Overall Māori participation in higher education has increased over the years, but Māori make up less than 5% of total academic staff in science faculties.
Google steered us to papers published in 2020 and 2021 to support those figures.
One of the papers (pictured below)
Click to view
‘… provides insights into the ethnicity of people employed in Aotearoa New Zealand’s publicly-funded scientific workforce, with a particular focus on Māori and Pasifika scientists.”
There’s not much research interest (at least, not that PoO can find) in studies with a particular focus on Chinese, Indian or other Asian scientists in this country.
Perhaps that’s because modern-day interpretations of the Treaty of Waitangi divide the country into “the Crown” and Maori.
This has the peculiar consequence of reducing the population to “Maori” and everybody else, although “Pasifika” can be lumped in with Maori .
The abstract of the paper we have referenced says:
“We show that between 2008 and 2018, Māori and Pasifika scientists were severely under-represented in Aotearoa New Zealand’s universities and crown-research institutes. Despite espousals by these institutions of valuing diversity, te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori research, there have been very little changes in the overall percentage of Māori and Pasifika scientists employed for a period of at least 11 years.
“Notably, one university reported having not employed a single Māori or Pasifika academic in their science department from 2008 to 2018. We highlight the urgent need for institutions to improve how they collect and disseminate data that speaks to the diversity of their employees. We present data that illustrate that universities and crown-research institutes are failing to build a sustainable Māori and Pasifika scientific workforce and that these institutions need to begin to recruit, retain and promote Māori and Pasifika scientists.”
The paper reminds us that in 2018, Dr Megan Woods, Minister of Research, Science and Innovation at the time, launched the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s diversity in science statement. It says:
“Diversity is vital for our science system to realise its full potential”.
Mind you, that is not a universal truth: some scientists challenge diversification initiatives, claiming science is inherently neutral and objective, and therefore it can’t be enhanced by explicit diversity initiatives.
The authors of the paper are not in that camp and say the ministry statement is a step towards raising awareness of the importance of diversity in science,
They further say it needs to be followed by institutional changes, targeted programmes and directed responses from institutions.
According to their data, Māori and Pasifika comprised 4.8% and 1.7% respectively of academics, despite the espousals by universities of valuing diversity “and their obligations to equity as outlined in te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
So – what has happened since Dr Woods struck the blow for change?
One thing seems clear: whatever their share of jobs in universities and science institutes, Maori have been remarkably successful in winning Royal Society of New Zealand honours.
Thirteen new companions – or “Ngā Takahoa a Te Apārangi” – have been elected for decades-long contributions to science, technology and the humanities.
The humanities account for many of the new companions – theology, language and film-making, for example.
They were officially welcomed at a celebration last week.
Six of the 13 names are followed by tribal affiliations:
There’s not much research interest (at least, not that PoO can find) in studies with a particular focus on Chinese, Indian or other Asian scientists in this country.
Perhaps that’s because modern-day interpretations of the Treaty of Waitangi divide the country into “the Crown” and Maori.
This has the peculiar consequence of reducing the population to “Maori” and everybody else, although “Pasifika” can be lumped in with Maori .
The abstract of the paper we have referenced says:
“We show that between 2008 and 2018, Māori and Pasifika scientists were severely under-represented in Aotearoa New Zealand’s universities and crown-research institutes. Despite espousals by these institutions of valuing diversity, te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori research, there have been very little changes in the overall percentage of Māori and Pasifika scientists employed for a period of at least 11 years.
“Notably, one university reported having not employed a single Māori or Pasifika academic in their science department from 2008 to 2018. We highlight the urgent need for institutions to improve how they collect and disseminate data that speaks to the diversity of their employees. We present data that illustrate that universities and crown-research institutes are failing to build a sustainable Māori and Pasifika scientific workforce and that these institutions need to begin to recruit, retain and promote Māori and Pasifika scientists.”
The paper reminds us that in 2018, Dr Megan Woods, Minister of Research, Science and Innovation at the time, launched the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s diversity in science statement. It says:
“Diversity is vital for our science system to realise its full potential”.
Mind you, that is not a universal truth: some scientists challenge diversification initiatives, claiming science is inherently neutral and objective, and therefore it can’t be enhanced by explicit diversity initiatives.
The authors of the paper are not in that camp and say the ministry statement is a step towards raising awareness of the importance of diversity in science,
They further say it needs to be followed by institutional changes, targeted programmes and directed responses from institutions.
