FHSS Research Showcase a success
The event showcased projects supported by the new FHSS Interdisciplinary Research Fund which was established to enable researchers to develop new interdisciplinary research connections within and beyond the Faculty. Outcomes from the 2016 pilot grant round include jointly authored publications, collaborative external research grant funding applications and the creation of new digital humanities tools. The showcase event also highlighted some of the nationally and internationally recognised work by recent research award winners and recipients of important external research funding.
The presenters represented a cross-section of Schools and researchers from both within the Faculty and beyond as follows:
- Dr Simon Perris (School of Art History, Classics and Religious Studies) and Dr Arini Loader (School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations) spoke about their research into the recording of Māori myth in English translation and, in particular, the work of nineteenth century Māori scholar Wiremu Maihi Te Rangikaheke, who recorded such well-known myths as the separation of Rangi and Papa and the deeds of Maui.
- AProf Rachel McKee (Deaf Studies Research Unit, School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies) presented the research she has undertaken with Dr David McKee into the development of a multilingual New Zealand Sign Language dictionary, and demonstrated how this has supported the elevation of this previously undocumented and stigmatised language.
- Dr Alfio Leotta (School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies) discussed his research on film tourism in New Zealand: how and why films like The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies have been so successful in attracting tourists to New Zealand, and the impact of this tourism on New Zealand’s economy.
- Dr Daphne Rickson (New Zealand School of Music) is preparing to conduct research into the efficacy of music therapy on children with autism spectrum disorder. She has been awarded a grant of nearly $100,000 from the New Zealand IHC Foundation in order to carry out this research: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/fhss/about/news/proving-the-benefits-of-music-therapy
- Dr Marco Sonzogni (School of Languages and Cultures) and Dr Peter Donelan (School of Mathematics and Statistics) discussed their exploration of the links between poetry and mathematics. They demonstrated the fascinating timeline they have created to highlight mathematical poets throughout the ages – including such illustrious names as Aristotle, Omar Khayyam, Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky, Lillian Lieber and Einstein.
- Jono Bishop, Jeff Jones and Sebastian Paz, a team of postgraduate students from the School of Design, presented a project they have been working on with Dr Sydney Shep (Wai-te-ata Press), Walter Langelaar (School of Design) and Matt Plummer (ITS). The project is an augmented reality ‘Literary Atlas of Wellington’ that brings the poetry sculptures of the Wellington Writers’ Walk into physical space, making their content interactive. Users of the mobile application will be able to create their own poetry from the existing sculptures and share them on Twitter.
FHSS Deputy Dean Professor Sarah Leggott said that the event was an excellent opportunity to bring together colleagues from across the Faculty to celebrate Victoria’s research in the humanities and social sciences: “The programme really showcased the quality, diversity and innovation of the research undertaken across the Faculty and has given us all new insights into colleagues’ work. It profiled research undertaken by both individual scholars and by teams of researchers working across disciplines, and highlighted our commitment to work that engages with diverse perspectives, with different languages, and with mātauranga Māori.”
A video of the showcase is being prepared and will be shared in due course.