Ratu Mataira

Ratu Mataira was attracted to the Institute’s summer scholarship experience after studying superconductivity under Dr Nick Long.

…it would take a lot to convince me to leave Robinson. For me, Robinson gives me the space and responsibility to solve problems, my ideas are valued and are more often than not, actioned into real research solutions. You aren't here to be told what to think, but rather be asked what you do think. I can’t imagine a more positive research environment.

I came back to uni to finish my physics degree in 2015, something I was quite apprehensive about seeing as I’d had a mixed experience the first time around. I took the physics department's paper on applied physics, with a section on superconductivity which was lectured by Dr Nick Long. I had been fascinated with Superconductivity superconductivity since first year, and I loved the content of the course. When Nick said that there were 10 Summer Scholarships at his institute, I thought I might actually have a chance of getting one. I started my first summer project in November 2015 working on compression strength performance of superconducting Roebel cables.

My experience at Robinson has been overwhelmingly positive and was an extremely important part of me finishing my degree. Real lab work reinvigorated my love of experiment, which is what I’d been missing at the universityUniversity, and I continued to work at the institute Institute during the first trimester of 2016 while finishing my undergraduate degree. I have since completed Honours, and I did both of my honours Honours projects through Robinson.

For my first honours Honours project, under the supervision of Chris Bumby, I had the opportunity to spend 6 six months in Austin Texas with an American based Superconductor superconductor wire manufacture, Superconductor Technologies Inc. (Suptech). Suptech gave me the space, and impetus, to undertake original research into the mechanical delamination behaviour of their superconducting tapes. This project was an opportunity to expand my knowledge of existing theory beyond what is typically taught in an undergraduate programme.

My time in Texas was the result of the strong relationship that Robinson maintains with its industrial partners, and represented an invaluable learning experience for me. The work has since been replicated and published here at Robinson. Delamination testing now forms part of our ongoing test capability as we continue to investigate the critical factors in Superconductor superconductor material toughness.

Returning to New Zealand and having my research replicated was a huge compliment and recognition of the work we had completed at Suptech. The challenges that exist in superconductivity represent fundamental opportunities of researchers and students to make valuable contributions to science and industry.

My first trimester back in New Zealand I undertook my second honours project at Robinson, “Current image reconstruction in an HTS flux pump”. Flux pumps generate DC voltages in closed superconducting circuits using biased AC magnetic fields. Any ‘onto it’ undergraduate instantly becomes suspicious of this phenomenon; a quick observation of Maxwell’s laws seems to preclude the effect. However, experimental evidence clearly confirms the effect and has been repeated over the last several decades. I think any student that can look at Maxwell’s laws and convince themselves that a flux pump is possible, should really think about applying to do a project at Robinson. For me It it was a great chance to sit at the interface of theory and experiment, pushing the boundaries of a set of data to test a particular theory.

Currently I’m working on more advanced magnetic field sensor arrays for detecting the currents in the flux pumps. I’m currently applying for international PhD programmes, and have high hopes. Although, in fairness it would take a lot to convince me to leave Robinson. For me, Robinson gives me the space and responsibility to solve problems, my ideas are valued and are more often than not, actioned into real research solutions. You aren't here to be told what to think, but rather be asked what you think. I can’t imagine a more positive research environment.