According to their data, Māori and Pasifika comprised 4.8% and 1.7% respectively of academics, despite the espousals by universities of valuing diversity “and their obligations to equity as outlined in te Tiriti o Waitangi”.
So – what has happened since Dr Woods struck the blow for change?
One thing seems clear: whatever their share of jobs in universities and science institutes, Maori have been remarkably successful in winning Royal Society of New Zealand honours.
Thirteen new companions – or “Ngā Takahoa a Te Apārangi” – have been elected for decades-long contributions to science, technology and the humanities.
The humanities account for many of the new companions – theology, language and film-making, for example.
They were officially welcomed at a celebration last week.
Six of the 13 names are followed by tribal affiliations:
- Leon Blake (Tūhoe, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Whāwhākia, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Taranaki, Te Whānau-a-Apanui).
- Dr Reuben Tūwhakahekeao Collier CNZM (Horouta, Mataatua, Te Arawa, Tainui).
- Pānia Papa ONZM (Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta).
- Melanie Mark-Shadbolt (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa).
- Professor Elizabeth McKinley ONZM (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāi Tahu).
- Chelsea Winstanley ONZM (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi).
- Professor Emeritus Jenny Te Paa-Daniel, who became the first Māori woman and first non-clergy layperson to lead St John’s Theological College.
We have cited from the Royal Society announcement.
Leon Blake was elected for a sustained and eminent contribution to the revitalisation of te reo Māori. He has led and shaped education in te reo Māori for more than two decades.
His citation notes he is a gifted composer who has served as a senior kapa haka judge for more than 25 years, and many of his waiata have been performed at Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival.
He has contributed to national language policy, including advising on Te Ture mō te Reo Māori, the Māori Language Act of 2016.
Dr Reuben Tūwhakahekeao Collier was elected for a sustained and significant contribution to preserving and transmitting Māori knowledge, history, and public memory.
Over more than three decades, he has exercised leadership across Māori broadcasting, archival storytelling, war commemoration, governance, and higher education.
He has recorded the oral histories of kaumātua, iwi leaders, and war veterans, producing an enduring archive now held in national and international repositories.
As an academic and doctoral supervisor, Dr Collier has advanced innovative research frameworks that are grounded in real-world practice and in kaupapa Māori.
Professor Emeritus Jenny Te Paa-Daniel was elected for her sustained and significant contribution to theological education and indigenous leadership in New Zealand and internationally.
She was dean at St John’s Theological College for more than two decades and is a globally recognised indigenous theologian who has published widely on theological education, race politics, gender justice, and Anglican studies.
From 2018 to 2024 she led the transformation of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.
Pānia Papa was elected for a sustained and eminent contribution to the revitalisation of te reo Māori.
She was co-leader of Te Reo Kairangi, the Master of Māori Language Excellence at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and helped develop resources such as Te Ara Reo Māori, which has supported more than 60,000 learners nationwide.
She was a founding Trustee for Kotahi Rau Pukapuka Trust, which translated and published 100 books in te reo Māori. Grounded in kaupapa Māori research, her prolific creative work spans more than 40 waiata, 12 translated children’s books, and the lullaby anthology Pito Mata. She has written, presented, and produced television shows that normalise te reo Māori in homes.
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt was elected for a sustained nationally significant contribution at the intersection of indigenous knowledge systems, environmental science, and science policy.
She co-founded and leads Te Tira Whakamātaki, the country’s only national pan-Māori environmental and research charity, which created the infrastructure to connect Māori communities, environmental science institutions, and conservation investment.
As Director Māori of the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, she oversaw a major research programme and helped secure $34 million for responses to kauri dieback and myrtle rust.
She has served as Deputy Secretary, Māori Rights and Interests, at the Ministry for the Environment, and chairs the Better Border Biosecurity Collaboration Council. Her internationally recognised indigenous biosecurity frameworks and public leadership earned her the 2021 Westpac Women of Influence Public Policy Award.
Professor Elizabeth McKinley was elected for her sustained and outstanding leadership in Māori and indigenous education.
An international authority on science education, curriculum and assessment policy, transformation in schools, and the achievement of Māori and indigenous students, she led the writing of the first national science curriculum in te reo Māori (Pūtaiao, published in 1996) and co-edited the landmark Handbook of Indigenous Education (first published in 2019) a comprehensive reference work on global indigenous education.
