Rene Smith

Born in Nelson, Rene studied economics at Canterbury University before working as an educator at the Science Alive Charitable Trust in Christchurch, running various educational programmes such as workshops for gifted and talented students.

He moved to Japan in 2008 as part of the JET Programme, a project sponsored by the Japanese government to promote internationalization in local communities. It was an invaluable two year experience that inspired Rene to explore cultures further afield.

While continuing to travel, Rene created “Science Kids”, an educational website offering free learning resources for children, teachers and parents. The site grew to become one of the most visited of its kind on the Internet.

Rene moved to Queenstown in 2024, drawn south by the incredible landscapes and warm, welcoming community. He is passionate about building connections and embracing the diversity of cultures that make up our beautiful region. You may see him out and about enjoying activities such as hiking, tennis, volunteering, music, dance, gardening and photography.