Solving the world’s problems

Chris Duggan MNZM

Ātiamuri-based Chris Duggan’s citation for membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit notes her transformative impact on science education in New Zealand.

By Chris Marshall

 Ātiamuri-based Chris Duggan’s citation for membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit notes her transformative impact on science education in New Zealand.

Her own transformative experience came after teaching secondary school science for about 15 years.

“I was quite concerned about the lack of science kids had coming into high school. Many of them would tell me that they'd never done science and I thought ‘You've been at school for eight years… What's going on?’”

As Duggan moved up the ladder to become head of science at Tauranga Girls College that mantra was only becoming more common.

“I was getting more and more concerned especially with Māori and girls just telling me ‘We've never done science. I will never need science. Why do I have to do science at high school? This is not for me. It's a waste of time coming to your laboratory.’”
The dismissive reaction was one secondary school teachers faced around the country, she said.

“And then you've only got three years to get these kids through Level One NCEA Science… and it's hard work because they come not only with a lack of knowledge but also with that attitude that it's not for them.”

The final straw was a 2013 Education Review Office report that said 73 per cent of New Zealand's primary schools did not have an effective science programme in place.

“I was horrified, absolutely horrified. I thought how do we as a country allow that to happen?
And then I thought maybe I can do something, so I literally quit my job in 2013 and set up the charity House of Science and the rest as they say is history.”

Well, science.

The not-for-profit organisation aims to ensure science education is accessible, engaging and effective for primary school students and has provided more than 200,000 students with bilingual, curriculum-aligned science kits across New Zealand.

Duggan knows there are parents who go out of their way to make sure their children get a scientific experience, whether it's taking them to the zoo, museum or rock pools – though feels a core curriculum still needs to be delivered at school.

“But it's the kids who don't have that support at home that I'm especially passionate about and as a country we owe it to them to give them a well-rounded education and if that's not happening in our schools then there's something systemically wrong with our country.”

She also noted equity issues with rural and remote settlements and schools.
“They don't have access to the expertise. Some city schools can get people in from the universities or go and visit laboratories or cool things like the observatory or say the zoo... You don't have that in the smaller rural towns.”

Yet engaging young people in science is crucial, she said, in getting them to eventually take innovative and leadership roles in not just science organisations but primary industries as well.

“The dairy industry, kiwifruit and forestry they need really good thinkers and innovators to make sure we can continue to deal with some of the big issues like climate change and a rising sea level. If we're not investing in those kids at a young age, then they can't see themselves as experts… So, we've got to start young, it’s so important.”
She described the award as a huge honour – for her and the organisation and years of work.

“I set this ball in motion, and it's taken on quite a life of its own and there's a whole team of people now keeping that ball on course and making sure that we can keep up with it as it gathers momentum which is exciting but quite scary at times too.”

Not least of which is finding funding – through grants, sponsorship and donations.

“No government funding yet. I'm hoping that will change at some point.”

And one day she might even get a whisper of who put her name forward.

“I have no idea who nominated me. You don't find out, so until somebody owns up and tells me it was them, I have to be nice to everyone right?”