The Ngﾄ（ Tahu Research Centre has appointed its first Professor, Dr Shaun Ogilvie, a co-appointment with the School of Biological Sciences, at the University of miniｴｫﾃｽ.
窶弃rofessor Ogilvie has a solid academic background and a well-established publication record. He understands mﾄ》auranga Mﾄ｛ri and where the needs of the Mﾄ｛ri community can be met through the sciences and research,窶變says the Director of theﾌNgﾄ（ Tahu Research Centreﾌand ﾅｪpoko of Ngﾄ（ Tﾅｫﾄ”uriri,ﾌAssociate Professor Te Maire Tau.
窶廾ur students and iwi need scientists who understand what mahinga kai means and that the knowledge we have built up throughout our generations is equally understood and scrutinised within the sciences. We need to keep building new knowledge and ways of engaging with the natural world for the benefit of Ngﾄ（ Tahu and the South Island.
窶彜haun has spent considerable time with my father and elders within the tribe as well as the wider community of iwi leaders such as Sir Mason Durie and Dr Rose Pere. It窶冱 a good appointment and we look forward to producing more Mﾄ｛ri students within the sciences.窶
This is a joint appointment between the Ngﾄ（ Tahu Research Centre and the School of Biological Sciences in the College of Science.
窶弩e look forward to Professor Ogilvie making a significant contribution to research and capacity building in mﾄ》auranga Mﾄ｛ri at the University of miniｴｫﾃｽ, the College of Science and the School of Biological Sciences,窶 says the Head of theﾌSchool of Biological Sciences,ﾌProfessor Matthew Turnbull.
Professor Ogilvie graduated with a PhD in Ecology from the University of miniｴｫﾃｽ in 2000, and since then has held numerous academic and research roles. He is the Director of Eco Research Associates Ltd, an environmental research company, and sits on numerous committees and boards. Professor Ogilvie featured in a recent book profiling 24 Mﾄ｛ri academics,ﾌNgﾄ Kete Mﾄ》auranga. The University of miniｴｫﾃｽ窶冱 Head of Aotahi School of Mﾄ｛ri and Indigenous Studies,ﾌSacha McMeekingﾌ(Ngﾄ（ Tahu)ﾌalso featured in the book.
Professor Ogilvieﾌ窶椴formerly an Adjunct Associate Professor of the Universityﾌ窶椴has recently been appointed as the Kaihautﾅｫ Ngﾄ》ahi | Co-Director Mﾄ｛ri of theﾌ, a role he will bring to the University of miniｴｫﾃｽ.
The appointment of Professor Ogilvie is part of a commitment to grow and attract senior Mﾄ｛ri academics to the University of miniｴｫﾃｽ, which Ngﾄ（ Tﾅｫﾄ”uriri have supported through the Ngﾄ（ Tahu Research Centre.ﾌIn 2019, Ngﾄ（ Tﾅｫﾄ”uriri and the University of miniｴｫﾃｽ reconfirmed their Treaty relationshipﾌoriginally signed off by the previous ﾅｪpoko, H.R. Tau, in 2001.
ﾅｪpokoﾌAssociate Professor Tauﾌsays this, the first of five professorial positions, is a commitment towards what a Treaty relationship is meant to be.
窶弋he purpose of a university is to produce new knowledge through research and to then ensure that knowledge is distributed to students and eventually the community to engage with and to hopefully implement. Ngﾄ（ Tahu are of the view that research should be focused on the environmental and health sciences, institutional economics, law and history,窶變Associate Professor Tau says.
窶廢quity within the University is quite simple. Knowledge needs to be seen as a capital asset to which our people have equal access and academic leadership provides a route for our students to gain access to new knowledge and to contribute to new knowledge窶.
