Public lectures
in New Zealand

Thursday 9 April

• 6:00 PM

  Building Back Better: 15 Years of Earthquake Engineering Lessons from Christchurch

  Fifteen years after the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, UC engineers reflect on what they learned, what changed in global building codes, and what still needs to happen.

  Engineering Core, University of Canterbury, Ilam, Christchurch Professor Stefano Pampanin canterbury Free
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Friday 10 April

• 6:00 PM

  Climate Futures: Science, Policy and Hope

  A public lecture exploring New Zealand's role in addressing the climate crisis, with perspectives from leading researchers and policymakers.

  Owen G Glenn Building, Level 1, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland City Professor James Renwick auckland Free
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Saturday 11 April

• 6:00 PM

  Democracy Under Pressure: Disinformation in the Digital Age

  How should democracies respond to coordinated disinformation campaigns? This public lecture draws on case studies from New Zealand and around the world.

  Hunter Council Chamber, Hunter Building, Kelburn Campus, Wellington Professor Kate Hannah victoria Free
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Sunday 12 April

• 12:00 PM

  Artist Talk: Mataaho Collective

  Join the Mataaho Collective for an in-conversation event exploring their practice, the significance of tukutuku patterning, and their recent international commissions.

  Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Cnr Kitchener & Wellesley Streets, Auckland auckland-art-gallery Free
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• 6:00 PM

  Ockham NZ Book Awards 2026 Longlist Celebration

  Join us to celebrate the announcement of the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist, with readings from longlisted authors across all four categories.

  Auckland Writers Festival Hub, Aotea Centre, Auckland ockham $25 (includes welcome drink)
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Monday 13 April

• 10:00 AM

  Taonga Māori Symposium: Collections, Repatriation, and Digital Futures

  Iwi representatives, curators, and digital archivists discuss the future of taonga Māori in national collections, repatriation processes, and digital access.

  Te Papa Tongarewa, 55 Cable Street, Wellington te-papa Free
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• 5:00 PM

  Distinguished Lecture: The Brain in Pain — New Frontiers in Chronic Pain Research

  The annual Otago Distinguished Lecture in Medicine explores breakthrough research into the neuroscience of chronic pain and emerging treatments.

  Dunedin Public Hospital, Great King Street, Dunedin Professor Rae Frances Irvine otago Free
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Tuesday 14 April

• 5:30 PM

  Te Tiriti o Waitangi Today: Constitutional Conversations

  Distinguished scholars examine the ongoing relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in contemporary New Zealand constitutional arrangements.

  Faculty of Law, 9 Eden Crescent, Auckland Associate Professor Carwyn Jones auckland Free
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Wednesday 15 April

• 5:30 PM

  Writers & Readers: New Zealand Literary Identities

  A conversation with three New Zealand authors about writing from the margins, finding a readership, and what it means to tell New Zealand stories in a globalised publishing market.

  National Library of New Zealand, Molesworth Street, Wellington national-library Free
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• 5:30 PM

  New Zealand's Space Future: From Rocket Lab to National Strategy

  An exploration of New Zealand's rapidly growing space sector, the science enabled by domestic launch capability, and the policy frameworks governing our use of space.

  E9 Lecture Theatre, Science Road, University of Canterbury, Christchurch canterbury Free
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Thursday 16 April

• 5:30 PM

  Life at the Frozen Edge: New Zealand's Role in Antarctic Research

  Antarctica New Zealand and Victoria University researchers discuss the latest findings from the ice, and New Zealand's unique responsibilities under the Antarctic Treaty.

  Rutherford House Lecture Theatre, 23 Lambton Quay, Wellington victoria Free
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Friday 17 April

• 6:30 PM

  The Neuroscience of Sleep: Why Rest is Your Brain's Superpower

  Discover the latest research into sleep, memory consolidation, and what happens to your brain during those vital hours of rest.

  School of Medical Sciences, 85 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland auckland Free
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Saturday 18 April

• 2:00 PM

  Curator's Tour: New Zealand Modernism

  Senior curator guides visitors through the gallery's collection of New Zealand modernist works, discussing the movement's emergence and its tensions with international influences.

  Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Cnr Kitchener & Wellesley Streets, Auckland auckland-art-gallery $15
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• 6:30 PM

  Secrets of the Southern Ocean: Otago's Deep-Sea Research Programme

  Marine scientists share discoveries from recent voyages to the Southern Ocean, including new species, ecosystem dynamics, and implications for fisheries management.

  St David Lecture Theatre Complex, University of Otago, Dunedin otago Free
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Sunday 19 April

• 5:00 PM

  In Conversation: The State of New Zealand Fiction

  A panel discussion with this year's fiction finalists exploring the themes, craft, and challenges of writing contemporary New Zealand fiction.

  Wellington Central Library, 65 Victoria Street, Wellington Paula Morris, Pip Adam ockham Free
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Monday 20 April

• 12:30 PM

  Canterbury Water: Ecology, Irrigation, and the Future of Our Freshwater

  Researchers and community voices discuss the competing demands on Canterbury's freshwater resources and what a sustainable future looks like for the region.

  von Haast Building, University of Canterbury, Christchurch canterbury Free
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Tuesday 21 April

• 12:00 PM

  Te Ōhanga Māori: The Māori Economy in the 21st Century

  A lunchtime lecture examining the growth and diversity of the Māori economy, from kaitiakitanga-based enterprise to global investment.

  Pipitea Campus, 1 Bunny Street, Wellington Dr Ganesh Nana victoria Free
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Wednesday 22 April

• 6:00 PM

  Moana: New Research on New Zealand's Marine Environment

  Marine biologists and ocean scientists present the latest findings from New Zealand's vast exclusive economic zone, including deep-sea discoveries and climate impacts.

  Te Papa Tongarewa, 55 Cable Street, Wellington te-papa Free
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Thursday 23 April

• 5:00 PM

  Equity in Health: Progress and Challenges for Māori Wellbeing

  A wānanga-style public discussion on the persistent health inequities facing Māori communities and what genuine system change would require.

  Māori Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin Professor Papaarangi Reid otago Free
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Friday 24 April

• 12:00 PM

  History Recovered: New Discoveries in the Alexander Turnbull Collection

  Archivists and historians reveal recently catalogued items from the Alexander Turnbull Library collection, including previously unseen photographs and correspondence.

  National Library of New Zealand, Molesworth Street, Wellington national-library Free
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