title: Distribution of reverse gyrase in representative species of eubacteria and archaebacteria

authors: Collin, R.G.

subjects: archaebacterium

abstract: Reverse gyrase is a topoisomerase which positively supercoils closed circular plasmid DNA. Reverse gyrase activity is restricted to the thermoacidophilic group of archaebacteria. Thermophilic methanogens and eubacteria and all mesophilic organisms screened had no reverse gyrase activity. The result supports the deep phylogenetic divergence in archaebacterial evolution.

text: Distribution of reverse gyrase in representative species of eubacteria and archaebacteria Reverse gyrase is a topoisomerase which positively supercoils closed circular plasmid DNA. Reverse gyrase activity is restricted to the thermoacidophilic group of archaebacteria. Thermophilic methanogens and eubacteria and all mesophilic organisms screened had no reverse gyrase activity. The result supports the deep phylogenetic divergence in archaebacterial evolution.

year: 1988

title: Coastal evolution of the Rangitāiki Plains, Bay of Plenty, Aotearoa-New Zealand

authors: Rackham, Bailey

subjects: Rangitaiki Plains

abstract: The Rangitāiki Plains is a tectonically active alluvial plain in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Throughout the mid-late Holocene (8 ka to present), the Rangitāiki Plains have undergone substantial geomorphological change, with the coastline prograding approximately 10 km over the past 6.5 ka, leaving relic shoreline features known as beach ridges. Previous studies of the Rangitāiki Plains have utilised tephrochronology and radiocarbon dating to determine the ages of several palaeoshorelines. These dates provided minimum ages for beach ridges and resulted in aging constraints; furthermore, limited textural and geochemical characterisation of beach ridges has hampered understanding of sediment provenance and reworking changes. Addressing these research gaps is important as this knowledge is especially relevant in coastal management, modern climate change, and increasing anthropogenic impacts on the coastline.  

Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating on the Rangitāiki Plains produced older beach ridge ages than those derived via tephrochronology. OSL dating also showed that beach ridge ages coincided with volcanic eruption events. The OSL progradation rates extend to much older time frames than those based on tephrochronology, starting at 7.6 ka rather than 5.5 ka. New data concludes a prominent progradation peak up to 43.03 m yr⁻¹ between 5.202±0.368 ka and 5.187±0.447 ka, around the time of the Whakatāne eruption. By 4 ka, progradation had slowed to only 1.14 m yr⁻¹, suggesting that longshore drift occurred earlier than previously calculated (2 ka), or that progradation slowed before longshore drift commenced. XRF and XRD analysis of sediments from Rangitāiki Plains confirms that beach ridge sediments comprise of intermediate igneous sediments that have been tephra fingerprinted to the Taupō Volcanic Zone.

text: Coastal evolution of the Rangitāiki Plains, Bay of Plenty, Aotearoa-New Zealand The Rangitāiki Plains is a tectonically active alluvial plain in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. Throughout the mid-late Holocene (8 ka to present), the Rangitāiki Plains have undergone substantial geomorphological change, with the coastline prograding approximately 10 km over the past 6.5 ka, leaving relic shoreline features known as beach ridges. Previous studies of the Rangitāiki Plains have utilised tephrochronology and radiocarbon dating to determine the ages of several palaeoshorelines. These dates provided minimum ages for beach ridges and resulted in aging constraints; furthermore, limited textural and geochemical characterisation of beach ridges has hampered understanding of sediment provenance and reworking changes. Addressing these research gaps is important as this knowledge is especially relevant in coastal management, modern climate change, and increasing anthropogenic impacts on the coastline.  

Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating on the Rangitāiki Plains produced older beach ridge ages than those derived via tephrochronology. OSL dating also showed that beach ridge ages coincided with volcanic eruption events. The OSL progradation rates extend to much older time frames than those based on tephrochronology, starting at 7.6 ka rather than 5.5 ka. New data concludes a prominent progradation peak up to 43.03 m yr⁻¹ between 5.202±0.368 ka and 5.187±0.447 ka, around the time of the Whakatāne eruption. By 4 ka, progradation had slowed to only 1.14 m yr⁻¹, suggesting that longshore drift occurred earlier than previously calculated (2 ka), or that progradation slowed before longshore drift commenced. XRF and XRD analysis of sediments from Rangitāiki Plains confirms that beach ridge sediments comprise of intermediate igneous sediments that have been tephra fingerprinted to the Taupō Volcanic Zone.

year: 2025

title: Racial inequalities in engineering employment in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Roy, Rituparna

abstract: This report presents findings from research on racism and inequality in engineering employment in New Zealand. Conducted as part of the Working to End Racial Oppression (WERO) research programme (see: https://wero.ac.nz/), this study examines how racial discrimination operates in recruitment and career progression within the engineering sector. The research was carried out with the support of Engineering New Zealand | Te Ao Rangahau and the Association of Consulting and Engineering New Zealand. 

This research involves two phases of in-depth interviews. The first phase entails interviews with industry key informants such as human resources staff, managers, or people from diversity and culture teams for different engineering firms that ranged from very small to large in size. In the second phase, currently employed engineers from different ethnic groups were undertaken, including Māori, Pacific, Pākehā, Asian and Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA). The findings from these two sets of interviews are presented respectively in Section 3 and 4. 

The research also included an analysis of the workforce composition and wage gaps in Engineering based on analysis of Census and New Zealand Income Survey data. This analysis, which is presented in Section 1, revealed the disproportionately low number of female engineers, and of Māori and Pacific people employed as engineers. Analysis of average median hourly wages revealed notable differences, with Māori and Pacific engineers having median wages that are around 80% of the overall median. 

There has been a significant emphasis on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in recruitment and human resource management in Engineering in recent years. This emphasis reflects industry efforts to address known ethnic and gender imbalances in the workforce. Industry informants, however, highlighted several challenges, tensions, and contradictions they faced in integrating and practicing DEI in recruitment. Employers often struggle to balance competing frameworks such as equity, meritocracy, and people-focused approaches, making recruitment decisions complex. Despite initiatives like blind CV screening, targeted graduate programmes and preferential shortlisting of Māori and Pacific applicants, the industry remains heavily merit-driven. Additionally, DEI efforts are largely gender-focused, lacking an intersectional approach that considers overlapping social inequities. 

The interviews with engineers revealed that individuals from different ethnic groups face distinct barriers and challenges in securing employment and advancing their careers. For Māori and Pacific engineers, the pathway into engineering is severely limited, with only a small number entering the profession each year. Those currently employed often experience what has been described V as a ‘cultural tax’—being expected to take on cultural responsibilities in addition to their technical roles, without monetary compensation or clear career advancement opportunities. Racialised immigrant engineers, on the contrary, reported devaluation and deskilling of their qualifications and experience based on their ethnic and national origins. Despite extensive work experience in their home countries, they were often required to restart their careers in graduate or entry-level positions. Several participants shared experiences of unfair promotions, where White, European, and Anglophone employees were favoured for leadership roles. When discussing their own career trajectories, most non-Pākehā and nonEuropean participants expressed scepticism about ever being promoted to senior positions with decision-making authority. 

The accounts of discriminations and racial inequalities shared by engineers have profound implications for their employment, career progression, well-being, and society at large. Navigating a predominantly monocultural work environment—marked by challenges like cultural taxation, glass ceilings, and the ‘white boys’ club’—places additional burdens on racialised groups. The pressure to constantly prove their worth further exacerbates these issues, leading to serious retention problems. If not addressed, the sector risks losing engineers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, exacerbating gender and ethnic pay gaps, worsening representation and diversity issues, and reinforcing systemic racial inequities. 

