March Newsletter 2025
Reminder GWO Branch Meeting: Thursday, 27th March at 5.30 pm
Location: Benham Seminar Room 2nd Floor Zoology Department, 340 Great King Street (2 minutes walk north of the Dental School). Arrive early for a drink and chat.Zoom https://tinyurl.com/GWOBranchMeeting Password: 901870
Apologies: If you are unable to attend a branch meeting, please send your apology to: admin@gwotago.co.nz
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A Breakfast to remember
'Hello' and 'welcome' to our March 2025 newsletter. The year has started off with a very successful International Women's Day Breakfast co-hosted between GWO and Otago University Staff Women's Caucus. Ninety women gathered to listen to Anna Grimaldi, our inspirational speaker, triple Gold Paralympic medalist and Halberg 2025 Para-athlete of the year. Anna captivated the audience sharing stories about her childhood to the successes and challenges she has faced as a world class Para-athlete. We were also fortunate to have in attendance Deans and senior students from six Dunedin colleges, along with media representatives from the Otago Daily Times, Sport Otago and the Communications Manager,Otago Polytechnic, where Anna completed a Diploma in Quantity Surveying in 2018. We are grateful to the Otago Daily Times for their excellent write up and Rebecca Ryan, Sport Otago for sharing this wonderful video which has been widely viewed across the Otago region
Image: Anna Grimaldi, Guest Speaker International Women's Day (courtesy of GWO)
Four GWO members attend CSW69 Commission on the Status of Women
This month Dr Shirley Gillett GWNZ International Representative, Dr Ioanna Katiforis former GWO Young Members Representative, Phoebe Rose Osborne GWO Membership/Marketing Co-Ordinator and Pacific Women's Watch NZ Youth delegate and I flew to the United Nations, New York to attend #CSW69 the Status on the Commission of Women. Thousands of attendees associated with UN entities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) gathered to discuss the Beijing + 30 achievements and challenges in progressing the status of women and girls worldwide. To find out more about CSW69 please click this link Commission on the Status of Women | UN Women
Listed below are the adopted CSW Priority Themes for the next four years:
1. *Seventieth session (2026):* Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and addressing structural barriers.
2. *Seventy-first session (2027):* Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
3. *Seventy-second session (2028):* Recognizing and strengthening care and support systems to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.
4. *Seventy-third session (2029):* Women and girls in humanitarian emergencies: advancing women’s participation and leadership, and achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in this context.
Come along to our next branch meeting on April 24th and hear our attendees present on their CSW69 experiences (venue to be confirmed)
Images: Flyer and session photos including Phoebe Rose and Otila Osborne with Jill Follows, Cities for CEDAW (courtesy of GWO)
GWO February Branch Meeting Minutes
Click this link to view our February Branch Minute Meetings
2025 Branch Meeting Dates
24th of April Branch Meeting - Reporting on CSW69 (venue to be advised)
May - (No Branch Meeting)
26 June (Zoom Meeting)
GWO is Growing! Welcome to our New Members
We are thrilled to welcome four new members to our GWO team, and we look forward to seeing you all at our branch meetings and special events during the year:
Maddie Connor Jasmine Weston Heather Mills Ana Latu
GWO March Guest Speaker: Dr Linda Robertson, Emeritus Associate Professor Otago Polytechnic
Dr Linda Robertson GWO Public Affairs Panel Member and Emeritus Associate Professor of Otago Polytechnic Ltd, recognised for her outstanding contributions in field of Occupational Therapy has recently published her book ‘Professional Reasoning in Health Care.’ The book contains a model specifically designed to help guide evidence-based practice in Occupational Therapy. The model is called the Five Finger Framework and identifies 5 key components that inform decision making. The metaphor of the hand is used to describe how the components work together. The practitioner’s own knowledge and experience is represented by the thumb; the remaining 4 fingers represent the impact of the local context; the client’s insights; the expertise of other people and the research evidence. In a world of practice where there are not necessarily right or wrong answers, this framework provides a simple structure to guide complex thinking. While the model has been developed with health care practice in mind, it is equally useful in many situations to prompt students to take a 'questioning' approach. Narratives that describe practice scenarios have been used to illustrate this model of decision making. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Wiley.com
Image: Dr Linda Robertson and Professional Reasoning in Healthcare (Courtesy of Amazon)
Graduate Women Otago 2025 Centenary Awards Pacific and Māori Scholarships Recipients
GWO congratulates our two Centenary Award scholarship recipients. There was much interest in this scholarship, and while it is only possible to award one in each category, we acknowledge the achievements of all applicants and wish them all the best in their studies and future careers.
