Updates
The latest from A Better StartKia ora to our new board member
Welcome to our new board member, Professor Barry Borman. Professor Borman is an expert in the epidemiology of congenital anomalies and based at Massey University, where he is a Professor of Epidemiology. He has been the Director of the New Zealand Congenital...
Farewell to Dr Bruce Scoggins
A Better Start National Science Challenge Director Wayne Cutfield has paid tribute to one of New Zealand’s top health research administrators, who passed away on March 18. Dr Bruce Scoggins was Chair of Cure Kids’ Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee and has...
Read our March update
Say hello to our March 2022 update. Read it HERE Find out about our new $1M funding for Pasifika child health research and our new Pasifika theme leader; our latest research and recent publications; and meet one of the co-lead researchers on our Māori maternal...
Welcome to our new Research Operations Manager
Kia ora to our new Research Operations Manger, Kathryn Howard. Kathryn comes to us from the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland where she has been a research programme manager. She has previous experience in the University’s Research Office. Prior to...
The state of literacy in New Zealand – webinar
Interested in the state of literacy in New Zealand? A Better Start National Science Challenge's deputy director, Professor Gail Gillon, is one of four guest speakers at a State of Literacy webinar, hosted by The Education Hub, on Monday 21 March at 7.30pm. Over the...
Meet the Researcher – Dr Naomi Simmonds
Dr Naomi Simmonds is co-lead on A Better Start’s Kaupapa Māori project Raranga Raranga Taku Takapau: Hapū Ora for Tamariki. She talks about her wish for this year, the best piece of advice her mother gave her, and the best book she has read recently. Can you tell...
Announcing our new Pasifika Strategy theme leader
A Better Start National Science Challenge is very pleased to announce Associate Professor Tupa’ilevaililigi Riz Firestone as its new Pasifika Strategy theme leader. Associate Professor Firestone is a senior researcher at the Research Centre for Hauora and Health at...
$1M research project to improve Pasifika child health
A major research project aimed at the prevention of obesity, prediabetes and poor dental health among Pacific children has been awarded $1 million in funding from A Better Start National Science Challenge. The two-year project, which gets underway shortly, will be...
Young adults with autism less likely to be charged with crimes – RNZ interview
Dr Nick Bowden talks to Radio New Zealand’s Nine To Noon programme about a new study, funded by A Better Start National Science Challenge, which looks at how young people with autism are treated by the criminal justice system. LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE...
Autism and the criminal justice system
Young adults with autism are 39 per cent less likely to be charged with crimes than non-autistic people, but those who are charged are more likely to face tougher punishment, a study funded by A Better Start has found. Researchers tracked about 150,000 people born...
Our top 3 recent webinars; plus our upcoming 2022 webinar series
Just in case you missed our most popular webinars from our 2021 series, here they are for you. Discover the latest research and data on: Infant Sleep Rethinking Screen Time - the impact of Covid-19 on children's learning Children, Infants and the Covid-19 Vaccine ...
