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Awhina Alumni

Atilua

I graduated from Victoria in 2006 with a conjoint BSc (Computer Science) and BCA (Management and Information Systems). I joined Awhina in 2004 and was a mentor in 2005 and 2006.  I'm working as an IT Advisor for KPMG  and really enjoying the challenges.
When I first joined Awhina I was lucky enough to receive two scholarships; one from UNISYS and one from Awhina. This financial support really helped me with my studies.  As an Awhina mentor my focus was first and second year computer science students. I also talked to various groups about Awhina and my experiences as a Pacific student in computer science at Victoria University. There were other very cool things like Awhina Outreach and the annual Vic Science Experience, where I showed secondary school pupils around the Faculty of Science. This was lots of fun and I got the chance to see what was happening in the different science disciplines.   Awhina helped me build essential life and work skills and get to know the other computer science mentors who I could work with.

I'm proud to be part of Awhina and grateful for all the help and support I received both inside and outside of study.

Tanya

My name's Tanya. I graduated from Vic in Dec 2002 with a BSc majoring in Biology. I was an Awhina Mentor in 2001 and 2002. While I loved the theory side of science, I wasn’t too keen on all the lab work, so I did not get a job directly in the Science field when I finished my degree. I first worked as a Team Leader at a public library, followed by a stint at the Ministry of Justice as an Event Coordinator. At the end of 2006 I started working in the Fundraising department of the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research – which is a nice way to finally make a little bit of use of my Science background!

Carrone

Carrone and daughter Skye.

(Ngai Tahu and Ngati Porou)

I am a born and bred Wellingtonian and ex-Rongotai College pupil. Getting a tertiary degree was the most challenging thing I have done in my life and one of the most rewarding.

I have a BSc in ecology and biodiversity and applied statistics. I've always been keen on sports and all through my degree I kept up my involvement in softball and canoe polo. Things got pretty busy when my daughter Skye was born in my second year of study!

Being part of Awhina whanau helped me see the importance of education and contributing to Maori and Pacific development through sharing knowledge. As an Awhina mentor I was surrounded by like-minded, positive people every day. Now I'm in the workforce I want to continue to put something back to our communities by mentoring Maori and Pacific pupils.

Juscinta

Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Horouta te waka
Ko Ruataupare te marae
Ko te Whānau-a-Ruataupare te hapū
Ko Ngāti Porou te iwi
Ko Juscinta Grace tōku ingoa

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa

I was introduced to the newly established Āwhina group in my first year at Vic by my sister-in-law Kiri. I was a little bit nervous about doing science when none of my friends were and at times I felt a bit out of my depth! I got through my first year with lots of help from Kiri (who was an Āwhina mentor) and the Āwhina group. After that, it got way easier and science tikanga at Vic became much easier to understand and abide by. I graduated in 2004 with a BSC majoring in Ecology and Biodiversity and a BA with a double major in Māori studies and Reo Māori. A year later I completed my honours in Māori studies. I am currently working at Te Puni Kōkiri as an analyst in the policy division. 

Clarissa

I became an Awhina mentor in 2005, as a 2nd year Biomedical Sciences student. A highlight of my first year in Awhina was being an Outreach mentor at Mana College, where I assisted Year 10 students in their practical science labs. At the end of the year, Awhina offered me a summer studentship where I worked for Dr John Miller on peloruside, an anti-cancer drug. My experience led to me gaining fixed-term positions as a research assistant for Dr Miller and as a lab technician at ESR, where I worked on the Meningococcal vaccine study. The following summer, Dr Miller obtained funding from the Cancer Society for me to continue research on peloruside. After graduating with my degree in Biomedical Science, I became a research officer in the Infectious Diseases group at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research. I am currently conducting a multi-centre strain surveillance study on the rotavirus and have recently begun working on tuberculosis. Awhina has provided me with opportunities that lead me to where I am today. Three of my mentees have gone on to do studentships as well, and I know this will give them an advantage towards their future careers in science, as it has for me.

Errol

Tuhoe and Tapuika

Kia ora e hoa ma,

I completed my BSc in Geology in 2001 from Victoria University of Wellington
I completed my MSc honours degree on the Geology, Geochemistry, Petrology and
Physical Volcanology of Hauhungatahi Volcano, Tongariro Volcanic Zone in
2004 from Victoria University of Wellington.

