News: 30 October 07
Students win fellowships for cutting edge Māori research
Sixteen emerging researchers whose work draws on distinct Māori knowledge are getting the chance to make a difference for New Zealand through fellowships from the Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology.
The students, working at universities and research organisations, are recipients of Te Tipu Pūtaiao Fellowships?, a scheme through which the Foundation offers fellowships to Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral students of any ethnicity studying a science, technology or engineering discipline.
Successful applicants are focusing on diverse research subjects ranging from protecting indigenous fish species and restoring their habitats, to developing novel applications from fungi and flax, understanding how parent-child conversations build literacy and numeracy skills and investigating Māori identity and innovation on the Internet.
Foundation strategy manager John Kape says an exciting diversity of science is being supported through the fellowships, with research that has strong potential to make a real difference to New Zealand and New Zealanders.
“All the research topics are distinct to New Zealand and to Māori. New Zealand has a real opportunity to lead the world in understanding the contribution that indigenous knowledge can make to science and innovation and these fellowships support that goal.”
Mr Kape says a particular feature of the research being supported is its links to capability being built at the University of Otago in the area of customary fisheries. Four of the successful fellows are researching in this field and Mr Kape says their work has potential to deliver significant findings about species important to all New Zealanders.
“They also have excellent connections to groups in the community that will use the results to make a real difference,” says Mr Kape.
Nine of the students are studying at Masters level and will be funded up to $34,500 each per year for up to two years from the Foundation. Four are completing PhDs and will each receive up to $107,500 for up to three years. A further four fellowships are for Postdoctoral studies, with the students each receiving up to $264,000 over three years. The money goes towards tuition fees, research related costs and to support the students while they are studying.
Fellowships are awarded for research that contributes to four areas – economic growth, environmental sustainability, improving social well being and exploring the interface been indigenous knowledge and science.
Māori development research is an important focus for the Foundation with more than $3 million invested each year on behalf of the New Zealand government towards developing a research pathway of skills and knowledge in areas that address distinct Māori issues and that will benefit New Zealand.
Hannah Rainforth, Victoria University of Wellington (Masters)
Protecting our freshwater shellfish: status and restoration options for Kākahi (freshwater mussels)
Sam Nowland, Victoria University of Wellington (Masters)
From sea to land – the final emergence of the Wairarapa
Sharene Borrell, University of Waikato (Masters)
Sedimentation and its effect on an estuarine habitat
Derek Richards, University of Otago (Masters)
Environment influences on rocky reef habitat, kelp forest productivity and paua/kina populations
Cara Hansen, Lincoln University (Masters)
Measuring the impact of cats on Kereru on Horomaka (Banks Peninsula)
Raymond Tana, University of Waikato (Masters)
Evaluating broad-scale migrations and site specific spawning events in torrentfish
Ani Kainamu, University of Otago (Masters)
The future sustainability of cockle populations
Jennifer Nickel, University of Waikato (Masters)
Revealing Moriori origins via DNA analysis of living descendents
Margaret Forster, Massey University (PhD)
Synergies and opportunities for environmental protection (Whakaki Wetland)
Simon (Whetu) Edwards, Massey University (PhD)
Digital Transformations: Maori identify, innovation and organisation on the Internet
Rebekah Fuller, University of Hawaii (PhD)
Fungi and Polynesia: New Zealand and Cook Island Māori ethnomycology
Tia Neha, University of Otago (PhD)
Me Maumaharatanga nga Korero o nga Whanau (parent child conversations linked to numeracy and literacy skills)
Dr Phillipa Te Paea Pehi, University of Otago (Postdoc?)
Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata. Improved co-management of customary fishery reserves
Dr Bronwyn Lowe, University of Otago (Postdoc)
Whakapapa and whitau properties of the Dunedin Botanical Garden harakeke (flax) and wharariki (coastal or mountain flax) collection
Dr Gail Tipa, KTKO Ltd Consultancy, Dunedin (Postdoc)
Does cross-sectoral collaboration hold the key to Māori achieving their environmental goals? Using Mahinga Kai as the vehicle for exploring opportunities
Dr Christopher Hepburn, University of Otago (Postdoc)
Using local ecological information and matauranga in management strategies for mataitai and taiapure
The students, working at universities and research organisations, are recipients of Te Tipu Pūtaiao Fellowships?, a scheme through which the Foundation offers fellowships to Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral students of any ethnicity studying a science, technology or engineering discipline.