She has directed major research programmes, including working with low-decile schools to create pathways into tertiary study for Māori and Pacific students.
Currently Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne, she directed a US$55 million programme to develop Indigenous leadership across Australia, Aotearoa, and the Pacific.
She is Chair of the international Indigenous Science Network.
Chelsea Winstanley was elected for sustained and outstanding leadership in film-making and cinematography for Māori and for New Zealand.
Over more than two decades, she has championed Māori sovereignty, indigenous knowledge, and leadership by wāhine Māori in the film industry in this country and globally.
As a producer of Jojo Rabbit (released in 2019), she became the first indigenous woman nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture, opening pathways for Indigenous producers worldwide.
As a cofounder of Matewa Media, she pioneered production of te reo Māori versions of major films, including Moana, The Lion King, and Frozen, normalising te reo Māori in mainstream cinema and strengthening intergenerational language transmission.
Through documentaries such as Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen and TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty, and by mentoring emerging Indigenous filmmakers, she has advanced Māori intellectual and creative traditions and created enduring platforms for Māori storytelling.
Matauranga Maori was involved in the work of two of the new companions.
Dr Bruce Campbell, trained as an ecologist and elected for sustained and outstanding leadership in advancing science and its application, focused his research on understanding changes to environmental systems, then combined this with understanding of global markets and scientific innovation. His career has spanned climate science, governance in the food sector, and public health leadership.
As Chief Operating Officer of Plant & Food Research, he steered the sector’s response to the Psa outbreak in the kiwifruit industry, winning his team the Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2017.
He contributed to the International Geosphere–Biosphere Programme and was a lead author of a report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Through governance roles across a range of industries, including with Horticulture New Zealand and Predator Free 2050,
“… he has advanced approaches that embed scientific evidence, technology, and mātauranga Māori to strengthen decision-making. In 2016 the Society awarded him the Thomson Medal to recognise his scientific leadership.”
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt – over two decades as an indigenous environmental advocate – reshaped how New Zealand
“… understands and applies mātauranga Māori to biodiversity, biosecurity, emergency management, and climate resilience.”
The five other new companions are –
- Peter Griffin, elected for an exceptional contribution to science communication in New Zealand.
In 2012 he established the Science Media SAVVY training programme, which has equipped hundreds of researchers with the skills to communicate their work clearly and confidently.
- Dr Gill Jolly, elected for outstanding contributions to science advice, public service, and national resilience in New Zealand.
She provided advice to the Prime Minister, Cabinet, and senior officials during major events including the Kaikōura earthquake and the March 2021 tsunami.
After the Whakaari (White Island) eruption, she led input from GNS Science into the WorkSafe investigation, and established the CASCADE programme that has shaped practice in national resilience, natural hazard risk, and emergency management across agencies such as National Emergency Management Agency and Toka Tū Ake the Natural Hazards Commission.
Since 2023 she has served as Chief Science Advisor to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, advising across fields from geothermal energy and artificial intelligence to space weather, and representing New Zealand on the International Expert Advisory Group for AI Safety.
- Dr Dave Lowe was elected for his sustained and pioneering contribution to atmospheric science, and his communication on climate change.
He pioneered isotope techniques to identify the sources of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and investigated how the cycling of greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere can be disrupted by climate change.
Dr Lowe was a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in the year that the Panel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Dr Rob Murdoch has been elected as a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi for his outstanding and sustained contribution to marine and environmental science and science leadership over more than four decades.
As a senior leader at New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research for 27 years, he shaped the organisation’s scientific direction and oversaw investment in critical assets including the upgrade of the Tangaroa research vessel and two supercomputers.
Dr Murdoch helped to establish two National Science Challenges and advised the government as a Departmental Science Advisor at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The Society awarded him the Thomson Medal for science leadership in 2014.
- Emeritus Professor Ian Town was elected for his outstanding leadership and sustained contributions over three decades at the interface of science, health research, tertiary education, and public policy.
As Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury, he guided the institution through the Canterbury earthquakes, securing a $260 million Crown investment to rebuild its science and engineering facilities. He also championed national research assets, including high-performance computing and the Christchurch health precinct, Te Papa Hauora.
As Chief Science Advisor to the Ministry of Health from 2019, Town provided evidence-based advice to Ministers and officials throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including on the national vaccination programme. He continues to serve the wider health sector as a member of the Ministry’s Strategy and Policy Group.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE.
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