Personal journeys of New Zealand researchers

The Aquaculture group comprises over 50 scientists, technicians and support staff who lead research in a range of areas including selective breeding of multiple species, shellfish hatchery production, shellfish and finfish physiology, algae production, aquatic health, open ocean aquaculture and new species development. The Aquaculture Group works closely with the NZ aquaculture industry, and collaboratively with other NZ and international researchers to provide a practical multidisciplinary approach with science excellence to help realise aquaculture’s potential in NZ. Serean is also the leader of the Shellfish Aquaculture Research Programme which encompasses much of the group’s shellfish research and collaborations, as well as biosecurity and post-harvest research.

What did you study during undergraduate through to post-doctorate?

I studied at the University of Otago. I majored in zoology for my undergraduate degree and then went on to do a post-graduate diploma in Marine Science. I continued on to a PhD in Marine Science – my thesis investigated cryopreservation of gametes and larvae of the sea urchin, Evechinus chloroticus, and of other marine invertebrate species.

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

My PhD was part of a larger research programme at Cawthron. Towards the end of my PhD, I helped Cawthron write a research proposal to secure further funding in this area. I went to the UK for a post doc and then came back to be part of that research programme.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts- and anything which helped? 

I think I was pretty lucky to be honest – I was fortunate that my PhD was part of a research programme which meant I was involved in applied research and writing competitive funding proposals right from the get go. Also, that the leader of the programme involved me and helped me continue in my career.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers? (This includes gender/ethnicity/ and career stage)

I’ve been really supported throughout my career at Cawthron, even during the years where I was part-time with young children I was able to progress, and I’ve seen other scientists similarly supported which is fantastic – life is not all about research. Cawthron has always had a diverse mix of people but that is more noticeable now with our growth – in my group there are 10 different nationalities. More recently, we’ve been able to take on some early career researchers and it has been exciting to see the enthusiasm, ideas and energy that these people bring to our group.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

I’d love to see more post-doctoral fellowships and early career grants for those that are studying to help provide a career pathway - I think these need to link in with larger research programmes to have impact. Also, talent and capability development deliverables within research programmes.

What did you study during undergraduate through to postdoctorate?

I completed a BHSc in Physiotherapy at Auckland Institute of Technology in 1994. I went on to complete a MHSc in Healthcare Ethics in 2004.

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

I initially had a Maori Development role at ESR focused primarily on business development. Over time I was involved in developing research projects that I could also be a part of in a research capacity. My initial research interests focused on traditional Maori healing, and the interface of mātauranga Maori, science, and biotechnology. When I moved to the University of Waikato I continued to split time between research projects and research development activities. Three years ago I moved into an academic role within Faculty of Maori and Indigenous Studies primarily doing research.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts- and anything which helped?

I was fortunate that much of my early career has been in research offices where I was being funded to engage and connect with Maori communities and end-users. This provided an opportunity to develop relationships and networks that have supported future research projects. This also allowed me to circumvent some of the barriers in the NZ Science system, which make it hard to get funding for Maori related research projects.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers? (This includes gender/ethnicity/ and career stage)

The Vision Matauranga policy has been in place for over 10 years now and has recently become a more prominent part of the science system which creates more opportunities for Maori researchers to be included in collaborative research projects. While there has been an increasing amount of opportunities for Maori post graduate scholarships (Masters and PhD's) there have been limited opportunities for those graduates to gain post doctoral or full time research/academic positions.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

It would be great if there were more opportunities for internships and scholarships to attend workshops and conferences so that they get a better understanding about the research culture and ecosystem. More support for Maori specific science initiatives and workshops (like SING Aotearoa) and programmes like Puhoro STEM Academy are necessary to increase the interest of Maori in becoming researchers. More post doctoral opportunities and stability for early career researchers would also be valuable.

What did you study during undergraduate through to postdoctorate?

Bachelors of Science, majoring in Geology 1996

PG Diploma in Geology 1997

Doctor of Philosophy in Paleontology and Geology 2005

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

I needed to stay on to do a Masters as I hadn’t quite focused enough during under-graduate study.

I got tricked into doing a PhD by being offered an amazing project leading a deep-field geology expedition for the British Antarctic Survey for which I described a suite of Jurassic rocks, the fauna therein, and contributed to understanding of the temporal and spatial nature of Gondwana break-up.

