Duxes

1960’s – School Dux

David was School Dux in 1960. He also was awarded the Form VI A Special Prize in Mathematics and Science as well as the All-round Merit prize. He gained the rare achievement of winning a University National Scholarship.  David was a School Prefect and Regimental Sergeant Major of the School’s Cadet Army Corp.

He attended Otago University from 1961 to 1965.  In 1964 he as awarded the Otago University – Senior Scholarship in Science Award. He graduated in 1965 and later moved to Wellington.

David was one of the most promising young geophysicists in the country. After gaining an Honours degree in physics at Otago, and in mathematics at Victoria, he was working with the D.S.I.R. in Wellington, and recently built up an electronics equipment range which was regarded as a model of competency by senior officers.

David unfortunately died in 1968

Neil was School Dux in 1962. He gained a Junior Scholarship in the University Scholarship Examinations being top scholar in New Zealand in some subjects. He won Special School Prizes in Mathematics and Science

BSc (Hons) & PhD in Physics from Otago.
Post Doctoral study at Max Planck Institut fur Aeronomy, Lindau am Harz (now Max Planck Institut fur Solar System Research).
Space physicist at Physics and Engineering Lab., DSIR, Lower Hutt (now IRL) for 4 years. Then lecturer – senior lecturer – associate professor, in Physics at Otago University.
Study leaves (space physics, 1984-2005) at Stanford and British Antarctic Survey (Sheffield & Cambridge).

Associate Professor Neil studies the Earth’s upper atmosphere intercepts, important electromagnetic and fast particle radiation from the Sun and beyond, giving protection for life below. This radiation also ionizes the upper atmosphere allowing long-distance radio communication and providing a way to monitor changes in the incoming radiation. In particular, the lowest edge of this ionization, at heights 50-90 km (depending on time of day etc) forms the upper level of the Earth-ionosphere ‘waveguide’ (bounded below by the ground). Very Low Frequency (VLF) radio waves, both natural (e.g. lightning) and man-made, propagate in this waveguide. Their readily measured propagation is very sensitive to the height and sharpness of the waveguide ceiling. These, in turn, are very sensitive to many changes: solar flare x-rays, gamma-ray bursts, fast particle precipitation, cosmic rays, day-dusk-night-dawn, latitude, season, solar cycle etc.

Neil’s research interests are centered on measuring and understanding these effects, most recently concentrating on the quiet earth-ionosphere waveguide height and sharpness which provides the reference baseline for all these changes. This involves experimental observations both here and around the word, together with the modelling of the results and their underlying physics.

I also have research interests at greater heights, in the Earth’s plasmasphere (~ 10,000 km altitude) which again involve radio propagation both observational and modelling (ray tracing).

1966 Grahame Sydney

In January, Seven Peaks College, a new concept in secondary education, started as a division of Twizel Area School, to provide new opportunities for students in forms 6 and 7. The college uses a combination of academic and outdoor education, together with basic living skills (the college is residential, with individual rooms) based on the American-developed Classer’s Quality Schools. approach.

Responsibility for courses undertaken, progress, and developing discipline is placed on the students, who set their won goals, negotiate their curriculum, and have mentors who provide support and monitor progress. The college’s principal is R. G. (Ron) Ballantyne ( 1964-68) sometime dux of Kings

Christopher John Mayhew   (attended Kings High School from 1965 to 1969)

In his final year at Kings’ Chris was the School Dux, a School Prefect, a Member of the First Rowing Team, a Rowing Blue, a winner of the Mathematics and Science Prize, and a winner of the Old Boys’ Association Prize for All Round Merit.

On leaving school Chris attended the University of Otago in 1970 undertaking the Intermediate Year Engineering course.

In 1971 he studied for a BE in Chemical Engineering at the University of Canterbury. He graduated with Second Class Honours Division 1 in 1973. Over the next five years, he continued his studies in Chemical Engineering and became a Doctor of Philosophy in 1978.

Chris was elected to the University of Canterbury Students Association Executive becoming the – Sports Officer for 1976 and 1977.  In 1976 he became President of the University of Canterbury Students Association Sports Council, was Convenor of the New Zealand Universities Student Union Winter Tournament and was also Controller of the New Zealand Universities Easter Tournament.  He held the position of Club Captain University of the Canterbury Rowing Club both in 1976 and 1977.

After completing his Doctor of Philosophy degree Chris went to work for BP Oil NZ Ltd from 1979 to 1993.

Chris joined  IBM New Zealand in Auckland as an Implementation and Testing Specialist from 1994 to 1999. He was then a Support for ICMS  Billing Systems Specialist Providing customer care and billing services from 1999 to 2003.  From 1999 he was an Implementation and Testing Specialist. He left IBM when they closed their software unit in 2003.

In 2004 Chris joined the Manukau Institute of Technology. He has had a number of roles including Senior Lecturer (2017), Programme Leader (2004–2016), Staff Representative on the MIT Audit Committee, and has been a member of the ICT Programme Committee since he arrived. He is also Adjunct Lecturer for the Southern Cross University Masters degrees offered at MIT. Through his own experiences in the IT industry, Chris became interested in the closely allied fields of Information Systems Implementation and Software Quality Assurance and Testing. From 2017 on he has been the Leader in the  Student Experience and Industry Project.