It is all relative…

…or is it?

Hasn’t the weather been interesting lately. Our Executive Officer, Liesha, and I speak to each other at least once a week, and oftentimes the conversation starts with what the weather is doing here in Wellington compared to Melbourne. The other day when we were talking, it was about 20 degrees here and about the same in Melbourne. Liesha was remarking about how cold it was, relative to the temperatures in the 30s and 40s recently in Melbourne it was quite cool for her. I on the other hand, was remarking about how nice it was with all the windows and doors open and being able to wear summer clothing, and also that Wellington’s notorious winds were non-existent for a change. I also remarked how terrible it was to have to be inside, while Liesha was closing everything up to try and keep warm.

If you pair that with the recent headline news of terrible flooding in northern parts of Australia and raging bushfires burning out of control in New Zealand—it does seem a little mixed up—but as I said, it is all relative. So, send some good thoughts the way of our colleagues in Townsville for the big dry to start happening, and to colleagues here in Nelson that the much-needed rain comes sooner rather than later.

Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

chuttersnap

And now onto our introductions. In our last newsletter we were able to introduce two of our new Executive Committee members, Leone Nurabsari and Andrew Bradshaw. This time we are telling you a bit more about one of our other two new Executive Committee members, Lisa Bolton. All four are new to the Executive Committee, and I thought it might be nice for everyone to learn a bit more about them. If you want to know more about the rest of the members of the Executive, check out the website for this and other information about what we do on the Committee. And later on in the newsletter, learn a bit more about Liesha as she gets to answer her own five questions this time.

Lisa Bolton

Photo of Lisa Bolton First up is Lisa Bolton, Director of QILT Research and Strategy at the Social Research Centre.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I’ve been at the Social Research Centre for about four years after being in the tertiary sector for nearly 30, and I think I am enjoying the sea change and having the opportunity to work with people who are at the top of their field in terms of research, evaluation and survey methodology. I am learning a lot and doing new and exciting things.

Tell us something about yourself outside your working life.

I live in a somewhat ramshackle house with an amazing garden in the Dandenong Ranges, that I share with a range of possums, giant unattractive spiders and the odd bat. I spend my spare time in my art room throwing a bit of paint about and feeling vaguely bohemian.

What got you involved in AAIR?

I’ve been lurking about in the higher education surveys space since about 2005 and found the AHEEF events a way to network with colleagues who were facing all the same issues and hurdles that I was. Often, survey and evaluation people in institutions are a little isolated, and I found this professional association to be a great way to recharge and regain my momentum. I think that AAIR has claimed this space and is a great way to work with the sector to make the QILT surveys as useful as possible for institutions. It is also a great way to maintain my professional networks with people who I think can make a real difference in the quality of higher education.

If you could trade places with someone for a week who might that be and why?

I think I would like to be a healthy someone with unlimited funds and spend the weeks eating and drinking my way through every restaurant in the south of France with windswept and interesting people over the cheese course.