https://tuwhiri.ac.nz/events/EventsHugoBlox Kit (https://hugoblox.com)en-nzhttps://tuwhiri.ac.nz/media/sharing.pnghttps://tuwhiri.ac.nz/events/https://tuwhiri.ac.nz/events/2026-kickoff-meeting/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://tuwhiri.ac.nz/events/2026-kickoff-meeting/<h2 id="the-occasion">The occasion</h2> <p>Everyone in the programme in one place for the first time: three research areas, the advisory board, industry partners, and colleagues from Adelaide, Caltech, Earth Sciences New Zealand, Waikato, AUT and the Paihau–Robinson Research Institute.</p> <p>The welcome function opened with a mihi whakatau, followed by a welcome from Programme Lead Professor Harald Schwefel. Jessa Barder then presented the programme&rsquo;s new name — <strong>Tuwhiri</strong>, from the Māori word meaning a clue, or means of discovering something hidden, which is an appropriate metaphor for what an atmospheric sounder does, as well as to reveal or make known, which is an accurate description of the programme’s goals.</p> <h2 id="sunday-19-july--welcome-function">Sunday 19 July — Welcome function</h2> <p>Terrace Lounge, University Union Building.</p> <p>Mihi whakatau, the welcome from the Programme Lead, the presentation of the programme name, and guided tours of the research laboratories.</p> <h2 id="monday-20-july--setting-out-the-problem">Monday 20 July — Setting out the problem</h2> <p>Walsh Building.</p> <p>The morning established why the work matters and where each area currently stands. Annika Seppälä opened on the case for space-based climate and atmosphere monitoring. Mallika Suresh followed on dielectric resonators for nonlinear optical upconversion of microwave signals, and Randy Pollock set out the engineering team&rsquo;s staffing, status and open questions.</p> <p>The second session widened the frame: Peter Gibson on climate change projections for New Zealand from CMIP6, Andrey Matsko on microphotonics for spaceborne timing and remote sensing, and Withawat Withayachumnankul on terahertz technology from devices through to sensing and communications.</p> <p>The afternoon split in two. One workshop took on sensor, platform and data systems integration, chaired by Betina Pavri and Mallika Suresh; the other planned the atmospheric science model simulations, chaired by Annika Seppälä.</p> <p>The day closed with Jessa Barder on plans for community engagement, a contribution from Richard Querel, and open discussion.</p> <h2 id="tuesday-21-july--from-requirements-to-instrument">Tuesday 21 July — From requirements to instrument</h2> <p>Centre for Innovation and Mellor Laboratories.</p> <p>The morning ran from the science down to the hardware. Hamish Lewis presented late-century projections of climate extremes across New Zealand; Florian Sedlmeir on millimetre-wave atmospheric radiometry via nonlinear optical upconversion; Hannah Kessenich on a new diagnostic metric for quantifying Antarctic ozone hole dynamics; John Cater on thermal and mission design; and Betina Pavri on Kea Mk1 interface requirements and environmental test planning.</p> <p>Two further workshops ran in parallel. The first brought the atmospheric and engineering teams together on instrument requirements for science, chaired by Randy Pollock — the conversation that decides what the instrument has to achieve. The second, chaired by Greg Bodeker, addressed uptake and impact.</p> <p>A poster session ran over lunch, and Harald Schwefel closed the meeting.</p>