Rate My Professor Lisa Dick

Lisa Dick is the Publications Editor in the Communications Office at the University of Otago. A journalist and communications specialist, she has worked across local and national news in television, radio, print, and web media. She holds a first-class combined honours degree in psychology and neuroscience from the University of Otago, completed in the early 2000s, and a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the University of Canterbury. Her psychology training honed her writing skills and provided a strong foundation for covering health and science stories, while concepts from social psychology informed her open-minded approach to reporting on complex topics such as crime and group behaviour.

Lisa's career began after graduation when professors noted her strong writing in essays, lab reports, and her honours dissertation. She entered journalism via Canterbury University's competitive postgraduate course, one of only three science graduates accepted that year. She started as a news reporter at Channel 9 (now Dunedin TV) in Dunedin for two years, then moved to Radio New Zealand as a general and business reporter. At TV3 news, she collaborated with top reporters, producers, and presenters, interviewing prime ministers, scientists, and other prominent figures. Upon returning to Dunedin with her family, she reported for the Otago Daily Times. She joined the University of Otago as editor of the staff Bulletin Board for 14 years. Since 2022, she has served as Publications Editor, overseeing flagship outputs including the biannual Otago Magazine for alumni and friends, the annual He Kitenga research showcase, and the University of Otago Annual Report. Her part-time, home-based role accommodates her responsibilities as a mother of four children aged from infancy to school age, with journalism's flexibility enabling phone interviews and late-night writing.

Beyond editing, Lisa organizes the annual University of Otago creative writing competition Writer, engaging staff, students, and alumni, and co-launches winning collections.