2024 Council Election - Councillor elected by Māori Electoral College

Nominees for the Councillor elected by the Māori Electoral College members from 2024 to 2027 are:

• Professor Christine Kenney MRSNZ
• Dr Cheryl Stephens MRSNZ
• Dr Melanie Cheung MRSNZ 

Candidate: Professor Christine Kenney MRSNZ

(Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāi Tahu)

Nominated by: Professor Jarrod Haar FRSNZ & Professor Anthony Hōete FRSNZ

Candidate Statement: 

As inaugural Professor of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Co-Director of Research for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University, I am a staunch advocate of innovative research, and transformative scholarship. My passion for Māori science capability development is underlined by a strategic vision that led to the establishment of Te Toi Whakaruruhau o Aotearoa, the National Mātauranga Māori Disaster Research Centre, which I lead as the Kaiwhakahaere Matua with the support of my Māori research colleagues.  

My background as a sociologist of science and health clinician/researcher, has shaped research and policy leadership work underpinned by culturally responsive and professional ethical standards and focused on disaster risk reduction, health, and humanitarian issues. Māori and Indigenous Peoples’ concerns pertaining to climate change, natural hazards, gender, public health, and wellbeing, are central to my interdisciplinary work, which is strengthened by understanding diversity within research, scholarship, and innovation across all science fields.

I honed personnel management, business skills and governance expertise within senior roles in the corporate world (Price Waterhouse, Mitsubishi), which have required financial literacy, and appreciation of compliance, reporting, privacy issues, health and safety legislation as well as contract law. These skills have been refined in academia overseas (University of Alberta) and New Zealand, strengthening my research leadership within MBIE’s national science challenges, Endeavour, EQC, QuakeCoRE and Marsden programmes. Recent work has focused on partnering with tangata whenua and encompassed co-leading the national science challenge RNC rural research programme, the MBIE Endeavour programme Pungapunga Auaha, and a third Marsden project exploring how Mātauranga Māori enhances Māori-led disaster recovery. A strong commitment to Māori science capability building has contributed to engagement in numerous committees including a five-year engagement and role as Chair with MBIE’s Te Pūnaha Hihiko Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund Panel, as founding Chair of EQC’s Māori Research Funding Panel, and an appointment to the 2023 Rutherford Foundation Trust Panel. 

My involvement in the strategic science policy to practice sector, in New Zealand and globally, where I have strongly promoted Māori and Indigenous science capability, is extensive. Advocacy for Māori aspirations, legislative recognition, and funding for tangata whenua has resulted in appointments to Ministerial committees, notably Emergency Management and MBIE’s Special Extreme Weather Advisory Panel. I also co-lead projects with Indigenous communities in North America, China, Canada, and Australia and regularly work on Indigenous concerns with the World Health Organisation and United Nations agencies (UNDRR, UNESCO, UNOCHA). I chaired the UNDRR/International Science Council Indigenous Disaster Science caucus and was a lead-author on the United Nation’s 2022 Global Assessment Report. These fora provide important opportunities to ensure global recognition of Indigenous languages, and knowledges as well as chances to shape global science agendas, and strategies that impact Aotearoa and significantly tangata whenua.

I equally appreciate the opportunity to support our kāhui of Māori researchers, that membership of the Royal Society Te Apārangi Council offers. I would be humbled and thrilled to have this honour, and it would be a privilege to facilitate the advancement of science, within Aotearoa.

Candidate: Dr Cheryl Stephens MRSNZ

Te Arawa (Ngāti Hinekura, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Makino, Tuhourangi, Ngāti Wahiao); Taranaki Iwi (Ngāti Moeahu, Ngāruahinerangi, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga)

Nominated by: Professor Te Kani Kingi MRSNZ & Distinguished Professor Graham Smith FRSNZ

Candidate Statement: 

Qualifications: Doctor of Education (EdD); Master of Business Studies; Diploma of Sport (Coaching); Bachelor of Education; Diploma of Teaching; Registered Teacher

I trained as a primary school teacher, working in a number of rural and regional schools for over 20 years.  I then moved into the tertiary sector, as Head of Education, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, responsible for initial teacher education.  During this period, I was academic staff representative on Council of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi and Research and Ethics Committees; Chair Board of Trustees, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Matai and Whānau member Te Kohanga Reo o Otupango, Te Puke. 

The shift into tertiary education provided the opportunity to work in a number of new areas, including quality assurance, research, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, supervision of thesis students.  A further appointment as Chief Executive, Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development, enabled iwi, hapū research to be key focus, with further opportunity for localised doctoral studies.  Other governance opportunities on NZCER Board; Ministerial Appointment as Education Commissioner, NZ National Commission UNESCO.  More recently, Chair Ngāti Makino Heritage Trust, Deputy Chair Ngāti Makino Iwi Authority; iwi, hapū representative on Te Arawa education and hauora groups.

My research interests are in Kaupapa theory, research and practice;  critical theory and critical literacies; indigenous education; pedagogy and practice and how this enhances student achievement; educational leadership and teacher education.

I currently work for Te Rau Ora (Non-Govt Organisation) managing Te Rau Matatau PTE, in the provision of qualifications and credentials for kaimahi working in mental health, addiction services, working with national hauora services, iwi, hapū, whānau.

Candidate: Dr Melanie Cheung MRSNZ

Ngāti Rangitihi

Nominated by: Dr Erena Wikaire MRSNZ & Professor Te Kani Kingi MRSNZ

Candidate Statement: 

We are pleased to nominate Dr Melanie Cheung as a Māori Electoral College Representative to the Council of Royal Society Te Apārangi. Dr Melanie Cheung is a Māori neurobiologist who has worked in academia; the health sector; and in Indigenous communities in Aotearoa, Canada and USA. She undertakes transformational multidisciplinary science, health and innovation research that supports Māori and Indigenous peoples to flourish. Melanie is best known for her Kaupapa Māori research with Māori Huntington’s disease communities for which she was awarded a Women of the Year (Health and Science); Huntington's Disease Society of America's Distinguished Leadership award for exemplary dedication, leadership in international research; and was also a recipient of a Fulbright New Zealand Scholar Award.

She applies decolonising scientific methodologies to her work for the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, rematriating New Zealand Chinook salmon back to Northern California and to her work with Abundant Intelligences, which reimagines the conceptualisation and design of artificial intelligence based on Indigenous knowledge systems that support the flourishing of future generations, and are optimised for abundance rather than scarcity. Underlying all her research is a profound belief that mātauranga (traditional knowledge) and tikanga (ceremony) have a significant contribution to make to our changing world, and ultimately shape her research practices.

Melanie is an ideal candidate given that she is classically trained in biochemistry and neuroscience, as well as having completed her post-doctoral studies on decolonising methodologies under the supervision of Distinguished Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith. She is grounded in the community, the laboratory and field work. Thus, Dr Cheung has a deep understanding of the differing natures of research, science, scholarship and innovation across knowledge contexts.

We are confident that Melanie will contribute valuable strategic perspectives and leadership to Council. Having held varying local, national and international leadership roles previously, Melanie is also familiar with organisational and governance operations, legislative, financial and health and safety policy adherence. In addition, Melanie is passionate about her work and the advancement of science and knowledge, is highly personable, and demonstrates excellent mahi within collective environments.