Internship project
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eHealth initiatives in surgery: Cultural co-design of a general surgical patient-centred App
This project supported the co-development of eHealth tools in surgery that reflected Māori cultural values and health perspectives. The intern reviewed pre- and post-operative practices to identify opportunities for culturally responsive design and improved communication with Māori patients. -
He mauri tō te tamaiti: Ākonga Māori motivation in education
This internship explored what motivates Ngāpuhi Year 5/6 students to succeed, revealing diverse expressions of success grounded in whanaungatanga and wellbeing. Supervised by Professor Melinda Webber, the project highlights the importance of fostering connection and rangatiratanga in education. -
Maramataka Māori Embedding Indigenous Knowledge(s) in Education
This internship explored how Maramataka Māori and mātauranga can be meaningfully integrated into English and Māori-medium education in Aotearoa. It supported the protection and sharing of tohunga knowledge through research and a symposium connecting Indigenous educators across the Pacific. -
Traditional understandings of wāhine Māori, their roles, and maintenance of their safety: Kaumātua and kuia perspectives
This internship applied kaupapa Māori methodology and Mana Wāhine theory to analyse interview data from the E Tū Wāhine, E Tū Whānau project. Working with leading researchers, the intern explored culturally grounded ways to support wāhine and whānau wellbeing, while challenging harmful stereotypes around Māori women and domestic violence. -
Flourishing Wāhine Māori Identities in Women’s Rugby
This internship explored the wellbeing and identity of wāhine Māori in rugby, highlighting barriers and opportunities through a systematic literature review. The project offers insights to better support wāhine Māori in sport and beyond, with findings submitted for publication. -
Hangaia ana te whare o Indigenous Science
This project explored archival and historical material across Aotearoa and the Pacific to inform a whare metaphor for the new Centre of Indigenous Science at the University of Otago. The intern contributed to kaupapa Māori research within Te Koronga, gaining skills in research praxis, literature review, and kaupapa setting. -
Building an Indigenous Science curriculum in tertiary education
This internship focused on Indigenous Science curriculum through a kaupapa Māori lens, producing a literature review of Māori and global Indigenous approaches. Working with Te Koronga and the Centre of Indigenous Science, the intern gained hands-on experience in kaupapa Māori research and curriculum development. -
Using a Māori lens to analyse media discourse on the introduction of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022
This internship explored media coverage of the Pae Ora Act 2022, analysing tone, key messages, promises around Māori health outcomes, Treaty and equity framing, and budget considerations. Working with Associate Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere and Dr Amohia Boulton, the intern contributed to a wider HRC-funded study by theming and analysing media content… -
Health systems and decolonisation: Preliminary activities to understand health system perspectives
This internship supported the design of a survey to capture health system perspectives on decolonisation in Aotearoa. Working within a Kaupapa Māori research team, the intern contributed to stakeholder engagement and survey development—laying the groundwork for future research into how decolonisation is understood and actioned across the health sector. -
Tihei Mauriora, Tihei Mana Motuhake: Breathing mauri and mana motuhake into the lives of rangatahi Māori who offend and their whānau with lived experience of trauma
This internship project explored how trauma affects Māori youth who offend, and their whānau, aiming to inform more responsive youth justice policy. Through a systematic literature review and development of a policy brief, the research examined how lived experiences and Māori approaches to trauma can shape more effective, whānau-centred legal responses. -
Te reo Māori Smart Home Voice Assistant
The internship focused on developing an openHAB plugin that understood commands in te reo Māori for smart home systems. Supervised by Associate Professor Te Taka Keegan and others at the University of Waikato, the project enhanced the intern’s skills in software development and smart technology. The open-source plugin contributed to creating technology… -
Developing a Bibliography of Politics Research by Kairangahau Māori
This internship compiled a bibliography of politics research by kairangahau Māori, supporting more inclusive and responsive political studies in Aotearoa. Guided by a multidisciplinary rōpū, interns built research skills and helped shape future pathways for Māori in politics and policy.