Building a wind farm through Covid-19 and cyclones

Speaker: James Mears, Project Manager for Meridian Energy’s Harapaki wind farm

Date: Tuesday, 9 April 2024, 6pm

Venue: Pacific Surf Club (26 Marine Parade, Bluff Hill, Napier )

Admission: Gold coin donation

Join us for an insightful session with James Mears, Project Manager for Meridian Energy’s Harapaki wind farm. Dive into the journey of constructing the second largest wind farm in Aotearoa, set to bolster Hawke’s Bay with unprecedented resiliency and security of supply. This 41-turbine project on the Maungaharuru Range showcases our commitment to renewable energy and a decarbonized economy. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the challenges and triumphs of building a greener future.

James Mears brings over two decades of expertise in managing significant capital projects globally, including the notable Watchman Road project. As a chartered civil engineer, his experience with Meridian Energy highlights a dedication to sustainable development. With Meridian’s portfolio of wind farms, hydro power stations, and solar arrays, James’s work exemplifies our journey towards a sustainable planet. Join him to explore the intricacies of developing renewable energy infrastructure that stands the test of time and nature.

Generative AI – a lecture series in May and June 2023

Four lectures on this topical and important subject are being broadcast free of charge by the Faculty of Science, University of Auckland

Thursday, 11 May: 2023 Gibbons Online Lecture – AI and the New Creative Revolution

www.eventbrite.co.nz

The 2023 Gibbons Lectures series is intended to describe ongoing research in Computer Science to a wider public, organized by Faculty of Science, University of Auckland.

Tim Gibson, Stolen Glances Studio

Thursday 11 May, 6:30pm

Venue: Lib B15 Lecture Theatre General Library Basement, (109-B15) The University of Auckland 5 Alfred Street, Auckland CBD, register your place here.

This lecture will be available to livestream here.

Generative Artificial Intelligence like ChatGPT and its visual equivalents Dall-E, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion have shaken up the creative workforce, often producing industry level copywriting, editing, illustration and design at a fraction of the time and cost of a human worker. Their capabilities have set off a technological arm’s race at the world’s largest tech companies while simultaneously building a user base of enthusiasts faster than the most popular social media platforms.

What can Generative AI be used for, how powerful is it really, how could it be used ethically, and what impact will it have on our creative industries and the people who work for and engage with them?

What could a world look like where creativity is ‘free’? 

In this talk, Tim will showcase some of the current technologies’ capabilities, the hot takes and debates from within the creative industries and attempt to predict what is next for creative Generative Artificial Intelligence.

Tim Gibson is a Creative Director, Animator and Illustrator who has worked for companies big and small across film, television, comics, branding and packaging design. His work has appeared for Garage Project, Weta Workshop, Le Monde Diplomatique, Penguin Random-House, Te Papa Tongarewa and more.