Nelson Science Stories

Nelson Science Stories

Hosted by Graeme Robertson, Nelson Science Stories shines a light on the discoveries, people, and places that have shaped the region’s rich scientific heritage. From early innovations to modern breakthroughs, each episode uncovers the fascinating stories behind Nelson’s contribution to science in Aotearoa and beyond.

Episodes

Episode 30 - Joy Oakly Pt1

May 26, 2026 • 11 mins
An Interview with Microbiologist Joy Oakly, Cawthrons longest serving current employee. She describes the beginnings of the microbiology lab, ending with its involvement in a criminal trial.
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Episode 29 - Dr Lesley Rhodes pt3

May 19, 2026 • 8 mins
The 3rd and final chapter of the interview with Dr Lesley Rhodes focuses on Cawthrons culture collection of microalgae, with over 700 different isolates. This living collection is an extremely valuable resource for medicinal drug discovery, food for fish and shelfish, and education.
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Episode 28 - Dr Lesley Rhodes pt2

May 12, 2026 • 10 mins
Part 2 of the interview with Cawthron Senior Scientist Dr Lesley Rhodes. Topics covered include the origins of NZ's world leading biotoxin monitoring programme, plus thoughts on the future impact of warming oceans.
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Episode 27 - Dr Lesley Rhodes pt1

May 5, 2026 • 15 mins
The first of a three part interview with Senior Scientist Dr Lesley Rhodes. It covers her early days at Cawthron, the impact of the ’93 algae bloom and her efforts to encourage young women in science
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Episode 26 - Staff Tragedy

April 28, 2026 • 9 mins
A young Cawthron technician was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which did not respond well to treatment. His attendance was limited to stable periods and staff were trained to recognize warning signs. Despite everyone’s strenuous efforts, and to our great distress, he eventually took his own life. A tree was planted in his honor on the Cawthron campus.
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Episode 25 - Sunshine Salaries

April 21, 2026 • 11 mins
A fundamental change to the way salaries were determined was achieved with a smooth transition, thanks to an unusually high level of transparency and staff participation.
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Episode 24 - Funding

April 14, 2026 • 11 mins
The restructuring of the NZ science system in the 90s was critical for Cawthron survival. We became quite successful in gaining research grants, by adapting more quickly and maintaining better connections with research users.
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Episode 23 - Lorraine MacIntosh

April 7, 2026 • 6 mins
Lorraine MacIntosh was a Cawthron lab technician in the 1980s, eventually heading up our commercial testing that kept the institute afloat. Devoted to customers, she later managed 80+ staff and contributed one-third of our revenue. But then she met a Spanish sailor, married and moved to Valencia. She later became America’s Cup correspondent and regular podcaster for Fresh FM.
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Episode 22 - Marine & Freshwater ecology

March 31, 2026 • 10 mins
John Stark was good at assessing stream quality. An Australian TV series filmed his work. They wanted a polluted stream and we found one in miniature. Mussel farming is sustainable, organic even. Getting the paperwork to prove that was tough. Cawthron scientists came up with smart technology which provided the necessary evidence. The final story concerns a potential ecosystem transplant via a leased Russian trawler, resulting in...
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Episode 21 - Tourism and Trout

March 24, 2026 • 9 mins
Cawthron's freshwater group expanded by recruiting fish expert John Hayes from NIWA, a careful year-long process. His arrival attracted new scientists and secured government funding. A notable study with Otago University investigated if catch-and-release made trout harder to catch. Turns out: “urban trout are much smarter than their rural cousins”. This strong team built the foundation for Cawthron's nationally impactful freshwater...
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Episode 20 - Knapp Collection

March 17, 2026 • 14 mins
In 1988, the cataloguing of Cawthron's large Knapp collection of Māori taonga began a decades-long journey of building trust with local iwi. particularly regarding a significant hei tiki linked to an ancestor named Merenako. The institute's perspective gradually shifted from ownership to kaitiakitanga (guardianship). In 2009, a formal agreement transferred stewardship of the entire collection to the Nelson Provincial Museum and lo...
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Episode 19 - Cryopreservation

