Find out more about who the writers on our blog are.
Safua Akeli
Talofa lava, I’m one of the Pacific Curators here at Te Papa Tongarewa. There are always new and interesting stories to discover when working with Pacific collections, so I look forward to sharing some of these on the blog!
Pat Brownsey
Catherine Halbleib
Since March 2009 I have been working at Te Papa. First as Collection Development officer and since September 2010 as Loans Officer.
Te Papa is committed to lending its collection items to non-profit organisations for public exhibition or to approved institutions for research purposes.
And we at the Loans Team co-ordinate and negotiate the lending and borrowing process.
Lucy Hoffman
Adrian Kingston
I’m currently Collections Information Manager Digital Assets and Development at Te Papa, responsible for the development of the Museum’s Collection Information System, work with thesauri and controlled vocabulary, management of the Museum’s digital assets and digital preservation. I’ve been at Te Papa since 2001, working in the Art and Photography collections before moving into Collections Information in 2004. I also drive the Te Papa Collections twitter account http://twitter.com/tepapacolonline. I’ve previously worked at Hawke’s Bay Museum and the National Library of New Zealand.
Victoria Leachman
I’ve been Te Papa’s Rights Manager since August 2007. I administer Te Papa’s portfolio of trademarks; watch out for changes to copyright legislation to make sure that Te Papa’s processes are up-to-date; and give advice to staff on copyright and licensing questions. One of the main projects I’m working on is Collections Online where I determine whether an artwork or object is in copyright and, if it is, ask the copyright owner for permission to publish images of the artwork or object in Collections Online. I have a background in museum collection management and I’ve previously worked in collection management roles at Te Manawa, Tairawhiti Museum and the National Maritime Museum, UK.
Carlos Lehnebach
I am a Curator of Plants at Te Papa Tongarewa. My research interests include systematics and evolution of the Southern Hemisphere flora, orchid pollination biology and the archaeobotany of Southern Chile. During my studies I have collected and studied plants from Chile (my home country), Argentina, Peru and New Zealand. My current research projects include exploring species boundaries within New Zealand plants of the genus Uncinia (hook grasses) and Myosotis (forget me not). I am also working on the production of an interactive identification key for NZ hook grasses.
Pamela Lovis
I am passionate about museums and the opportunities they give people to learn, interact and be inspired. I love collections like Te Papa’s which combine science, arts and culture. I work as an interpreter for exhibitions and on various online projects. Favourite projects have been Whales Tohora and the colossal squid – which turned me into a squid geek.
Sean Mallon
Talofa lava, my name is Sean Mallon and my current role is Senior Curator Pacific Cultures. I look forward to sharing stories that connect the Pacific Cultures collections to history and current events in New Zealand and the wider world.
Athol McCredie
I am curator of photography at Te Papa. My job involves building up the photography collection, selecting work for exhibitions, writing articles, giving talks, and answering public enquiries. I began working in the field of photography in the mid-1970s, when I was employed in the darkrooms of the former National Museum. I also exhibited my own work around this time and am now faced with its embarrassing preservation in several public collections. My first curatorial project, in 1978, was on the Levin photographer Leslie Adkin, and I’ve produced many exhibitions and pieces of writing since. My most recent publication is Brian Brake: Lens on the World (Te Papa Press, 2010).
Heidi M. Meudt
I am research scientist at Te Papa, specializing in taxonomy, evolutionary history, and biogeography of flowering plants. Because my job is focused on research, most of the work I do happens “behind the scenes” at Te Papa, in the lab, or in the field. When I’m not studying plants I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling, learning languages, and practising yoga.
Lissa Mitchell
I am Curator Historical Documentary Photography at Te Papa. My main interest is researching and writing about early New Zealand photography. Te Papa’s photography collection is superb and I want to share it with readers through my blog posts.
Sarah Morris
I’ve worked at Te Papa as an Interpreter on and off for a very long time (since 1996!!) I’m often asked how many foreign languages I can speak, and I answer ‘Just one – English’. You see, I interpret or translate concepts and content rather than languages. Basically I work in a big team of happy, shiney people to make sure that the exhibitions make sense to other people.
I live in a big extended whanau (family) with 4 kids, 2 nephews, 1 partner, heaps of aunties and uncles and 5 chickens. The 5 chickens are all called Mrs Brown. My favourite things to do are laughing and dancing, although last time I busted a move, I busted my leg and I didn’t think that was funny at all!
