University of Otago, Department of Chemistry
Quiz night, August 2026
For the 8th time in 9 years (thanks COVID) the Otago NZIC branch, jointly organised with the University of Otago chemistry students association, held a quiz night. This was well attended (12 teams) by a mixture of undergraduates, postgraduates, and staff from chemistry and other departments, even physics! Special thanks to David McMorran who once again did a great job as ‘quizmaster’, Andrea Vernall, Andrew Wilson, and the chem soc members Lily Stoddart, Ben Nguyen, Imogen Tommy, and Issy Gray. There were question rounds titled General Chemistry, NZ & Nature, Back to School, Friedel Arts and Crafts and Chemistry through the Ages, as well as a structural elucidation round with gradual clues (leading to citric acid) and a picture round of Birds and Beakers (the physical chemists really ‘appreciated’ naming some rare organic chemistry glassware).
First place went to ‘Save our workshop,’ second place to ‘Go big or go gnome’ and third place to ‘The roxtanes.’ The best team name prize was awarded to ‘Ctrl alt delocalised’ with other popular team names including ‘The ACS’ and ‘202 Survivors’, the latter of which is reference to second year organic chemistry, CHEM202.
Decorate your dessert-ation, May 2026
On 21 May, the NZIC Otago branch held the 5th annual “Decorate your dessert-ation event” - an event for students in the Department of Chemistry to decorate a cake in the theme which matches their research. Four awards were given to Skyler Morison, Rebecca Stevens, Maya Dutton and Xinjie Zhou.
Student conference report – Anastasiia Mozhegova
I am very grateful to the NZIC Otago Branch for awarding me a travel grant to attend the RACI 2026 Congress. As a PhD student at the University of Otago, it was a fantastic opportunity to present my research in an oral presentation titled, “Aqueous nucleotide lipidation driving self-assembly”. My project explores how nucleotides can be converted into membrane-forming molecules in water without enzymes, offering new insights into how the first cell-like membranes may have formed on the early Earth. Presenting my work to an international audience was a rewarding experience, and I appreciated the thoughtful questions and discussions that followed my talk.
Outside of my presentation, I really enjoyed the opportunity to attend talks in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and chemical biology, which gave me plenty of new ideas and a broader perspective on current research. The congress also had several events for early career researchers, and these were a great way to meet PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and academics from across Australia and New Zealand. It was inspiring to hear about their research, exchange experiences, and make new connections. I am very thankful to the NZIC Otago Branch for making it possible for me to attend such a valuable and enjoyable conference.
2026 Chemistry Graduates
