrant groups to Tāmaki Makaurau’s horticultural landscape and celebrate their entrepreneurship and resilience during an age of regulation and prejudice. They argue that the stories of migrant labourers offer crucial insight into the true diversity of our primary sectors, and to champion histories that have been traditionally excluded. 

Em would like to thank those who made their project possible. They particularly recognise the Auckland Libraries Heritage Trust who provided funding for their research  and supervisors Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for continual support. Em would also like to thank those who assisted them during the research process, namely Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, University of Auckland Special Collections, the Dalmatian Cultural Society Archives and Museum, Auckland City Council Archives, Archives New Zealand, and National Library.

Henry (he/him) is currently studying toward a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Auckland, but the bulk of his tertiary studies thus far have been under a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History. A perpetual debater, he was attracted to these disciplines because they offered an opportunity to explore the contentious and thorny issues of our time.

The focus of Henry’s research was the economics of sex work, beginning with the neoliberal reforms in 1984, and ending with the Prostitution Reform Act 2003, which decriminalised the industry. Flowing from an aim to investigate the impact of neoliberalism in less obvious, non-unionised spaces, his work covers the ways that the sex industry mirrored and interacted with wider Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. In particular, Henry’s research zooms in on the diversity of the workers themselves – who they were, why they entered the industry, and how they experienced the self-labelled ‘Whorearchy’. These were marginalised yet determined identities – queer men, cisgender women, and transgender women – who took advantage of commercial sex to carve out economic freedom and independence for themselves in a rapidly evolving Tāmaki Makaurau.

Henry would like to thank Dr. Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their guidance and support in completing this project. Dr. Cheryl Ware also deserves considerable appreciation for generously sharing the sources and expertise from her own research. Henry would also like to acknowledge the invaluable support from Annah Pickering at the New Zealand Sex Workers’ Collective. Finally, he would like to thank the archivists at Auckland Central Library, the University of Auckland Library, the Charlotte Museum, and special thanks to David Simcock for funding his scholarship.

2023 Summer Research Scholars

Samuel turner-o’keeffe.

Samuel is in his fourth year at the University of Auckland, studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History and German, alongside a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). Having grown up on the lower North Shore, Sam suffered through Lake Road traffic for almost two decades. Naturally, then, he was quite eager to investigate the history that shaped Auckland’s present-day transport problems.

Sam’s project arose from a simple question: if Auckland’s roads are always congested, why does the city not have a better rail network? While searching the past for answers, Sam came across a pivotal period for Auckland’s transport system – the twenty years or so between the outbreak of World War Two and the late 1950s. Over that time, Auckland’s leading decision-makers chose to rip out the city’s old tramways, and also scrapped plans for a underground, electrified rail scheme in favour of motorway construction. Sam investigated the reasons underpinning those two decisions, before evaluating whether their shared hostility to rail truly did exacerbate Auckland’s congestion woes, by contributing to the city’s car-obsessed present.

Sam would like to thank his supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder, for their assistance and support over the course of his project. He would also like to extend his gratitude to the archivists and librarians at the University of Auckland, Auckland Libraries, Auckland Council and MOTAT for their invaluable help in finding primary sources, including some awesome maps and striking photographs. A big thanks must go specifically to James Duncan from MOTAT, who gave up a lot of his time to discuss Auckland’s old trams and trolleybuses. Finally, of course, Sam would like to thank the Auckland Heritage Trust for funding his research, and his fellow summer scholars for their pleasant company.

Katia Kennedy

Katia is currently in her 3 rd year of a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in History and English. 

Katia’s project focused on the development of women’s sports in Auckland from the 1880s-1980s. Using women’s cricket and competitive marching as case studies, this project explored how the development of male-dominated and female-dominated sports differed over this period. Katia’s project revealed how sports was, and still is, a conduit for the social trends that surround women in Auckland society.

Katia would like to thank her supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their support and guidance during this project. She would also like to thank Renee Or and the rest of the Auckland Libraries Staff for their assistance, as well as Jim Allnatt and Bryan Haggit for their guidance in finding information on women’s cricket. Lastly, Katia would like to thank the Auckland Library Heritage Trust for funding this project and her fellow summer scholars for their help and support.

