OPSITARA Research


Welcome to the latest issue of Relevant Research. This month we have included some of our Masters students' stories; we hope you find their research interesting. With permission from the Dunedin City Council we also include excerpts from the UNESCO Cities of Literature cookbook Savoir Faire contributed by our lecturers Professor Richard Mitchell and Adrian Woodhouse.

We have no more tickets available now for the 11 August performance of Into the Woods, which our Design staff and students have been working on in collaboration with the Fortune Theatre, but we are now promoting research events on a webpage so have a look and see what else is coming up.

Otago Polytechnic's first doctorate course has been approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The new Doctor of Professional Practice course is an innovative, learner-centred qualification that will generate and apply new knowledge in the workplace, to make a difference in our communities. The programme is designed for experienced professionals who would work and study at the same time, and builds on our established Master of Professional Practice degree. There are already 25 people wanting to start the qualification, but the first intake will be restricted to five students.

Prof Leoni Schmidt
Director: Research and Postgraduate Studies


  1. Internet of Things

    Alex Deschamps-Sonsino has challenged Dunedin to generate IoT solutions that meet local needs. Read more…
  2. Bringing fantasy to life

    Lecturer Jon Wilson has led a team of students to work with the Fortune Theatre to produce Into the Woods. Read more…
  3. Having siblings present at birth

    Nora Li Naber's research will inform decision-making by parents. Read more…
  4. Rewards and retribution

    Stephanie Chong and Liang Li examine performance management systems in the ancient Qin state. Read more…
  5. Elite conditioning

    Simon Body, formerly a professional tennis coach, has come back to studying and taken up teaching. Read more…
  6. Video: Changing the world one product at a time

    Kuang Ma loves to have something where you can control the movement rather than just programming a computer. Read more…
  7. Innovative teaching model

    Teaching in our School of Midwifery uses a new model that meets the needs of both students and communities. Read more…
  8. Retentions: a construction industry burden

    How do retentions hold back the New Zealand construction industry? Dr Priyanka Raina has investigated. Read more…
  9. Bird Dog - Song, Drink, Food

    It’s late 2016 and two 40-something males, whose formative years were filled with the heady melodies of the 1980s “Dunedin Sound”, ... Read more…
  10. Tītī Hotdog with Horopito Pickled Onions and Mānuka Smoked Chilli Relish

    6 portions 1 tītī (muttonbird) Place the tītī in a pot with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 75 minutes or ... Read more…