 Good morning ladies and gentlemen and thank you for your attendance at this Faculty of Science graduation ceremony. The official proceedings will begin shortly and in a moment the graduands will enter the auditorium and I shall invite you to stand. They will be followed by the academic procession and then the official party. As the official party enters we invite you to join the singing of the traditional graduation song, Gari Amos. Please then take your seats as the Chancellor takes his seat. If you're carrying a cell phone please ensure it's either turned off now or made silent and whilst you're welcome to take photos please move back to your seat immediately after having taken them and please do not stand in the aisles. At the end of the ceremony the Chancellor will invite the gathering to sing God to Fair New Zealand. Please then remain standing following the end of the anthem as the processions leave the auditorium and once the last graduates have left you will also be invited to leave. Would you now please all stand. Inna mana, inna hui wha, tinakoutou, tinakoutou, tinakoutou katoa. Vice Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Council members, members of the University, special guests, graduands, families and friends. I extend a warm welcome to this the fourth spring graduation ceremony for 2011 of the University of Auckland. This week the University is bestowing a total of 2,708 qualifications on some 2,450 students. At this ceremony degrees will be conferred and diplomas awarded in the Faculty of Science. A total of 430 in person plus a further 169 in absentia. I am privileged as Chancellor to preside at spring graduation for a third year. The regularity of graduation ceremonies makes them no less special for the University and me personally than for those of you being capped here today, many for the first time. It is also a pleasure to return to the Auckland Town Hall, long our traditional graduation venue for the first time since 2009. The Aotea Centre which we now use has been temporarily captured for rugby World Cup purposes. Graduation is a festive event rich in history, pomp and colour with a lively array of contemporary touches. Here in Auckland our mix of cultures and ethnicities can be seen in the striking variety of dress and adornments worn by graduands. Today is one of hard earned celebration. By you, the graduands and diplomats on your academic accomplishments and by your family and friends who have encouraged and supported you and are here to share in your success. The University represented by the Council and academic staff members seated behind me and those many staff who control proceedings with remarkable precision takes equal pleasure at this hugely significant day for each and every one of you. The University of Auckland is deservedly ranked as one of the best universities in the world. Your qualifications will always serve you well in this country and abroad whether in qualifying you for a satisfying career or in leading to more advanced study. Or simply as a route to personal and intellectual enrichment. In today's ever changing workforce you cannot afford to stop learning. So please keep in mind our enormous range of postgraduate opportunities. I urge you as alumni of New Zealand's leading university always to remember your alma mater. We depend increasingly on our graduates for support, moral and political as well as financial. Your advocacy and influence are vital in encouraging government and the community at large to fund universities so they can generate the knowledge needed to drive a productive and competitive economy and to create a full and satisfying life for all New Zealanders. At the same time philanthropy has become critically important to our university funding major capital projects, scholarships and professorial chairs. The crucial contribution of major research universities is not well understood and therefore insufficiently acknowledged. It is inconceivable that a developed progressive 21st century nation can maintain that status without strong internationally recognised research based universities such as the University of Auckland. Our innovative research is vital for long term sustainable economic growth and social cohesion never more so than in the testing times we face in the wake of the global recession and the devastating Christchurch earthquakes. Universities equip graduates like you not simply for the jobs of today but for future careers not yet imagined. Universities need greater investment by government, the commercial sector and private philanthropy, not less. But that's sufficient for me on the challenges facing our institution for today is unquestionably your day. I congratulate you and trust that you will long cherish memories of your graduation in September 2011. We welcome as our speaker this morning Professor John Montgomery who holds the chair of marine science at this University of Auckland. He is the director of our Lee Marine Labority which is effectively our marine