Lecture Programme Archive
This page contains an archive of titles of lectures given at U3A in Wellington, beginning at May 2006. At the end of each year the lectures for that year will be added to the archive to provide a reminder of what has been presented and to give an over-view of the range of topics covered.
2006
2007
2008
2009
2006
Tuesday Lectures
May 16 and 23
The Greeks and Democracy
Dr Matthew Trundle, lecturer in Classics, VUW.
June 13
Ursula Bethell, New Zealand poet
Peter Whiteford, Lecturer in English Literature, VUW.
June 20
From Observation to Fiction, N.Z. in some 19th century French fictional works
Christiane Mortelier, Retired Lecturer in French Language, VUW.
June 27
The Work of the Chief Censor
Bill Hastings, Chief Censor.
July 25
The International Whaling Commission and New Zealand
Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
August 1
The Road to Stonehenge
Richard Hall, Phoenix Trust.
August 8
Krystine Tomaszyk, author and member of U3A Ohariu will talk on her book Essence. The story of an amazing voyage from her home in Poland, to her arrival in New Zealand, in the 1950’s.
August 15
The Colonial Player: professional theatre in New Zealand in the 19th century
Adrienne Simpson.
August 22
The French Republican Heritage and recent events in France
Philip Knight, retired Professor of French, VUW.
August 29
Myanmar/Burma, the sick man of Asia
Peter Coates, N.Z. film producer.
September 5
Constable and New Zealand Art History
Jonathan Mane Wheoki, Director, Art and Collection Services, Te Papa.
September 12
How Dealer Galleries operate and trends in contemporary New Zealand art
Marcia Page, Director, Tinakori Gallery.
September 19
The establishment and development of the NZ Portrait Gallery, portraiture in general and overseas portrait galleries
Avenal McKinnon, Director, New Zealand Portrait Gallery.
October 10
Libraries, Festivals and Research Centres – the working life of a reader
Lydia Wevers, Associate Professor, VUW, Director, Stout Research Centre.
October 17
Harvey McQueen, writer and political adviser on education, will speak on books and writing.
October 31
C.S. Lewis: his Life and Influences
Harry Ricketts and Kathryn Walls, Associate Professors, VUW.
November 7
The Teaching of Creative Writing
Professor Bill Manhire, Director, Institute of Modern Letters, VUW.
Friday Lectures
May 19
Document and handwriting examinations for the Police, Government Departments and various fields in the business sector
Sergeant David Boot, New Zealand Police.
May 26
A full life in Valuation
John Gibson, Chief Executive, Age Concern.
June 9
The scientific study of prehistoric time in relation to rocks and New Zealand’s oldest fossils
Dr Roger Cooper, GNS Gracefield.
June 16
The Undersea Phenomenon
Dr Cornel de Ronde, GNS Gracefield.
June 23
Engineering Solutions: Wellington Inner City Bypass
Jonnette Adams, Transit NZ and Keith Atkinson, Opus International.
June 30
Bird Song: themes and variations
Associate Professor Ben Bell, School of Biological Sciences, VUW, and Director, Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology.
July 21
A rational and informed approach to the problems of motor vehicles fuel cost increases, taking into account expected technological developments
John Leighton, Managing Director, Mitsubishi Motors N.Z.
July 28
From Bean Counting to Controlling an Epidemic: The Meningococcal Story
Dr Diana Martin, Environmental Science Research.
August 4
Work at the Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Unit at Keneperu Hospital
Dr Geoff Robinson, Drug and Alcohol Addiction.
August 11
Te Ara: the online Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
Jock Phillips, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
August 18
Chatham Islands Explored
Dr Hamish Campbell.
August 25
Biomineralisation: what it is in the history of the earth and why it is an active area in current research
Dr Kathryn McGrath, Associate Professor, Chemical and Physical Sciences, VUW.
September 1
An overview of the work trained volunteers do to help people tackle serious financial problems
Peggy Upfold, Coordinator, Lower Hutt Budget Advisory Service.
September 8
The Utilization of Electric Vehicles to benefit the New Zealand economy
Andrew Clark, NZ Water Environment Research Foundation.
September 15
Talking about Nuclear Power: is it time?
Dr Rodger Sparks, recently retired from the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences.
