New academic positions announced

We are delighted to announce the promotion of Unitec academic staff to new positions as Senior Lecturers and Associate Professors.

This is a significant achievement and follows an extensive evaluation of each individual’s record of contributions to research, teaching and service to Unitec and the community. They have submitted significant and detailed applications to demonstrate their suitability for their new roles.

Congratulations to our new Senior Lecturers and Associate Professors – well done!

Samantha Heath

Associate Professor

Dr Samantha Heath

As Senior Lecturer and Research Leader Healthcare, School of Healthcare and Social Practice, Samantha helped the Bachelor of Nursing research staff meet their potential as individuals as a team and  to significantly to exceed the NZQA research expectations.

Earlier this year, Samantha was awarded the MBIE Science Whitinga Fellowship of $320,000 for her research project “Fit for the future: Reimagining nurse preparation for practice in New Zealand’s changing demography.”

In her new role, Samanatha will continue as Research Lead for Healthcare and teaching Evidence for Nursing Practice for Year 3 students, as well as starting the Whitinga Fellowship in January.

Dr Renata Jadresin-Milic

Renata Jadresin-Milic

Renata Jadresin-Milic is an architect and architectural historian. Renata holds undergraduate and postgraduate architectural degrees, an MSc and a PhD from the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, and a fellowship from the Institute of Classical Architecture in New York.

As a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture, BAS Discipline leader and Historical, Conservation & Heritage Research Stream leader, she explores the theory and practice of heritage conservation and adapting historic places with Unitec students, as well as incorporating new design into heritage environments, both internationally and in Aotearoa.

Renata has led research projects that have involved community groups, industry partners and Unitec staff and students, utilising the most advanced digital heritage methodologies. She works collaboratively across disciplines, with architects and professionals from parallel and diverging fields, simultaneously interweaving history, theory and digital technologies with insights into cultural studies, sociology, environmentalism, and place identity

Diane Fraser

Dr Diane Fraser

Diane completed her PhD in the limiting amino acids for milk production in lactating dairy cows at the Rowett Research Institute/Aberdeen University in Scotland before completing a postdoctoral research fellowship in protein nutrition of lambs at Lincoln University, New Zealand. After three years of developing and teaching a one year Certificate in Animal Technology at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Diane ran a small private wildlife park on Molokai, Hawaii.

As a senior lecturer in In the Department of Natural Sciences, she teaches biosecurity, environmental risk management, bioresource ecology and animal breeding and nutrition topics in the Bachelor of Applied Science and NZ Certificate in Animal Management (Captive Wild Animals) programmes.

Diane’s research interests centre around invasive species impact and control within New Zealand and she has developed ongoing students research collaborative relationships with Auckland Council,Scion and Key Industries. These research collaborations have resulted in publications for students and increased their employment opportunities.

Diane is currently in a project with a number of research collaborators across Europe, and has completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Science (Biosecurity and Conservation) at Auckland University.

Lectureship to Senior Lectureship

• Catherine Mitchell
• Ahesha Perera
• Prabhat Chand
• Eltahir Kabbar
• Sanjeev Kumar
• Dr Bobby Hung