Feb 2024
The MME Lab Tramp was another spectacular success. Waikuku Lodge was our fanciest venue yet. The trivia was fierce, the s’mores were delectable and the walk deep into Aorangi Forest Park was superb (after we’d bashed through the gorse). The only remaining question: has Wayne been wearing exactly the same hat for all seven Lab Tramps?
Dec 2023
For Xmas, the MME lab stuck to tradition: mini-golf followed by a potluck, secret Santa, and the traditional ‘gifting of mugs’ ceremony. A very nice end to the year!
May 2023
The MME lab was out in force at the May graduation. Congrats to Mike and Lee for graduating with PhDs and Jade with her Honours degree. Mike has gone on to a job at MPI. Lee is exploring the start-up world, and Jade has stuck around for a PhD. Good news all around!
Feb 2023
Our annual lab tramp was aaaaalmost rained out this year but a few very hardy souls figured “cyclone..what cyclone?”.
December 2022
The mini-golf was rained out, but the Christmas pot-luck was as delicious and OTT as ever. Happy holidays from the MME Lab!
June 2022
Congratulations to Lee Tejada on submitting her PhD thesis in a mere 3 years, 2 months and 29 days!
2021 updates: It has been a crazy year, and we’ve been a bit bad at updating this news section. However, we have actually had lots of great news this year. In no particular order: Max (Masters student) was awarded a William Georgetti Scholarship; Mattias (Honours student) received a Fulbright Graduate Award; Josie received a DoC scholarship for her Masters (then decided she was enjoying it so much she upgraded to a PhD); Chelsea (Research Fellow) was awarded her first major grant as Principal Investigator (a Marsden Fast Start Grant). Mattias and Laura graduated with first class Honours; Chris and Lucy both submitted their PhDs; and Randy and Emma moved on to fabulous new jobs. It has been a year of great change..but also great success. Bring on 2022!
December 2020
The theme for the SBS Christmas Party was “Survival of the Finest”. The MME Lab was out in force, and we were mighty fine!
March 2020
Congrats to Josie Mainwaring (MSc student) for winning a prestigious (and lucrative) MPI postgraduate scholarship! These highly competitive scholarships provide financial support and professional development. Normally we’d post a photo of the celebration, but being as we are still in lockdown, you’ll have to make do with an image of an oospore. I suspect Josie prefers it this way anyway! https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/media-releases/mpi-science-scholarship-winners-will-advance-primary-industries/
February 2020
This year we went to Atiwhakatu hut in the Tararuas. Great weather, great games, mediocre swimming hole (something to work on for next year’s trip!)
December 2019
Congrats to Gabe, Max and Tom who all graduated with their PhDs from Otago! Another great day for a graduation ceremony. These guys are the last of the Otago crew, and will definitely be missed!
May 2019
Congrats to Shereen, who graduated with a PhD on Saturday! I (Monica here) flew down to Dunedin for the ceremony. It was a great day, beautiful weather, and really fun to celebrate with Shereen and her family. Fun fact - Shereen’s mum graduated in the same ceremony with a PhD too!
February 2019
We survived our inaugural Wellington lab tramp (i.e. hike). The weather wasn’t great, but the trip was. An easy walk into Raukawa Hut (in the Rematukas), followed by: some rather chilly swimming; cut-throat card games; lots of banter; and finally, a multi-course feast (with perfectly matched goon wine, of course!).