Dr Vincent Ieni Olsen-Reeder

Dr Vincent Ieni Olsen-Reeder is a second language learner of te reo Māori, having started his learning at Victoria University of Wellington in 2008. Since then, the Māori language and its revitalisation have become his passion.

Ieni’s doctoral research investigated the effectiveness of bilingualism as a theoretical approach to revitalisation, and the ways in which a bilingualism approach could remove some of the anxieties surrounding Māori language use among Māori speakers. It is the University's first thesis to be written and defended in te reo Māori.

Professor Te Kawehau Hoskins

Head of School

Dr Te Kawehau Hoskins (Ngāpuhi) is the Head of School at Te Puna Wānanga in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. She is primarily engaged in qualitative social and educational research in the area of the politics and ethics of Indigene – Settler relations, and multicultural and bicultural education. In particular her research interests concern the Treaty of Waitangi in educational governance, policy and practice that includes a focus on issues connected to School – Māori Community relationships and Māori community participation.

Dr John Pirker

Lecturer

Dr John Pirker (Ngāi Tahu) is a lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury. John’s research interests centre around aquaculture, including marine ecology, marine algae and evolution and behaviour within marine ecological systems. In addition to his research, John is also involved in the Māori Research Advisory Group (MRAG) and Marine Ecology Research Group (MERG)

Dr Amanda Black

Senior Lecturer

Dr Amanda Black (Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Whānau-ā-Apanui) is a senior lecturer in bio-protection at Lincoln University. Her research expertise is environmental soil and water biogeochemistry, focusing on soil health . She has recently focused her research on ecosystem resilience, forest health and tree dieback, with a particular focus on investigating disease resistant traits. She is also a founding and executive member of Te Tira Whakamātaki, the Māori Biosecurity Network.

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.

Dr Jade Le Grice

Senior Lecturer

Jade Le Grice (Ngai Tupoto - Te Rarawa; Ngati Korokoro, Te Pouka, Ngati Wharara, Te Mahurehure - Ngāpuhi) is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on decolonising praxis - deconstructing dominant cultural norms and legitimating mātauranga Māori in knowledge, health, and education systems. Currently, Jade is particularly interested in Māori sexual and reproductive health, sexual violence prevention, and rangatahi wellbeing in whānau contexts.