UOWHui Whakanui Tauira Awards 2021 – Pacific Award/Prize winners
The UOWHui Whakanui Tauira Awards celebration was held on 19 November 2021 at the Dominion Museum Building in Wellington.
A total of 6 awards/prizes were received by UOW Pacific students from areas including Medicine, Radiation Therapy, Physiotherapy and senior postgraduate Public Health research. Congratulations to all the UOW Pacific student award winners.
The list of winners for 2021 includes:
Pacific Postgraduate Award 2021
Keresi Bako.
Keresi Bako (PhD candidate)
Pacific Prize 2021
Dannielle Gaualofa.
Dannielle Gaualofa (MB ChB 6th Year)
Pacific Award 2021
Kaitlyn Cocker-Valu.
Kaitlyn Cocker-Valu (MB ChB 5th Year)
Brenetta Taavao Vole.
Brenetta Taavao Vole (MB ChB 5th Year)
Pacific Medical Prize 2021
Tara Cleaverley.
Tara Cleaverley (MB ChB 4th Year)
Pacific Medical & Allied Health Prize 2021
Jessica McCarthy.
Jessica McCarthy (Radiation Therapy)
UOW Pacific Leadership Award 2021
Urata Sofai.
Urata Sofai (MB ChB 4th Year)
University of Otago Wellington collaboration with Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand
UOW 4th and 5th Year Medical students at Te Papa Tongawera Museum of New Zealand.
The University of Otago, Wellington has been working with senior curators and leaders at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand to collaborate and support delivery of the 4th Year and 5th Year Medical programmes at UOW.
Medical students have had the opportunity to visit and spend time with senior curators and their lecturers at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand as part of their training and learn more about the history of Aotearoa New Zealand and its neighbouring Pacific countries. These efforts are to support better understanding of the history of Aotearoa New Zealand and its Pacific regional neighbours and give contextualization for some of the health inequities currently seen today. The intent also is to more fully appreciate the diversity within Pacific communities, and the need to consider different contexts and perspectives that support health and well-being and equitable health outcomes.
University of Otago Wellington Staff Appreciation Awards
Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu receives the 2021 UOW Research Science Communication Award from Dean and Head of Campus Professor William Levack.
On 2 December 2021, the University of Otago Wellington Dean and Head of Campus, Professor William Levack, hosted the End of Year Staff Appreciation Awards at the Dominion Museum Building in Wellington.
The 2021 Research Science Communication Award for UOW was presented to Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu, Associate Dean (Pacific) and Senior Lecturer Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine.
Wellington Pacific graduate featured on Otago Bulletin Board
Friday 7 May 2021
Adam Faatoese with his son Leon (5) and partner Ivanah.
After starting University not knowing what he wanted to do, Adam Faatoese is leaving as a doctor.
He has a simple explanation for why he ended up choosing Medicine: “I wanted to do something that really helped my community and specifically, our Pasifika people.”
Read the full story at the Otago Bulletin Board:
Aspiring GP wants to help his community
University of Otago Wellington Pacific welcome lunch
The University of Otago Wellington Pacific Office hosted a welcome lunch for University of Otago Wellington Pacific Students and staff. This welcome lunch provided an opportunity for the University of Otago Wellington Pacific staff and students to come together and connect. We were also joined by our Pacific clinicians from CCDHB.
University of Otago Wellington Associate Dean (Pacific), Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu with Pacific Staff, students and CCDHB clinicians.
University of Otago Wellington farewell to Professor Harlene Hayne, Vice-Chancellor, University of Otago
On 5 March 2021 a Poroporoaki was held on the Wellington campus to farewell Professor Hayne, where gifts were presented on behalf of Māori and Pacific artisans and counterparts from the University of Otago Wellington. These gifts were presented to Professor Hayne to pass on to the First Nations in Perth, where she will take up her new role.
Toa Waaka, Rautaki Hononga Māori, Māori Strategic Framework Project Manager, presented Professor Hayne with two kete matauranga, blue and gold hand woven flax baskets containing treasures in the form of a package of three specially designed cards featuring whakatauki proverbs.
Associate Dean (Pacific) Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu presented Professor Hayne with a decorative Tapa or Ngatu (as called in Tongan), on behalf of University of Otago Wellington Pacific staff, students and wider Pacific communities, to be gifted to the Indigenous peoples of Perth in Western Australia. This decorative Tapa/Ngatu holds important cultural significance and symbolises the importance and value of Respect, Reciprocity and Relationships. Tapa/Ngatu is made from the bark of the Mulberry tree and requires significant labour and painstaking processes to produce which adds to its value. In Tonga, Tapa/Ngatu is considered koloa (treasure) and can be gifted in respect and honour of persons or during weddings and funerals and other important ceremonial events, with each design containing significant cultural value and significance. The poroporoaki and presentation of the Tapa/Ngatu with other gifts, also provided an opportunity for Dr Sika-Paotonu to extend sincere thanks and gratitude to Professor Hayne for the Pacific related work that had been undertaken and progressed at the University of Otago under her leadership as Vice-Chancellor.
University of Otago Wellington Associate Dean (Pacific) Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu presenting Professor Harlene Hayne with a decorative tapa/ngatu to be gifted to the Indigenous peoples of Perth.
Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu, Professor Harlene Hayne and Mr Toa Waaka.
Acknowledgement and farewell for Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai, the University of Otago Pacific Islands Centre Manager
The outgoing manager for the Pacific Islands Manager, Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai was thanked and acknowledged in Dunedin as she undertakes her new role as the University of Otago Pacific Community Engagement Manager and based in Auckland. Tofilau has been the head of the Pacific Islands Centre since the year 2002 and holds the high chief title of Tofilau from her village of Iva in Savaii, Samoa. The farewell was well attended by many people including our University's leadership staff, our Pacific leadership within the University and also our students who attended to honour and farewell Tofilau.
