Research and Reason

What can tiny fragments of ancient bird bones and DNA reveal about the past? Anthropology doctoral candidate Patricia Pillay's research uncovers how humans and wildlife in the Marquesas Islands have interacted over the past 700 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Patricia also shares how tiny bird bones and Indigenous knowledge tell big stories about history, culture and conservation.Watch another interview of Patricia here: https://www.facebook.com/531pi/videos/699301126539966/Read more here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/02/bird-s-eye-view-of-ancient-pacific-life.html

Associate Professor Lisa Bailey explores how the medieval church in Western Europe filled the power vacuum after the collapse of the Roman Empire while simultaneously becoming the largest slave owner at the time. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Lisa shares how these early medieval ideas about slavery and practices of service exist in today's society, and the efforts it took from figures like Saint Balthilde to abolish the Christian slave trade from within the kingdom. Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/03/16/queens--slaves-and-servants-in-the-medieval-church.htmlYou could find Lisa's latest book here: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501785757/servants-of-god-slaves-of-the-church/#bookTabs=1

Why does it feel like you are starring in a movie when you enter a Disney theme park?In this episode, Dr Gregory Camp, Senior Lecturer in Music, explains how Disney theme parks use movie music to create immersive and magical experiences. He joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to share his favourite Disney songs, what makes them good, and how Disney blends classic and new songs to appeal to multiple generations. Interested in more? Come along to our Research Seminar Series with Gregory on Wednesday 1 April, Mickey’s Magical Musicals: The Disney Parks as Glocalised Soundscapes. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/aed-research-seminar-series-1-tickets-1983564507839 Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2026/02/02/disney-works-musical-magic-at-its-theme-parks.html

Did you know Bing Crosby’s White Christmas is the best-selling single of all time?Ethnomusicologist Dr Kirsten Zemke explores Christmas music through the years, from the songs our grandparents and their parents played, the global pop stars who keep reinventing them, to Christmas movies that revived forgotten classics. Kirsten joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore how music connects generations and how the songs we like reflect who we are.Enjoy this podcast episode and a bonus Christmas playlist, as recommended by Kirsten: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/268wLj5VBCqg4sV8EiDfE0?si=VYWSpLDLQj6Siqs3MsfLPA

How does immigration policy impact our peoples and society? Professor Francis Collins discusses how immigration policies has evolved in the last 40 years. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, he explores how “neutral” policies can still produce unequal outcomes, the precarity faced by temporary workers, and the opportunity to rethink Aotearoa New Zealand's immigration policy.You can read more in Francis' book Edges of Empire: the politics of immigration in Aotearoa New Zealand, 1980-2020: https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/edges-of-empire/

Where have all the coaches gone? In this episode, Dr Blake Bennett talks to our media adviser Julianne Evans to unpack the hidden pressures of volunteer sport coaching in New Zealand. From the decline in volunteer numbers to the toll on their wellbeing, Blake shares insights from his research and his experience of coaching the national kendo team. As participation in sports remains high, Blake believes that recruiting and supporting volunteers are critical to keeping these opportunities available to young people. Read more about Blake’s research here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/09/02/volunteer-sports-coaches-are-throwing-in-the-towel.html

Dr Claudia Rozas joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to unpack the past and present of secondary school qualifications in Aotearoa New Zealand and what the future could look like. With the government's proposal to replace NCEA, Claudia explores how education policy and curriculum design reflect deeper questions around equity, culture and national identity. 

Dr Alex McAuley joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to talk about the ancient queens and royal women of the Hellenistic period, including the seven Cleopatras. He examines the ways these women used power to intervene in politics and support their family, and often with dramatic effects.He also shares his upcoming project, which looks at how pop culture, film and television have shifted in their depiction of antiquity since the war on terror, and how ancient history is really about how we understand the world around us. 

Associate Professor Danping Wang joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to discuss how AI is reshaping the landscape of language learning and teaching. Danping shares how she incorporates AI in course design to support students at different levels, and explains why human agency remains essential when working with AI. 

