News » St Margaret's College

Expert Breakfast Report for March 5th, 2025: Megan Gibbons, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Health Sciences.

This was a very important talk for those interested in Health Sciences, (with some excellent tips on Management, also!), delivered in a very friendly and approachable manner, full of hints for success and practical suggestions if things do not go quite as planned. Not by any means confined to academic matters, it was full of interest in other areas of life.

Expert Breakfast Report for Oct. 2nd 2024: Constantin Grigorut, Senior Lecturer, French Programme, Languages and Culture.

A somewhat bitter-sweet but fascinating story of a Romanian National who has lived in Canada, the U.S. and New Zealand. Now about to retire, Constantin told us of the huge importance of empathy, and how very much he owes to our students.

Expert Breakfast Report for Sept.18th 2024: Dr. Latika Samalia, Dept of Human Anatomy.

Dr Samalia, Senior Professional Practice Fellow in the Department of Human Anatomy, winner of several prestigious awards including the Prime Minister’s Supreme award for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, 2021, was our most recent Expert Breakfast guest - and why she won that was abundantly clear in her highly informative, witty and engaging talk.

Expert Breakfast Report for August 21st 2024: Prof. Joel Tyndall, School of Pharmacy.

Among the notable things about this presentation by a Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science teacher with an impressive research history was his evident sense of humour and ready approachability.

Expert Breakfast Report for July 24th 2024: Dr. Carla Dillon, School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Dillon explained to us the wide ranging opportunities for Pharmacy graduates, in addition to describing the somewhat convoluted path that lead to her current post, all peppered with a series of anecdotes and witticisms that made for an excellent breakfast talk.

Expert Breakfast Report for May 1st 2024: Prof. John Reynolds, Dept. of Anatomy

This is the second part, featuring Question Time, Part 1 having been published a short time ago.

Expert Breakfast Report for May 15th 2024: Dr. Jason Wister, Dept of Women’s and Children’s Health.

Neonatologist Dr. Wister told us what that word means by talking about his work and gave some extremely useful tips on getting through Medical School and practising Medicine as a career.

Expert Breakfast Report for May 1st 2024: Prof. John Reynolds, Dept. of Anatomy Part 1

Introduction: After a varied start to his career Prof. Reynolds qualified in medicine, practised for two years then began a distinguished research career (which includes award of a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship, as well as a National teaching award), and here offers some valuable advice to first years.

Part 2 of Expert Breakfast Report for April 17th 2024: Prof. Lisa Houghton, Dept of Human Nutrition.

Summary of Part 1: Professor Houghton shared her journey from a single-parent family to becoming a nutrition expert through a wide variety of experiences. She emphasised the significance of learning from mistakes and highlighted her transition from high school to university, discussing challenges and decisions faced. Lisa's university years saw her exploring different courses, leading to her passion for nutrition and navigating through diverse job opportunities and volunteer work to shape her career path. She stressed the value of volunteer work and gaining diverse experiences in career development, advising caution in managing student debt and pursuing higher degrees judiciously. Lisa reflected on transitioning through different job roles, underscoring the importance of trying various paths before settling on a career - and not being too fixed in that.. Her research work in low and middle-income countries highlighted the importance of community impact and collaborative research efforts, discussing the influence of cultural factors on nutrition strategies.

Expert Breakfast Report for April 17th 2024: Prof. Lisa Houghton, Dept of Human Nutrition.

Another absorbing story, notably packed with insightful advice based on the speakers own extensive experience, together with her many discussions with recent graduates and her three children, all of whom are graduates or undergraduates of New Zealand Universities. [Please note that all comments, etc., in square brackets are the responsibility of the Editor.]

Expert Breakfast Report for March 20th 2024: Dr Carrie Falling, School of Physiotherapy. PART TWO

This continues Dr. Fallings story, the first part having been published roughly 7 days ago.

Expert Breakfast Report for March 20th 2024: Dr Carrie Falling, School of Physiotherapy.

Dr Falling described her extraordinarily varied work background, of undertaking First Year Health Sciences as a foreign student, of her deep interest in people and what it means to be human, all with a contagious enthusiasm sprinkled with flashes of self-deprecating humour.

Expert Breakfast Report for March 6th 2024: Assoc. Prof. Rajesh Katare, Dept of Physiology

Assoc. Prof. Katare outlined his early years in India, Japan, the UK and now New Zealand, then gave inciteful insight into the process of research with great tips on a wide variety of associated issues.

Expert Breakfast Report for Sept. 27th 2023: Assoc. Prof. Tina Summerfield, Dept. of Botany.

With touches of humour from time to time, Assoc. Prof Summerfield brought to the meeting a contagious enthusiasm for the research work in which she is clearly immersed, with little hints that the offshoots might be of value in carbon sequestration, fuel production and more intensive crop farming.

Expert Breakfast Report for Sept. 13th 2023: Anna Grimaldi, Double Gold Medal Paralympics Winner.

In a very open account, Anna described her feelings as a child with only one hand, her initial achievements in international sport and inability to accept that as real, to gaining a much more complete understanding of herself, and what she has to offer. Lessons in this for all of us, I feel.

Expert Breakfast Report for August 16th 2023: Prof. Tobias Langlotz, School of Computing, Dept of Information Science.

As an incorrigible technophile, I have seldom been as excited by an Expert Breakfast talk as this - with a light-hearted readily understandable, approach Prof. Langlotz talked about some pretty advanced topics based on his extensive and varied experience, with some well-informed comments on the future of work, and how it will affect everyone.

Expert Breakfast Report for Aug 2nd 2023: Dr. Prasath Jayakaran, Dept of Physiotherapy.

Another outstanding Expert Breakfast session, with Dr. Jayakaran giving us a taste of life in India, being very honest about his own aspirations and stressing the importance of accepting proffered opportunities, even if they do not match your own ideas very closely, all in a very amiable, open fashion.

Expert Breakfast Report for July 19th 2023: Prof. Bruce Russell, Dept. of Microbiology.

In an entertaining and most informative session, Prof. Russell emphasised the value of travel in the Medical and Scientific arenas, as well as touching on many other useful pointers, virtually all stemming from comments by the Members present.

College Members can-do for food drive

During the last few weeks of semester 1, we ran Octacan donations throughout the College. Octacan is a yearly food drive run by Presbyterian Support Otago for people in the community facing hardship.

Expert Breakfast Report for May 17th 2023: Dr. Fairleigh Gilmour, Dept. of Sociology.

Criminology became Dr. Gilmour's academic path more or less by accident, but, as exemplified by her work in Otago Correction Facility, she is now passionate about the subject.

Expert Breakfast Report for May 3rd 2023: Ross Kirkpatrick, Intensive Care Flight Paramedic.

In a most interesting talk, Paramedic Ross Kirkpatrick outlined the pathway to becoming a Paramedic, describing some aspects of the work they do and illustrating his presentation with some great photos.