Anna McCardle

Anna is a student at the University of Auckland, currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Arts, studying History and Psychology. 

In  secondary school, Anna loved how her Drama classes allowed her to play a character and be someone other than herself. Studying history at University has allowed her to explore time periods and contexts different to her own. In her summer project for the Auckland History Initiative (AHI), Anna came across a collection where the fields of History and Acting converge. She was fortunate enough to access Jean Hyland’s Acting Women In Auckland Oral History collection, through Auckland Libraries’ Heritage Collections. 

Using the enriching perspectives of Auckland acting women, Anna examined the late 1960s to 1980s as a vibrant and complex era for Auckland theatre. She thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing about this topic. 

Anna would like to thank Jean Hyland, for making her Oral History collection available through Auckland Libraries. Anna found it incredible to hear the voices of the Auckland acting women Hyland spoke with, who were strong, dynamic and passionate about their careers, and had lived fascinating lives. Hyland expertly shaped every interview to draw out significant stories and information. 

Anna is grateful to have been able to consult many other valuable sources from Auckland Libraries’ Heritage collections and the University of Auckland Special Collections. Anna thanks the archivists from these libraries who gave her seminal advice and support as she delved into their rich collections.

Anna thanks her supervisors, Dr. Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder. They expertly advised, guided and supported her through every stage of her project. Moreover, she is grateful to have worked alongside her fellow AHI researchers, and admires their talent and dedication to their projects. Anna also thanks her family and friends for their support. 

Finally, Anna thanks Jonathan and Mary Mason for generously funding her project and giving students like her the amazing opportunity to research Tamaki Makaurau’s past. 

Caitlin Kilpatrick

Caitlin is in her third year of a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce Conjoint at the University of Auckland, majoring in History, Politics and Economics. She loves history and chose to study it as there is no other subject where she can get as invested in the topics. 

Caitlin’s research explores Auckland women’s fashion during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. During this time period, women gained autonomy as individuals and as a group and used fashion as a means of presenting this. Department stores and magazines played a key role during this time period, providing inspiration for fashion and the clothing itself. Caitlin’s articles explore the connections between these factors. 

Caitlin would like to thank Jonathan and Mary Mason for the generous funding of her research. She also extends a huge thank you to her supervisors Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their constant help and reassurance throughout the project. Caitlin would also like to thank the Auckland Libraries Special Collections, the University of Auckland Special Collections, and the Auckland Museum Research Library for their guidance and assistance. Finally, she would like to thank her friends, family and fellow summer scholars for their support throughout this project.

Sasha Finer

Sasha completed her BA at the University of Auckland in Anthropology and Politics & International Relations in 2022 and is currently completing her honours year in Anthropology, with a specialisation in Archaeology. She grew up in rural South Taranaki, and since moving to Auckland for study she has become fascinated by the layers of history that build up in such a densely populated area.

Sasha’s research for this project focused on the Auckland Lunatic Asylum at the Whau and what it represented about treatment of the mentally ill in Auckland during the time it was constructed. Centring the idea that our built environments are often representative of our cultural context, her project investigates the asylum as a purpose-built structure that endures to this day as a representation of the cultural ideas and values of the society which built it.  

Sasha would like to thank her supervisors Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their insight and guidance throughout the course of this project; the teams at Auckland Libraries and University of Auckland Special Collections for their support in accessing the primary sources used in this project; and the University of Auckland for funding her research. Thanks must also go to Lisa Truttman for her aid in scouting out resources which helped fill in some important gaps in the timeline. Finally, Sasha would like to thank the Auckland History Initiative and her fellow summer scholars – it has been a pleasure to work alongside them throughout the course of this project.

 Friederike Voit

Friederike is in her third year at the University of Auckland, studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History and Art History as well as a Diploma of Languages in Latin. She is grateful to have received the opportunity of this Summer Research Scholarship in Auckland history, which has allowed her to explore the past of the city where she has lived for her whole life.

