28 January 1994 New Zealand's First Professor of Transport Studies Appointed

Transport studies in New Zealand have received a major boost with the appointment of the country's first university professor in this multi-disciplinary area.

Lincoln University has named Dr Chris Kissling of Christchurch as its foundation Professor of Transport Studies.

This is the first such professorial chair in New Zealand and its establishment was made possible through substantial industry funding. Lincoln's Registrar, Allan Sargison, says this is indicative of the new financial environment in which universities now operate.

"Lincoln welcomes the involvement of transport-related industries and the Chartered Institute of Transport in the funding of this position," he says.

"When our degree programmes can attract such support, it emphasizes the real-world relevance of Lincoln's teaching and research and signals to students that the marketplace has a vested interest in their education.

"Contributing to the funding of the chair and associated costs are  Mobil Oil,  NZ Rail, Freightways, Airways Corporation, Seabridge New Zealand, NZ Post, the Owens Group, the Ministry of Transport, and the Chartered Institute of Transport. Lincoln University publicly acknowledges their generosity and support in the creation of this important new position which should have flow-on benefits for all of New Zealand. Similarly, Lincoln University values the participation of industry experts on its Transport Advisory Committee."

Professor Kissling, who was appointed from an international field of applicants, has been a staff member at Lincoln since July 1990 when he was invited to become Reader in Resource Studies. In that position he co-ordinated the introduction of the University's innovative Bachelor of Resource Studies degree then went on to promote the new Bachelor of Commerce (Transport) degree for which he is academic co-ordinator. In addition, he chairs the Board of Studies for Conservation, Landscape and Recreation.

Born in Gisborne but brought up in Nelson, Professor Kissling's interest in transport education and research was developed initially through an MA Masters thesis in Geography at the University of Canterbury on a transport commodity flow topic relating to the Nelson region. This led to doctoral studies at McGill University, Canada, again on a transport topic involving network analysis. From there Professor Kissling returned to New Zealand and a teaching post in the Geography Department at Canterbury University.

At that stage, in the mid-1960s, very little transport research was being conducted in New Zealand universities outside schools of engineering and some economics departments, but through Professor Kissling, Transport Geography became a minor specialisation at graduate level at Canterbury. There remains much scope for interdisciplinary and institutional co-operation in the field of transport studies in New Zealand.

In 1973 Professor Kissling became a Fellow in the Research School of Pacific Studies in the Institute of Advanced Studies at The Australian National University. This move made possible transport research in the Pacific/Asia region and by the end of the 1970s, Professor Kissling was being called on frequently as a transport specialist with particular expertise in international civil aviation and development issues in the Pacific. Since then, he has undertaken transport consultancy and advisory work for governments (eg. Papua New Guinea, Australia, Western Samoa and Sarawak), international agencies (eg. OECD, ICAO), businesses (eg. Ansett) and local government (eg. Canterbury Regional Council).

In recognition of his eminence in transport education and research, Professor Kissling was elected directly to a Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Transport in 1974. He currently chairs the national council of the New Zealand Chartered Institute of Transport.

Professor Kissling's particular research interests are transport systems analysis (especially Pacific aviation), regional development and planning (resource management) and regional information systems.

From 1986 to 1990, Professor Kissling spent time gaining senior management experience in local government in New Zealand as Director of Planning Services for the Canterbury United Council.  For a period in 1989 he was Acting Chief Executive of the Council.

Outside of transport, Professor Kissling's interests including sport and although a New Zealander, he has the unique distinction of having represented the Canadian province of Quebec in rugby.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.