Successful applicants are focusing on diverse research subjects ranging from protecting indigenous fish species and restoring their habitats, to developing novel applications from fungi and flax, understanding how parent-child conversations build literacy and numeracy skills and investigating Māori identity and innovation on the Internet.
Foundation strategy manager John Kape says an exciting diversity of science is being supported through the fellowships, with research that has strong potential to make a real difference to New Zealand and New Zealanders.
“All the research topics are distinct to New Zealand and to Māori. New Zealand has a real opportunity to lead the world in understanding the contribution that indigenous knowledge can make to science and innovation and these fellowships support that goal.”
Mr Kape says a particular feature of the research being supported is its links to capability being built at the University of Otago in the area of customary fisheries. Four of the successful fellows are researching in this field and Mr Kape says their work has potential to deliver significant findings about species important to all New Zealanders.
“They also have excellent connections to groups in the community that will use the results to make a real difference,” says Mr Kape.
Nine of the students are studying at Masters level and will be funded up to $34,500 each per year for up to two years from the Foundation. Four are completing PhDs and will each receive up to $107,500 for up to three years. A further four fellowships are for Postdoctoral studies, with the students each receiving up to $264,000 over three years. The money goes towards tuition fees, research related costs and to support the students while they are studying.
Fellowships are awarded for research that contributes to four areas – economic growth, environmental sustainability, improving social well being and exploring the interface been indigenous knowledge and science.
Māori development research is an important focus for the Foundation with more than $3 million invested each year on behalf of the New Zealand government towards developing a research pathway of skills and knowledge in areas that address distinct Māori issues and that will benefit New Zealand.
Successful Applicants:
Hannah Rainforth, Victoria University of Wellington (Masters)
Protecting our freshwater shellfish: status and restoration options for Kākahi (freshwater mussels)
Sam Nowland, Victoria University of Wellington (Masters)
From sea to land – the final emergence of the Wairarapa
Sharene Borrell, University of Waikato (Masters)
Sedimentation and its effect on an estuarine habitat
Derek Richards, University of Otago (Masters)
Environment influences on rocky reef habitat, kelp forest productivity and paua/kina populations
Cara Hansen, Lincoln University (Masters)
Measuring the impact of cats on Kereru on Horomaka (Banks Peninsula)
Raymond Tana, University of Waikato (Masters)
Evaluating broad-scale migrations and site specific spawning events in torrentfish
Ani Kainamu, University of Otago (Masters)
The future sustainability of cockle populations
Jennifer Nickel, University of Waikato (Masters)
Revealing Moriori origins via DNA analysis of living descendents
Margaret Forster, Massey University (PhD)
Synergies and opportunities for environmental protection (Whakaki Wetland)
Simon (Whetu) Edwards, Massey University (PhD)
Digital Transformations: Maori identify, innovation and organisation on the Internet
Rebekah Fuller, University of Hawaii (PhD)
Fungi and Polynesia: New Zealand and Cook Island Māori ethnomycology
Tia Neha, University of Otago (PhD)
Me Maumaharatanga nga Korero o nga Whanau (parent child conversations linked to numeracy and literacy skills)
Dr Phillipa Te Paea Pehi, University of Otago (Postdoc?)
Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata. Improved co-management of customary fishery reserves
Dr Bronwyn Lowe, University of Otago (Postdoc)
Whakapapa and whitau properties of the Dunedin Botanical Garden harakeke (flax) and wharariki (coastal or mountain flax) collection
Dr Gail Tipa, KTKO Ltd Consultancy, Dunedin (Postdoc)
Does cross-sectoral collaboration hold the key to Māori achieving their environmental goals? Using Mahinga Kai as the vehicle for exploring opportunities
Dr Christopher Hepburn, University of Otago (Postdoc)
Using local ecological information and matauranga in management strategies for mataitai and taiapure