Te Rau Hiringa awards recognise contribution of professional staff

The leading contributions of three professional staff to enhance research excellence have been recognised with the 2025 Te Rau Hiringa awards, created to acknowledge the value professional staff bring to research at the University.

Jen Rogers (Liggins Institute) has led strategies to improve inclusion of Māori and Pacific participants in longitudinal research. Hui Hui Phua (Liggins Institute), has led development of the rapid whole genome sequencing service for critically ill newborns. Nalei Taufa (FMHS) has been instrumental in building enduring partnerships with Pacific nations.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation Professor Frank Bloomfield said, “Those recognised this year exemplify outstanding commitment to advancing the University’s research mission through innovation, cultural leadership, and technical excellence. All nominations received were of an exceptionally high standard, proving the depth and breadth of our professional staff contributions to research.”

The Te Rau Hiringa Awards recognise the valuable leadership and commitment of professional staff to research excellence at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. Each award recipient receives $5000 for professional development.

Sustaining Research Excellence
Jen Rogers has been an instrumental figure at the Liggins Institute since 2006. In her roles as Māori engagement leader and follow-up team leader, she has pioneered culturally grounded strategies that have significantly improved the inclusion of Māori and Pacific participants in longitudinal research. Her work has not only elevated the cultural responsiveness of the Institute’s research but also contributed to high-quality, inclusive datasets. Jen’s scholarship includes co-authored studies on neonatal hypoglycaemia and the use of te reo Māori in cognitive research, highlighting her deep integration of tikanga Māori into research practice.

Sustaining Research Excellence
With over 25 years of laboratory experience, Hui Hui Phua is a shining example of technical excellence at the Liggins Institute. Her leadership in molecular research platforms has empowered more than 50 postgraduate students and many research teams across the University. Notably, she led the development of a rapid whole genome sequencing service for critically ill newborns, and pioneered several laboratory innovations, including advanced multiplex staining and automated DNA extraction protocols. As a core member of the analytical and molecular research platform, Hui Hui contributes to service delivery and protocol development and represents the technical team on the platform’s management group.

Catalysing Research Excellence
As research operations manager at University Research Centre Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwa – Centre for Pacific and Global Health, Nalei Taufa has managed more than $12 million in research funding and has led the delivery of multi-country, Pacific-led projects. She has coordinated major events like the 2025 Te Poutoko Research Symposium and supported WHO governance initiatives. Nalei’s leadership bridges institutional systems with Pacific communities, enabling high-impact, culturally anchored research founded on enduring partnerships across Aotearoa and the Pacific.