campus with state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities and an impressive new interpretive centre for visitors. He is also on the board of Antarctica New Zealand. Professor Montgomery gained a BSc Honours Degree at the University of Otago and both a PhD and a Doctor of Science from the University of Bristol. His scientific work sits at the interface of marine science and neuroscience. He has published extensively on the sensory behaviour and physiology of fish including hearing flow sensors and the novel electrosensory system of sharks and rays. His work has been recognised by election to the Royal Society of New Zealand and International Brain Research Organisation Fellowship and the Fulbright Scholarship. He is also active in promoting marine science and communicating science to the public. Professor Montgomery. Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, University colleagues, graduands, parents, family and friends, it's a great privilege to be invited to give this graduate address to you and to share the celebration. A ceremony such as this is a public tribute to the good decisions made, the hard work done and the support provided by families, friends and teachers. And it's such a treat to see all the support here, the cultural diversity and the depth of talent of you the graduands. Your moment is shortly to come when you'll cross the stage here and receive your degree and we are here to celebrate that moment. One way I like to think about a moment like this is it's a bit like an hourglass or given the lot of time perhaps more like an old fashioned egg timer. I don't know whether you know the ones I mean or not but there's an hourglass shape made of glass with sand in it and that when you turn it upside down the sand flows through that narrow neck of the glass and marks the passage of time so when the sand has run out the hour all the time has come to take the egg off the boil. Today's graduation is like an hourglass in that all the choices and hard work of the past flow through a point in time and open up the potential of the future. Some of these moments like the ceremony today are surrounded by tradition and illuminated by the stage lights. These moments are easy to see and important to treasure but I'd also like to in this address shine the spotlight on other less obvious less public moments that are no less important in the path that has led you to the completion of your degree. There will have been moments and I'm sure that all of you can bring them to mind that were less well signposted but equally important. Inspiration from a particular teacher, a specific commitment of support from your family or a friend who's laid down a challenge which has led you down this path and to the ceremony today. I can certainly remember critical path choices in my own pre-degree days as a last year high school student having a chat on Caster Bay Beach with Professor John Morton who in effect then held the position that I now hold at the university. The upshot of that meeting was a clear choice to study biology at the university despite not having done so at school. Then again as a second year student attending a lunchtime lecture by visiting Professor Eric Denton who was the director of the Lee Marine Laboratory at Plymouth and through subsequent contact with Professor Denton he became my PhD advisor and this in turn led to a lifetime's interest and work in the crossover area between neuroscience and marine science as you heard in the introduction. Now let me just drill into that a little bit. Neuroscience and marine science may sound like an odd mix but marine animals have formed important models for the study of the nervous system and for fundamental neuroscience. To give you just two examples at the Plymouth lab about 20 years before I arrived there to do my PhD the discovery had been made of how nerves conduct action potentials and hence transmit information from one part of the brain to another or from the nervous system out to the muscles. This work was actually done on squid by two researchers who names were Hodgkin and Huxley and neuroscience they're very well known for that contribution. Perhaps a little less known but interesting in terms of the theme that I want to pursue today is that they shared their Nobel Prize with John Eccles but although an Australian did this part of the work for the Nobel Prize that he shared with them here in New Zealand. In addition to that he was responsible for setting up New Zealand's first marine laboratory because he was well aware and understood the importance of marine animals as models for neuroscience. If you need further convincing there's just one other example of the way in which marine science and neuroscience intersect. The second example is more recent a scientist called Eric Candell again working at a marine lab was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2002 for discovering the cellular basis of learning. He did this work on a marine slug not unlike the ones that