Speaker: Moon Chen, Plant Breeder
Date: Thursday, 24 April 2025
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Lecture Theatre 1, EIT Taradale, Napier

Join us for a fascinating and delicious evening as we explore the science behind apple breeding. In this engaging public talk, you’ll discover how plant breeders combine traditional knowledge with cutting-edge tools to develop apples that are tastier, more resilient, and better suited to changing climates.

We’ll start with a behind-the-scenes look at the goals of plant breeding—from boosting yield and fighting disease, to delivering the crisp, juicy fruit that consumers love. You’ll learn how traits are inherited from parent apples, how long it really takes to breed a new variety, and how technologies like DNA markers and genomic selection are changing the game.

The talk features a case study on Envy™ apples, developed right here in New Zealand by crossing Royal Gala and Braeburn. To bring the story to life, you’ll get to taste all three apples—and see if you can identify the traits passed down from parent to offspring!

Moon Chen is a plant breeder and PhD researcher based at Plant & Food Research in Hawke’s Bay. With a background in fruit breeding and a strong interest in genetics and data-driven innovation, Moon focuses on how apples respond to seasonal changes—particularly bud break and dormancy—and how breeding can improve resilience in a changing climate. She is passionate about bridging science and real-world application. Moon is committed to sharing the stories behind the fruit we eat, and the science that makes it all possible.

Date: Thursday, 22 May 2025

Time: 5:30pm

Location: T&G Global, Whakatu (access details will be provided to confirmed attendees)

Booking Required via Eventfinda – Limited to 40 People. Bookings will open on 22 April.
This is a members-only event. You must be a paid-up RSNZ HB Branch member with membership valid through to March 2026.

Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of T&G’s cutting-edge $100 million apple packhouse in Whakatu, which opened in May 2023. This state-of-the-art facility is nearly fully automated, using advanced technology for apple washing, grading, packing, palletising, and storage. Some apples are even packed by robots – though humans still do it faster!

This is a rare opportunity to see one of New Zealand’s most advanced post-harvest facilities in action.

Visitor Requirements:

• Wear hi-viz if you have it (T&G will provide hair and beard nets)

• Wear flat, fully enclosed shoes

• No jewellery or watches (plain wedding bands without stones are permitted)

• No photos allowed – please leave your phone in the car

Speaker: Dr Barry Scott
Date: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Time: 6:00 pm
Location: Lecture Theatre 1, EIT Taradale, Napier

Gene editing has revolutionized the ability to make precise changes to DNA, with the CRISPR-Cas9 breakthrough in 2012 transforming fields such as healthcare, agriculture, and conservation. However, the rapid development of this technology has outpaced public awareness and regulatory frameworks.

To address these challenges, Royal Society Te Apārangi convened an expert panel, supported by a Māori reference group, to explore the scientific, ethical, and regulatory implications of gene editing in New Zealand. This talk will examine how gene editing works, its potential applications, and the legal and social considerations that need to be addressed—including insights from the recently introduced Gene Technology Bill.

Dr. Barry Scott is an Emeritus Professor of Molecular Genetics at Massey University, where he taught and conducted research for nearly 40 years. His work focused on symbiotic interactions between plants and microbes, and he has been deeply involved in gene technology policy and public engagement.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Dr. Scott has served as Vice President (Biological and Life Sciences) of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, co-chaired the Expert Advice Panel on Gene Editing (2016–2018), and was a board member of the Environmental Risk Management Authority. His extensive experience in both molecular genetics research and science policy makes him uniquely positioned to discuss the future of gene editing in New Zealand.