This year marked the fourth Cook Islands Science Expo supported by UNSW since the series began in 2022, having now reached more than 4,000 school students from the islands of Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke and Mangaia.
'Te Moana Ripiri ia Tatou – The Ocean That Connects Us' was the theme of the 2026 Cook Islands Science Expo. Held on the island of Rarotonga from 22 to 24 September 2026, the Expo brought together more than 1,900 school students, teachers, local authorities and community members for three days of immersion in ocean science, coastal engineering and traditional knowledge.
UNSW was represented by Dr Fernando Sobral (Faculty of Science) and Matt Blacka (Faculty of Engineering), whose interactive display focused on climate change and ocean hazards affecting Pacific Island communities. Students had the opportunity to learn about the impacts of ocean warming on island biodiversity and extreme weather events.
The display also emphasised the importance of maintaining sustainable ocean observing networks to better understand variability below the ocean surface. The IMOS-FishSOOP program was presented as an example of how ocean observations can be collected in collaboration with local fishers. Using a small manual wave flume, students also took part in hands-on demonstrations exploring ocean waves, coastal inundation and rising sea levels, as well as how different coastal engineering structures can help protect island communities.
The participation of senior students from four outer islands was a particularly important part of the 2026 Expo. The students were flown to Rarotonga to participate alongside their local peers and scientists from Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Island countries and the United States. In his opening speech, Cook Islands Prime Minister, the Honourable Mark Brown, highlighted the significance of this year’s theme: “This theme reminds us that although we are islands spread across a vast ocean, we are deeply connected: through our people, our culture, our environment, and our shared responsibility to protect the future of our nation,” he said.
Speaking at the Expo, UNSW’s Matt Blacka highlighted the significance of the Expo series in supporting the continued growth of local scientific and technical capability. “Events like this provide an opportunity for students to not only learn outside of the classroom, but also discover potential career pathways into sectors that require increasing technical capability combined with local knowledge to tackle the country’s biggest challenges.”
UNSW acknowledges the work of the Expo organisers, Climate Change Cook Islands, together with development and funding partners, in making this year’s Expo a success.
