Events //

MWC Teacher Professional Development Days 2026

 

In association with BEANZ, the Maurice Wilkins Centre is excited to announce the details for this year's Maurice Wilkins Centre (MWC) biology teacher professional development days.

These free PD Days are designed to support all biology teachers, regardless of experience or school size, and will be filled with valuable learning opportunities. Previous attendees have shared how these sessions provided them with up-to-date scientific knowledge, stimulating discussions, and a sense of professional community. We hope this year’s events will be just as enriching and inspiring.

Our PD Days feature some of New Zealand's leading scientists who will present up-to-date information tailored to the national curriculum. Their stories, knowledge, and PowerPoint resources will not only inspire us as learners but also enhance our teaching.

 

Who?

This year’s sessions are aligned with the upcoming science curriculum. We’re excited to share our line-up of speakers and topics.

Sessions may include:

• Prof Dave Grattan (University of Otago): Homeostasis: back to the basics
• Dr Hilary Sheppard (University of Auckland): CRISPR based gene editing for biomedical applications
• Professor Roslyn Kemp (University of Otago): Immunology & gut microbiome: Seeing the relationships to health and cancer
• Professor Justin O'Sullivan (University of Auckland): Genes to Proteins: Precision diagnosis of disease
• Associate Professor Shaun Lott (University of Auckland): Genetics, genomics & protein knowledge: The latest applications
• Dr Reuben McGregor (University of Auckland) and Associate Professor Julie Bennett (University of Otago): Acute Rheumatic Fever - Updating mechanism, vaccines & treatment

Where?

This year, we will be visiting the following locations:

• Waitangi, 22 June, at Waitangi Treaty Grounds
• Auckland, 23 June, at University of Auckland
• Marton, 29 June, at Nga Tawa Diocesan School
• Wellington, 30 June, University of Otago, Wellington
• Christchurch, 1 July, venue to be confirmed

How?

Register your attendance using this form: https://forms.office.com/r/NHjCQAHxi0. Some venues have strict capacity limits, so we recommend registering as soon as possible. If a venue reaches capacity, a waitlist will be created, and we will notify you as soon as a spot becomes available.

Don’t forget to apply to your professional development committee at school for support. You can also apply for PPTA funding using this link: https://www.ppta.org.nz/forms/subject-association-grants-pre-approval-form/ 

If you have any questions about the event, us at maurice-wilkins-centre@auckland.ac.nz.