Associate Professor Ocean Mercier

Associate Professor

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.

Associate Professor Melinda Webber

Associate Professor and Research Director of the Starpath Project

Melinda Webber is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. Melinda is the Director for the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity programme and a former Director of the Starpath Project.  Melinda has been a Fulbright/Nga Pae o te Maramatanga Indigenous Scholar and has published widely on the nature of ethnic identity development and iwi distinctiveness, examining the ways race, ethnicity, culture and identity impact the lives of young people, particularly Maori students .