Troy Baisden

14 years ago Paul Callaghan gave this talk. It leaned in to the idea of making Aotearoa New Zealand a place where talented people wanted to live. Our government is hell bent on doing the opposite.
@nzscientists.bsky.social
#NZPOL

Winston Peters speaking to void in a nearly empty UN chamber.

Embarrassing? The good news is the grand potential for no one to notice NZ.

Ah… @scot_scientist …

That’s unfortunate but probably doesn’t mean what you think it means. What was your handle on Twitter?

Great stuff - raises a few questions but it’s really a shame this analysis hasn’t been more visible and accessible. (It matches my intuition.)

Britain, Australia and Canada Recognize a Palestinian State

So, NZ? www.nytimes.com/2025/09/21/w...

Amongst other things, the croissants are pretty good there IMHO. Thanks!😊

There’s no particularly good transparent model of the NZ electricity system so we don’t know Onslow was better than more solar and wind (cheaper but intermittent) plus some smaller battery projects. It’s weird internationally that have zero hydro batteries, with so much potential. It was expensive!

Ooo, I'm on the Eastern Shore. Could take orders and bring them back when fly back to NZ via BWI.

Nice work Simon Stewart @troybaisden.bsky.social @icdugg.bsky.social et al. #Lakes are Earth’s eye indeed. 🧪

You know about NZ's cuts to research funding? How bleak is it for climate change research?

Bleak.

Explainer and perspectives now outside Carbon News NZ's paywall. www.carbonnews.co.nz/news/35492/s...

Lakeshore shallows can be biodiversity hotspots – but warming is changing their complex ecology Climate change is already affecting lake stratification, the seasonal layering of water into distinct temperature bands, which is crucial for nutrient flows.

Read more about this research at @aunz.theconversation.com → theconversation.com/lakeshore-sh... #complexsystems @troybaisden.bsky.social

Electric trains on board for Lower North Island - Inside Government NZ The Government’s $802.9 million investment into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines has reached a major milestone, with Greater Wellington Regional Council today signing a contract for a new fleet o...

This trains announcement is absolutely fabulous news. But I cannot be the only person looking at the pics thinking these things are not going to fare well when they hit a cow or ute? email.jslmedia.com.au/ch/91108/dx9...

The direction suggests elements of strong universities will be weakened, even though we need them to help us deal with the challenges of the 21st century. On the upside, universities can get on with the job and are not faced with any further cuts.

that will amplify the harm done removing social sciences and humanities from research funding systems.

That leads to the question, what can we expect not to change? I've covered that off in my comments here but sadly there will be changes driven by the Draft Tertiary Education Strategy as noted by Sereana Naepi...

University sector changes announced - Expert Reaction The Government will be changing aspects to New Zealand's higher education system, informed by a recently released report by the University Advisory Group. Changes include a new strategy for all of New...

Did you catch news that the Universities Advisory Group (UAG) reports were released, but the government binned or balked on many of the key recommendations?

The whole process went from shelved to buried yesterday morning.

www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/09/03/u...

University Advisory Group We formed the University Advisory Group (UAG) in March 2024 at the request of the Government.

UAG report and cabinet paper are out. Gluckman: Read the Interim Report’s strategic approach first (before getting lost in the operational details.) Alas, if only more of the strategic recommendations had a clear path to implementation… www.education.govt.nz/our-work/inf...

Kākā getting very frisky with the feeling of spring in the air

Listening to an HRC webinar about the changes to research funding. It's striking how little input by academics is valued now - final decisions will be made by HRC, with science committees' input downgraded to 'advice'. Commercialisation is valued. Innovation is not. Depressing.

In Today’s Weekend Herald #Fonterra #nzpol

Sadly, a lot can go wrong when subeditors rather than the writer themself pitches the catches clickbait headlines. Yet it’s the norm…

Work to strengthen Wellington City Library complete The central city library has been closed since March 2019.

Worth noting that announcement of infrastructure repairs coming in on time and on budget? www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

How much contempt for scientists can you detect?

Do you get a sense of getting in the way of support, progress and support for science we need to protect our health and environment and fund our future ?

YouTube video by New Zealand Association of Scientists Reuben Davidson (Labour) on Research, Science, Innovation and Technology Oral Q 12 22Aug2025

Our parliament might give us confidence in the government's approach to the science if answers were delivered with care and clarity. youtu.be/2Glk1fHNMaU?...

The lovely kākā don’t usually show them off to me, but this one did.

Hmmm, now let me think…

rnz’s strategy under thompson has essentially been to make the people who actually listen to the station hate it in order to attract an audience that will never listen to it. genius lol

YouTube video by New Zealand Association of Scientists RSIT in Parliament – Oral Q5 14 Aug 2025

Robust debate in Parliament yesterday, with questions from Scott Willis to Shane Reti MP about cuts, job losses and whether reprioritisation will yield clarity or any benefits. The answers aren't reassuring but it is good to see this getting attention. youtu.be/Vam6UmnvtyY

I appreciated the outreach to geochemistry, where it remains a thing.