Associate Professor and Head of School Fiona Jack joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to chat about the history of Elam and how it's adapted for today's students' needs. Fiona also shares how she started her creative journey and how Elam shapes the next generation of Aotearoa's artists and creatives.  Find out more about Bachelor of Fine Arts here:  https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/study-options/find-a-study-option/bachelor-of-fine-arts-bfa.html

Professor Ngarino Ellis (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to reflect on her 12-year collaboration with Professor Deidre Brown (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and the late art historian Jonathan Mane-Wheoki (1943-2014) on their award-winning book, Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art. Ngarino also shares insight on how art can weave together different generations and communities, and the importance of Māori art to everyone in Aotearoa. Read more here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/12/02/toi-te-mana-authors-brown-ellis.html Published by Auckland University Press and Chicago University Press, Toi Te Mana won the 2025 BookHub Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction in the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. More about the book here:  https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/toi-te-mana/

Dr Aleisha Ward from the School of Music joins our media adviser Julianne Evans to explore how jazz first arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand during World War One. She shares fascinating stories of the jazz scene in the 1920s, and what life was like for musicians and music lovers during this era. If you're new to jazz and or interested in discovering more classic New Zealand jazz artists or songs, here is a list of recommendations from Aleisha: Nathan Haines: Shift Left (2018remaster): https://open.spotify.com/album/05chi6OdCsi0ufQyd8AJVQ?si=8WguVLvaToW6Tc7Yj2QP7AMark deClive Lowe: Heritage: https://open.spotify.com/album/2NNmcCpVPIGd4hMOYIEm2V?si=eGG2kzSxTUyZc8DqGMzG5QDr Tree: Dr Tree (2024 remaster):https://open.spotify.com/album/7zb8eM4iw8Vhxh65AyD556?si=ezN4-yJXRLCoy3PX8kmbYAThe Quincey Conserve: Epitaph: https://open.spotify.com/album/234bMNJLzYeMNvrprNn2LR?si=waHCB4tTRnKhLpeawCr7MwRodger Fox: X:  https://open.spotify.com/album/1DfKlnof6Yd7w4KraNEx1S?si=oB7tdQaQQc2D7TBgFZ6kqA Stu Buchanan and the Garden CityBig Band: Hey! What's the Time: https://open.spotify.com/album/3oUPHgsxzw9561CZ22wVnC?si=Ip1soHHUQE-0-tHz8vY67AThe Jac: Nerve: https://open.spotify.com/album/0UgoyoYYmCAhiufemBhRR6?si=etbLVmbkQk2_oqERdvKdew Phil Broadhurst: Soliloquy (thisis Phil's last album released just before he passed away in 2020): https://open.spotify.com/album/2QunIDrNaQk7UZAFwqXyWH?si=9Rz_bneHThGJ_wTu_9Wdvg

Dr Jean M Uasike Allen joins our media adviser Julianne Evans in conversation about her latest research on Pacific girl gamers. She explores how online gaming influences their wellbeing and relationships while they challenge negative stereotypes. Jean also highlights the importance of incorporating Pacific worldviews to understand these digital experiences and explore digital vā. Read more about Jean's research here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/03/24/digital-online-game-research-highlights-pacific-girl-gamers.html

What would happen if a composer collaborated with artificial intelligence to produce new music? Dr David Chisholm, head of the School of Music, put it to the test as part of a new project. He tells our media adviser Julianne Evans how he prompted AI to compose a musical suite and arrange it for a full orchestra. Hear snippets of the work and more in this incisive discussion on the future of music.  Click here to read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/03/24/as-composed-by-david-chisholm-and-ai.html

Refugee families separated by conflict or persecution face a seven-year backlog to join their loved ones in New Zealand. In conversation with our media adviser Julianne Evans, Professor Jay Marlowe lays out the immense pressures and the strategic changes needed to improve efficiency and fairness in family reunification. Professor Jay Marlowe is the Head of School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work, and co-director of the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies. Click here to read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025/01/30/families-of-new-zealand-refugees-in-limbo-as-system-stalls.html*All opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the guest and don't represent Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland or the Faculty of Arts and Education.

*Content warning: this episode includes discussions related to sex and intimacy. Listener discretion is advised. Dr Claire Meehan, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, joins our media adviser, Julianne Evans, to explore how we talk to young people about sex in the digital world. She also delves into her upcoming book on consent in the digital age, including the complexities of AI and deepfake technology. *All opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the guest and don't represent Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland or the Faculty of Arts and Education. 