September 22
Annual General Meeting
Our speaker will be Mr Alan Royal of Senior Net. His topic will be: "Getting the Net Under Control."
October 13
The history of New Zealand’s fauna and flora: revealing our past animals and plants from the fossil record – it’s more informative than you thought
Dr George Gibbs, Research Associate, VUW.
October 27
The history of New Zealand’s fauna and flora: the rise of the Southern Alps and its influence on our animals and plants
Dr George Gibbs, Research Associate, VUW.
November 3
The phenomenon of global warming on climate change, its significance and the scientific evidence on which it is based
Dr Vincent Gray, Climate Consultant and Physicist.
2007
Tuesday Lectures
March 13 & 20
Picasso – The Demoiselles at 100
Professor Tony Bellette.
March 27
James K. Baxter and Classical Myth
Professor John Davidson, School of Classics, VUW.
April 3
Early Music
Peter Walls, Chief Executive, NZ Symphony Orchestra.
May 1
Residency at the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF)
Ann Barrie and Tracy Powell
May 8, 15 & 22
The Canterbury Tales
Dr Ian Jamieson
May 29
The first Pilgrim’s Progress: Guillaume de Deguileville’s ‘Pilgrimage of Life’ (an illustrated account)
Associate Professor Kathryn Walls, VUW
June 5
Russia
Martin Boswell
June 19
Are New Zealanders Good Global Citizens?
Barry Coates, CEO, Oxfam New Zealand
June 26
Talking About Elections
Professor Margaret Clark and Dr Jon Johansson, Department of Political Science, VUW.
July 24
The Language of Shakespeare
Professor Robert Easting, School of English, Film, Theatre & Media Studies, VUW
July 31
Gerald Manley Hopkins
Associate Professor Peter Whitford, School of English, Film, Theatre & Media Studies, VUW
August 7, 14, 21
Women in Ancient Greece
Dr Matthew Trundle, School of Art History, Classics and Religious Studies, VUW
August 29 - Wednesday
Early French Explorers, Missionaries and Settlers in NZ
Philip Knight, Emeritus Professor of French, VUW
September 4
Making Britons of them in British and Imperial Juvenile Literature 1905-1914.
Andrew Francis
September 11
The Writers of Maoriland: the Literature of Late Colonial New Zealand
Jane Stafford, Department of English, VUW
October 9
Cathy Downes, Director of Downstage will talk about the running of Downstage Theatre.
October 16
Rita According to Rita: the letters and self portraits of Rita Angus
Jill Trevelyan, Art Historian and curator
October 30
A Guru at my Table: Researching Cults in New Zealand
Dr Heather Kavan, Department of Communication and Journalism, Massey University.
November 6
The Cult of Rembrandt, Master Printmaker
David Maskill, School of Art History, Classics and Religious Studies, VUW.
November 13
New Zealand International Festival of the Arts 2008: The Festival Programme 2008
Lissa Twomey, Director
Friday Lectures
March 9
From Scrabble Champs to Antarctica Science: A Reporting Life
Kim Griggs
March 16
Iran
Professor Lloyd Geering
March 23
Earthquake Risk in Istanbul
Dr David Hopkins, Consulting Engineer
March 30
Critical Issues in International Women’s Health
Professor Anne Firth Murray
May 4
Legal issues for retirement age people
Wayne Chapman
May 11
The History of Private Hospitals in Wellington
Dr Ron Easthope, retired Cardiologist, Wellington Hospital
May 18
Prosperity through Productivity
Dr Andrew Cleland, CEO, Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, (IPENZ)
May 25
Work of the Families Commission
Paul Currie
June 1
Making the Wellington Region Strategic Plan Work
Murray McCaw, Independent Chair, Wellington Region Strategy Forum
June 8
Emerging Digital Scenarios and Enabling Technologies
Jonathan Usher, Director, Consumer Media Technology, Microsoft Corporation
June 15
A Snapshot of the Life of a Rural Veterinarian
Alan Royal
June 22
The Alternative Education Project
Mark Wallis, Wellington City Mission’s Youth Division
June 29
Antarctica – Past and Future
Professor Peter Barrett, Director, Antarctic Research Centre and Professor of Geology, VUW
July 27
Work Patterns and Sleepiness among Junior Doctors
Professor Phillipa Gander
August 3
The Psychology of Eyewitness Evidence
Matthew Gerrie, School of Psychology, VUW
August 10
Theatre Design
Dr Raymond Boyce, MBE
August 17
Child Abuse in New Zealand; is it really that bad?
