Poutama Ara Rau is a multidisciplinary team of more than 50 University of Otago researchers and post-graduate students. We are dedicated to promoting and facilitating new communication and new research collaborations to increase the international reputation for Otago's research excellence in ako grounded in mātauranga Māori and Māori pedagogies.
Poutama Ara Rau Co-Directors Karyn Paringatai, Jacinta Ruru and Suzanne Pitama.
Co-Directors
Poutama Ara Rau Co-Directors are national award winning kaupapa Māori tertiary teachers. They are consecutive recipients of the Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Prime Minister's Supreme Award, in conjunction with the Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching award in a Kaupapa Māori context (2014, 2015 and 2016).
Professor Karyn Paringatai
Te Tumu – School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies
Professor Karyn Paringatai (Ngāti Porou) teaches and researches primarily in the areas of Māori pedagogies, Māori language acquisition, Māori performing arts, socio-cultural aspects of Māori migration, and Māori identity.
Karyn has delivered significant keynote presentations on Māori teaching methods. She is currently leading a Marsden-funded project to tell a human story of stomach cancer.
She is part of the Research Leadership Team of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga – New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence.
“Poutama Ara Rau is highlighting Māori teaching and learning methodologies as best practice for tertiary educational success for all students.”
Professor Suzanne Pitama
Dean and Head of Campus of the University of Otago, Christchurch
Professor Suzanne Pitama (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Whare) has been involved in Māori health research for almost two decades. It was this research that developed her interest into Māori pedagogies and their application to health professional education.
Her main focus is how to ensure that Māori health models can be translated into clinical practice that is responsive to Māori patient/whānau/community needs to address inequities and acknowledge Indigenous rights.
In 2018, Suzanne won the Royal Society Te Apārangi Dame Joan Metge Medal for her innovative work in health professional education to address critical Indigenous health inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Poutama Ara Rau provides a pathway to demonstrate Māori pedagogical strengths within the University of Otago, and its direct benefits to the Māori community.”
Professor Jacinta Ruru
Faculty of Law
Professor Jacinta Ruru (Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui) teaches and researches Indigenous Peoples' legal rights and interests to own, manage and govern land and water. She is committed to tertiary student success, and increasing the Māori career pathways into the tertiary workforce.
In 2020, Jacinta was part of an inclusive team of New Zealand Māori law academics to publish an Issues Paper on Indigenising the LLB (Bachelor of Laws) degree.
“Poutama Ara Rau is developing new exciting theory, method and practice at the University of Otago in a connected and inspiring manner.”
Steering Committee
The Steering Committee provides leadership for our Theme research. In addition to the Co-Directors, the Steering Committee includes:
- Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie, Department of Anatomy and Director of the Aging Well National Science Challenge
- Dr Rachel Martin, University of Otago College of Education
- Associate Professor Bridget Robson, Associate Dean Māori, University of Otago, Wellington and Director of Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare
- Associate Professor Katharina Ruckstuhl - Associate Dean Māori, Otago Business School, and leadership roles in the Technological Innovation National Science Challenge
- Professor Diane Ruwhiu, Department of Management
- Research Professor Reremoana (Moana) Theodore, Department of Psychology and Co-Director of the National Centre for Lifecourse Research
- Professor Michelle Thompson-Fawcett, School of Geography, Division of Humanities
- Professor Emma Wyeth, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine and Director of Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora Māori o Ngāi Tahu