University of Waikato site at Fieldays wins the interactive display award

The University of Waikato’s site at Fieldays has been attracting the crowds with interactive displays.

University group manager of marketing services Simon Bush believes the interactive aspects are the reason they have won the Best Premiere Feature Theme award for Fieldays 2015.

“Having our researchers bring their equipment, their kit and their latest gadgets on to the stand is something that has stood out – also I think our creative look that we use is probably a bit different to a lot of other people’s,” Bush said.

Interactive aspects included computers where visitors can design their own New Zealand flag and a semi-automatic seed planting machine which is said to plant seeds 10 times faster.

A robotic chamber designed by Professor Louis Schipper and his team was also on display. It automatically measures carbon dioxide emissions from pastures every 15 minutes for weeks at a time.

Planning for the site began soon after last year’s Fieldays event.

Academic staff discussed which stories they wanted to tell and showcase with Adam Simpson from Station Creative who has worked on the university’s stand for many years.

Simpson put together the initial design concept and his team takes a week to build the stand.

“It’s nice to win because it’s a lot of work for a lot of people involved,” Bush said.

The university has been a strategic partner with Fieldays for nine years and has been involved with the event since it first began.