have been washing up on our beaches the last couple of summers and poisoning the dogs. Understanding the basis of how nerves work and how learning occurs in the nervous system are fundamental discoveries. In science these discoveries are again like passing through the hourglass a point in time a particular discovery that opens up a wealth of energy potential. I've specifically mentioned Candell's work because amongst other things it has given us real insight into how we see and remember these important moments in our lives. It's all about neuromodulation and it works pretty much the same in sea slugs as it does in us. There's a bit of the brain called the amygdala that sits next to the area where memories are laid down. What this bit of the brain recognizes recognize the significance of what's happening around us. If the amygdala fires up it sends out the neuromodulation signal to the adjacent brain area and you'll lay down a strong memory of that particular occasion. You don't have to know this to appreciate the significance of your ceremony today but knowing it may help you recognize and see these moments of opportunity in the future. Some will be well signposted others may not you can coach your mind's eye to see these special moments of opportunity. These are the moments that will open up the potential of your future. It's up to you to see the moment. So let me finish by again extending my congratulations to you all. We celebrate your achievements and your moment at this ceremony today. Thank you Professor Montgomery for a very interesting speech and reminding our members in particular that they are laying down strong memories today and no doubt seizing the moment. This is a meeting of council and convocation of the university for a ceremony of conferring degrees and awarding of diplomas. At this ceremony the Pro Chancellor Ian Parton and I will be conferring degrees and awarding diplomas. I now invite the Pro Chancellor to award the diplomas and confer the degrees in the first half of this ceremony. Thank you Chancellor. By the authority vested in me by resolution of the University of Auckland Council I Ian Parton Pro Chancellor confer the degrees and award the diplomas stated upon those who within the Faculty of Science have satisfied the requirements of this university. I call upon an Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science Dr Brennan to present his graduands and that faculty. As Associate Dean I have the honour of presenting to you the students qualified for the conferment of a degree or the award of a Diploma in the Faculty of Science. Graduate Diploma in Science Eric Luor, Min Wang to the degree of Bachelor of Optometry Fan Wu to the degree of Bachelor of Technology with Second Class Honours Second Division Kuan Ye Lin to the degree of Bachelor of Science Sabri Faruk Abdullah Puda Abdul Aziz Nirfafiza Abdul Karim Shakira Ahmad Mahir Dua Hatem Akil, Vicky Louise Alderson Wallace Zahid Saad Sukrat Amso Samuel George Anderson Phoebe Rose Armitage Hakeem Bayman Harry Benjamin James Barnes Alisa Hope Berimballi Tanya Bota, Melissa Cadellus Michael James Carswell Zin Li Chai, Timothy Zung En-Chan Waichi Eddie-Chan, Chanel Smiddle Chandra Chia-Chun Chang, Si-Hu Han-Chan Kai-Jae Chang, Chi-Wu Chung Tin-Chi Chao, Chae Yong Chung Ashley Taylor Clark, Nicky Jade Glendening Charlotte Joy Connell, Catherine Michelle Coop Danielle Patricia Courtney, Samantha Gayle Crevagan Steven James Delby, Samuel Karen Davis Anastasia Emanuella Devoe Rebecca Faith Deudonnet, Blazer-Ion Dowes Brennan Roshanth Duro-Nagam Abigail Boncales Esnaola, Philippa Ellie Farmer Cameron Falsami Jan Marquiel Villesco Filiciano Robert Fleszinski, Daniel Servas, Paul Frings Nicholas James Gallagher Jonathan James G, Nicholas Junjigo Samantha Lee Goff, Benny Gals-Wan-Huy Anton Kim Gully, Georgia Faye Guy Williams Markymi Lin Han, Susiella Hanafi Zubaira Hari, Joshua Sinclair Harlan Ian Frederick Havel, Shannon Miles Hecker Elana Victoria Hendel, Alisa Courtney Hildredt Rudalyn Joyce M. Hippolito, Lauren Janine Hockey Roderick John Holland, Sunbyom Hong Claire Louise Honey, Paul Richard Horneman Gregory Bruce Helsall, Pei Huan-Shea Kieran Mark Highland, Moes Ali Mohammed Ibrahim Ismas Ismail, Nabila Binti Ismail Nurul Atika Isaha, Jae Yong Jang Jin Hyuk Jang, Hyun Woo Yoon Eunki Yong Jung, Inal Kalyan, Alexu Hyun Kim Jung Hyun Kim, Ziad Tehr Kyriakos Ka Wing Catherine Koo, Anshu Aventika Kuma Ting Ting Kai, Yun Gung Kwon Nikos Chin Ho Lao, Ernie Paul Larson Hong Kio Min Lat, Ligun Suagal Rose Lavelle Yunos Eriko Biayno Lazaro Chi Li, Yun Chuan Li, Ashley Sydney Lily Hee Sun Lim, Anthony Weijian Li Chen Yu, Julie Ann Livingston Samuel William Cookson Loader Hannah Margaret Lau, Christopher Stephen Lauver Lisa Lu, Richard Yu Tran Lu, Sonia Lu Ki Hao Long, Mawhusa Manso Palakiko Mataele, Tare Lillian Vokili Mataitini, Matthew David McAdams Robert William Mickenman, Nicole Sarah Mackay Shane Grant McNeil, Daniel Hamish Me Hitamalaja Telini, Wasama Kumari Meghola Shintan