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

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.

Speakers: Aaron Harry and Corey Solomon, Mechanical Design Engineers

Date: Tuesday 6 May

Time: 6pm

Location: Lecture Theatre 1, EIT Taradale, Napier

Admission: Gold coin donation

Windsor Energy is a New Zealand-based sustainable thermal energy company. The Projects team, based in Napier, designs industrial boilers to produce heat in the form of steam, hot water or hot air, depending on customer requirements. The boilers can use electricity, natural gas, oil or biomass as a fuel. Much of the work they’re currently doing in New Zealand is converting coal boilers to use electricity or biomass (e.g. wood waste, organic sludge), thereby enabling companies to reduce their carbon emissions.

Aaron and Corey will discuss different thermal energy plants, indirect fired air heaters and energy plant conversions.

Both Aaron and Corey are Hawke’s Bay born and bred. After completing their mechanical engineering degrees at Waikato and Canterbury respectively, they joined RCR Energy, which became part of Windsor Group in March 2019.

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