I was awarded Tuapapa Putaiao (Foundation for Research, Science & Technology) and Te Mata o te Tau Doctoral Scholarships, a Claude McCarthy Travel Fellowship and the Hornibrook Award (Geological Society of NZ).

During the PhD I taught two courses: Earth Science & Coastal Geomorphology and Management at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, during which I developed strong relationships with local Māori communities.

A University of Auckland Faculty of Science postdoctoral fellowship followed – for which I was a member of a 35 country, a 130 member strong International Geological Correlation Programme project, who along with James Crampton and Poul Schioler (both from GNS Science) formed the New Zealand contingent. We worked on rapid sea temperature increase, a consequence of natural climate change in the ancient past and its impact on productivity in the oceans.

Following the completion of the post-doctoral fellowship, in 2008 I was appointed as Community Earth Systems Science Programmes Manager as a foundation member of the Institute of Earth Science & Engineering (IESE), University of Auckland.

While working at the IESE I secured 2 research projects from Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, one of the National Centres of Research Excellence (CORE). Through the successful completion of those projects I was asked to apply for, and was successful in attaining, the position of Research Director at Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, where I worked for 6 years. After being part of the team that secured another CORE contract, worth ~$30 million, I transitioned out of Ngā Pae into a fixed-term roles in Anthropology (1 year) and Māori Studies (3 years) before securing a permanent in Māori Studies in 2018.

As I was looking for places to head after securing the Ngā Pae contract I applied for a number of ‘science’ positions but was unsuccessful. I was also encouraged to make a case for a Strategic Appointment, one that enjoyed the full support of a Science School, and the Dean of Science, and had no financial encumbrance’s as I was fully funded on research grants for a number of years. The case was declined, in part because of a mediocre publication record at that time, and in part because it was deemed I had no focus.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts- and anything which helped?

The transition was not routine, but not unique either, and one I was comfortable with. However I find myself today in a role operating in a Faculty of Arts, yet practicing science and publishing in science journals, as well as others. I think a barrier I encountered was the siloed disciplinary approach thinking and preference that led to the ‘lack of focus’ criticism. I found that view interesting because the focus was very clear to me – every piece of research I had been involved in was either trying to realise the dreams of or help solve the challenges facing Māori communities.

Being awarded the Tuapapa Putaiao Scholarship certainly assisted.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers? (This includes gender/ethnicity/ and career stage)

In terms of gender equity there has been some improvement, although we still have ways to go. I believe, in particular, the work being done on unconscious bias is having positive results. With respect to cultural and ethnic diversity we have also made some improvement, but we also have a ways to go.

Māori are under-represented across the sciences. The implementation of the Vision Mātauranga Policy has had some positive outcomes. Furthermore strategic planning of job descriptions should result in an increase in Māori in the sciences.

I believe all scientists should read Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s seminal De-Colonising Methodologies.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

Be honest about the challenges as well as the rewards and the rewarding nature of a research career.

As folks currently working in sciences, it is our responsibility to create space for the next generations, as outlined in Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s De-colonising Methodologies.

Promote diversity.

Link them to the Kindness in Science movement.

I te tuatahi, nei rā te mihi nunui ki a koutou. He uri tēnei nō Taranaki mounga. Ko Ngāruahine, ko Taranaki ngā iwi. Ko Titahi te hapū. Ko Ōeo, ko Orimupiko ngā marae. Ki te taha o tōku kuia, ko Ngāti Maniapoto te iwi. Ko Ngāti Rora te hapū. Ko Te Kohanganui-a-noho te marae. Ko Arama Rata tōku ingoa. Nō reira tēnā koutou katoa.

I am a Senior Research Fellow at NIDEA (the National Institute of Demographic and Economic Analysis), based at the University of Waikato. Broadly speaking, my research is about building connectedness within Māori communities and between Indigenous and migrant communities, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. I'm particularly interested in how settler colonial structures position racialised peoples and the impact this social positioning has on their lives.

What did you study during undergraduate through to postdoctorate?

