Aurecon Experience Day(Engineering, Design and Advisory)

Aurecon is an engineering, management, design, planning, project management, consulting and advisory company based in Australia, Middle East, New Zealand, South East Asia and South Africa. Aurecon attracts and inspire a diverse workforce and create an inclusive, high-performing culture where different people, across more than 25 countries around the world, feel valued. All companies say culture is important, but ask anyone at Aurecon and they’ll tell how culture permeates through everything they do. All the strands of what they do, think and feel tie together to make who we are. Aurecons Attributes are a way of being. Principles and the Methodology is their way of doing. Aurecon Principles are our way of working. They infuse culture, where our people can flourish and bring our client’s ideas to life. They focus on what matters, and make the most of opportunities, helping clients shape the world to make it a better place. Aurecon attributes are our way of being. Individually and collectively they are the catalyst that unleashes the true power of Aurecon. Co-Creative, Inquisitive, Engaging, Commercial, Sense Maker, Unconventional Thinker, Fearless, Resourceful.

 In Tamaki college, our seniors from year 11 to year 13 Science students got a chance to visit Aurecon Auckland and talked with the best engineers about their success stories and their work. Different streams of engineers welcomed students and talked about their areas and their work. Their work and success stories were really inspirational. Students stayed for the whole day and they planned different engineering activities for students. Students participated really well and were enjoying their own work They were so excited to create their maps, plans and stories. 

They gave a 3D point England map to students and instruct them to create a new path by using this map. Different tasks were set for them and they divided students into 3 groups, Students with the best path, explanation and story won the prize. Some of the students were really interested in engineering and they were talking with engineers about the entrance, study and many things. Students returned to school with a great experience.

Introduction by Aurecon engineers for different engineering areas

 Students participating in activity

Students describing their work

Yr 13 students presenting their route map

DNAiTECH WORKSHOP AUCKLAND - 30th March 2021 Reflection

 

The cool thing about DNAiTECH is that you do not need a specialized laboratory environment to operate this technology. Last week, DNAiTECH ran a training workshop for teachers in a community hall in Kohimarama, Auckland. 

These were one-day workshops for teachers around the country, and each workshop consists of an introduction to the theory of isothermal DNA amplification, hands-on use of the DNAiTECH instrument, analysis of an unknown E.coli DNA sample and extraction and analysis of E. coli microorganisms from a local stream, river, or beach. 

As councils grapple with implementing the Governments new freshwater policy and targets for swim ability, we as a nation must face the reality that our waterways in Aotearoa are not as clean as we would like to think they are, and the clean green mantra is often a fantasy. This map of the country’s waterways from the Ministry for the Environment shows vividly that in the areas of most intense population and intensive farming, our waterway quality is often in the zone of fair to poor.

DNAiTECH empowers students to determine the levels of E. coli and toxic cyanobacteria in their community waterways. There is no better way to engage students with science and technology than to give them the tools to test real-world samples. Let them be part of the collective social conscience, reminding us when we care for the land, we care for its people. 

DNAiTECH combines android smartphone technology with a simple Bluetooth connected handheld instrument that uses isothermal DNA amplification chemistry. Popular isothermal methods include loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), rolling circle amplification (RPA), recombinase polymerase amplification (RCA), helicase dependent amplification (HDA). Avoiding expensive on-board optical systems and thermocycling DNA amplification, DNAiTECH makes DNA technologies affordable for secondary education so that cool experiments can be done to complement the teaching of NCEA 2/3 science, molecular biology, environmental studies, and technology. The instrument is robust and lightweight. The smartphone captures many images during the DNA amplification process and the App processes the Evergreen dye incorporation into DNA product in real-time. For more technical information on how the DNAiTECH works to measure DNA concentration go to our in-field testing page. DNAiTECH is a versatile in-field instrument for education and the science community. It is lightweight, portable, and can be battery-powered, making it perfect for that immediate rapid result in the field.  Real-time quantitative DNA amplification is yours for a fraction of the cost of current DNA reading technologies. We support teachers by running regional workshops as well as selling instrumentation and classroom science kits and easy to use tests for specific environmental assays.

Level 3 lockdown in Auckland- 3 days

Unfortunately, It was another level 3 lockdown in Auckland. And as per government instructions Auckland was closed for 3 days. At this stage, teachers will continue online classes via google hangouts, emails or google docs. We can understand sudden announcements of the lockdown by the Prime Minister shocked everyone but we have to face this situation and be strong. So that we can fight with COVID-19.

Children and young people look to adults for guidance on how to react to stressful events. If parents or teachers seem overly worried, children’s and young people’s anxiety may rise. Parents and teachers can reassure children and young people that everyone is working together, from the Prime Minister down, to help people throughout the country stay healthy and to limit the spread of this virus.

As a teacher thinks about how your reactions could impact the learners. Take a quick break if things feel overwhelming, or notice and try some slow breathing, or concentrate on the sounds outside, anything that you know helps. You can express your feelings but base your words on facts and truth, and model how you want children and young people around you to behave. 

Our school is helping children continue their learning, online classes, Mentoring sessions and delivery of food packages. This will support their wellbeing, connection with others and their learning. Contact students via emails, texts, or phone calls are very important to know about how they are going or how they take care of themselves and their loved ones.