Addressing monoculturalism and the ‘white boys’ club’ culture and fostering a genuinely inclusive profession will require systemic changes within engineering firms and in accepted norms in the profession and industry. Without a shift in workplace culture, efforts to recruit more engineers from underrepresented backgrounds will remain ineffective, as many will continue to leave due to unwelcoming environments. To create lasting change, DEI initiatives must go beyond recruitment and actively reshape the structures, policies, and day-today practices that define the industry. This requires the mindful integration of diverse cultural values and practices into every layer of organisational functions, including recruitment, career advancement frameworks, and job descriptions.

text: Racial inequalities in engineering employment in Aotearoa New Zealand This report presents findings from research on racism and inequality in engineering employment in New Zealand. Conducted as part of the Working to End Racial Oppression (WERO) research programme (see: https://wero.ac.nz/), this study examines how racial discrimination operates in recruitment and career progression within the engineering sector. The research was carried out with the support of Engineering New Zealand | Te Ao Rangahau and the Association of Consulting and Engineering New Zealand. 

This research involves two phases of in-depth interviews. The first phase entails interviews with industry key informants such as human resources staff, managers, or people from diversity and culture teams for different engineering firms that ranged from very small to large in size. In the second phase, currently employed engineers from different ethnic groups were undertaken, including Māori, Pacific, Pākehā, Asian and Middle Eastern, Latin American and African (MELAA). The findings from these two sets of interviews are presented respectively in Section 3 and 4. 

The research also included an analysis of the workforce composition and wage gaps in Engineering based on analysis of Census and New Zealand Income Survey data. This analysis, which is presented in Section 1, revealed the disproportionately low number of female engineers, and of Māori and Pacific people employed as engineers. Analysis of average median hourly wages revealed notable differences, with Māori and Pacific engineers having median wages that are around 80% of the overall median. 

There has been a significant emphasis on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in recruitment and human resource management in Engineering in recent years. This emphasis reflects industry efforts to address known ethnic and gender imbalances in the workforce. Industry informants, however, highlighted several challenges, tensions, and contradictions they faced in integrating and practicing DEI in recruitment. Employers often struggle to balance competing frameworks such as equity, meritocracy, and people-focused approaches, making recruitment decisions complex. Despite initiatives like blind CV screening, targeted graduate programmes and preferential shortlisting of Māori and Pacific applicants, the industry remains heavily merit-driven. Additionally, DEI efforts are largely gender-focused, lacking an intersectional approach that considers overlapping social inequities. 

The interviews with engineers revealed that individuals from different ethnic groups face distinct barriers and challenges in securing employment and advancing their careers. For Māori and Pacific engineers, the pathway into engineering is severely limited, with only a small number entering the profession each year. Those currently employed often experience what has been described V as a ‘cultural tax’—being expected to take on cultural responsibilities in addition to their technical roles, without monetary compensation or clear career advancement opportunities. Racialised immigrant engineers, on the contrary, reported devaluation and deskilling of their qualifications and experience based on their ethnic and national origins. Despite extensive work experience in their home countries, they were often required to restart their careers in graduate or entry-level positions. Several participants shared experiences of unfair promotions, where White, European, and Anglophone employees were favoured for leadership roles. When discussing their own career trajectories, most non-Pākehā and nonEuropean participants expressed scepticism about ever being promoted to senior positions with decision-making authority. 

The accounts of discriminations and racial inequalities shared by engineers have profound implications for their employment, career progression, well-being, and society at large. Navigating a predominantly monocultural work environment—marked by challenges like cultural taxation, glass ceilings, and the ‘white boys’ club’—places additional burdens on racialised groups. The pressure to constantly prove their worth further exacerbates these issues, leading to serious retention problems. If not addressed, the sector risks losing engineers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, exacerbating gender and ethnic pay gaps, worsening representation and diversity issues, and reinforcing systemic racial inequities. 

Addressing monoculturalism and the ‘white boys’ club’ culture and fostering a genuinely inclusive profession will require systemic changes within engineering firms and in accepted norms in the profession and industry. Without a shift in workplace culture, efforts to recruit more engineers from underrepresented backgrounds will remain ineffective, as many will continue to leave due to unwelcoming environments. To create lasting change, DEI initiatives must go beyond recruitment and actively reshape the structures, policies, and day-today practices that define the industry. This requires the mindful integration of diverse cultural values and practices into every layer of organisational functions, including recruitment, career advancement frameworks, and job descriptions.

year: 2025