Bridging the digital divide: Supporting Aotearoa's journey to digital literacy excellence
Raising digital skills literacy in New Zealand is essential for the advancement and progress of the nation. As technology continues to transform every aspect of our lives, it is essential to ensure that researchers are equipped with the necessary skills to navigate the changing digital landscape effectively.
Universities, research centres and crown research institutes across the motu strive to support a research workforce proficient in data science, high-performance computing, and advanced research methodologies, contributing significantly to the country's digital competitiveness and knowledge economy.
This Birds-of-a feather session aims to spotlight the diverse initiatives for digital upskilling led by organizations nationwide. It will encourage a focused dialogue on identifying the research requirements of the community as we prepare for next year's training programs. The session is geared towards addressing the training necessities of the research community, striving to meet their specific needs effectively.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr Murray Cadzow is a Scientific Program mer within Research Teaching IT Support at the University of Otago. Prior to this he spent 11 years researching the genetic basis of gout and related diseases. Murray has been heavily involved in computational literacy and bioinformatic training at the University of Otago - organising Research Bazaar Dunedin and the Otago Bioinformatics Spring School. He is both a Carpentries instructor and instructor trainer. His teaching has focused on delivering digital literacy training to researchers, and the development and support of the local Carpentries community at Otago.
Dr Nisha Ghatak is the Research Communities Advisor and Training Lead at NeSI. She is also the Carpentries Regional Coordinator for Aotearoa New Zealand. and an Executive Council member for the Carpentries.
Dr Tyler McInnes is the Bioinformatics Training Coordinator for Genomics Aotearoa. He has research experience in the field of genetics, studying cancer epigenetics in colorectal cancer and limb and spinal development in Xenopus laevis. In his previous role as a Teaching Fellow, Tyler developed and implemented a series of workshops to support student learning, as well as new lecture content and practical labs with a focus on bioinformatics. He is now a certified Carpentries instructor.
Dr Tom Saunders has a background in entomology and biosecurity but is now an Engagement Specialist in the Centre for eResearch at the University of Auckland. Tom organises, hosts, and delivers digital research skills workshops, and helps researchers to manage their data throughout the research lifecycle. He collaborates on the organisation and delivery of ResBaz Aotearoa and cross-institution Carpentries events as a certified instructor.
For more information about eResearch NZ / eRangahau Aotearoa, visit:
https://eresearchnz.co.nz/