*Content warning: this episode includes discussions of suicide that may be potentially triggering.  Professor Jemaima Tiatia-Siau is the University's first Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific, and a researcher with a focus on climate change and Pacific mental health. Jemaima shares her journey of becoming a professor, and discusses the importance of creating a sense of community to support people around us.   Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/09/19/five-generations-heralds-birth-of-professor.html

Netball has been the most popular game for girls and women in New Zealand for a century. As a fan and former player, Dr Margaret Henley researches the social history of netball and shares how she tracked down a rare film shot in 1932. Margaret also tells the stories of the sport's pioneers such as Jessie Knapp and the role it has in the intergenerational wellbeing of Aotearoa women.   Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/09/26/the-pioneers-of-netball.html "Our Game" Exhibition: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/visit/exhibitions/our-game

Associate Professor Chris Ogden is the Programme Director of Global Studies at UoA and specialises in the dynamics of power and identity in Asia and the Indo-Pacific. He discusses how the pandemic revealed authoritarian tendencies in different countries. Using the social credit system in China as an example, he also talks about how technology could be used by regime, and how some degrees of a similar system exists in our societies.   Learn more about Global Studies: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/study-options/global-studies.html

Professor Kim Phillips is a historian with a special interest in the history of gender, sexuality, and women in the medieval period. Kim’s latest project delves into women who lived in the Middle Ages and the four iconic archetypal images that surrounded them: mermaids, nursemaids, milkmaids, and hags. She discusses the meanings attached to the female body during that time, and how the ideals of beauty shift in the modern, globalised world that we are in. Read more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2021/05/13/of-mermaids-and-male-fantasies.html

Honorary Associate Professor Avril Bell speaks to Julianne Evans about her latest project. Her book Becoming Tangata Tiriti: Working with Māori, Honouring the Treaty brings together 12 non-Māori voices who have engaged with te ao Māori and have attempted to bring te Tiriti to life in their work.    Avril hopes by sharing their wisdom of forging connections with te ao Māori, we could all explore our own identities as New Zealanders.   Read more about Avril here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/07/24/becoming-treaty-people.html

Is Sherlock Holmes actually good at logic? Senior Lecturer Dr Patrick Girard is here to talk about logic. We use logic in everyday decision making and it helps to slow down our thoughts. Patrick discusses his own experience of using logic for a healthy pursuit of common goals, suggests how it might improve our interactions on social media, and whether Einstein's logical decision to write a letter to President Roosevelt was the "right" course of action.   You can find Patrick's new book Logic in the Wild and read his blog here: https://www.logicinthewild.com/

Associate Professor Ethan Cochrane led a team that discovered ancient rock walls and high mounds in dense jungle in the Falefa Valley on ʻUpolu Island in Sāmoa.   Combining archaeology, genetic study and environmental science, their research makes new connections between a dramatic population rise in Sāmoa about a thousand years ago, and the rise of chiefly system. Click here to read more about their research: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2024/06/21/rare-samoan-discovery-offers-clues-to-the-origins-of-inequality.html

With the 21st anniversary of the decriminalisation of sex work in New Zealand coming up, Dr Cheryl Ware from the School of Humanities discusses our history of sex workers.   Cheryl talks about her most recent project where she interviews sex workers and explores the experiences of women in the industry to tell their stories. Her book on the subject is due to be released in 2025.

Associate Professor Erin Griffey is recreating Renaissance beauty recipes with a team of scientists to analyse active ingredients and effectiveness. Erin talks about how she works through thousands of beautifying recipes from ancient Egyptian sources through to the 18th century. Her research also looks at the broader societal perception of ageing for women during the Renaissance period and how it affects our attitudes towards beauty today. Click here to read more about her project: https://theconversation.com/remaking-history-how-we-are-recreating-renaissance-beauty-recipes-in-the-modern-chemistry-lab-176461

Mareike Schmidt discusses different language teaching and learning methods, such as implementing podcasts as a tool for students to use and learn a new language.   She also suggests that by studying abroad, we could immerse in new languages and cultures, and thus learn more about ourselves.   Mareike is a Professional Teaching Fellow and the Study Abroad Adviser for German. If you're interested in researching or studying in other countries, visit this page to find more: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/arts/current-students/student-exchange-and-study-abroad.html

