Raising the Bar back for a second round
Want to discover the big things that lurk in Auckland’s Big Blue Backyard? Wondered why lasers, milk and sperm are on
the minds of our scientists? Have you considered that Blockchain could be bigger than the Internet?
These are the topics that hum in the halls of the University of Auckland and for one night only, our leading academics
will be released from the lecture theatre into pubs and bars to share their knowledge over a beer.
The University of Auckland is proud to once again host Raising the Bar. The event will feature 20 talks by leading
University of Auckland academics at 10 inner-city Auckland bars on one night, Tuesday 28 August 2018.
Raising the Bar is about democratising knowledge, says Director of Alumni Relations and Development Mark Bentley.
“The University of Auckland houses some of the world’s most brilliant minds and it makes sense that the people who live
here should have a chance to engage directly with these incredible academics and hear how they are making real change in
the world,” he says.
For instance Neuroscientist Professor Cathy Stinear will explain how to keep your marbles as you age and why your
teenager can be such a disaster. Associate Professor Nicholas Rowe will delve into how dance and art can become
embroiled in politics; Professor John Morgan asks if education is still necessary to propel you to greatness; and Dr Dan
Hikuroa puts himself into the perspective of our rivers and asks, what is water if you cannot swim, fish or drink? And
for the insomniacs among us, Tony Fernando talks about everything from sleep sex to the myths about getting a good
night’s sleep.
The Auckland Raising the Bar event is part of a worldwide initiative to bring knowledge to a city’s nightlife. The
concept originated in New York and is spreading worldwide as more cities embrace the opportunity to hear fascinating
topics from professors in a friendly, laid back atmosphere.
Each bar will host two talks, one beginning at 6.30pm and another at 8pm. All events are free, but registrations are
essential. People are encouraged to consider a ‘knowledge pub crawl’ and attend talks at two different bars.
Last year’s event was a sell out and the public are urged to get in early to secure a bar stool at one or more of the
venues.
Visit http://www.rtbevent.com/auckland to find the talk that’s right for you
Raising the Bar Speakers 2018
• Cather Simpson: Lasers, Milk and Sperm
• Nicholas Rowe: Dancing on a wire: stories from the field
• Cathy Stinear: Secrets from a Neuroscientist
• John Morgan: Does Education Propel You to Greatness?
• Miriam Seifert: Waste-not, want-not: Fashion’s backlash to overconsumption
• Dan Hikuroa: The Voice of the River
• Andrew Chen: I’m looking at you buddy! Yes, Big Brother is everywhere
• Amber Milan: When the food you love doesn’t love you back
• Tony Fernando: From Sleep Sex to Insomnia: Myths and Revelations about Sleep
• Maria Armoudian: Political somersaults — What's with the US and can it happen here?
• Kirsten Zemke: Bootys, Beats and Beyoncé: Race and Queerness in Bounce Music
• Simon Holdaway & Ben Davies: A detective story — Apples, ancestors and rock hard evidence
• Rochelle Constantine: Auckland’s Big Blue Backyard & the Big Things That Live There
• Ivan Mouraviev: The Soundtrack of Gods: Music and Esports Grandeur
• David Mayeda: Untangling Racism's Tentacles
• Richard Easther: Simple Questions With (Some) Simple Answers: Big Bangs and Black Holes
• Alex Sims: Blockchain: The technology that will soon change your life
• Eva Hakansson: Saving the planet – at 400 km/h!
• Suranga Nanayakkara: Humanity and the machine: Is technology going to make our lives better?
• Anna Hood: The Global Refugee Crisis: Why Our International System is Part of the Problem
Ends