Dr Dawn Elder, Senior Lecturer University of Otago, Wellington School of Medicine
August 24
The changes to the structure of N.Z. Education since ‘Tomorrow’s Schools
Dougal Scott, Dean, Faculty of Education, VUW
August 31
The Role of Local Government. What Purpose? What Value?
Ian McKinnon, Wellington City Councillor
September 7
Russian History
Martin Boswell, Accreditation Manager, Faculty of Commerce and Administration, VUW will continue the talk on Russian History that he gave in June.
October 12
Volcanism in New Zealand, Past & Present
Dr. Ian Graham, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences
October 26
Three Corporate Videos
Tom Williamson
November 9
Increasing Wealth via High Technology
Professor Paul Callaghan, Alan MacDiarmid Institute, VUW
November 22
Review of the Victoria University Centre for Bio-Diversity and Restoration Ecology
Associate Professor Ben Bell, VUW
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2008
Friday March 28
High Country Muster’ - a video set in the Canterbury high country.
Tom Williamson
Tuesday April 1 & Tuesday April 8
“For I will give you the morning star” : Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s, A Scots Quair, published under this collective title in 1946 but individually as Sunset Song(1932), Cloud Howe, (1933) and Grey Granite, (1934).
Dr Ian Jamieson, Department of English Literature, VUW (retired).
Friday April 4
Lessons of History: Dying for a Smoke
Dr Peter Martin, Medical Director of the QUIT programme.
Friday April 11
Churchill at Sea
Dr Wyn Beasley, a retired orthopaedic surgeon and now writer.
Tuesday April 15
The Heather and Fern Entwined: Scots in New Zealand
Dr Brad Patterson, Stout Institute, VUW
Tuesday May 6
The Rt. Hon Walter Nash, CH, MP (1882- 1968)
Bruce Brown, QSO, Senior Fellow Centre for Strategic Studies .
Friday May 9
The Economics of Diabetes – of doing nothing
Suzanne Sniveley
Tuesdays May 13, 20, 27
The History and Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
Matthew Trundle, Senior Lecturer, Victoria University of Wellington. ‘
Friday May 16
The History of Tuberculosis from the Past to the Present Day
Dr Peter Martin, physician in respiratory medicine from 1973-2004 at Wellington Hospital
Friday May 23
Climate Change and Conservation in New Zealand
Kevin Hackwell, Advocacy Manager, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society
Friday May 30
Nuclear Future
Dr Rodger Sparks, GNS Science (retired)
Tuesday June 3
Who is the Family Court for – Men, Women or Children?
Anne Wilson, Barrister & Mediator
Friday June 6
The Great White Sharks at the Chathams
Dr Malcolm Francis, Principal Scientist Inshore and Pelagic Fisheries, NIWA
Tuesday June 10
How fast is (or was) a galliard?
Jennifer Shennan, Dance teacher and reviewer
Friday June 13
Buried Alive at Kicking Horse Pass: the Remarkable James Hector
Hamish Campbell, GNS Palaeontologist and Geological Adviser to Te Papa
Tuesday June 17
Ceramics on the tranny? Dance over the airwaves: The challenges of covering the arts on radio (without pictures)
Lyn Freeman, Radio NZ Presenter
Friday June 20
Aging - Tips, Tricks and Traps
Sally Keeling, Director of the Institute for Research into Ageing at Victoria University of Wellington
Friday 27 June
DNA Revolution in forensic science
Peter Wilson – Forensic scientist at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) and National Client Manager of the Forensic Business Group.
Tuesday July 22
Early Wellington through the eyes of John Plimmer
Malcolm McGregor - President of the Maritime Archaeological Association of NZ.
