Ngāti Hauiti welcomed three researchers new to the rohe at a pōwhiri held at Rātā Marae on 29 September 2020. Dr Tanya Allport (Te Ati Awa) recently joined the team at Whakauae Research as a Senior Researcher based in Tāmaki Makaurau. COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, in place off and on since March 2020, led to an unavoidable delay in formally welcoming Tanya before now. She was supported during her pōwhiri by Hector Kaiwai (Ngāti Porou, Ngai Tuhoe, Maniapoto), her former colleague and now Director at Wai Research (Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust).
Also joining the group was emerging Māori researcher, Tom Johnson (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi) the recipient of a Whakauae Summer Scholarship 2020 -2021. Tom holds a Master of Innovation and Commercialisation degree awarded with merit from Victoria University of Wellington. During the term of his Summer Scholarship, Tom will be engaged in a range of research activities and will be supervised by Dr Tanya Allport. Whilst continuing his employment in the Māori health services sector, Tom will concurrently identify his doctoral research topic, prepare a PhD research proposal and complete a relevant literature review. Whakauae looks forward to sharing in the next stage of Tom's research journey.
From left: Tom Johnson, Hector Kaiwai, Dr Tanya Allport, Whakauae Chair Peter Fraser, Neville
Lomax and Utiku Potaka