I completed a BSc in Psychology and Applied Statistics, then went on to complete an honours degree and a PhD in Psychology. I also gained a lot of research, teaching and administrative experience while I was still a student. During that time, there seemed to be an expectation that students would fulfil certain roles for free, and I found myself working in many contexts (such as on committees and boards) where I was the only one not being paid. While these experiences were often beneficial, there were also instances where my generosity and love for my people was being exploited. Over time, I’ve come to realise this experience is common, particularly for students of colour. Looking back, when I was asked whether I would be willing to perform certain roles that I knew were not in my interests, I wish I understood that it would have been ok to have responded, “Is there a budget for that?”

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

Being a Māori woman in the particular science department I studied in was so unsafe that I retreated to the shelter of a Māori Studies department for my first fulltime academic position. A new position in my field was then advertised in the science department, and I was encouraged to apply. But I was so relieved to be in an affirming environment at Māori studies, I was unwilling to give that up. Unfortunately, Māori women scientists are routinely faced with these types of choices, in which we have to decide between advancing our careers and our personal safety. While I’m now at an institute that is both affirming of my identity as a Māori woman and able to offer discipline specific support, this is not the case for many Māori women scientists.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts - and anything which helped?

The science system, like other knowledge systems in New Zealand, is part of a broader society founded on racist and sexist social structures. Yet science is distinct from many other knowledge systems, in that it has been used explicitly to justify structural inequality, through scientific racism. As a Māori woman scientist, my efforts are hindered by the settler colonial logic that my people, our knowledge systems, and my sex are inferior. While there aren’t (usually) signs on the walls of universities proclaiming my inferiority, institutional policies and norms underpinned by these racist and sexist structures function to systematically disadvantage Māori women in the science system.

Although there are many initiatives across the system designed to counter disadvantage, in the university setting they are often designed to improve student outcomes and neglect staff development. In addition, these initiatives tend to be precarious, operating unfunded or on insecure funding.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers?

When I was at university, there was program for Māori science students in which senior students would mentor their juniors. The program created community, and helped many students to achieve. However, it now occurs to me how absurd that is, as a model: to attempt to improve Māori outcomes by burdening senior Māori students with the responsibility of mentoring their juniors. I’m not saying these programs don’t lift first year achievement, because they absolutely can and do. But equitable outcomes for Māori students should be the core business of the university, and should therefore be funded. Senior Māori students should continue to be given opportunities to mentor junior students where needed, but like all other key staff in the university they should be paid to do so. Unfortunately these programs are often all that are offered in terms of supporting Māori into science research careers, and students coming through the system today are still jumping the same hurdles I had to a decade ago.

Since beginning my science journey, I have witnessed some positive changes within organisations that fund and promote science (for example, the integration of Vision Mātauranga into the research investment approach taken by MBIE, and recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi in Te Apārangi - The Royal Society of New Zealand's Code of Professional Standards and Ethics in Science, Technology, and the Humanities). However, it’s taking time for these changes to translate into smoother education pathways for emerging Māori scientists at the tertiary level. And these types of changes are not enough.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

Structural changes are needed to decolonise science teaching, research, and funding. Māori must have full control over a kaupapa Māori science system. I see huge potential in the transformative effect of kaupapa Māori science education, and look with particular interest to the recently established Pūhoro STEM Academy to create pathways for emerging Māori scientists, as a first step. These young scientists are now entering universities across the country, but the science system is not ready for them. We must respond quickly and radically to enable these students to reach their full potential not just as scientists but as Māori scientists.

I am currently an Associate Professor of Biological Anthropology and technically still an Early Career Researcher (in years post PhD), in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago. I am a bioarchaeologist, so I study human skeletons from archaeological sites to answer central questions about human society, health and the environment.

What did you study during undergraduate through to postdoctorate?

I studied a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Anthropology starting at the University of Auckland and then moved to the University of Otago for my third year, then focused on Archaeology and Biological Anthropology for my honours year. After that I did a PhD in the Biological Anthropology at the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago.

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

I was supported by my PhD supervisor into a Postdoc continuing my work in SE Asian bioarchaeology. I then attained 2 consecutive, 2-year Postdocs in my department, and then gained a lectureship in 2010. (Although researchers are often recognised for their research, that isn’t the only part of my jobs; I teach and convene undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and contribute to service at the department, university, and national and international bodies).

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts and anything which helped?