March 10, 2026 • 5 mins
Breeding Greenshell mussels posed unique challenges, as their short lifespans required cryopreservation, a technique never before achieved for mussel eggs. Cawthron partnered with AgResearch experts, forming a dedicated team that made a global breakthrough.
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Episode 18 - Cawthron Memorial Lectures

March 3, 2026 • 12 mins
Established in 1917 to honour founder Thomas Cawthron, this lecture series featured notable speakers like Rutherford and Hillary. It was revived in 1990 after a 10 year pause. A memorable 1992 lecture by 91-year-old Sir Mark Oliphant, tracked 3 notable discoveries in the 1890s, delivering a powerful warning on science's role in global crises.
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Episode 17 - Honouring a Cawthron Fellow

February 24, 2026 • 8 mins
Cawthron benefited greatly from Prof. Kosuge’s influence, though at the time his full stature was not appreciated. His reputation rescued a senior Japanese scientist’s sabbatical. Cultural bridges proved invaluable. I tried to reassure a distressed PhD student from Japan. The professor received a 70th birthday, Nelson artist Daryl Robertson.
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Episode 16 - Some PR Adventures

February 17, 2026 • 10 mins
Two stories: Cawthron detected a toxic algae off Tauranga Harbour. At industry’s urging we issued a press release which led to a challenging interview with Kim Hill. The mussel breeding program had been secret for several years, amid concerns about IP leaking offshore. When NIWA announced a new aquaculture centre, we arranged a public launch of our program a week earlier.
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Episode 15 - Young Women in Science

February 10, 2026 • 5 mins
In 2001, Cawthron’s Dr. Alison Haywood won a prestigious UNESCO-L’Oréal award, the only Southern Hemisphere winner. The next year, Dr. Jenny Smith also won, surprising judges. A decade later, Zoe Hilton repeated the feat—an exceptional achievement for Cawthron and Nelson. Cawthron senior scientists Dr Lesley Rhodes was the encouragement behind their applications.
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Episode 14 - Sawmills and Dioxins

February 3, 2026 • 11 mins
A 1990 Cawthron report highlighted the impact of dioxin impurities in PCP (pentachlorophenol). A brief delay in its public release enabled a heads up for the major sawmill companies, allowing them to proactively locate and plan cleanups for contaminated sites. The report lead to PCP's ban in 1991 and the creation of a national contaminated sites database.
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Episode 13 - Paua Pearls

January 27, 2026 • 10 mins
Cawthron fellow Prof Kosuge introduced us to a giant Japanese cosmetics company. We began a joint project to grow pearls in paua, purchasing a house in Okiwi Bay and fitting it out as a research base and home for a Japanese expert. This was before Paua pearls became a thing. Then it came to a sudden stop.
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Episode 12 - A Compound Worth Millions?

January 20, 2026 • 7 mins
In 2003, Lincoln Mackenzie rushed to an algae bloom off the West Coast. Greymouth, hired a boat and located a dense subsurface bloom which may contain a rare compound, pectenotoxin (PTX). For hours he pumped and concentrated seawater into several dozen 20 L carboys. Analysis revealed PTX which was later purified with a Canadian lab into a global reference standard. Enough for the world supply for the next 5 years. Some of these st...
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Episode 11 - Tesla nodes, aliens and other nasties

January 13, 2026 • 11 mins
(For the “wild & wacky” section) An earnest visitor wants Cawthron to start research into cetacean behaviour. Turns out he believes aliens are extracting energy from our planet, from a “Tesla node” above Farewell Spit. That visit gets aired on RNZ. Prof Yasumoto, the foremost expert in Japan on Marine biotoxins, visited Cawthron after the 92/93. At a dinner in Wellington with officials he pushed his request for samples. He and his...
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