1956-2012: 57 years of continuous service to microbiology in New Zealand

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The Special Interest group in Microbial Ecology's purpose is to promote, disseminate and support
knowledge and understanding of the ecology of micro-organisms.

 

Convenors |

Mike Taylor
University of Auckland
email: mw.taylor@auckland.ac.nz

and

Matthew Stott
GNS
email: m.stott@gns.cri.nz

 

About the Microbial Ecology SIG | Introducing The Microbial Ecology Consortium: Late 2009 saw the advent of the Microbial Ecology Consortium, a Special Interest Group operated under the auspices of the NZ Microbiological Society (NZMS).  The fundamental aim of the Consortium is to provide a dedicated forum for NZ microbial ecologists to share information and ideas, to get to know each other, and to promote potential collaborations and joint grant applications etc.  In light of recent government edicts encouraging closer inter-institution collaboration (particularly between crown research institutes and universities), such networks will become even more important and more relevant in the future.

 

Activities of the SIG | The first event for the Microbial Ecology Consortium was a seminar day held at the University of Auckland on February 12th, 2010.  The day was a roaring success, with 93 attendees from 16 tertiary institutions, CRIs and companies from throughout NZ.  Who knew that there were so many researchers in NZ that undertake microbial ecology as part of their research programmes?  Thanks to generous sponsorship from the NZMS, GNS Science and the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland, we were able to avoid any registration fees, and yet still feed all participants for the day as well as host two keynote speakers of considerable international standing: Prof. Craig Cary (University of Waikato / University of Delaware) and Dr Gene Tyson (University of Queensland).  Craig kicked off the morning session with a fascinating account of his group’s microbiological research in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, while in the afternoon Gene described his application of cutting-edge “omics” technologies to the study of marine bacterioplankton communities.

The primary goal of this first seminar day was to bring groups together to learn about what microbial ecology research is happening in this country.  The programme was thus based around short and sharp (10 min) presentations that gave the audience an overview of the research being conducted in individual labs, with some hot-off-the-press science thrown in for good measure.  Thanks to our session chairs Alison Stewart (Lincoln University) and Maureen O’Callaghan (AgResearch) the day ran very smoothly, with everyone keeping admirably to time.  We finished off with a lively roundtable discussion led by Hugh Morgan (University of Waikato), on the impact of “omics” technologies on microbial ecology.

Overall, feedback on the Inaugural Seminar Day was extremely positive, and we would like to thank all those who made the effort to come up to Auckland for the day.  It was a great way to showcase so much of the fantastic microbial ecology research that takes place in NZ, and the enthusiastic response bodes well for the future of the Consortium.  If you are interested in being part of the Microbial Ecology Consortium please contact either of the convenors, Matt Stott (m.stott@gns.cri.nz) or Mike Taylor (mw.taylor@auckland.ac.nz).

PHOTOS:  Keynote speakers at the seminar day, Craig Cary (L) and Gene Tyson (R).  Photos by S. Schmitt (University of Auckland).

 

 

 

 

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