Cricket legend among Massey graduates
massey-university
Fri May 08 2015 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Cricket legend among Massey graduates
Friday, 8 May 2015, 11:06 am
Press Release: Massey University
Cricket legend among Massey graduates
Doctoral research on volcanoes, New Zealand Cricket, dairy cow fertility, glaucoma, understanding depression in the elderly and how to tackle adolescent literacy problems are some of the topics covered in 33 PhDs being conferred at Massey University’s Manawatū graduation ceremonies next week.
A total of 1211 graduands, including 123 who are gaining Masters qualifications, will cross the stage at the Regent Theatre in six ceremonies spanning three days from May 11 to 13.
Among well-known graduates is Palmerston North-born cricketer Jacob Oram, a former Black Cap who will gain a Bachelor of Business Studies at Monday’s ceremony for the Massey Business School. It took 18 years for Mr Oram to complete his degree, which he pursued while juggling the demands of his international cricket career. He has been using his skills and knowledge gained from his studies to help local sports initiatives, and currently works at Massey in the business development and commercialisation area.
Mr Oram played 33 tests, 160 one-day internationals, 36 twenty20 internationals and 85 first-class matches. He played for New Zealand in three Cricket World Cups, including two semifinals – and is one of 36 New Zealand test cricketers to have scored 1000 or more runs. He is also one of just six New Zealanders to have reached the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in one-day internationals. On several occasions during his career he was ranked as the world’s number one-day international allrounder.
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In the same ceremony his former cricket coach Alex Astle will be conferred with a PhD. In his thesis he explored strategies used by New Zealand cricket to revitalise the game at a grassroots community level.
Among science PhDs to receive their degrees on Tuesday is Mirjam Guesgen, who is taking her background and passion for science and using it to communicate science to a wider audience. She will graduate with a PhD in Zoology, having studied emotion in animals and how the social environment affects how lambs show pain.
She now works as the science communications advisor for Massey University and says the promotion and discussion of science in the public arena is just as important as the study of science in research organisations. Science is a family affair, with her father, Professor Hans Guesgen, leading the computer science group at Massey University and her sister, Maike, studying towards a Master in Social Science at the University.
This ceremony also celebrates the next cohort of qualified veterinarians who, according to the recent results of an international rankings system, are number one in the world for their reputation with employers. Among the veterinary graduates is Laura Schwerdtfeger, daughter to acclaimed scientist and 2014 Rutherford medal winner Professor Peter Schwerdtfeger, who is based at the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study at the Albany campus.
A former diplomat and an Anglican Archbishop will receive honorary doctorates at this year’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences ceremonies on Wednesday. Gerald Hensley and Archbishop Sir David Moxon will both be made Doctors of Literature (Honoris Causa), at separate ceremonies.
Mr Hensley is being recognised for his distinguished career as a diplomat and public servant spanning two decades and working with 10 New Zealand prime ministers, as well as overseas in postings including Samoa, Singapore, Washington, New York and London. He has published widely on historical and political topics, including his most recent book Friendly Fire: Nuclear Politics and the Collapse of ANZUS, 1984-1987, published in 2013.
Archbishop Sir David Moxon is returning to his hometown for the event from Rome, where he is currently the Archbishop of Canterbury’s representative to the Holy See, and Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome. He began his humanitarian work as a youth worker with Volunteer Service Abroad in Fiji. In 1976 he completed a Masters degree with Honours, at Massey, in Education and Sociology, then went on to the University of Oxford Honours School of Theology, St Peter's College, Oxford, where he graduated with a BA (hons) in 1978 and MA in 1982. Last year he was honoured in the New Year’s Honours list as Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
All ceremonies will be live-streamed, enabling family and friends who cannot attend to watch graduates receive their degrees. Additional ceremonies for Māori and Pasifika graduates will be held at the Regent Theatre on Thursday, May 14 at 9.30am and 2.30pm respectively.
Guest speakers for each of the ceremonies are:
Ceremony One: Monday 11 May – 1.30pm
Massey Business School
Rodney Wong – company director
Ceremony Two: Tuesday 12 May – 9.30am
College of Sciences A
Michael Ahie – Pro Chancellor of Massey University and company director
Ceremony Three: Tuesday 12 May – 2.30pm
College of Sciences B
Mavis Mullins (MNZM) – company director
Ceremony Four: Wednesday 13 May – 9.30am
College of Humanities and Social Sciences A
Honorary Doctorate recipient
Gerald Christopher Philip Hensley, CNZM, MA (Hons)
Ceremony Five: Wednesday 13 May – 12.30pm
College of Humanities and Social Sciences B
Honorary Doctorate recipient
Archbishop Sir David John Moxon, KNZM, MA (Hons)
Ceremony Six: Wednesday 13 May – 3.30pm
College of Creative Arts, College of Health, Professional and Continuing Development
Jane Haste - Blue Couch Consultancy and 2015 Massey University and Distinguished Young Alumni Award Recipient
All ceremonies will be live-streamed, so that family and friends unable to attend ceremonies can watch graduates receive their degree. Click here for more information on ceremony dates and times.
ENDS
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