Mission Waves: Riding the Diplomatic Current in NZ & the Pacific usembassynz

Join us for a riveting episode as Mike from the U.S. Embassy sits down with Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, former NASA astronaut and US Navy captain, during her visit to Wellington in February 2024. From thrilling spacewalks to the lighter side of life in space, including haircuts and pies, Heidemarie shares insights from her stellar career and pioneering efforts in STEM and underwater salvage. This concise chat offers a unique glimpse into the life of an astronaut, blending significant achievements with delightful anecdotes. Don't miss this journey from ocean depths to outer space!
 

Photos from Heide's visit.
 

Deputy Chief of Mission, Kevin Covert, had a conversation with Political/Economic Officer, Nathan Carter, on why the U.S. is a great option for Kiwi entrepreneurs to look to for business opportunities. Covert and Carter briefly touch on the E-1 and E-2 Visas for business (and give examples of successful applicants), and the SelectUSA Investment Summit - what it is, and how Kiwi businesses can be involved.
What are E-1 and E-2 visas?
Treaty Trader (E-1) and Treaty Investor (E-2) visas are for citizens of countries with which the United States maintains treaties of commerce and navigation, including New Zealand.
To find out if your business qualifies, what you need to apply, and how to apply, visit our overview page here.
SelectUSA Investment Summit – what is it all about?
Visit the Mission website to understand what the SelectUSA Summit is, and hear from two New Zealanders who traveled as part of U.S. Ambassador Brown’s delegation to SelectUSA Summit 2019.

Did you know...
In 2018 U.S. companies invested NZ$7.4 billion in New Zealand;
There are over 300 U.S. companies with subsidiary branches in New Zealand;
New Zealand companies are responsible for creating more than 30,000 jobs in the United States;
We are seeing tremendous partnerships in the tech sector and the space sector in particular with Rocket Lab and LeoLabs;
For Kiwi businesses, connecting to the US markets provides access to 330 million new customers as well as serving as a natural launching point for Canada and South America;
Air-links are increasing with a recent direct route to Chicago added and a new direct route to New York beginning soon;
U.S. tourism to New Zealand has grown by 9% this year with nearly 370,000 visitors and accounting for NZ$1.38 billion;
We see a range of successful U.S. franchises in New Zealand. We encourage Kiwi entrepreneurs to attend an International Franchise Expo (IFE) held in a few U.S. cities each year.  They are a great way to learn about franchise opportunities to bring back to New Zealand.
Listen to Covert & Carter below....
Transcript.
 

In 2019, the Embassy was proud to support Miramar Creative’s Creative Futures conference – the two-day event offered insights into new technologies and demonstrated their application to creativity, business and our future daily lives.
One of the U.S. speakers at Creative Futures was Mark Ordesky - Partner & Producer, Court Five. Mark Ordesky is an American film and television producer and former Hollywood studio executive.
He’s probably best known for executive producing the Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy – during which Mark spent the better part of five years in New Zealand supporting his friend Peter Jackson’s historic vision. But Mark was already no stranger to championing New Zealand filmmakers, having acquired US distribution rights to Once Were Warriors at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival.

(pictured: DCM Kevin with Mark Ordesky (Partner & Producer, Court Five). Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.)
Currently, Mark co-runs his independent production company, Court Five, with fellow New Line veteran Jane Fleming – fashioning independent film and TV content for Hollywood studios and broadcasters, as well as global streamers like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon. 
Mike C from the Embassy caught up with Mark while he was in Wellington at the Creative Futures conference...
Transcript.

"Hello everybody and welcome back to another podcast from the U.S. Embassy. My name is Ted Danowitz and I am based at our Consulate in Auckland where I cover the U.S. - New Zealand space policy. Outside of my day job I am also NASA aficionado and space camp alum which is why I'm especially glad to welcome with us today Doctor Anna Fisher, NASA astronaut, who is in New Zealand to share her experience working with NASA, going into space, and promoting women into stem fields, so welcome Doctor Fisher."
Transcript.

In 2019, the Embassy was proud to support Miramar Creative’s Creative Futures conference – the two-day event offered insights into new technologies and demonstrated their application to creativity, business and our future daily lives.
One of the U.S. speakers at Creative Futures was Professor Margaret Maile Petty - Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Technology, Sydney. Margaret has served in a series of academic leadership roles in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, where she has developed and managed a wide spectrum of impactful programmes and initiatives primarily focused on design and innovation.

(Pictured: DCM Kevin with 🇺🇸 Professor Margaret Maile Petty (Executive Director Innovation And Entrepreneurship, University Of Technology, Sydney), and 🇺🇸 Jason Hintz Llopis (Digital Innovation Producer – Walt Disney Parks, Experience And Products). Photo credit: U.S. Department of State.)
This focus has also allowed Margaret to develop and explore new approaches to the creation and scaling of student entrepreneurship, and the role of universities in supporting and driving innovation ecosystems.
Originally trained as a design historian, Margaret continues to research, speak and publish on topics broadly investigating the politics and production of the modern built environment.Mike C from the Embassy caught up with Margaret while she was in Wellington at the Creative Futures reception...
Transcript.

Deputy Chief of Mission, Kevin Covert, was at the unveiling of the U.S. LeoLabs, Inc. Radar in Otago back in October, 2019. Satellite collisions will become less common thanks to LeoLabs tech, which can map space junk that are as small as 2cms in diameter. Such a great addition to the NZ space sector. Thanks to Dan and his team for putting on a beautiful Otago day for the official opening.📡


LeoLabs’ mission is to secure commercial operations in low Earth orbit (LEO). As the LEO ecosystem around our planet gets more congested, the risk of collisions rises, and the need to map the orbits of spacecraft, satellites and space debris grows with every launch. Meanwhile, new generations of commercial spacecraft, such as small and cube satellites, are causing a dramatic increase in imaging, communications and human spaceflight prospects.

LeoLabs was founded to address these risks today. With a worldwide network of ground-based, phased-array radars that enable high-resolution data on objects in LEO, LeoLabs is uniquely equipped to offer foundational mapping data and services to mitigate the risks of collisions. These services include rapid orbit determination, early operational support, and ongoing orbit awareness. LeoLabs is a venture-funded company based in Menlo Park, CA, and provides its services to commercial satellite operators, government regulatory and space agencies, and satellite management services firms. More about LeoLabs: https://www.leolabs.space.
While in Otago, Kevin had a chance to catch up with Dan Ceperly, LeoLabs co-founder and CEO...
Transcript.