Senior Lecturer Dr Chris Wilson and his team researched the online postings of the Christchurch terrorist, and discovered he had been posting anonymously about his plans four years before the attack.   Chris talks about how they combined different methods, such as linguistic characteristics, to comb through thousands of posts and identify the attacker.   He explains how, if we understand how such people act, we might be able to detect and prevent similar atrocities in the future.   Read more about the research here: https://theconversation.com/christchurch-terrorist-discussed-attacks-online-a-year-before-carrying-them-out-new-research-reveals-223955

Professor Neal Curtis talks about how his academic career in comics started and how it led to collaborating with brain researchers and illustrators to raise awareness of brain tumours. Neal also discusses Batman as an example of sovereignty and how Wonder Woman's origin story is connected to the history of women's reproductive rights. *Neal mixed up the names of mother and daughter in Marston's story. Olive was Marston's partner while Ethel was imprisoned for handing out leaflets to women about contraception. She went on a hunger strike and was released from jail after her sister Margaret Sanger promised to lessen her activities. You can read more about Neal's project here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2023/10/16/comics-a-no-brainer-for-bringing-research-to-life.html

With the announcement of Newshub closing, Associate Professor Luke Goode discusses what this means for us and what the future of media could look like. 

With the US presidential election fast approaching, Associate Professor Jennifer Frost discusses the history of youth voting rights and how young people could make a difference.   Jennifer's book "Let Us Vote!" Youth Voting Rights and the 26th Amendment is available here:  https://www.paperplus.co.nz/shop/books/non-fiction/education-reference/literature/let-us-vote-1117795

Author, scholar and former Poet Laureate Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh discusses the origins of her award-winning children's book series Mophead. In this episode, she talks about the third instalment of the series, Wot Knot You Got? Mophead's Guide to Life. She explains how the idea of Mophead came about and how the books have resonated with children and adults alike. Selina’s new book is being released on 9 November, click here to order your copy: https://aucklanduniversitypress.co.nz/wot-knot-you-got-mopheads-guide-to-life/

Dr Rowan Light discusses how Anzac Day has transformed from a quiet veterans’ reunion in 1965 to a popular and deeply meaningful national event. 

Dr Rebecca Phillipps discusses a ground-breaking project using an AI programme to identify stones that have been modified by early humans to use as tools. Academics from archaeology and bioengineering have collaborated to train AI to recognise features of human-modified artefacts and speed up the classification process.

How do your views align with New Zealand’s political parties? Associate Professor Jennifer Lees-Marshment discusses the relaunch of Vote Compass ahead of the election on 14 October. Used by almost half a million people during the last election, the online tool is backed by the Electoral Commission and delivered by the University of Auckland and Victoria University. She also talks about her new book, which illustrates the challenges facing political staff in democracies around the world. Find out more: Vote Compass The Human Resource Management of Political Staffers

Associate Professor Alice Mills discusses the challenges ex-prisoners face when they are thrust back into the outside world with just $350 for rent. She highlights a lack of support and limited resources which often lead to unstable housing situations and former inmates returning to a life of crime. You can read the report in full here: Going Straight Home: Post-prison housing experiences and the role of stable housing in reducing reoffending in Aoteaora.

Associate Professor Paula Morris discusses an upcoming anthology of contemporary Māori short stories; Wharerangi, a Māori literature hub; and the foundation of Aotearoa New Zealand Review of Books.     Find out more about the projects and websites Paula is involved with: Academy of New Zealand Literature Wharerangi, The Māori Literature Hub Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories) Auckland University Press

John Middleton discusses the impact of climate change on low-lying atolls like Tokelau and the challenges they face in maintaining their language due to the possibility of forced migration.

Dr Carisa Showden shares insights from Fierce Hope: Youth Activism in Aotearoa, a new book that explores the motivations and experiences of young activists in New Zealand.

Dr Tom Gregory discusses the weaponisation of civilian protection in conflicts like Afghanistan. He highlights the impact of shifting perspectives on civilian casualties, which came to be viewed more as a strategic setback than a humanitarian crisis by coalition forces.