My day job is Information Security for The University of Auckland, New Zealand.

I have been working in IT for around 35 years. My degree was in science with a heavy emphasis on Mathematics (particularly statistical and computational).

First job was as a statistician in University Zoology Dept after a few years I moved to what was then the "Computer Centre" where I was mostly involved with user support for statistical packages.

Over the years I have done worked in most non management areas in academic IT -- for the last 15 years I have been largely responsible for the technical side of Information Security at tht University.

My specific interest in GIS is centered around my conservation work on Tiritiri Matangi Island www.tiritirimatangi.org.nz where I am the volunteer coordinator for the weeding program.

We are currently setting up a GIS system of our own to keep track of weed related data.

The Island is jointly managed by the SOTM -- "Supporters" and Department of Conservation. DOC have lots of GIS resources but these are not accessible to volunteers and so we have decided to do our own thing with QGIS and export data for DOC's records rather than pass the data direct to DOC.