Support for postgraduate students: Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group
Established in 2002, the Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group exists to support Pacific postgraduate and research students. Through monthly seminars and meetings, the Group provides a place where students can bring their frustrations and ideas and seek support and guidance from one another.
Membership of the Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group
The group is made up of Pacific postgraduate students across all academic disciplines, non-Pacific postgraduate students, and staff with an interest in Pacific topics. We encourage students in intermediate courses, such as DipGrad, to attend as the Reference Group can provide guidance in getting started on postgraduate research.
We also welcome academic staff or Pacific scholars. Since its inception, the group has received invaluable support from staff like Dr Claire Matthewson (Director, Summer School), Dr Debs Carr (Lecturer, Applied Sciences) Dr Charles Tustin (Director, Graduate Research Services) and Professor Judy Bennett (Professor of History).
Members of this group also contribute to the Academic Mentoring Programme by becoming mentors, assisting new and returning students to get settled into their studies.
Monthly seminars
All students get a chance to present or discuss their work with the group. This can be helpful to the student in seeking assistance with resources, building confidence as well as honing presentation skills.
Seminars start in February every year, culminating in an annual symposium towards the end of Semester 2.
NEXT SEMINAR: Thursday 16th May, 5.30pm, Pacific Islands Centre
Chair: Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai
Presenters:
• Ite Delaibatiki – PhD in Public Health
• Limu Vagi - Master of Social and Community Work
• Osea Gavidi - Doctor of Clinical Dentistry
• Mark Witney - Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology
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Pacific Voices Postgraduate Symposium
Everyone is welcome to attend this annual event where the postgraduate students present their work to their peers, colleagues, supervisors and an invited audience from the local Pacific community and on campus.
The idea of the symposium is to promote the talent we have here at Otago as well as sharing our research topics and findings.
Check out photos from past symposiums
- Seth Gorrie - 2012 Presentation: The Scientific and cultural aspects of renewable energy development success in Samoa
Pacific Voices: Abstracts of past symposiums
A publication containing students' abstracts is released every year during the symposium.
To be part of 2013 Pacific Voices X publication please read the Abstract Guidelines and fill in the Submission form below (DEADLINE 7th AUGUST):
Pacific Voices X - Abstract Guidelines (PDF:140KB)
Pacific Voices X - Abstract Submission (PDF:39KB)
Please find copies of past publications below:
- Pacific Voices IX 2012 (PDF, 886KB)
- Pacific Voices VIII 2011 (PDF, 543KB)
- Pacific Voices VII 2010 (PDF, 594KB)
- Pacific Voices VI 2009 (PDF, 814KB)
- Pacific Voices V 2008 (PDF, 1MB)
- Pacific Voices III 2006 (PDF, 841KB)
- Pacific Voices II 2005 (PDF, 771KB)
- Pacific Voices 2004 PDF, 589KB)