SCANZ Annual General Meeting 2024
The Science Communicators Association of New Zealand Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 21 November during the 2024 conference.
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2024 AGM Minutes, President and Treasurer’s reports
Agenda
Welcome, Note of Attendees, Apologies
Confirmation of the Minutes for the Previous AGM
President Report
Financial Report (1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024)
Executive Committe member retirements and elections
Any other business
Documents for approval
If you spot any issues with these documents that would prevent your approval, please email us hello@scanz.co.nz
For reference: Constitution
EXPRESSIONS OF Interest for executive positions
We have had several expressions of interest in joining the volunteer executive committee. We have shared some information below ahead of the AGM election.
Members can vote via this survey by midday Thursday 21 November. Please note, email addresses will be collated to ensure only current members vote and only vote once.
Kati Doehring (Cawthron, Nelson)
My name is Kati and I am a freshwater ecologist and science communicator at the Cawthron Institute, in Whakatū Nelson. I have been a SCANZ member for the last 4 years and love the ‘family-focussed’, diverse and collective approach of the Association.
After spending eleven years as a bio-physical freshwater ecologist, I became increasingly frustrated with the gap between scientific research and public understanding. This led me to pursue a PhD in Science Communication, looking at how storytelling can be used as a tool for freshwater restoration. Now that I’ve finished this chapter, I’m excited to explore new opportunities – and I think becoming an Executive Committee member could be the perfect next adventure!
I’d be thrilled to bring my experience, enthusiasm, and collaborative mindset to the team. I believe my strengths as a connector and my people-centric approach to both work and life would be valuable to the Executive. I’m passionate about building strong, supportive networks and fostering an environment where science communication can thrive (in Aotearoa and globally!), and I’d love to contribute to the continued success of SCANZ in this role.
Mike Kilpatrick (AUT, Auckland)
Mike Kilpatrick is a Scottish-born former scientist, who retrained as a journalist in 2007. He's regretting that decision now. After stints as a sports and technology journalist and taking charge of the Microsoft News website in Aotearoa, he switched to a communications role at AUT, where he now looks after academics in the Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences. He hasn't been on an executive committee since he tried to take over the National Union of Students Scotland in 1997. He partially succeeded.
Melanie Newfield (independent contractor, Wellington)
Melanie Newfield spent more than 25 years in government agencies assessing, prioritising and communicating about biosecurity risks and invasive species, as well as the risks of controlling them. She has also advised on invasive species in some of the world’s hottest and coolest places, from Mauritius to Antarctica. More recently, she has researched biosecurity decision-making for the Bioheritage National Science Challenge and writes a weekly Substack newsletter which makes the science behind important issues accessible. Next year she will be teaching a course which demystifies risks to health, the environment and society with Dark Times Academy. She is also obsessed with plants and considers orange to be a neutral colour.
Katrin O’Donnell (Science Media Centre, Wellington)
Katrin O'Donnell is a media advisor at the Science Media Centre, where she promotes evidence-based reporting by helping journalists work more closely with scientists and researchers.
She completed a Master's of Science in Society at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington following a BSc in Ecology and a BA in Cultural Anthropology. Prior to joining the SMC, she worked as a communications advisor at the Royal Society Te Apārangi, a research and teaching assistant at VUW, and a bookseller in shops around Pōneke.
Ryn Yee (freelance, Hawke’s Bay)
Ryn Yee, an American immigrant to Aotearoa, has a BA in Written Communication, an MA-level licensure in teaching, a GDip in Publishing from Whitireia, and, most recently, an MAppSci in Science Communications. Ryn has a decade's experience in education as well as writing and editing across educational, creative, and non-profit platforms, and as such, very interested in the ways science communication shows up in literature, art, entertainment, and education. They currently work as a freelance editor and would gladly talk for hours on space, health care, medicine and medical tech, linguistic revitalisation, history, and astronomy over board games and tea.