Faculty of Engineering and Design, the University of Auckland

08/09/2026

Nepal-born disaster recovery expert Dr Jitendra Bothara who has worked in major disaster zones around the world, featured on RNZ's 'Afternoons' following the devastating flash floods in the Himalayan border region of Nepal and Tibet.

He discussed the challenges of rescue and recovery in difficult terrain, the importance of resilient infrastructure, and the need for a system-wide approach to preparing for and responding to disasters.

Find out more by clicking the link below.

The search for survivors is continuing in Nepal and Tibet after the devastating flash flood that ripped through the Himalayan border region. An already hard job has been made even harder with reports of secondary flood warnings. Dr Jitendra Bothara is a Nepal-born disaster recovery expert who has wo...

07/09/2026

Professor Andrew McDaid from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering recently featured on RNZ's Nine To Noon to speak about research exploring how robotics and new technologies could help tackle the growing problem of "kina barrens" in the Hauraki Gulf.

The project is developing improved tools for divers, powered equipment, and eventually robotic solutions to remove kina at scale, helping restore kelp forests and marine biodiversity.

Find out more by clicking the link below.

So-called 'kina barrens' have been extending over the past 70 years.

31/08/2026

Are you looking to pursue high-impact, hands-on learning experiences beyond the formal curriculum?

The Engineering and Design Co-Curricular Support Fund is a new initiative designed to empower undergraduate students in the Faculty of Engineering and Design. The scheme provides funds, distributed through a competitive application process, to support student groups to undertake non-credit activities aligned with their studies.

Types of eligible activities include:
- Purchase of materials, components and prototyping resources
- Support for student-led technical initiatives and outreach activities
- Travel to attend national or international competitions
- Participation in industry conferences and events

This fund is available to undergraduate students enrolled in a Faculty of Engineering and Design programme. It is open to student clubs, associations, networks as well as informal student groups. The fund value is $5000 max. per application.

Applications must be submitted by Monday 14 September.

Note: Funds must be spent by Sunday 28 February 2027. For any enquiries, contact [email protected].

Apply now: https://auckland.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_42ZBEoBJCqofvi6

30/08/2026

A major new project from the University of Auckland is developing robotics solutions to eradicate kina barrens and restore kelp forests in the Hauraki Gulf – improving existing methods like diver-based culling to make sea urchin removal faster, more effective and sustainable for the long term.

Restoring kelp forests requires more than 90 percent of kina to be removed from affected areas – and while current methods are effective, they're also labour-intensive, physically demanding on divers, and difficult to scale across the gulf.

This Next Foundation-funded project brings together engineers, marine scientists and divers to tackle the challenge.

Read more by clicking the link below.

Dense swarms of kina (sea urchins) now cover a third of the Hauraki Gulf's rocky reefs, stripping away kelp forests that are foundational to coastal biodiversity. A major new project is developing robotics solutions to restore these damaged ecosystems at scale.

28/08/2026

Six projects by Architecture and Urban Planning staff at the University of Auckland have been shortlisted for the NZIA National Awards, placing them alongside some of New Zealand’s most significant new buildings.

Professor Andrew Barrie's St Luke's Hospitality Centre and Oxford Terrace Baptist Church Housing were among the projects recognised in the NZIA local awards.

Two Auckland projects, Red Threads and Waka Huia, by senior lecturers Dr Sarosh Mulla and Aaron Paterson (PAC Studio), also received Housing awards, and Lynda Simmons' Onetangi Pavilions project was recognised and praised by the jury for its use of light and shadow.

Two more of Andrew's timber projects were also shortlisted, and Professor Anthony Hōete's Whare Mīmirū was also highly commended and shortlisted for the Innovative Timber Manufacturing and Technology category.

Read more by clicking the link below.

Six projects by University of Auckland architecture and design staff have been shortlisted for the NZIA National Awards, placing them alongside some of New Zealand’s most significant new buildings.

27/08/2026

University of Auckland spinout Nurox Hydrothermal has been named a finalist in the 2026 KiwiNet Awards for its innovative approach to hazardous waste treatment.

Nurox's hydrothermal technology uses heat, water, and air under controlled conditions to break down challenging waste streams, producing clean water, inert by-products, and saleable acetic acid.

Developed from research led by Professor Saeid Baroutian, the technology offers a lower-emission, circular alternative to conventional waste treatment and has now moved into commercial-scale deployment, with Nurox’s first plant being commissioned in Auckland.

Read more by clicking the link below.

A hydrothermal process that converts hazardous waste into water and saleable by-products has earned Nurox Hydrothermal a finalist place in the 2026 KiwiNet Awards.

20/08/2026

Transport researcher and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dr Minh Kieu was recently interviewed by 1News and Stuff about phantom traffic jams – those mysterious slowdowns that happen without any obvious cause. They occur in dense traffic when one driver brakes too hard or reacts too slowly, triggering a chain reaction.

“The problem is not that we drive badly. It is that we drive the way you can safely drive on a quiet road, but our roads are no longer quiet," Minh says.

Read more by clicking the link below.

Traffic slows to a crawl. You inch forward, expecting to pass a crash or roadworks. Instead, the road suddenly opens up as if nothing happened. So what caused the delay?

17/08/2026

Join the Master of Engineering webinar to understand how the programme supports advanced study and research, preparing you for leadership roles in engineering.

Register now: https://bit.ly/3SxiJXE

14/08/2026

Jim Hefkey, director of the Auckland Programme for Space Systems, recently featured on RNZ's Nine to Noon to talk about the inaugural New Zealand Undergraduate Space Challenge – a new national programme led by the Faculty of Engineering and Design, that gives undergraduate students across universities, and across the academic spectrum, the opportunity to take part in real space missions.

He explains how the challenge will work, what inspired it, and what it could mean for New Zealand's space industry's next generation.

Listen to the interview by clicking the link below.

As New Zealand's space sector continues to grow, a new initiative is giving university students the chance to be part of a real space mission.

10/08/2026

Join the Master of Urban Planning (Professional) webinar to learn about our professionally accredited programme and the factors that affect our increasingly complex and diverse urban world.

Register now: https://bit.ly/3QB8sJx