Pacific - Lusila Tahaafe will complete her Masters in Indigenous Studies.
Māori – Tayla Porter will be undertaking a Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences, endorsed in Adult Restorative Dental Care
Scholarship Awards Closing Dates and Subscription Payments
Please keep your subscriptions up to date, particularly if you are considering applying for our Travel and Daphne Purves Scholarships. Eligibility requires paid membership for a minimum of six months prior to application. Subscription notices were emailed for the financial year which began on 1 July 2024. Payments were due by 30 December 2024. If you
July 2024. Payments were due by 30 December 2024. If you
are unsure whether you have paid your subscription or would like to renew, please email - membership@gwotago.co.nz subscription rates are also noted on the website -www.gwotago.co.nz
Eligibility criteria and application forms are on the GWO website http://www.gwotago.co.nz/
A MUST READ! Thank you to Louise Croot MNZM Otago member GWO Past President IFUW (2007-2010) for your recommendation and excellent Book Review.
A must read for more reasons than one is Dava Sobel’s excellent book “The Elements of Marie Curie” How the glow of Radium lit a path for Women inScience(2024,4thEstateLondon) Editors'PickBestBooksoftheYear 2024
Book Review: I was surprised to read that “forty-five aspiring female scientists spent a formative period in the Curie lab”. They wished to know more of the mystery of radioactivity not exactly a safe occupation at that time. Some were drawn to the power of radiation to treat disease and of course learning from Marie Curie a two-time Nobel prize winner. One of the first to study there was Ellen Gleditsch from Kristiania (now Oslo) Ellen was a pharmacist with an interest in physics. She was able to perform the fractional crystallization procedures essential to the laboratory Madame Curie did not charge her the usual fees paid by other students and independent researchers working there. Later in 1920 she and the only other female colleague on the faculty set up a local branch of the sisterhood called IFUW. Set up after the First World War to prevent another such catastrophe she liked that it nurtured global friendship. The Swedish IFUW chapter in Stockholm was started by her lab friend Eva Ramstedt. Others in Quebec, and an alumnae group at McGill and a Women’s Club in Montreal joined up to form the federation’s Canadian branch. Ellen was the International Federation of University Women (IFUW) President from 1926-1929. She travelled to the USA shortly before the faculty board of her university finally appointed her a chemistry professorship. That is a fascinating story of discrimination that eventually turned out positive. Meanwhile in the USA in 1929 Ellen Gleditsch was able to say that IFUW had grown to thirty-seven thousand members in thirty-one countries. It gave scholarships for travel abroad to 22 young women at that time. Ellen was hoping to raise more funds for additional fellowships by lecturing in places like New York, San Francisco, Minneapolis and New Orleans as well as place in between. Ellen gave technical talks in colleges such as Stanford and Yale. For non-scientific audiences she stressed the benefits and rewards of international exchange. Otago follows this objective in a small way with its Travel Awards. Read the book for yourself, give it to friends. You will enjoy this new well researched story of how Madame Curie supported forty-five aspiring female scientists in her lab from where some went to work with Ernest Rutherford and many other scientists of the time in many different labs.
Reminder: Graduate Women International (GWI) 35th Triennial General Assembly and Conference, taking place in Lusaka, Zambia, from 11-13 September 2025.
This milestone event celebrates GWI’s 106-year commitment to advancing women and girls through education. This is a meaningful occasion to reflect on GWI’s journey and global impact,” says GWI President Patrice Wellesley-Cole. “We are excited to engage with members, share ideas, and explore how education can drive equality and sustainable development. Our gratitude goes to our Zambian sisters for hosting this special event.”