Friederike’s project focused on queer communities in Auckland from the 1950s until Homosexual Law Reform in 1986. Approaching this history from a spatial angle, she explored the private homes and public venues which were occupied by queer people at this time. These spaces existed as vibrant and inclusive enclaves in an otherwise hostile environment, a testament to the efforts of Auckland’s queer communities to make themselves at home. Yet their significance transcends that of a physical location. When queer spaces united around the Homosexual Law Reform campaign, they brought the culture of queer communities to the streets of Auckland. 

Friederike would like to thank her supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder, who provided a fantastic introduction to the academic research process as well as support, feedback, and guidance throughout this project. She is also grateful to the librarians and archivists at Auckland Libraries, the University of Auckland, and the Charlotte Museum for their assistance with primary source material. The other summer scholars also contributed significantly towards making this programme an enriching experience. Finally, Friederike would like to thank the Auckland Library Heritage Trust, whose funding made her project possible.

2022 Summer Research Scholars

Tommy de silva.

Tommy is an Auckland local, who’s interest in local history was sparked as a child by driving around with his grandfather and hearing how the face of Auckland has changed over time. Coming from a mixed Māori and Pākehā whakapapa Tommy can empathise and connect with diverse stories of Auckland’s past. Currently, in his final semester of an undergraduate BA in history and politics, Tommy plans to pursue postgraduate study in the humanities. 

The focus of Tommy’s summer research was finding historical evidence to support the argument that historic Māori lived fluid lives, with his iwi Ngāti Te Ata Waiōhua as the case study. The article’s written with this evidence first explain the Ngāti Te Ata claim to mana in Tāmaki Makaurau, then explore the fluid rohe (territory) of the iwi and the diverse opinions and actions within it around the time of the Waikato War (1863-1864). 

Tommy would like to thank his supervisors Jess Parr and Linda Bryder of the Auckland History Initiative for their guidance, the Auckland Libraries staff who helped him find sources and Roimata Minhinnick from Ngāti Te Ata and Te Awhitu from Ngāti Tamaoho for enriching his research with the Māori viewpoint. He is also grateful to Erica O’Flaherty and her team for funding this research as part of their larger project related to developing resources for the Aotearoa New Zealand history curriculum.

Sarah Oliver

Sarah Oliver is in her third year of studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in History and Anthropology at the University of Auckland. Sarah’s project examines the nineteenth-century Jewish community of Central Auckland, focusing on case studies of successful Jewish merchants who lived in the beautiful villas on Princes Street and Waterloo Quadrant.

Sarah is originally from Rotorua and remembers being awed by the magnificent villas next to the University in Albert Park when she first moved to Auckland for study. It was not until a tour of Central Auckland for a second-year heritage conservation paper that she learnt of the former Jewish Synagogue on the corner of Princes Street and Bowen Avenue. Using the Jewish built heritage of Central Auckland as a starting point, Sarah investigated the tight-knit Jewish community that lived there and uncovered a story of religious sanctuary, excellence and community in the nineteenth century.

Sarah would like to thank her supervisors, Dr Jessica Parr and Professor Linda Bryder, for their support and insight, the University of Auckland Special Collections and Auckland Central Libraries librarians. She would like to give special thanks to Lesley Max and David Robinson of the Auckland Jewish community for their insight into Jewish traditions and to Sheree Trotter of the Auckland Synagogue Archives and Jewish Lives ( www.jewishlives.nz )  for sending information remotely while Sarah was living in Rotorua. Lastly, Sarah would like  to acknowledge Erica O’Flaherty and her team for funding this research as part of their larger project related to developing resources for the Aotearoa New Zealand history curriculum.

Saana has just finished her BA at the University of Auckland, majoring in Politics and Anthropology, and is starting her Honours year in Politics and International Relations.

Saana’s project focused on three women’s political groups operating in Auckland at the turn of the twentieth century and their perspectives on the Contagious Diseases Act 1869. A controversial and divisive topic at the time, the conversations around the C.D. Act exposed a split in the feminist consciousness of late-nineteenth century Auckland. By analysing the difference in opinion between the groups, and the criticism that one group received for their stance, Saana’s project revealed the presence of a dominant feminist narrative and the idea that there was a ‘right’ way to be a feminist in Auckland at the turn of the twentieth century. Turning the mirror towards contemporary society, Saana’s project forces us to question whether there remains a ‘right’ way to be a feminist today?