Ashok Mehta, Hamish Richard Melville Rohan Rajendra Menon, Adam Chadwick Miller Murdyana Muhammad Pakharul Razi Fatima Marion Bahar, Muhammad Bahar Sama Muhammad Lassin, Tessina Monet Kirsten A. Montgomery Ashlyn Nand, Nalini Navarrajan Samuel Ng, Andre Nikovic Zachary Maratina Onara, Yuko Pese Adrian Palwanka, Jihe Park Kylie Marie Elizabeth Parks, Anthony Chantal Alpatel William Henry Patterson, Priya Khawar Holly Alexandra Poole, Anne Michelle Poolegrain Natasha Nealim Prasad Danola Fane Tahu Rua, Rukkere Rasmusen Aresh Chattaravel Ratnissabat Karpati Jordan Leanne Rouse, Maryam Ruslam Emma Margaret Shottama, Catherine Christie Schmitt Sadaveni Shripti Sen Young Kyung Soh, Indraseti Awan Nurul Hizna Binti Shaberi, Sahan Shafia Firdos Banu Zakir Ahmed Sheikh Jiexing Shao, Sumit Shibad Junho Shin, Yunyong Shin, Stephen Ming Hongshu Anin Sher, Karen Siyar Elin Chiang Yee Sim, Peter Joseph Simpson Richard Bruce Simpson, Nivjot Singh Situ Nolene Datesha Sirao, Charlene Elise Smith Sukhe Song, Junru Song Hayley Christine Sparks, Senior Scholar in Geography Christina Spasovski, Adam Paul Spiekman Brittany Sarah Stevens, Catherine Jean Straughn Jerecian Manohar Subramaniam Sun Lei, Sisi Sun, Ankhana Subhanachit Kaili Tan, Danika Mentong Jiawen Tang, Ji Tang Fiello Aki, Ophihilodu Taveni Jessica Allison Taylor, Kieran Neville John Teron Jaspreet Tin, Marika Elizabeth Julia Thomas Abbie Jean Thompson Sean Kwaetung Song, Ken Ying Tu Evelinga Elaine Likavai Dubo Amy Petra Tidal, Paul Edmund Tynan Jennifer Van Der Lee, Jacques Van der Merve Victoria Van, Rumiya Velalagan, Abbashek Verma Lakshita Vijay Nick Hall Laura Prendergast Patricia Robertson-Bickers on trumpet will now perform Fanfare for St Edmondsbury by Benjamin Britain. Of course that's actually quite a recent piece of music. I think it first played only 50 years ago. But it's entirely appropriate that we would have a trumpet fanfare for graduation. It was beautifully played by Nick and Laura and Patricia. Can I ask you to show your appreciation again, please? The authority vested in me by Resolution of the University of Auckland Council, I, Roger France Chancellor, confer the degrees and award the diplomas stated upon those who within their faculty have satisfied the requirements of this university. I now call upon the Dean of the Faculty of Science Professor Guilford to present further graduands in that faculty. To the degree of Bachelor of Science Conjoint, Peter William Acres and a Bachelor of Arts. Peter was also Senior Scholar in German. Samantha Odessa Almeida in a Bachelor of Commerce. Matthew Bernard Carlson in a Bachelor of Arts. Yung Ho Cho in a Bachelor of Arts. Madeleine N. Clarke in a Bachelor of Arts. Melissa Cleodun in a Bachelor of Commerce. Kirsten Rose Hall in a Bachelor of Commerce. Jessica Ruth Hendy in a Bachelor of Arts. Naomi Koei in a Bachelor of Arts. Calvin Paul Norton in a Bachelor of Commerce. Reha Patel in a Bachelor of Commerce. Samantha Wong in a Bachelor of Commerce. Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Psychology. Mathina Rashmi Mahawadu. Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Science. Stephanie Avan Lowry. Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Distinction. Michelle Mene Kangaroo in Biosecurity and Conservation. Sophie Chandran in Computer Science. Lloyd Joseph Franks in Environmental Management. Leonie Zandra Pipe in Biological Sciences. Si Rui Yang in Computer Science. Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merits. Kyle Daniel De Rosario in Biomedical Science. Angela Joyce Peirinisei Maloupi Aoua Doreen Izini. Zanada Cantaline Heranti in Environmental Science. Maureen Gayo Higgins in Environmental Science. Joseph Alexander Schanzer in Environmental Science. Cecilia Andrea Vidal Cruz in Environmental Science. Hannah Theresa Starrett Wright in Marine Science. Jun Hyuk-Kyung in Statistics. The Postgraduate Diploma in Science. Siva Ghatai Alagapan in Food Science. Divya Ambavani in Food Science. Malani Jane Berg in Medical Statistics and a Bachelor of Science. Kirt Lawrence Murray Drew in Chemistry. Fujita Iranga Galapathige in Chemistry. Fiona Catherine Hart in Environmental Management. Saad Saeed Irfan Irfan in Biological Sciences. Zun Jiang in Statistics. Ehab Nihad Mamoud Jurgis in Biological Sciences. Manita Sharon Annabelle Jochewer in Food Science. Li Shi in Environmental Management. Aida Murat Begovic in Physics. Michael Ramos Noel in Environmental Science. Nikola Marie Parsons in Geography. Rohit Palouse in Food Science. Nmol Anand Prasad in Biscuit and Conservation. Laola Afalisi Li Shuster in Environmental Management. Jifang Shen in Statistics. Rajat Thakan from Ecology. Seng Thakur in Environmental Science. Christina Zhang in Environmental Management. Chuyang Zhang in Computer Science. Xiaoxi Sheng in Environmental Science. Lisa Susan Fendle in Biological Sciences. Lisa was also a University Graduate Scholar. Matthew Jonathan Gibson in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Science. To the