We would like to wish Tofilau the very best in Auckland!
Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai and Professor Helen Nicholson.
Pacific students' performance for Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai.
Minister for Pacific Peoples and Courts; Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education (Pacific Peoples), Justice, and Health (Pacific Peoples) Hon. Aupito William Sio extending his sincere thanks and gratitude to Tofilau via video stream.
The Rt Hon Helen Clark presents on “The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic” at the University of Otago Wellington Public Health Summer School
On the evening of the 1 February 2021, the Rt Hon. Helen Clark was the guest speaker that opened the Public Health Summer School delivering a presentation on “The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic” and also her work with the World Health Organisation (WHO). This presentation was held via Zoom and in person in the Nordmeyer Lecture Theatre here at the University of Otago Wellington.
Hon Clark was the 37th Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand, serving three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008. She later became the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator for two terms, from 2009 to 2017, the first and only woman to lead the organisation. In 2019, she became patron of the Helen Clark Foundation. Hon. Clark is an active chair and board member of a number of global organisations, and currently co-chairs the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.
For more information about this presentation and to watch this talk
Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu with the Rt Hon. Helen Clark.
University of Otago Division of Health Sciences Associate Dean (Pacific) Appointment
On the 26 February 2021, Dr Xaviour Walker was formally welcomed and acknowledged as the new Associate Dean (Pacific) for the Health Sciences Division. Dr Walker is of Tongan heritage and an Otago Medical School graduate who has returned from overseas to take up this Pacific leadership role. Dr Walker has envisioned that in this role, the aim is to get some of the Pacific graduates that have graduated from the University of Otago in order to increase our capacity with teaching, research and working with Pacific students. Dr Walker takes over from the previous Associate Dean (Pacific) for the Health Sciences Division, Faumuina Professor Fa'afetai Sopoaga who has worked tirelessly on behalf of Pacific over the years. We wish to congratulate Dr Walker the very best in this role and acknowledge Faumuina Professor Sopoaga for her commitment to Pacific at the University of Otago. We look forward to future collaborations!
For more information about Dr Walker's appointment
Dr Xaviour Walker with family, Professor William Levack and Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu.
Dr Xaviour Walker with family, Professor Richard Barker (Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Division of Sciences) , Professor William Levack, Dr Losa Moata'ane (Associate Dean (Pacific) Division of Sciences) and Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu.
University of Otago Acting Vice-Chancellor appointment
Professor Helen Nicholson has been appointed the new Acting Vice-Chancellor for the University of Otago while the recruitment process takes place.
“Professor Nicholson graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Bristol in 1979, has held a variety of leadership positions at Otago, including the Dean of the Otago School of Medical Sciences and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International).
She came to Otago from the University of Bristol in 2000 as a full professor.
We are looking forward to working together with Professor Nicholson.
Professor Helen Nicholson and Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu.
Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) Scholarship Awards
On the 9 December 2020, the Pasifika Medical Association held it's Scholarship Awards night. PMA is a network that is comprised of Pacific health professionals that work collaboratively to strengthen our Pacific health workforce capacity and capability to meet the health needs of our Pacific peoples in the Pacific Region. This event was held at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland and was attended by the scholarship recipients and their families amongst other people. Dr Lupe Taumoepeau of Tongan descent, the first and only female vascular surgeon in Australasia delivered the keynote address.
There were six scholarships presented, worth a combined total of $90,000 for undergraduate and postgraduate studies. The scholarships have been named after lifetime members of the PMA group who have explicitly demonstrated outstanding service for our Pacific communities. The Papali'i Dr Semisi Ma'ia'i University of Otago Scholarship was awarded four Pacific students with one student, Ms Sophie Papali'i, currently in her last year of medical school, here at the University of Otago Wellington. Congratulations to all the PMA Scholarship recipients!
For more information on the PMA Scholarship Awards
Joe Sauvao and his daughter, Sophie Papali'i.
Tania Sauvao and her daughter, Sophie Papali'i.
Dr Lupe Taumoepeau and Sophie Papali'i.
University of Otago Wellington Inaugural Summer Studentship Poster Showcase
On the 29 January 2021, the University of Otago Wellington held its inaugural Summer Studentship Poster showcase. More than 30 students (mainly medical) participated by presenting their research posters to a judging panel comprised of scientists, clinicians and researchers. The overall winner was Matisse Uluilelata who won first prize for her poster, with highly commended prizes going to Katie Reed, Matthew Latta, Michaela Walker and Molly Dore.
Matisse Uluilelata's poster topic was “Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Perceptions and awareness among whānau and health care professionals”, supervised by Jeannine Stairmand (Department of Public Health).
The highly commended posters were as follows:
- Katie Reed “BPG Reformulation for Rheumatic Fever prevention”, supervised by Dianne Sika-Paotonu (Dean's Department and Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine)
- Matthew Latta “Improving the carbon footprint of cataract surgery across Wellington region”, supervised by Jesse Gale (Senior Clinical Lecturer)
- Michaela Walker (Stigma on the acute mental health wards: Us and them, mad or bad, and pejorative views on psychiatry), supervised by Gabrielle Jenkin (Department of Public Health)
- Molly Dore (Response to Mirena treatment for early stage endometrial cancer), supervised by Claire Henry (Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health)
Congratulations to our Summer Studentship Poster Showcase winners!
Matisse Uluilelata – Overall Winner for the University of Otago Wellington Summer Studentship Poster showcase.
Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu with Ms Katie Reed.
Summer Studentship Poster showcase highly commended winners.