I want Dunedin to be an attractive, resilient city that our children will be proud of.  I’m standing for Council out of a sense of civic duty and to improve our city for the whole community.  I’m with Greater Dunedin because of its commitment to ethics, openness, and integrity in decision-making.

 

I’ve lived and worked in Dunedin for most of my life.  Educated at Logan Park and Otago University, I teach computing at Otago Polytechnic. I offer Dunedin my advanced training and hands-on experience in critical and creative thinking, reform of local body decision-making, building strong communities, and business and financial management.  I have ten years’ experience working with local and regional Councils in land management and innovation. Our city faces social, environmental and economic challenges but we are on the brink of an exciting future.  If you agree, please vote for me. Together we can make it happen.

Top 5 Issues

1. Ensuring that Dunedin is an attractive and resilient city.
2. Decision making that asks the right questions with a view to a long term vision.
3. Transparency and participation.
4. Keeping services in the South.
5. Reducing Council spending while maintaining services.

Personal Profile

I am an Associate Professor Information Technology at Otago Polytechnic where I have worked since 1997, including five years as Head of Department.   I  have published over 150 conference and journal papers in the fields of augmented experiences; sustainability; and computer education. 

I am responsible for the development of Education for Sustainability at Otago Polytechnic where we aim to have “every graduate thinking and acting as a sustainable practitioner”. This initiative recently won the ITPNZ Award for Excellence in Education for a Global Role.  The "LivingCampus" is one of my initiatives.

I am working in computing to develop strategies, practices and resources for computing to contribute positively to a sustainable future.  I led the development of the draft statement on Education for Sustainability for the ACM SIG-CSE, which followed up on the success of New Zealand NACCQ policy and agenda on computing education for sustainability.  

I am convenor of Sustainability in Tertiary Education in New Zealand (STENZ), a cross sector group with the vision that “In 2014, all NZ tertiary graduates will understand the principles, values, and practices of sustainability”.

In 2009 I was the Beeby Fellow for his work in Education for Sustainability.  The Beeby fellowship is a joint initiative between New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and the NZ Council of Education Research. 

I teach Software Engineering (using a hybrid Agile Development Framework) and manage the capstone industry projects.  With my students I work on systems that harness the power of technology to help engage people with information: the goal is to make the computer invisible and to instead focus on promoting engaging experiences.   I am on the National Advisory Committee on Computing Qualifications.  My current research, SimPa, works with Mäori communities to retell their stories in 3D game format (teaching Mäori kids programming in the process!).  Simpa is part of a research focus in experience design that includes heritage and science (other recent work includes "Survival Factor" at the Otago Museum).

I have a BSc (hons) in Geography and Botany, an MSc in Geography, and a PhD - all from Otago University.  I also have a PGDip Tertiary Teaching and Learning from Otago Polytechnic.

I bring to the Council:

• Systems thinking: an understanding of the connected nature of our community.
• Critical and creative thinking.
• An ability to act as change agent.
• A focus on decision making as a task and a passion (with a PhD in reforming local body decision making).
• An understanding of ethics and transparency that is integral, not an add on.
• A focus on the importance of place and in engaging with people’s stories (recent work includes Simpa – iwi game-based narratives – and museum interactives – eg we built the Survival Factor exhibition in Otago Museum).
• A strong sense of participation and action.
• Experience of serving on several local and national bodies and trusts
• Business and management experience in my own and other entrepreneurial businesses, and in previously managing an academic department

 

I maintain a blog: http://computingforsustainability.wordpress.com/