Degree of Bachelor of Science Honours with Seeking Class Honours, first division, Valvet Nyongkum Lee in Statistics. Leland John Oakey in Computer Science. To the Degree of Bachelor of Science Honours with Second Class Honours, Second Division, Yi Lu in Bioinformatics. To the Degree of Master of Speech Language Therapy Practice with Seeking Class Honours, first division, Helen Elizabeth Andrew. To the Degree of Master of Science in Computer Science, University Graduate Scholar. Sylvia Charlotte Barnes in Health Psychology. Jennifer Jean Barras in Biological Sciences. Shane Michael Bayless in Biological Sciences. Rachel Hannah Boyle in Biomedical Science. Almira Brachevich in Chemistry. Richard Hugh Bulmer in Marine Science. Abby Sarah Dean in Geology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merit in Geology. Shihui Ding in Computer Science. Stacy Ann Demelo in Biomedical Science. Trishin Ashok Gajinand in Sport and Exercise Science. Amelia Peri Gamblin in Forensic Science. Valimere Sergievich Yefsky in Biological Sciences. Also a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Distinction in Wine Science. Chantu Gey in Computer Science. Emily Jane Gorman in Health Psychology. Dunisha Kumari Gunasekara in Biomedical Science. Kate Elizabeth Hodgson in Marine Science. Marianna Glenda in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science. Wang Wenzhong in Biological Sciences. Yichun Li in Food Science. Catherine Zhuqian Lin in Mathematics. Sam Manuel in Psychology, University Graduate Scholar. Kimberly Nicole Maskell in Psychology. Stephanie Ann Miller in Psychology. Sophie Frances Maloy in Geology. Sophie also graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merit in Geology. Sarah Jane Maroney in Food Science. And a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Distinction in Food Science. Sarah Margaret Ann Marston in Biological Sciences. Gabrielle Celeste Monroe in Psychology. Helen Maaria in Biosecurity. Helen also graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Distinction in Environmental Science and she was a University Graduate Scholar. James Sanford Nelson in Mathematics. Joseph Richard Nelson in Physics. Bachelor of Science in Honours with First Class Honours in Physics and a University Graduate Scholar. Shatharangi Manamikala Nalumdinaya in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science Honours with Second Class Honours First Division. Claire Elizabeth O'Donovan in Health Psychology. Songi Park in Biomedical Science. Noida Palanka in Biological Sciences. Tertius Ralph in Applied Mathematics. Simon Dave in Randall in Biosecurity and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merit in Biosecurity. Tania Cattel in Computer Science. Ben Courtney Stevenson in Statistics and a Bachelor of Science Honours with First Class Honours in Statistics and a University Graduate Scholar. Peng Shun in Biomedical Science. Brendan Malta Swan in Biological Sciences. Amali Himashini in Mawathianana in Biomphematics. Atikur Raymond in Applied Mathematics. Matthew Phillip Walbron in Physics. Cheong Kai in Statistics. Cheong also graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours with First Class Honours in Statistics. Ying Cheong in Psychology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merit in Psychology. Xu Yu in Chemistry. To the Degree of Master of Science with Second Class Honours First Division. Stephanie Rihanna Benucci in Geography. Chris Carruthers in Geology. Simon Craig Connell in Biological Sciences. Prashanata Kuwangju in Biomedical Science. Prashanata also graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merit in Biomedical Science. Shenshan Mu in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Science Honours with Second Class Honours First Division in Applied Mathematics and a Bachelor of Science. Rachel Marcella Pindney in Geography. Harry Petrie in Forensic Science. Blake Matthews Sears in Statistics. Emma Louise Turner in Geology. Emma also graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Science with Merit in Geology. To the Degree of Master of Science with Second Class Honours Second Division. Chang Yu Kim in Computer Science. Chang is also receiving a Postgraduate Diploma in Science and Computer Science. Xu Kali in Forensic Science. Mihao Pavlovich Kodomov in Biological Sciences. Kailua Li in Statistics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Statistics. Claire Lyons in Environmental Management and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science and Environmental Management. Eva Rose Moringa in Health Psychology and a Postgraduate Diploma in Science in Health Psychology. William Francis Park in Physics. Stephen Mark Robinson in Speech Science. To the Degree of Master of Science. Matthew Paul Gosling in Geology. Sarah Louise Graham in Forensic Science. And Waishu Nung in Biosecurity. I now call upon the Vice-Chancellor to present the Doctoral... Chancellor, I have the honour of presenting to you the Doctoral Graduands. To the Degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology. Maya Ehrman. Maya critically explored parental experiences of raising a child with autism and the impact of autism on the family. Novjot Gill University Doctoral Scholar. She investigated the five-year neurophysiological outcomes sorry, neuropsychological outcomes of subacroactoid hemorrhage and their relationship to disability, handicap, quality of life and mood with a view to determining how best to intervene to improve long-term outcomes. Laura Jamison. Nicole investigated daughter's relationships with non-residential fathers following parental separation. In particular, daughter's experiences in these relationships during childhood, adolescence and adulthood. She examined aspects both within and external to the relationship as impacting on their closeness with fathers. Vicki Marie Mobley University Doctoral Scholar. Vicki investigated adults and children's perceptions and expectations of the step-parent and parent roles in step families. She explored the idea of step-parent and parent roles in terms of the warmth, support and discipline control dimensions of parenting and compared the views of adults with those of step-children. The research also examined the association between ideal step-parent role perceptions and satisfaction with relationships in the step family. Ms Fiker-Poll, Helen investigated the cognitive and functional outcomes of five-year survivors of intracerebral hemorrhage as compared to matched healthy controls with a view to identifying targets for intervention. Sarah Watson. Sarah investigated the psychological impact of having long QT syndrome and inherited cardiac condition in order to contribute to the international literature and to help improve services in New Zealand. To the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Nua Asheekin Adam in Mathematics Education. She can conduct a study into the mathematics of triaxial weaving in Malaysian food covers by being the intermediary in a dialogue between weavers and mathematicians. The results led to a new mathematical computer environment for displaying triple-weave patterns and also to new weaving products that are now available on the market in Malaysia. Asad Ali in Statistics. Asad developed and applied sophisticated simulation strategies to the detection and parameter estimation of EMRI signals and data from future space-based interferometric missions such as LESA. Philip Archibald in Chemistry, University Doctoral Scholar. Glenn developed methodology aimed at the flexible preparation of all library of compounds of synthetic and therapeutic value as well as a concise synthesis of the natural bioactive compounds Swainsonine and Epiquinamide. Matthew Vincent Orga in Mathematics, University Doctoral Scholar, Bright Future Topacheva Doctoral Scholar. Matthew investigated various means of determining the size and structure of finitely presented groups and developed a new method for finding their individual quotients in order to answer important questions about the fundamental groups of hyperbolic three-manifolds Hawkin and biological sciences. Kerry investigated the ecology of the long-tailed bat in New Zealand Plantation Forest and in particular the impact of clear-fell harvest operations. This work resulted in a detailed understanding of how forest loss affects this endangered species and scientifically based management plans aimed at protecting them. Caroline Elizabeth Brown in Biological Sciences University Doctoral Scholar. Caroline studied the occurrence and function of Acidivorex temperans, a bacterium found in the activated sludge wastewater treatment process. Her work supports the use of Acidivorex as a model organism for studies that underpin more effective wastewater treatment processes. Richard David Bunker in Biological Sciences University Doctoral Scholar. Richard investigated the structure and function of three proteins that are suspected to be involved in some of the complications associated with diabetes. From their detailed atomic structures he worked out how these proteins function and in one case discovered a completely unexpected role in the formation of kidney stones. Haohan George Chang in Biological Sciences University Doctoral Scholar. George investigated a well-known but poorly understood metabolic abnormality in diabetes mellitus. His research found that the urinary excretion of inocytol sugars might serve as a clinical biomarker to measure kidney function. Peter J. N. Choi in Chemistry University Doctoral Scholar. Peter carried out the analysis of several natural products which exhibit potent biological activity and in particular anti-cancer activity. John Joseph Fennarty in Psychology University Doctoral Scholar, Bright Future Top Achiever Doctoral Scholar. John's research looked into the threats posed to young people's well-being by the internet. It explored how they felt about and managed these threats and encouraged adult support as a critical tool in confronting these