The transition was ok in terms of the research and teaching I had to undertake. I always taught during my PhD and postdoctoral career and also learned a lot about grant writing during my postgraduate and postdoctorate time. I had my first child as a PhD student which was challenging and she was young when I started my Postdoc. My mentor and HoD understood the challenges of juggling motherhood and research which really helped. I had my second child in 2014 as a senior lecturer. I found the transition back to work after 3 months leave was quite difficult with breastfeeding and childcare etc. (I couldn’t afford to take any more leave.) I was also landed with a very intense teaching load and convening 3 papers.

Durham University in the UK has set up a great initiative where women and men returning to work after parental leave have 6 months research and study leave. This is so important for supporting researchers who have been away to climb back on the ladder to where they would have been had they not had this leave. I talk about some of these issues on the Childhood Bioarchaeology site(external link).

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers? (This includes gender/ethnicity/ and career stage.)

We have made some progress, but still have a long way to go in terms of gender equity in science in NZ. I was dismayed that the Royal Society decided not to adopt the Athena SWAN Charter. Although I understand their concerns, these are actually met by the Charter’s structure itself. However, this year the Royal Society has set up Te Kauhuahua, an advisory group considering equity and diversity and the Royal Society also has a Diversity Policy.

Some of the international conferences that I attend have childcare provided. A great example is the American Association of Physical Anthropology which provides free childcare at their conference venues. Childcare is a gender issue as caregiving mahi is mostly undertaken by women and is a real barrier for attendance at conferences, especially international conferences. I have talked about this on my blog(external link).

The University of Otago has updated its Māori Strategic Framework 2020 which is used to guide our mahi to support the development of strong Māori-focused research projects, teams and opportunities with an emphasis on outcomes that have a positive effect for Māori.

I am a past co-convenor of the University of Otago Ozone Research Group. It comprises top early career researchers at the university and aims to promote and support Early Career Researchers (ECRs).

The Royal Society Early Career Research Forum is active in supporting the development of ECRs across all areas of research in New Zealand, and I was honoured to be a founding committee member. This Forum represents the national voice of New Zealand’s ECR community and to celebrate their contributions in the fields of physical, biological and social sciences, as well as the humanities. One of the focuses of the forum is gender and equity.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

There should be flexible work hours for parents and more recognition of the other barriers for academic mothers (for example, I did not realise that I could apply for funding so my dependents could travel with me for my sabbatical until 3 years after my research leave). There needs to be breastfeeding rooms and storage fridges provided to staff, and universities should consider extending paid parental leave to be on par with the government leave. Currently, my understanding is that the University of Otago provides the shortest length of paid parental leave out of all of the universities in NZ.

We need to encourage Māori and Pacific researchers and research at our universities, and put more strategic funding into supporting this research. How many times have you heard an excuse for all male panels (#manels) being that there were no women available? Make these opportunities work for women by providing support for them to attend.

I think unconscious bias is still a real issue in academia and science. Everyone should do unconscious bias training.

I am a Senior Lecturer of Māori physical education and health where I teach undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum in Māori physical education and health at the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences. I am an Associate Dean with a focus on External Engagement for my School. I have always been passionate about physical education as it is the blend of science and humanities where you have the opportunity to put theory into practice in the context of mauri ora or flourishing wellness. 

My research area is Māori physical education and health which is the study and application of Māori worldview, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Kaupapa Māori Theory within a physical education and health context. 

I have the privilege of working with Māori communities to support their aspirations.  My current focus is across 4 areas:

1. Māori physical education and health
2. Tangaora/marine
3. waka and water safety
4. indigenous science.

These are underpinned by my praxis and these are the threads that are a feature of all of the my research:

• community engagement and co-production
• Kaupapa Māori methodology
• Kaupapa Māori methods, namely hui and wānanga
• graduate student development.

I co-lead 2 research groups: Te Koronga(external link) and Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai(external link). Te Koronga is a Māori research excellence kaupapa comprised of 2 parts:

• our graduate research excellence students and
• the indigenous science research theme. 

Our moemoeā is mauri ora or flourishing wellness and our kaupapa is Māori research excellence based on the aspirations of Māori communities underpinned by a Kaupapa Māori ethos. Te Koronga is our intentional approach to grow Māori researchers through undergraduate, to postgraduate and into academic careers. The indigenous science research theme is focused on emerging and established researchers who work alongside Māori communities in:

• mātauranga derived research
• interface work
• research that has a decolonising ethos or where it is of a non-Māori focus but Māori have an interest in.

Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai is a research group that aims to enhance customary fisheries management. We work with local Māori communities to support their aspirations to strengthen the connections to the marine environment through managing resources and places of importance.

What did you study during undergraduate through to postdoctorate?

In my undergraduate I studied a Bachelor of Physical Education majoring in Exercise Sport Science with honours in Professional Studies. I studied a Master of Physical Education and then a PhD in physical education and Māori studies.

I have always been interested in the sciences, arts and practical applications for wellbeing and so physical education is the ideal fit for me to explore these things. Physical education gives you a grounding in seeing the world from cell to society which is becoming more important in the world that we live in today.

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

At the end of my PhD, a tenure track academic position became available at the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences. I applied and was successful for that job – which I am still in now.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts- and anything which helped?

There were a number of challenges I faced, and continue to face as an emerging researcher. There are many transitions ie, undergrad to postgrad, PhD student to academic, lecturer to senior lecturer and so on. I face the normal challenges of other new academics ie publish v perish, balancing research, teaching and service, learning “the game”, building a research platform etc.

In addition to these are the challenges of being a Māori academic and what that brings. For me, being young (relatively), Māori and female can be quite difficult in the science system. Each of these identities bring their own challenges and when combined these difficulties are exacerbated.

I am fortunate in that I haven’t been worn down by the science system yet. I haven’t been worn down as I have my touch stones in the communities and research groups I work with. They give me the perspective needed to ensure that we can continue to deliver on work that is meaningful and necessary. Working with communities is not easy and it brings a different set of challenges, but for the type of research we undertake communities are a critical part to ensure we are tika (correct) and pono (honest) in what we are doing.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers? (This includes gender/ethnicity/ and career stage.)

There is an increased recognition in the promotion of diversity in science and research, however, I have seen few examples where these have translated to genuine increases in diversity at an institutional level – and I am referring primarily to Māori staff; as well as researchers who may be non-Māori but have excellent expertise in working with and alongside Māori.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

For the individual researcher, it sounds cliché, but I firmly believe it, and am an example of it, to work and study in an area that you are passionate about. I have been reflecting a lot this year, how fortunate I am to have made a career out of studying and researching on areas I love, while being able to serve my communities.

For emerging Māori researchers, ground yourself in your own ways of understanding the world first, always listen to your whānau and communities and it’s important to follow through in actions.

In terms of what can be done to encourage those towards a research career – we are at a crisis point in the science system in Aotearoa where there is limited increase in the number of Māori academic positions, as such, what I would like see done is a national policy with associated resourcing that is intentionally focused on Māori academic positions focused on kaupapa Māori in sciences to population parity.

I am currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research). This role is the lead role in a university responsible for all research within the university, from strategy to operational, from mandatory reporting to strategic intelligence analysis. I get to know about all the research that is happening in the university and work with researchers to help them realise their research ambitions.

What did you study during undergraduate through to postdoctorate?

As an undergraduate I did a four-year BSc(Hons) degree with a major in Chemistry. I also did a lot of Math and Physics in my undergraduate. In my PhD I worked in molecular self-assembly, a then quite young subject but now explored and utilised in a wide array of research areas and commercial processes. The study of systems that undergo self-assembly to form a multitude of different structures is often thought of sitting in physical chemistry, biophysics or chemical engineering. This became my major research area and so were what I did in my two postdoctoral fellow positions as well.

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

After my PhD and the two postdoctoral fellowships, I became an academic and being a researcher was a fundamental part of that role, so it was a natural growth to become a lead researcher after 6-7 years of training.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts- and anything which helped?

I began my academic career in the late 1990s and things were different, there weren’t grants for people just starting out, you had to compete along with everyone else, but I was fortunate to get a couple of Marsdens early and of course that helped enormously to establish my research career. The system is enormously different now than when I started. Being an academic is vastly different as well. I think there is a greater expectation and much higher entry level into academia and being able to be successful in the system.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers? (This includes gender/ethnicity/ and career stage)

The system and different institutions now recognise and support people who are just starting out and so there are many different opportunities to help people get started. There are also many different flexibilities built into the system to allow the system to be a more inclusive environment. But I think that research and research institutions, including universities are still not as inclusive as is necessary. Considerable focus in recruitment, the environment, the expectations, and the work hours need to continue to create fuller inclusion.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

I think that there needs to be a much greater visibility and understanding of just how broad a research career can be. There is still too much traditional context surrounding and setting the structure of the teaching and this fundamentally needs to change.