Friday July 25
The World Bank
Douglas Webb - former senior official of the World Bank working in Washington
Tuesday July 29
The Complete Conservationist: Pérrine Moncrieff of Nelson (1893-1979)
Dr Robin Hodge
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Friday August 1
Wellington’s Public Transport
Wayne Hastie - Divisional Manager, Public Transport
Tuesday August 5
Colin McCahon, prophet in the Wilderness
Lloyd Geering
Friday August 8
Wellington Water Supply
Murray Kennedy - Divisional Manager, Water Supply, Parks and Forests
Tuesday August 12
Selling the Empire - Commercial advertising in New Zealand during the Great War
Andrew Francis - lecturer in Social and Cultural History, VUW
Friday August 15
NZ Archaeology in the Maori Period
Bruce McFadgen - archaeologist
Tuesday August 19
Writing a biography of a Holocaust survivor: Clare Galambos Winter
Sarah Gaitanos
Friday August 22
Nature, culture and citizenship in NZ between 1900 and 1960
Kirstie Ross - Curator of History at Te Papa
Tuesday August 26
Georges Braque, a painterly meditation at work
Christiane Mortelier
Friday August 29
Consulting Engineering- Serious Fun
David Hopkins
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Tuesday September 2
Drama in Music
Michael Fulcher - Musical Director of the Wellington Orpheus Choir and Director of Music at Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
Friday September 5
Facing the Music – Charles Baeyertz and The Triad
Joanna Woods
Tuesday September 9
Playing for Time - Philip Noel-Baker and the fate of sporting pacifism in the Twentieth Century
Charlotte McDonald - Associate Professor of History at VUW
Friday September 12
Elephant Satellite Programme
John Holland - Head of Postgraduate Studies in Natural Resource Management, Massey University
Tuesday September 16
Change and Fashion in Urban Design and Architecture
Gerald Blunt - Chief Urban Designer, Wellington City Council
Friday September 19 - AGM
Deepwater discoveries in the Antarctic: the Tangaroa voyage to the Ross Sea in 2008
Malcolm Clark - Principal Scientist, Deepwater Fisheries, NIWA
Tuesday October 14
Fashion and History in Modern Europe
Alexander Maxwell - School of History, Political Sciences and International Relations at VUW
Friday October 17
Marijuana and the lung
Richard Beasley - Director of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand
Tuesday October 21
Medieval Literature: Books of Hours
Peter Whiteford - Head of the School of English, Film and Media Studies, VUW
Friday October 24
New Zealand Tides
Mike Foster
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Friday October 31
On Sledge and Horseback to Outcast Siberian Lepers – the extraordinary life of a Victorian nurse - with a Wellington connection
Ron Easthope- retired Wellington Hospital cardiologist
Tuesday November 4
Changes in New Zealand English
Paul Warren - Head of the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, VUW
Friday November 7
What is the role of Science today?
Jeffrey Tallon - Professor of Physics at VUW and Distinguished Scientist at Industrial Research Ltd
Tuesday November 11
Parole in New Zealand today – the Value and the Problems
David Carruthers - Chairman of the New Zealand Parole Board
Friday November 14
Beaches and coastal plains on the Kapiti Coast and Oriental Bay
David Kennedy - Senior Lecturer in the School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, VUW
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2009
Tuesday 10 March
The Two Elections of 2008. A discussion on the two elections which absorbed us last November and their respective ramifications for us and the world.
Professor Nigel Roberts, Political Science Department, VUW.
Friday 13 March
Dr Huhana Smith, Senior Curator Matuaranga Maori at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and practising artist.
Tuesday 17 March
Selling Science.
Dr Di McCarthy ONZM, CEO Royal Society of New Zealand.
Friday 20 March
Professor Tim Stern, Professor of Geophysics Victoria University of Wellington.
The Alpine Fault and Wellington.
Tuesday 24 March
Freedom of Speech.
Cate Brett, until recently editor of the Sunday Star Times, and now working for the Law Commission.
Friday 27 March
Forensic Dentistry ‘Twilight Zone’.
Judy Hinchcliffe, Forensic Pathologist.
Tuesday 31 March
Claude Monet.
Christiane Mortelier
Friday 3 April
Atoms, Dinosaurs and DNA : the passions and obsessions of New Zealand scientists.
Rebecca Priestley
Tuesday 7 April
Kippenberger and the Gift of Leadership.