The conference will bring together members and global speakers to discuss progress, challenges, and goals, with a focus on innovative actions to advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4: Quality Education. Delegates will leave inspired and ready to champion education as a tool for equality and progress. Set in Lusaka, Zambia’s vibrant capital, the conference offers a unique cultural experience. Delegates will also have the chance to visit extraordinary landmarks like Victoria Falls, the David Livingstone Memorial, and experience Zambia’s renowned warm hospitality. For more information and to register please contact: Dr Shirley Gillett - shirleygilletnz@gmail.com
GWO February Guest Speakers Report (Prepared by Dr Linda Robertson, GWO)
GWO February Guest Speakers from left Menna Mohamed and Nurun Naher Popy,
PhD Candidates Otago University
Nurun Naher Popy:
Nurun Popy's research focuses on closed-loop and partially closed-loop reusable packaging systems, specifically refillable and returnable packaging. Reusable packaging plays a critical role in sustainability by reducing waste, conserving resources, and minimizing environmental impact. However, consumer adoption varies across cultures due to differing values, behaviours, and socio-economic factors. This study examines how cultural and spiritual/religious values influence consumer choices regarding reusable packaging, comparing New Zealand (a developed country) and Bangladesh (a developing country).
Using the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV) and incorporating Schwartz’s personal values framework, this research explores consumer motivations and barriers to adopting reusable packaging. It highlights the importance of cultural context in shaping sustainable consumption behaviour and investigates the role of spirituality and religion, elements often overlooked in cultural value theories.
By bridging gaps in cross-cultural research and sustainable packaging adoption, this study aims to provide actionable insights for policymakers and businesses to design culturally relevant strategies that promote reusable packaging systems. Ultimately, the findings will contribute to sustainability efforts by encouraging more effective and inclusive consumer engagement in reusable packaging initiatives across diverse socio-economic settings.
Menna Mohamed:
Menna comes from a background in academia and research, specializing in consumer behaviour and electric vehicle (EV) policy. With nearly a decade of experience, she has worked as a university lecturer, mentored students, and holds a master’s degree in Consumer Behaviour. She is currently completing her PhD at the University of Otago, focusing on the psychological and policy-related aspects of EV adoption in New Zealand. Through her work, Menna hopes to contribute to global efforts to reduce environmental impact while ensuring gender perspectives are integrated into policymaking. Menna works in the Information Systems Department at the University of Otago, driven by her passion for technology and has worked in the Disability Centre and tutored at the Marketing Department. Menna’s research focuses on the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and policies that align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well- being), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Despite environmental benefits and technological advancements, adoption rates remain low, suggesting current strategies aimed at promoting EV adoption may be insufficient. In New Zealand, the adoption of EVs in the automotive market remains low, despite the government’s efforts and policies promoting them. New Zealand, with its diverse yet manageable population and high rates of technological adoption, mirrors larger Western markets on a smaller scale, making it an ideal testing ground for new products and innovations.
Graduate Women Otago: Committee Members 2024-2025
The following members were elected to the GWO Committee:
President: Otila Osborne
Vice President: Nadja Smith
Immediate Past President: Barbara Benson
Membership Treasurer: Julia Lawrence
Young Members Coordinator: Holly Bates Williams International: Dr Shirley Gillett and Nadja Smith
Advocacy: Nadja Smith
Academic Dress Hire Liaison: Barbara Benson
Speakers Coordinator: Margaret Bahr
Membership and Marketing Coordinator: Phoebe Rose Osborne
Committee members: Jules Gross, Linda Robertson, Lavina Choie
Academic Dress Accountant: Christine Clegg
Charitable Trust Accountant: Christine Clegg
We are grateful to our committee members for their commitment over the next twelve months
Links to associated organisations listed below:
Provided below are hyperlinks to websites of associated organisations that you may also want to subscribe to: Graduate Women International
Graduate Women NZ
National Council of Women Dunedin Business and Professional Women NZ Pacific Womens Watch NZ
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Thank you for supporting GWO, we value your membership and interest in our work. We look forward to you joining us at our monthly branch meetings and if you are not already, please click this link https://www.facebook.com/gwnzotago to follow us on Facebook. Importantly, updates and news items are posted regularly on Facebook while our newsletters are released monthly. Please contact membership@gwotago.co.nz with any news, book reviews and articles that you would like us to share.
Tofa Soifua, and we look forward to seeing you soon, Otila Osborne, President, on behalf of the Graduate Women Otago Committee
Contact addresses for GWO
ALL electronic communication: admin@gwotago.co.nz
Our postal address is:
Graduate Women Otago c/- Mailroom
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PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054