I was awarded a Tuapapa Putaiao Maori Fellowship to support my studies during my
Masters Thesis.

During my undergard and postgrad years at Victoria I was an Awhina mentor. Being
an Awhina mentor really motivated me to be a positive role-model to the pupils and
students I was mentoring and it was great having the support of other Awhina mentors
and staff. I was proud to be involved with Awhina Outreach and it’s great to see some
of these pupils are now at Victoria.

Personal highlights for me would be the stay-overs at Te Herenga Waka Marae,
Pasifika evenings, and the chance to attend the Inaugural Maori Academic
Achievement Awards where a bunch of us got to sing our Awhina waiata in front of the
late Maori Queen, Dame Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu.

I wish to pursue a career in Geology that will lead to volcanic hazard assessment and
research.

Adele

Ngati Kahungunu, Whakatohea

Kia ora koutou,

I joined Awhina as a mentor in 2000 when I started my MSc tracing Maori and Polynesian migration using mtDNA.  I have been involved in a range of Awhina programmes, supporting mentees, outreach to schools, pasifica events and more recently organising the postgraduate seminar series.  I completed my PhD in 2006 investigating heavy metal toxins in green mussels.  Currently, I’m employed by the School of Biological Sciences for teaching, research and community outreach (View my staff profile page).  My job includes initiating and developing research projects that are relevant and important to iwi – something which I am really passionate about.  I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today without Awhina and particularly Liz Richardson.  The support I have received from Awhina staff and students over the years has been amazing and I would really encourage every Maori and Pacific science student to become a part of this group

Alistair

I enjoyed being actively involved in Awhina during my postgraduate years at Victoria University. I was able to provide mathematical and statistical support to Awhina students. Awhina is an excellent resource for Maori and Pacific Island students.
I completed a MSc (in statistics) at Victoria University of Wellington in 2000. My thesis looked at a method of earthquake prediction. I subsequently moved to the University of Sydney and completed a PhD in mathematical biology in the School of Mathematics and Statistics in 2006. I worked at The University of Melbourne in 2006 as a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, where I conducted a statistical analysis of cell migrations during embryo development.
I am now working as a post-doctoral research fellow in Biostatistics at the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney, and at Westmead Children’s Hospital (both in Sydney). I study kidney disease and kidney transplantation. Having a cancer before kidney failure means a patient is less likely to receive a transplant and consequently has worse survival prospects after transplantation. I am working on a project that assesses the associated risks of a history of cancer on potential transplant patients. In the future, I would like to look kidney failure within Aboriginal, Maori and Pacific Island patients.

Tara
Te Arawa

The majority of Māori and Pacific students I have seen come through the Faculty of Architecture and Design are the first within their (often extended) families to go to university. I include myself in this group. Āwhina brings students like us together, with lectures and mentors so we are able to help ourselves and each other to succeed at university.

Kiri

Kiri, Lee and Tyler and (latest addition) beautiful Ariana. Awhina mentors from 1999 will remember Tyler as a tiny preschooler. He's now as tall as Kiri and another success story in the making.
Photo courtesy of Lee's Mum

BSc 2000, BHB 2002, MBChB 2005

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa
Ko Maungatautari te maunga
Ko Ohau te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Tukorehe te marae
Ko Ngati Tukorege te hapu
Ko Ngati Raukawa me Ngati Porou nga iwi
Ko Kiriana Bird toku ingoa

I lived most of my childhood in Wellington - Wainuiomata. My teenage years were spent mostly in the Hawkes Bay. I attended Hato Hohepa - a Maori girls Catholic boarding school for my secondary school years and thorougly enjoyed my time there. Soon after the end of my seventh form year I had a son to my now long term partner, Lee. We were determined to continue on with our tertiary education despite being young, Maori and now new parents.

We moved to Wellington and when our son was 15 months I started my BSc. I became involved with Te Ropu Awhina Putaiao in my second year where I became a mentor for Maori and Pacific students. This involved making contact with them and having tutorials as they required. It allowed a senior and junior student relationship to begin which was mutually beneficial. It provided a friendly face from a similar background culturally within a mainstream enviroment.

I finished my time at Victoria University in the year 2000 after completing my BSc. I applied to Auckland School of Medicine and along with my whanau we moved to Auckland that year to start my medical studies.

Throughout my time at med school I was invovled a lot with MAPAS (a similar ropu to Awhina). After 5 years of hard work I graduated from Med school in 2005 and began working at Auckland Hospital as a junior doctor.