Denis McLean, a former Defence Secretary and Ambassador to the USA.
Friday 1 May
Mapping the New Zealand Ocean Floor. How and why we map it in detail.
Helen Bostock, marine geologist, NIWA
Tuesday 5 May
Ripping Yarns and Grimm Stuff.
Lynne Jackett, the National Library Children’s Collection Research Librarian.
Friday 8 May
Behind the Explosion at Karori Sanctuary.
Raewyn Empson, Conservation Manager at Karori Sanctuary.
Tuesday 12 May
A Balancing Act.
Annie Ruth, Director of Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School.
Friday 15 May
The Objectives and Functions of the New Zealand Transport Agency.
Mark Owen, Operations Manager Central, New Zealand Transport Agency.
Tuesday 19 May
Ballets Russes.
Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, Director of Art and Collection Services at Te Papa National Museum of New Zealand.
Friday 22 May
The Role of the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Dominic Sheehan, CEO of the Broadcasting Standards Authority
Tuesday 26 May
Antarctica and Poetry.
Bill Manhire, Director of the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington.
Friday 5 June
God, Gaia and Us
Lloyd Geering, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, VUW.
Tuesday 9 June
Shakespeare’s ‘The Rape of Lucrece’.
Dr Geoffrey Miles, Senior Lecturer in English at the School of English, Film and Theatre, Victoria University of Wellington.
Tuesday 16 June
Ray Henwood
Friday 19 June
Through the Eyes of a Miner; The Photography of Josef Divis.
Dr Simon Nathan, a geologist and writer.
Tuesday 23 June
Keeping up with the News and the News we Forget.
Peter Kitchin, journalist.
Friday 26 June
The Worry Cure.
Fiona Mathieson, a clinical psychologist and lecturer in psychology at Otago University in Wellington.
Tuesday July 21
The Role of the Clerk of the House
David McGee CNZM, QC
Friday July 24
Claude Monet
Christiane Mortelier
Tuesday July 28
New Zealand’s Engineering Heritage
Dr Rob Aspden
Friday July 31
The Role of the Charities Commission
Trevor Garret
Tuesday August 4
Walking with Ghosts: Creating a Jewish Museum in the Old Nazi Capital
Ken Gorby
Friday August 7
A Perspective on the Treaty of Waitangi and the Crown
Dr Matthew Palmer
Tuesday August 11
The Developing Profession of Music Therapy in New Zealand
Daphne Rickson
Friday August 14
Our Galaxy? Whose Universe?
Denis Sullivan
Tuesday August 18
Corruption
Jeremy Pope
Friday August 21
Wellington Sculpture Trust
Neil Plimmer
Tuesday, August 25
Fashion
Angela Lassig, Senior Curator in History at Te Papa
Friday August 28
Today’s World
Terence O’Brien, former NZ diplomat
Tuesday September 1
Living the Dream
Rosanne Livingstone, former textiles collection manager, Te Papa
Friday September 4
The Work of the Ambulance Service
Alan O’Beirne, CEO of the Wellington Free Ambulance Service
Tuesday September 8
Roman Wall Painting
Dr Judy Deuling, lecturer in ancient arts and archaeology at VUW
Tuesday September 15
Latin American Cities: Similarities and Uniqueness
Daniele Abreu e Lima, lecturer at the School of Architecture, VUW
Friday September 18 AGM
The Outward Bound School
Trevor Taylor, CEO of the Outward Bound School
Tuesday September 22
Prostitution in Paris
Rodger Ridley-Smith, retired GP
Tuesday October 13
WW1 Poets
Harry Ricketts, Associate Professor of English at VUW
Friday October 16
Arthritis
Dr Jacquie Harper
Tuesday October 20
Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.
Professor John Davidson, Head of School, Classics Department, VUW.
Tuesday October 27
Rediscovery of the past: the re-appreciation of the pre-Revolutionary French art in the 19 century.
David Maskill, Programme Director and a senior lecturer in art history at VUW
Friday October 30
The Global Financial Crisis
Brian Easton
Tuesday November 3
The Large Hadron Collider
Dr Rodger Sparks
Friday November 6
The International Festival of the Arts, 2010
Sue Patterson, Executive Director of the International Arts Festival
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