problems. Sarah Meaghan Flynn in Environmental Science. Sarah investigated rates and patterns of decay and nutrient release in mixtures of conifer and broad leaf, leaf litter to provide further understanding of these mechanisms that allow the two forest components to coexist. In Computer Science University Doctoral Scholar. Kerr developed a novel method for based queries based on the semantics of the data. Whereas most current query optimization methods are based on the structure of the data being queried, Kerr's method was based on the content or meaning of the data. He demonstrated that the performance of XML query execution can be improved by 20 to 30% using his method. Dong Jun Lee in Chemistry University Doctoral Scholar, Bright Future Top Achiever Doctoral Scholar. Danny investigated the synthesis of immunologically relevant glycopeptides and also neoglycopeptide neoglycoprotein analogues using modern chemical ligation methods and click chemistry. Jamie, William, Booth, Mackay and Biological Sciences. Jamie studied the population ecology, genetics and behaviour of house mice on islands with the aim of improving the success of astronomical四 thousand hen religion and maths eradication attempts. Narissa Evelyn Marritt in Psychology, University Doctoral Scholar. Narissa investigated effects of normal aging an the ability of individuals to perceive and shift attention in response to peripheral visual information. Finding from this project have provided valuable information regarding the cognitive and perceptual changes that accompany normal ageing. tested an experimental hypothesis for how gastrointestinal cells generate steady rhythmic contractions. Dung som nuen in chemistry, Dung examined how the wine technology of micro oxygenation can help make better red quality wines for New Zealand winemakers. Unwanted rubbery aroma compounds were identified and approaches to remove them in the winery were demonstrated. Chemistry and biological sciences. TAR investigated the structure function relationships of the receptors for the calcitone and family of peptides with a view to contributing original knowledge to rational drug design. Christian, Claxton, Serta and Geology. Christian investigated the diversity and paleobiography of fossil invertebrate communities living around hydrocarbon seeps on the seafloor millions of years ago with the aim to contribute a better understanding of the evolution of life in extreme environments. Norsarama Sala in computer science. Norsarama investigated how to improve the implementation of pair programming as a pedagogical tool in higher education through understanding the impact the variation in the personality composition of paired students has on their academic performance. Jenny Ann Stanley in marine science. Jenny discovered that many species of coastal crabs use the differences in underwater sounds coming from different coastal habitats to decide where they are going to live. The results have the potential to be used for recruiting, for improving recruitment of crabs and lobsters to our coasts. Toby Vaudry in computer science, university doctoral scholar. Toby contributed to the design of vision-based driver assistance systems in a collaborative project between the University of Auckland and Mercedes-Benz in Germany. He improved the robustness of implemented algorithms. Anne Roberta Wilcox in statistics. Bobby created a unique database of performance data on elite netball players and applied statistical techniques to the analysis of these data. The insights developed from the analysis have informed the selection and strategy decisions of the Silver Ferns coaching staff, of which Bobby is a member. Zoe Elizabeth Wilson in chemistry, university doctoral scholar. Zoe worked on the synthesis of the extremophile natural product Bacalic acid, which exhibits potent activity against ovarian cancer. Ji Zhang in biomedical science, university doctoral scholar. She investigated the regulation of proteins that enable direct cell-to-cell communication and damage spread after spinal cord injury. She was able to improve spinal cord injury repair strategies with tissue or nanofibre implants by blocking the production of these proteins, resulting in improved behavior outcomes. And in absentia, all those other persons named in the book of Convocation qualified for the conferment of a degree or the award of a diploma in the Faculty of Science. On behalf of the university, I now invite all today's graduates to stand and receive the congratulations of us all. And this would be the perfect opportunity for the graduates to show their appreciation of their families and supporters and the staff of the university who have helped them as they achieve their qualifications. This concludes this meeting of council and Convocation of the university for the conferment of degrees and the award of diplomas. I now invite you to sing the first verse of God, Defend New Zealand, in Maori and then in English. The words are printed on the reverse of your programs.