Due to lifestyle reasons my whanau and I have moved back to the Hawkes Bay to settle in 2007. I am currently working at Hastings Hospital in Obstetrics and Gynecology, our son is 10years old and we are expecting our second baby soon.

Te Ropu Awhina provided me with a whanau support network whom I could lean on throughout my time at Victoria University. A ropu with a focus of manaakitanga and aroha that is often lacking in a large institute.

I would like to acknowledge Liz Richardson whom I met back when I started with Te Ropu Awhina. Without her ongoing committment, hard work and enthusiasm, this Ropu would not be where it is today - and from the website I can see it has grown stronger.

I have to say that it would not have been possible to write this story if it were not for the never ending support of both of our families.

Veronica

I got my BSc in 2003 and my MSc in 2006 from Victoria University, both in Ecology & Biodiversity.  For my masters thesis I studied how introduced bees affected the ecology and evolution of our native flax, and in 2005 (with a lot of help from Awhina!) I was a recipient of a Tuapapa Putaiao Maori Fellowship. 

I am currently applying for jobs in the field of plant ecology and my interests are in plant reproductive biology, evolutionary ecology, and more recently speciation. 

I have enjoyed being involved with Awhina throughout my university life, particularly as a postgraduate.  The people involved in Awhina have given me, and continue to give me, support and confidence, and provided a sense of family away from home.

Eli

Ngati Hikitanga (Horowhenua)

I completed a BSC (Hons) in 1999 in Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, from Victoria University of Wellington.

I completed my PhD in Developmental Neurobiology in 2004, again from Victoria University of Wellington.

I now work at the University of Melbourne, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.

I work as a research scientist. I am interested in unraveling the exact molecular mechanisms for how the nervous system is hard wired over development. I use the fruit fly (Drosophila) embryo as a model organism to understand the genetic control of these processes over development. My work involves, grant writing, experimental design, carrying out those experiments with the help of research assistants, data analysis, and communication of that data (results) in peer reviewed scientific articles and conferences. My job affords me a great deal of intellectual freedom and the University is an extremely stimulating place to work.  Recently I have begun teaching both graduate honours students and undergraduate medical students, which I find highly rewarding.

During my graduate years at Victoria University of Wellington I was actively involved in Awhina. I was one of the founding mentors in of Awhina in 1999 and also took part in the first out reach programs to Mana College and Bishop Viard in the Porirua area. Not only was I able to offer support and guidance to undergraduates and secondary school students, but I also received a great deal of support from my fellow awhina mentors.

Namouta

BSC (Hons) Geography, Victoria University, 2001
BA Anthropology, Victoria University, 2000

I am a Senior Planner with Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner and have had over 5 years experience in the planning field, involved in projects in New Zealand and the Pacific.

My role is Job Manager and I have had the opportunity to practice strategic planning on structure plan projects, a number of coastal strategies and a town centre strategy.  I have also undertaken demographic analyses for several Councils and the Ministry of Education.  I have ongoing involvement in assisting the Government of Samoa to develop Coastal Infrastructure Asset Management Plans for the country and have undertaken an environmental impact assessment in Fiji to establish an affordable housing precinct.  More recently, my work in Tangata Whenua planning was recognized by the New Zealand Planning Institute with the 2007 Award of Merit for the Mana Whenua Mana Moana Paper developed in conjunction with the Mana Whenua Reference Group and the New Plymouth District Council.

My policy experience is based on developing and processing a number of resource consent applications (including the assessment of environmental effects, undertaking relevant consultation and a statutory assessment), and designations throughout the north island for State highways, schools, fire stations, camp grounds, apartments and carparks.

I grew up in Wellington before moving to Hamilton and now live in Tauranga.
I am happily married and a keen netball player who loves the movies!

Melanie

Ngäti Porou

Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Ng äti Porou te iwi
Ko Tuwhakairiora te hapu

Tënä koutou. My name is Melanie and I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and a Master of Science degree in Marine Biology from Victoria University. I was a Te Röpu Äwhina Pütaiao mentor for 3 years, including a year as a mentor for the Outreach programme at Bishop Viard College. I was also lucky enough to have a Tüäpapa Pütaiao Mäori Fellowship (TPMF) for my Masters degree.