Saana would like to thank her supervisors Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their support and guidance throughout the Summer Scholarship. She would also like to thank Katherine Pawley and the rest of the staff at Special Collections at the University of Auckland, whose assistance with primary source material was greatly appreciated.

Flynn McGregor-Sumpter

Flynn McGregor-Sumpter has recently graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in History (Hons) and Psychology. This year, he is studying to become a secondary school History teacher. Having been born and raised in Auckland, the opportunity to research something of significance from his hometown under this scholarship was very exciting. Flynn’s project focuses on the Pacific population of ‘Greater Ponsonby’ in the second half of the twentieth century. In particular, Flynn explored the attempts of Pacific migrants to remain true to their identity and culture in a new country. Through institutions such as churches, sports groups and schools, the influence of Pacific peoples remains evident in the central Auckland suburbs to this day, despite the gentrification of the area in the late-1900s.

Flynn would like to extend his thanks to his project supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder, for their expertise and guidance throughout the process. Further, the efforts of the University of Auckland and Auckland Council Special Collections staff were instrumental in helping him find and access important resources. He is also grateful to Erica O’Flaherty and her team for funding this research as part of their larger project related to developing resources for the Aotearoa New Zealand history curriculum. Lastly, Flynn would like to acknowledge the Auckland History Initiative and his fellow scholars for helping him construct a narrative that he can be proud of.

Angela Black

Angela Black is going into her fourth year of a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Arts conjoint degree, majoring in History and Economics. Having moved to Auckland from overseas 5 years ago, Angela was delighted by the opportunity afforded by this scholarship to explore the history of the city she now calls home. Her project centres around one of the North Shore’s most iconic landmarks, the Chelsea Sugar Factory, which has been operating as New Zealand’s only sugar refinery for 138 years and everyday delivers sugar to thousands of manufacturers and household kitchens throughout Aotearoa. In particular, Angela’s project explores the historical reasons for a collective anxiety which tore through Birkenhead residents in 2006, when it was feared the factory would be relocated due to an application to rezone the land for residential purposes.

Angela would like to extend a massive thank you to her supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder for their support and guidance throughout this project; as well as to the librarians at Auckland Council; and Ian Brailsford and the rest of his colleagues at the University of Auckland Special Collections for assistance in accessing resources for this project. Angela would also like to acknowledge the Auckland History Initiative, the generous donors of the Jonathan and Mary Mason scholarship in Auckland History and her fellow scholars – thank you for all your support along the way.

Blair McIntosh

Blair McIntosh is a postgrad student at the University of Auckland who is currently completing his honours year in history. Growing up, Blair spent endless hours helping his Mum prepare materials for her weekly social studies lessons — a past-time which clearly rubbed off on him considering his love for history and desire to eventually train as a secondary school teacher too.

Intrigued to know more about the history behind one of Auckland’s most iconic landmarks, Blair’s project delves deep into Rangitoto’s past to reconsider what this Island represented for generations of Aucklanders drawn to its shores during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century.  Blair would like to acknowledge his supervisors, Dr Jess Parr and Professor Linda Bryder; the generous sponsorship of Jonathan and Mary Mason; the wonderful team from Auckland Libraries, especially Elspeth Orwin, special collections archivist and member of the Rangitoto Island Trust; Danielle Carter from New Zealand Maritime Museum; Gretel Boswijik, for her input on the earlier stages of this project; Susan Thomas from Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust, and finally his fellow summer scholars who grew on this journey with him. He cannot thank all the insights, support, and guidance these individuals gave enough.

Finally, Blair would like to dedicate his work to the memory of his late Nana, Maureen Freeman, who unfortunately passed away during the writing of his research. Like many Aucklanders, Blair’s Nana had a strong affinity to Rangitoto Island which she always looked out at from the living room window of her house. Hopefully, this project does justice to the memory of her and many others who have considered Rangitoto Island as part of the place they called ‘Home’.

