Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce is expected at the launch after he spends a day in the city talking to business representatives and other groups.
Mr Joyce will be well aware there remains a residual undercurrent of discontent within the region about the winding down of AgResearch's Invermay facility, a place which has nurtured some of New Zealand's leading scientists - some of whom have now left for overseas jobs as the uncertainty continues.
The Government response is the Invermay decision comes down to the board. Naturally, most of us assume a board appointed by the Government is following some sort of overall provided guidance. But enough of Invermay for the moment. The theme of this year's festival is ''Leave boring behind'', and organisers say it is a celebration of all things exciting and fun about science.
The ongoing success of the festival is in no small part due to the efforts of Dame Elizabeth Hannan who, over the years, has fought off attempts to move the festival away from Dunedin. She also warned five years ago the long-term future of the festival could be damaged by an over-emphasis on tourism in the Dunedin City Council's draft strategy. Dunedin is the home of the country's first university and is regarded as a city of science, something on which those attending the festival this year will be left in no doubt.
Since 1998, the festival has been held every two years. The festivals include international guests, national and local experts and a range of local and national sponsors and funders. A host of volunteers help run the event and help thousands of visitors participate in festival activities.
The festival organisation is a not-for-profit group which aims, among other things, to promote and celebrate science, technology and the environment to a wide general audience, and show that science is exciting, fun and accessible. It also aims to encourage young people to consider working in the fields of science, technology and the environment as positive career options. And it wants to promote the quality and achievements of New Zealand scientific research.
Quality abounds within the city and news this week of a University of Otago teacher winning the national Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards is something to be celebrated. Karyn Paring- atai, a lecturer at Te Tumu - School of Maori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies, won both the Supreme Award and the Kaupapa Maori category.
Half of the 16 teachers honoured at a ceremony at Parliament on Tuesday were from Dunedin, either Otago Polytechnic or the university, giving the city's position as a student city a boost.
Committee comments noted Dunedin's success said a great deal about how much the university and polytechnic focused on high-quality teaching. It comes down to great people doing the teaching, but such success also reflects on the institutional support they get. Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker said each of the recipients motivated students through passion, expertise and a willingness to push boundaries.
During the next nine days, Dunedin has a chance to showcase its talents in science and innovation. Science can be exciting, and Dunedin school pupils have recently won national contests which will see them display their skills internationally.
While many people already know what is on offer, reinforcing the message that Dunedin is a city of high achievers is a worthwhile aim. If the city wants 10,000 new jobs in 10 years, the much talked about knowledge economy is the place to start. Not only does the city need to promote what it can achieve, it also must fight to retain what is already here.
