Mō Tātou: Doing It for Ourselves. Developing Indigenous Māori and Pacific Marine Scientists in Aotearoa / New Zealand through Tino Rangatiratanga (Self-Determination)

Persistent ethnic disparities in tertiary success have been experienced by indigenous and minority students globally, especially in the sciences, and more so at postgraduate level.  Nevertheless, Te Rōpū Āwhina (Āwhina), a programme based on the Māori (indigenous people of Aotearoa / New Zealand) concept of whānau (extended family) at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), has substantially increased the number of Māori and Pacific undergraduates and postgraduate students in the science, engineering, architecture and design disciplines.  The kaupapa (goal) of Āwhina is to produce Māori and Pacific scientists who contribute to Māori and Pacific community development and leadership.  An important Āwhina initiative, the Āwhina VUCEL Incubator (AVI), is based at VUW’s Coastal Ecology Laboratory (VUCEL).  The kaupapa of the AVI is to develop outstanding Māori and Pacific marine scientists capable of advancing scientific understanding and, critically, contributing to leadership and development in their communities in meaningful and significant ways.  Māori and Pacific marine science capability is built through direct involvement in research that benefits those communities.  Key aspects of our work and kaupapa are exemplified by two recent activities discussed in the presentation: (1) The Āwhina Summer Cybrospace event where years 12 and 13 rangatahi (youth) from Ngāti Kahungunu and other iwi (tribes) and Āwhina local community clusters participated in hands-on activities including marine laboratory and field-based activities, and (2) a project developed by Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated (NKII: the tribal entity for Ngāti Kahungunu) in partnership with the AVI, to increase Māori capability around marine resource management and provide pathways into marine science for Ngāti Kahungunu rangatahi.  We describe the partnership approach taken to develop the project with NKII, evaluation of the Summer Cybrospace event, and research being undertaken to demonstrate that Āwhina and the AVI are having a positive influence on Māori and Pacific success in science-related disciplines.