What is your current position, and what are you researching?

I’m currently employed by Massey University as a Senior Lecturer in the School of People, Environment and Planning. I coordinate a course called Tū Tira Mai: Practicing Engagement on active citizenship. In terms of research I’m currently working on three projects. The first is with Dr Louise Lee (Open Polytechnic) and Kaibosh(external link), a food rescue organisation in Wellington. The second is with Dr Kelly Dombroski (University of Canterbury), Associate Professor David Conradson (University of Canterbury) and Dr Stephen Healy (Western Sydney University), and Cultivate(external link), an urban farm/social enterprise in Christchurch. This project is funded by the Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities National Science Challenge. The third is a larger collaborative project on climate adaptive communities with colleagues from GNS Science, Victoria University, University of Otago and Landcare Research. This project is funded by the Deep South National Science Challenge.

What did you study during undergraduate through to post doctorate?

I studied a Bachelor of Social Sciences, majoring in Geography and Resource and Environment Planning at the University of Waikato. I then did a Masters in Geography from the University of Otago, and completed my PhD in Geography at Victoria University.

How did you make the transition into a fulltime research career?

I wouldn’t say I have a full time research career at the moment, as a significant amount of my time is spent on teaching and service. My working career has involved a range of jobs, from retail, community libraries, adjunct teaching and tutoring to working in local government as a planner. While completing my PhD in 2012 I got a part time job at the Open Polytechnic teaching social sciences in their BA programme. This was my first waged job that involved a research component (0.1 FTE). This year I shifted from the Open Polytechnic to Massey University and one of the things I am appreciating is the extra time and resources that I have for research now that I’m based at a university.

How did you find the transition? Were there any barriers in the NZ science system which may have hindered your efforts and anything which helped?

My transition to research related jobs has been relatively slow and characterised by temporary and part time contracts. Every job I’ve ever had since leaving planning in local government has started as a fixed term temporary contract. While there are a number of reasons for this (the nature of funding grants, changes in the tertiary sector etc), I’ve found that this uncertainty (or what some call the ‘gig economy’) makes it difficult to manage commitments when doing collaborative research. If I don’t know where I’m going to be next year, it can make it tricky to manage workload and future planning. What has helped is support from friends and colleagues (such as putting funding grants together and drawing on the research resources at our respective institutions), and also understanding managers who have enabled me to focus on research and recognised this as valuable.

What progress have you seen to promote diversity in research careers, including gender/ethnicity/ and career stage?

Good question! The stuff I’m aware of, or have been involved in includes things like eSocSci which has an Early Career and Postgraduate Network(external link) that does useful stuff. The new President of the Royal Society Te Apāirangi, Professor Wendy Larner, has made early career researchers a priority as part of a wider focus on diversity. The Royal Society Early Career Researcher Forum(external link) are currently doing a nationwide survey to try and gain a better understanding of issues facing early career researcher across New Zealand (and not just in tertiary institutions). I’ve also been involved in Tertiary Education Union Rainbow Te Kahukura(external link) events which focus on making workplaces and communities places that celebrate diversity, especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual, takatāpui, fa’afafine, transgender and intersex folks. As a gay person working in the research and the tertiary education sector I’ve found these kinds of networks really helpful in reminding me that there are other gender and sexually diverse folks around, and that we often have to navigate issues that straight people wouldn’t necessarily think about (such as interactions with research participants, how much personal information we share and who it is safe to ‘come out’ too). What these kinds of initiatives suggest to me is that concerns about diversity are starting to shift from talk to action.

What would you like to see done to encourage and assist those currently studying, towards a research career?

I’m heartened by the networks and work I described above. But I would love to see more Pasifika and Māori people moving into research careers. I’m no expert on how we create more welcoming and diverse research cultures, but I think part of it involves re-thinking quite a bit of everyday relational dynamics. I’ve been in research meetings where some pākehā (myself included) want to get ‘straight down to business’, and don’t allow enough time for genuine whanaungatanga. As a gay person I also know that feeling of being the ‘only one like you’ in a certain context which can feel quite isolating. So maybe one idea could be to have more focused cohort based postgraduate study for those students that feel safer as part of a learning community that has lots of people like them.