I have been working for the Ministry of Fisheries since May 2004, and transferred to Nelson in May 2005 to work as a Customary Fisheries Facilitator. My job involves providing assistance to iwi and hapü to enable the development of their fisheries management strategies. It’s a fantastic job that combines my passion for the marine environment, and the empowerment of Tängata Whenua.

I really enjoyed my time at Vic Uni and I value the support and encouragement I received from the Te Röpu Äwhina Pütaiao mentors and staff. I fully encourage all Mäori and Pacific Nation Science students to get involved in Te Röpu Äwhina Pütaiao, either as a mentor or as a mentee. It is a great whänau network, especially if you are living away from home, and everyone is there to assist you to reach your goals and much more.

Nö reira, whaiä te iti kahurangi; ki te tüohu koe, me he maunga teitei.

Tënä koutou, tënä koutou, tënä koutou katoa

Wes

Talofa lava, my name is Wes and my home-town is Porirua.  I attended Aotea College and it was during my time there that I developed an interest for science.  In 2003 I started studying at Victoria University and graduated in May this year with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science majoring in Molecular Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry. 

It was 4 years of some hard work, but at the end of it all I feel it was a good choice and a fantastic experience.  Along the way I have met some awesome people and been supported in many ways by Awhina through my first year in getting over the initial culture shock and keeping me in tune with university life and study.  In my second year I became an Awhina mentor and continued that role for 3 years.

I have been privileged to have received many scholarships that have helped me through my studies, such as the Awhina Pasifika Award, the ESR Gugumatua Science and Technology Award and the Ahuwhenua Science Scholarship.  Äwhina hooked me up with an awesome part-time job for 2 years with a government organisation called The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA).  One of my roles at ERMA was being part of a project team that transferred the tens of thousands of chemicals and substances that are in New Zealand to be covered under new legislation, The HSNO Act.   In my final year I received an Awhina Summer Research Award which gave me research experience in Victoria University’s Organic Synthesis Laboratories. 

The opportunities and support that Awhina has given me far outweigh what I could ever give back, and I have definitely been blessed to be part of Awhina whanau.  At the moment I’m taking a temporary detour from science.  I have been a Territorial Force soldier for 4 years and currently I’m doing some crazy-as training with them.

Nathan

I was born in Lower Hutt and grew up on the North Shore and Whangarei. My parents had both emigrated to NZ - my mother from Samoa and my father from the UK. Before starting at Victoria I was living in Cannons Creek, attending Aotea College. In my first two years at Vic, I stayed at Weir House and Everton Hall which gave me the chance to meet lots of people from different parts and cultures of NZ. I studied a BCA/BSc conjoint degree majoring in economics, mathematics and statistics & operations research.

In my third year I was tutoring Maori and Pacific Island students - initially through Tagata Pasifika and then later when Awhina started. I found this very rewarding and it was a great way to meet people with a similar cultural background. I graduated in 1999 and had the honour of being the student speaker at my ceremony and being voted best science tutor in the 1999 faculty tutor awards.

Since then, I have been working and studying towards being an actuary. I spent 6 years in Wellington working for Tower and I am now living in England working for a UK insurer.

I am still involved with Awhina as a career mentor, making myself available to promote science and discuss career issues. Mathematics and statistics have traditionally been under-represented by Maori and PI students, but there are many exciting and rewarding career options for students following this path.

Kirikowhai

Te Arawa (Tuhourangi, Ngati Whakaue)

I studied a conjoint BSc/BCA (Mathematics and Maori Business) at Vic. At the moment I work in the Census Division at Statistics New Zealand and have had the opportunity to be involved in many different aspects/phases of the census survey process. From managing a team of collectors during the collection phase, to evaluating data during the processing phase and to creating outputs from the latest Census data that will hopefully benefit Maori people in making informed decisions about our future development.

Tiri

Ngāi Tahu / Ngāti Kahungunu

I completed a B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics at VUW back in 98. I was a mentor within Tangata Whenua and later in the Te Roopu Awhina Putaiao programmes in Maths and Science. I went on to do some Astrophysics research, including a couple of observing runs at the Mauna Kea Observatory in the USA. In 2001 I changed direction and started a full-time career with Statistics New Zealand.

I have enjoyed my 5 years at Statistics NZ and the supportive Māori Network where 3 other members were also mentors in Te Roopu Awhina. I reckon that my training in Maths and Science has given me a broad range of job options and that Victoria University was a key part of the equation that the awhi and tautoko helped me to get through.