Dr John Pirker (Ngāi Tahu) is a lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury. John’s research interests centre around aquaculture, including marine ecology, marine algae and evolution and behaviour within marine ecological systems. In addition to his research, John is also involved in the Māori Research Advisory Group (MRAG) and Marine Ecology Research Group (MERG)
Dr Arama Rata (Ngāti Maniapoto, Taranaki, and Ngāruahine) is a research officer at the National Institute for Demographic and Economic Analysis at the University of Waikato. Broadly speaking, Arama's research foci include Māori cultural engagement, identity, and wellbeing, as well as Māori-migrant relationship building.
Dr Michelle Thompson-Fawcett (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Te Ata) is Distinguished Professor in the School of Geography at the University of Otago Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka. She has 40 years’ experience in planning practice and university teaching and research.
Dr Anne-Marie Jackson is a Senior Lecturer in Māori physical education and health and joined the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Otago in 2011.
Since 2017, she has been the Associate Dean External Engagement for the School.
Professor Amanda Black (Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Whānau-ā-Apanui) is the Director of Bioprotection Aotearoa, a TEC funded National centre of research excellence hosted at Lincoln University. Her research expertise is environmental soil and water biogeochemistry, focusing on soil health . She has recently focused her Rutherford Discovery Fellowship research on ecosystem resilience, forest health and tree dieback, with a particular focus on investigating ecological disturbance and how this translates into resilience to withstand challenges such as climate change.
Ocean’s teaching and research interests are varied, but her key focus is how mātauranga Māori and science connect and relate, particularly in educational contexts and using novel digital technologies. She co-leads a National Science Challenge project investigating the perceptions of novel biotechnological controls of pest wasps in Aotearoa. Her research also involves kaupapa Māori reading of films. She was the presenter of Māori Television's Project Mātauranga and presents for TVNZ’s Coast.
Jade Le Grice (Ngai Tupoto - Te Rarawa; Ngati Korokoro, Te Pouka, Ngati Wharara, Te Mahurehure - Ngāpuhi) is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on decolonising praxis - deconstructing dominant cultural norms and legitimating mātauranga Māori in knowledge, health, and education systems. Currently, Jade is particularly interested in Māori sexual and reproductive health, sexual violence prevention, and rangatahi wellbeing in whānau contexts.
Te Taka Keegan (Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaaue) is a Senior Lecturer in the Computer Sciences Department at the University of Waikato. His research expertise spans across multiple fields from, traditional navigation, Māori language technologies, indigenous language interfaces and multi-lingual usability.
Carwyn Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu) is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at Victoria University of Wellington. His primary research interests relate to the Treaty of Waitangi and indigenous legal traditions. Carwyn has previously worked in a number of different roles at the Waitangi Tribunal, Māori Land Court, and the Office of Treaty Settlements.
Happily married with children and mokos who make life so refreshing. My teaching, research and practice included Indigenous language revitalisation, te reo me ngā tikanga Māori, Māori oratory, Māori performing arts and Māori history and have spanned the University of Waikato 1990-2003 and the University of Otago 2023-2020. Poia has also held leadership roles at Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and Te Mātāwai. And if he didn’t have 5 operations on his achilles tendon he would have definitely been an All Black and a competitor on Dancing with Stars.