Members of Te Poutama Māori – the University of Otago's Māori Academic Staff Caucus (from left) co-chairs Professor Jacinta Ruru and Dr Diane Ruwhiu and Coordinator Inano Walter.
Te Poutama Māori – the University of Otago's Māori Academic Staff Caucus – has appointed a new co-chair.
Dr Diane Ruwhiu from the Otago Business School is joining co-chair Professor Jacinta Ruru (Law).
She replaces Ms Janine Kapa-Blair who has moved into her new role of Kaitohutohu/Deputy Chief Executive Māori Development at Otago Polytechnic.
Te Poutama Māori was established in 2008 to enable Māori academics to come together to support and inspire each other to encourage the creation of a culturally stimulating academic tertiary environment. It is a collective Māori voice on campus, committed to supporting research and teaching excellence attuned to Māori values and aspirations, and highlighting issues and opportunities for increasing Māori academic staff at Otago.
"I'm looking forward to the chance of being more involved in Māori academic leadership, and to continue to foster that strong support and focus on research and teaching excellence."
Te Poutama Māori regularly brings together Māori academic staff from across the divisions at Otago, and from across Otago's campuses including in Christchurch and Wellington.
Dr Ruwhiu has been involved in the Caucus since its inception, and enjoys the culturally stimulating environment.
“Te Poutama Māori is assisting with University policy and strategy, but it is also a way to talk, share approaches and mentor fellow Māori researchers across a wide range of academia.
“It was a privilege to be asked to step into the role. Māori academics at Otago have a long history of coming together to support one another. I'm looking forward to the chance of being more involved in Māori academic leadership, and to continue to foster that strong support and focus on research and teaching excellence.”
Professor Ruru is thrilled that Dr Ruwhiu has taken up the position.
“Diane has extensive leadership and governance experience, is doing some really exciting national collaborative research with Māori scholars around the country, and is well known to Otago's Māori academics. She's the ideal replacement for the much missed previous co-chair Janine Kapa-Blair.”
One of the flagship activities Dr Ruwhiu is leading this year is Hui Poutama, a two-day celebration of Otago's Māori academic research on 9 and 10 November. All are welcome.
For more information about Te Poutama Māori and the upcoming Hui Poutama, see the website.
About Dr Ruwhiu
Dr Ruwhiu (Ngāpuhi) is a senior lecturer in the Department of Management.
She teaches operations, supply chain management, and Māori entrepreneurship. In addition, she also introduces Māori values and practice into other areas, such as entrepreneurship, research methods, business communication, and organisations and sustainability.
Her research involves Indigenous economic development and organisational practice, looking at Māori and Indigenous characteristics and perspectives.
She is a principal investigator with Otago's Poutama Ara Rau Research Theme and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga – New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE).