28 EG 30/2025 WRITER | KAITUHI ALEXANDRA JOHNSON Why water engineer L’Rey Renata is working to increase the incorporation of Māori values and principles into modern environmental practices. When L’Rey Renata was 15, she was inspired by a humanitarian engineer on YouTube who took technology and innovation back to their village in India to improve the lives of their community. “I realised that’s what I wanted to do, to serve people with innovation, strive to make things better,” says the Emerging Professional Member of Engineering New Zealand. “None of my family had been to university at the time. I wondered, what would it take to become that, and what was the pathway.” Now a water engineer…

Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Barry Welch on being awarded the Brimacombe Prize.For those who don’t know, Barry was a member of the department of chemical and materials engineering from 1980 to 1998 during which time he also served as Head of Department. Barry is a world leading expert in metallurgy and especially aluminium smelting technology….