Māori academics are involved in research spanning all three of the University's campuses (Dunedin, Wellington, Christchurch) and all Divisions (Humanities, Sciences, Health Sciences, Commerce/ Otago Business School). Many collaborate with Māori and non-Māori communities.
Early Career Researchers
Our Early Career Researcher ( ECR ) roopū seeks to represent the voice of the Māori ECR community under the umbrella of Te Poutama Māori. This includes the mandate to:
- Provide our ECRwhānau with opportunities for personal and professional development. This is done by holding a series of workshops and regular whanaungatanga opportunities at various times throughout the year
- Promote, engage and celebrate the research contributions and journeys of our growing and multi-disciplinary ECR community
- Provide space to wānanga issues and opportunities of relevance to ECR's at the University of Otago
We are a newly established roopū, please contact us if you would like to be added to our mailing list.
Poutama Ara Rau
Poutama Ara Rau brings researchers together to stimulate new research collaborations and practices that lead to more mātauranga, tikanga and reo in tertiary teaching and learning.
Poutama Ara Rau became a University of Otago Research Theme in 2016. We are led by Associate Professor Karyn Paringatai, Professor Suzanne Pitama and Professor Jacinta Ruru, and supported by a steering committee and a wide network of researched-led tertiary teachers.
University of Otago Māori research units
Māori academics at Otago are leading several Māori focused research units. For example, see the stunning work being done at:
- MIHI - Māori/Indigenous Health Institute based at the University of Otago, Christchurch.
- Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare – the Eru Pōmare Māori Health Research Centre
- Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora Māori o Kāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit)
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence
Many of Otago's Māori academics have had a long association with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga.
In 2016, the co-chair of Te Poutama Māori, Associate Professor Jacinta Ruru, will join Associate Professor Tracey McIntosh from The University of Auckland as co-director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. Dr Emma Wyeth, from the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine and Director of Te Rōpu Rangahau Hauora Māori o Ngāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit) will be appointed co-deputy director in 2016.
See the University of Otago media release 'Otago key partner in Māori Centre of Research Excellence'.
National Science Challenges
Some of our Māori academics at Otago are involved in several of the National Science Challenges. For example:
- Associate Professor Phillip Wilcox (Otago's Department of Mathematics and Statistics), is currently Kaihautū Māori for the “Real-Time Biological Heritage Assessment” Programme in the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge which includes contributing to the Science Leadership Group of this Challenge
- Associate Professor Katharina Ruckstuhl is a member of the Senior Management Team of the Science for Technological Innovation Science Challenge and is co-leading Portfolio 1 'Building New Zealand's Innovation Capacity' along with Professor Sally Davenport of the University of Victoria Wellington. The team includes Te Poutama Māori members Dr Diane Ruwhiu, Professor Paul Tapsell and Associate Professor Merata Kawharu.
- Professor Jacinta Ruru (Otago's Faculty of Law) is Co-Principal Investigator with Dr Phil Lyver (Landcare Research and Project Leader) and Dr Sanna Malinen (Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Canterbury) on a project entitled 'Customary approaches and practices for optimising cultural and ecological resilience' in the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge.
Research Grants
Here are some opportunities for internally and externally funded Māori research.