2021 Summer Research Scholars

Laura prahash.

Laura Prahash is currently in her final year of a conjoint Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in History, Chemistry, and Physics. Her project examined the history of international students in Auckland over three time-periods: the first international students who came in the 1950s as part of the Colombo Plan, the Malaysian students in the 1970s who faced several discriminatory policy changes, and the influx of Chinese students in the early 2000s.

Laura uses the experiences of international students to explore foreign aid and immigration policies, as well as how the media impacts and influences the relationship between these students and the wider Auckland community. She would like to acknowledge her supervisors, Dr Jessica Parr and Professor Linda Bryder; Katherine Pawley and the rest of her colleagues in the University of Auckland Special Collections; Renée Orr and the Research Central team; and her fellow AHI scholar Helena Wiseman – their knowledge, support, and assistance has been invaluable, and this project would not have come together if it wasn’t for their input.

Helena Wiseman

Helena Wiseman is a 4th year student studying History and Law at the University of Auckland. She cannot remember the time before she loved history, and has studied it throughout her education. Helena’s project examines the experiences of Dalmatian immigrants who moved into Auckland’s central suburbs after the wars.

Inspired to investigate the story of her own family, the research has revealed that the relationship between Dalmatians and Auckland is symbiotic, and full of tension, politics, and the search for home. Her research was generous funded by a Jonathan and Mary Mason scholarship in Auckland History. Helena would like to thank her supervisors, Dr Jessica Parr and Professor Linda Bryder, for their support and insight, and the University of Auckland Special Collections and Auckland Central Libraries librarians. She would also like to give special thanks to the archivists at the Dalmatian Genealogical and Historical Society Archives. Their wealth of knowledge and support have been invaluable to this project.

Chasing the Dragon: Hubris, the folly of man.

Oct 8, 2024

By Peter Wallace* Amateur theatre satisfies a niche that professional theatre cannot occupy. Raw deliveries and modest budgets emphasise the discrepancy between actor and character, who present more one and the same in professional performances. Preventing that abstraction succeeds in communicating the personality of a production, particularly the risks and anxieties that high-end stage shows distract from.

Unstable Ground: Migrant Producers, Selling, and Discrimination in Auckland 1890-1920s

Sep 30, 2024

by Emily O’Callaghan* Beginning a narrative part way through makes for a confusing story. Yet, recollections of Auckland’s horticultural histories often do exactly that. Prioritising the quaint Victorian garden and divorcing horticultural practice from other intersecting histories of war, of survival, and of immigration, has made for an incomplete retelling.

Auckland’s Women Artists: 1928-1940

Jul 28, 2024

by Katryn Baker* The positionality of women artists in the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland art scene from just over a century ago is complex. By the close of the 1920s, women were certainly not excluded from published literature nor from exhibition spaces. However, the trend of the twentieth century tended toward situating men such as John Weeks or Colin McCahon, to be the drivers of art history in Auckland, often at the expense of marginalising the influence of women artists.

Forged in Fire: The War Effort and Sudden Success

Jun 30, 2024

by Benjamin Agnew* The story of Crown Lynn begins as one of classic New Zealand innovation. Its trajectory throughout the 1940s is characterised by aspiration and enterprise, as well as a connection to foreign affairs that would last the company’s lifetime.

The Frameworks – the Construction of Mount Eden Prison 

Jun 23, 2024

by Leane Te Boekhorst* Situated between a major modern highway and the ancient slopes of Mangawhau, Mount Eden Prison has become a stable fixture in Auckland’s landscape. For over 150 years, Mount Eden Prison has housed some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most infamous criminals, seen daring escapes, hangings, riots and strikes.

“I never thought freedom would come down to this”

Jun 2, 2024

by Henry Grey* “Those entering the sex industry as workers do so primarily for economic reasons, a factor highlighting the economic marginalisation of some sectors of our communities, and the difficulties of securing well-paid employment.” – Jan Jordan, 2005

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