Discovery Scholarships for Māori and Pacific Island students

23 November, 2021

Kia Ora, Bula Vinaka, Fakaalofalahiatu, Fakatalofaatu, Kiaorana, Mālōelelei, Mālōnī, Talofa lava, Tēnā koutou katoa ki ngāmotu o Te Moana nui a Kiwa and a warm welcome to you all.

The MacDiarmid Institute is delighted to announce the continued funding of the Discovery Scholarship Programme, for Māori and Pacific Island students in tertiary science. This is an extension of our long running DiscoveryCamp programme and is designed to support students studying in the physical sciences, chemical/materials engineering, Māori sciences or sciences related to sustainable innovation.

The scholarships (except Te Huarahi Ki Mua award) will pay university fees up to $8,000 for the 2022 academic year, and a one-off cash award of up to $3,000. For Te Huarahi Ki Mua award, recipients will receive a one-off cash award up to $3,000 only.

The Institute welcomes applications from all Māori and Pacific Island students from all backgrounds and abilities, and will award a number of scholarships at each year of undergraduate study, Honours/PgDipSci, and Masters study. Students who are studying part time are also encouraged to apply.

In addition to the financial award, Discovery Scholars will be eligible for the same kinds of ongoing support as our current DiscoveryCamp Alumni cohort, such as summer studentships and access to a range of MacDiarmid Institute events.

GNS Science and the Aotearoa: Green Hydrogen Technology Platform

We are delighted to welcome GNS Science and the Aotearoa: Green Hydrogen Technology Platform on board as our first Discovery Scholarships co-sponsor.

Previous scholarship recipients

With applications for our Māori and Pacific Discovery Scholarships for 2022 now open, we're sharing some of our previous recipients and the awesome study they're doing. Applications for 2022 close 10 December.

See Scholarships for Māori and Pacific Island students for more information.

Eady Manawaiti - Te Kainga Rua Award recipient at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec)

Eady describes himself as a Māori, a landowner, and a science student. He loves science, and if he had his way again, says he would study it straight out of school. He is in the process of doing a carbon cover/cropping microgreen project at his farm near Te Kuiti.

Eady talks about his Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.

Shannon Macdonald - Te Taumata Award recipient at the University of Auckland

Shannon has been encapsulated by science ever since she was young, and that passion only grows exponentially within her as she learns more about it. A deeper fire within Shannon started when she was little and the spark of this fire came from learning she was part Fijian and Ni-Vanuatu, this small piece of knowledge made her excited to learn more about her background, food, ancestors, challenges, culture, and identity. Do not ever stop learning.

Shannon talks about her Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.

Alyssa Thomas - Te Mātauranga Pūtaiao Award recipient at Victoria University of Wellington

Alyssa says she has been immersing herself in the Māori culture throughout her degree and enjoying finding ways to incorporate this body of knowledge into science practices. She says she is incredibly passionate about environmental sustainability and addressing climate change, and hopes to continue doing this while using a Māori perspective.

Alyssa talks about her Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.

Maia Dean - Te Taumata Award recipient at the University of Otago

Maia is a proud Kiwi who is challenging what it means to be a Pacific Islander in New Zealand. She is studying towards a degree in physics and chemistry at the University of Otago hoping to advance New Zealand's space exploration. In following her dreams, she aims to inspire the future generations to explore new ideas and most importantly, to be themselves.

Maia talks about her Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.

Nicky Hambrook - Te Kainga Rua Award recipient at Massey University

After seeing people in her life become ill over the years, and participating in genomic studies herself, Nicky decided to get into science herself to help work on research into finding answers to these problems.

Looking to the future, Nicky says hopes to pursue research that will improve the quality of life and help people, especially Māori. Nicky says she wants to learn to be a person who is able to be a bridge between both worlds, te ao Māori and research science.

Nicky talks about her Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.

Heamasi Vaioleti - Te Kainga Rua Award recipient at the University of Auckland

With the scholarship, Heamasi hopes to encourage the younger Pasifika generation that nothing is impossible if you commit to your goal with perseverance. Haemasi says that the MacDiarmid Institute Discovery Scholarship has given him the opportunity to finally finish what he had envisioned when he migrated to New Zealand. He hopes to help Māori and Pasifika students in the University of Auckland's Tuākana programme. Heamasi also runs fundamental maths skill classes for high school students within his community to build up their confidence around numbers and literacy in order to succeed at tertiary level.

Heamasi talks about his Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.

Te Rina - Piki Ake Award recipient at the University of Canterbury

Te Rina is an aspiring engineer, undertaking an Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree, minoring in Power systems at the University of Canterbury. Being the first in her whānau to reach university, she is driven to work hard to show her tēina that they are not limited by their situation or what society expect young Māori to be. Previously working as a youth leader in the East Side of Christchurch, she aims to encourage the young people in her community with similar backgrounds to overcome their current struggles and strive for success. She is very excited about the future of the electricity industry, mostly looking at the opportunities and challenges a 100% renewable energy society will create and working across industries to create a more unified New Zealand.

Te Rina talks about her Discovery Scholarship from the MacDiarmid Institute.