Chris Paulin
I am a marine biologist at Te Papa, and have published in over 50 scientific papers, popular articles and several books on New Zealand fishes: New Zealand Fish, a complete guide (1989); Rockpool fishes of New Zealand (1992); The Identification Guide to Quota Management Species (1996); Common New Zealand Marine Fishes (1998). I am also a co-author of Fiordland Underwater, New Zealand’s hidden wilderness (1998). My current research projects include Māori fishhooks made of wood, bone, stone and shell, as well as the colossal squid project.
Leon Perrie
I’m one of the Botany Curators, and help to administer Te Papa’s herbarium or collection of dried plant specimens. I specialise in the taxonomy (i.e., naming) and evolution of New Zealand’s ferns, often using DNA analyses to address issues that can’t be resolved by consideration of the external features of the plants alone. My interest in how species originate has drawn me into also studying Pseudopanax, since I am fascinated by the rampant hybridisation between the very different-looking lancewood and coastal five-finger. I enjoy exploring new places, even if it is only to see plants I’ve never before encountered in the wild!
I’m one of Te Papa’s history curators. Most of my blogs will be related to Slice of Heaven: 20th Century Aotearoa, a permanent history exhibition that opened in October 2010.
Phil Sirvid
Florence Liger
Web admin for Te Papa, usually hiding behind the “Te Papa” user. Geek, otaku, musician and sometimes French too, I love reading what people here have to say, cos it’s always something new for me to learn!
I’m here to make sure that everything’s usable, fine and rolling, so if you’ve got any issue with our blog, contact me at webmaster@tepapa.govt.nz.
Former blog authors:
Filipo Katavake-McGrath
William McAloon
Emma Best
Charlotte Huddleston
Jane Keig
Cindy Lee-Scott
Lucie Paterson
Adán E. Tijerina
8 Comments
How wide was the head of the largest Colossal squid Dr. Kubodera and Bolstad measured? Or the width of the largest one period. Would this be the minimum width of a sperm whales throat, or does the squids head become more compact? Thanks, Kenny
Hi there,
I am writing an assignment on introduing a blog at the museum I work at. Can you tell me how long is spent working on the blog, how many views the blog gets, how you advertise it, when the blog was started, do you have another blog for staff etc. I would appreciate any information you can provide me re. the blog.
Many thanks in advance,
Diane Gordon
Hi Diane
We get between 500-1000 views per day on our blog. We include a blog feed with the last 3 posts on the homepage of our site – http://www.tepapa.govt.nz. We don’t really advertise as such in any other way although we are starting to tweet the blogs.
We sometimes have set up other blogs for separte purposes – we are using one, which is private still, as part of the development of an exhibition about Refugees.
It can be quite time consuming to manage a blog, even if you get other staff members to actually write posts.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you would like other information.
Lucy Hoffman
Website manager
I’d like to get a message to Dr Steve O’Shea, or any of the NZ squid enthusiasts:
I had a small sailing boat in the shallow Pauahatanui Inlet, Porirua. Before launching her, I mixed red pigment with epoxy and added large handfuls of cayene pepper, to produce what I hoped would be a powerful yet enviro-friendly antifoul paint on the little yacht’s hull.
Six months later, it was doing a fairly good job in all respects, when hull was suddenly covered in squid “eggs”. Each one was about 3 inches long, and the whole bottom was covered.
This may or may not be useful information. It sure took me by surprise. We went down to the Island Bay oceanarium (it had just re-opened) and compared our eggs to the much smaller ones on show.
Regards,
Dan Bishop
Kia ora Dan,
Thanks for your comment on our blog and sorry for the very late answer. To get answers to your questions, I think the best website would be http://www.tonmo.com/. It’s a website and forum with lots of squid and octopus information, and lots of helpful people.
Kind regards,
Florence, web admin at Te Papa
i am a researcher from the philippines and i am presently working on the morphological characterization of ferns in Mt hamiguitan, philippines. would it be possible to get the email of Dr Leon perrie so i can inquire from him directly about fern descriptors he used in his dissertation? it would help me a lot.
florence
hello! is there a way to contact one of your employees in particular (Kirstie Ross)? I can’t find her email on here anywhere.
thanks,
Dr. Chris Andersen
Faculty of Native Studies
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, CANADA
T6G 2H8
Kia Ora! I’m italian and I’m doing a school project about nz and its cultures, and it would be lovely if someone could answers a couple of questions?
1. Name, age, area
2. What is your race/ethnicity?
3. How do you consider yourself?
4. Do you know any Pakeha?
5. What do you think about them?
6. Would you hang out with any Pakeha?
7. Do you ever feel any difference/prejudice due to your ethnic group?
8. do you think your cultures are well integrated?
9. What is your first language?
10. Did you learn the other official language of New Zealand in school?
I would be gratefulfor anyone who would reply. these questions don’t mean to be offensive in any way, I’m just trying to collect some opinions
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