Activists and academics intersect at UC Sustainability Awards
Globally, locally, through their research and via community platforms, academics are leading climate change action, and
none more so than University of Canterbury (UC)’s Associate Professor Bronwyn Hayward.
Associate Professor Hayward’s contributions were recognised again today when she was awarded the Supreme Award at UC’s
Sustainability Awards by UC Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey.
A talented researcher and communicator, Associate Professor Hayward inspires action at all levels - from serving on one
of the highest international science forums to writing books and articles, hosting community events and even maintaining
a lively Twitter feed. Her commitment to sustainability and democracy engages undergraduate and postgraduate students
who are fortunate enough to study with her in the classroom, “civics lab” and in-field teaching.
Some of the world’s brightest scientific minds serve on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) where
Associate Professor Hayward is a Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC report (Cities & infrastructure) – and she was also a lead author for the 2018 Special Report on 1.5 (Sustainable development & poverty eradication).
These IPCC reports have helped change our global understanding of interrelated topics including land use, food
production, global poverty, obesity issues and carbon emissions.
At a community level, Associate Professor Hayward has conducted an exceptional level of outreach on sustainability,
including engaging with Mana Whenua, school students, teachers and academics from a range of disciplines. She has
facilitated media debates, town hall meetings and even a pop-up science fair in association with the Christchurch City
Council and IPCC. She works across disciplines, including supporting a poetry reading event and permanent Poetry Wall
featuring work from young people about climate change, curated by UC student Samantha Jory-Smart, a workshop for
journalists and teachers about how to communicate climate change issues, and a 2018 hui with Associate Professor Te
Marie Tau and Ngāi Tūāhuriri to discuss climate change and the importance of indigenous knowledge with scientists and
chairs of the IPCC.
Her work has had huge impact, according to UC Sustainability Advisor Dr Matt Morris.
“She has the unique ability to understand the complexity of climate change and to then communicate that to different
audiences, focusing on very practical actions and through a positive lens. She inspires her students here at UC, however
she is determined to reach out to wider communities and audiences where meaningful change on the ground can also
happen,” he says.
“We are seeing a groundswell of action globally, particularly amongst young people, and I think you can trace some of
that awareness back to the IPCC reports and experienced sustainability champions such as Bronwyn who prioritise youth
and community engagement alongside research.”
Researching and teaching in UC’s Department of Political Science and International Relations, Associate Professor
Hayward’s research focuses on the intersection of sustainable development, youth, climate change and citizenship. Among
other achievements, she is co-primary investigator with the University of Surrey's Centre for Understanding Sustainable
Prosperity, where she leads a study that aims to understand the sustainability experiences of children growing up in
seven world cities, the Children and Youth in Cities Lifestyle Evaluation.
The 2019 UC Sustainability Award judges were Sustainability Advisor at the Christchurch City Council Tony Moore, Lincoln
University’s Lin Roberts, and Sustainability Manager at Christchurch International Airport Brodie Akacich.
The awards recognised student and staff excellence in sustainability research and practice.
The 2019 UC Sustainability Award winners:
• Winner Academic Staff – Individual: Susan Krumdieck for Transition Engineering, Building a Sustainable Future
• Winner Academic Staff – Team: Environmental Science staff team
• Winner: Student Research: Helena Ruffell for Wastewater treatment plants as a source of microplastics to the
environment
• Winner Student-Led Project Team: Amelia Dewhurst, Rose Bayldon, Florence Ferguson, Josh Watson for the Christchurch
Climate Challenge
• Winner General Staff – Individual: Linda Morris for a lifetime of reusing, repurposing and recycling
• Winner General Staff – Team: Haere-roa/UCSA Building Project Team for Wellbeing Precinct Low Carbon Energy Scheme
ends