12 -17 August 2025

Plus Pre-Festival Presentations – 11th August

Science exists in our everyday lives: Ocean, land, animals, weather, plants, history, and so much more. The Chatham Islands are among the best places on earth to learn all the fascinating things and why they matter to us. Join us and get ready for a feast of science-inspired events including various talks, displays and activities related to the Chatham Islands.

Discover Programme Booklet

What you can expect at the Festival of Science

Monday 11th August – Pre-Festival Evening Presentations

The first night of the festival will start off with a bang, where we will enjoy an evening listening to some amazing and insightful speakers to kick the festivities off.

  • Lou Sanson – The Chatham Islands in an International Context
  • Richard O’Driscoll (Earth Sciences NZ) – The Contribution to Science from the Chatham Rise
  • Mark Geytenbeek (MPI) – Pāua Science for Chatham Island Pāua Management

Tuesday Night – Presentations on local environmental projects:

  • Chatham Islands Landscape Restoration Trust – Hamish Chisolm
  • The Taiko Trust – Jenna Hoverd
  • Department of Conservation (DOC)

Wednesday Night Presentations

  • Tim Park – Ecologist & Conservation Leader, Ōtari Native Botanic Garden & Wilton’s Bush Reserve
  • Travis Ingram & Grace Fortune-Kelly (University of Otago) – Freshwater Fish Studies

Thursday Night Presentations – Astrotourism and Darks Skies

  • John Hearnshaw, Emeritus Professor of Astronomy, University of Canterbury
  • Steve Butler, Chair of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve Board
  • Nalayini Davies, President of DarkSky International, Auckland Astronomical Society
  • Gareth Davies, Waiheke Island Observatory and Auckland Astronomical Society

Friday Night Presentations

  • Zengwei Li & Anna (BRANZ) – Update on the Islands’ Corrosion Research
  • Tribute to the late David Johnston
  • Community Quiz Night

Saturday Afternoon (Honey focus):

  • Dr Kat Holt – From Flowers to Honey: Using Pollen to Decode Nature’s Sweetest Story
  • Dr Jocelyn Powell – Challenges for Chatham Island Beekeepers: A Historic Perspective
  • Toni Croon – Beekeeping on the Chatham Islands: From Hobbyist to Semi-Professional – Mistakes and Learnings
  • Kaai Silbery & Bridget Preece – Beekeeping on the Chatham Islands – New opportunties

Saturday night

  • Community astronomy and Stargazing at Kopinga Marae.

Sunday (Final Day):

  • Lunchtime community event at Kopinga Marae, including a talk by Anna Miller on the Origins and Impacts of Volcanic Ash Layers on Chatham Island, followed by fun community activities

For more information email manager@chathamislands.co.nz