Projects

Awardee: Mona-Lisa Wareka (Ngātiwai, Ngāti Rereahu), University of Waikato

This research aims towards facilitating transformative change by investigating the impacts and experiences Māori face under current cannabis laws, while examining opinions surrounding potential decriminalisation. This project is significant as it is the first of its kind in Aotearoa, and looks to challenge attitudes surrounding cannabis at an academic level.

Māori doctoral scholars often face significant challenges in universities dominated by Western academic traditions. These environments can clash with Māori cultural values and needs, reflecting colonial legacies that marginalise Indigenous knowledge and methodologies. To address these challenges, the Te Kupenga o MAI (MAI) programme was created in the late 1990s by Professor Graham Smith. This initiative supports Māori and Indigenous PhD students across Aotearoa New Zealand, providing mentorship, resources, and community connections grounded in Māori cultural values. MAI helps reduce isolation and creates culturally safe spaces for Māori scholars to succeed academically while maintaining their cultural identity.

This research focuses on understanding the long-term impact of the MAI programme by examining the experiences of recent Māori PhD graduates. It aims to explore their motivations, challenges, and the role MAI played in supporting them, as well as their career pathways and contributions to their communities after completing their studies. The findings will inform future efforts to support Māori doctoral scholars, ensuring they thrive in academia and contribute meaningfully to their whānau, hapū, iwi, and society.

Awardee: Morgana Vicki Watson (Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Te Atihaunui-a-Papaarangi, Ngāpuhi), University of Canterbury

This research explores how Māori Futurism can be realised through interactive media, merging traditional Māori knowledge with futuristic storytelling and technology. The project investigates the transformative potential of Māori media, where Te Reo me ngā Tikanga are integrated into the development process of, as well as within immersive, interactive worlds. It aims to create culturally authentic experiences that empower Māori and Indigenous communities by offering edutaining ways to engage with their/our culture, language, and identity.

Project lead: Dr Mahonri Owen (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), The University of Waikato | Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Additive manufacturing technology (3D printing) can be used to accelerate the design/development process, reduce material waste, minimise cost and create personalised solutions for challenges faced in industry. 3D printing is often used in conjunction with other technology to leverage its advantages toward the improvement of human life.

This internship developed a visual identity for Te Ahunga atu ki ngā Ōanga Oranga Māori: Towards Māori Wellbeing Economies, bringing Māori wellbeing economies to life through design.
The work supports whānau aspirations by communicating key research in ways grounded in Te Ao Māori.

This internship project, aimed to compile an extensive literature review on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with a focus on the Australasian and Pacific regions.