Research looks to address equity in STEM for Māori, Pacific and female students

New University of Auckland research is addressing long standing inequities in secondary school participation and success in STEM subjects for Māori, Pacific and female students.

Led by Associate Professor Mei Kuin Lai and Dr Jacinta Oldehaver, the multi-year project Te Pae Tawhiti: Equity in STEM, a collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering and Design uses partnership with schools and the co-design of practical, future focused tools.

The project seeks to improve opportunities for participation and success in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) for Māori, Pacific and female students at high school.

Associate Professor Lai says the research aims to better understand how assessment systems, subject pathways and school practices shape students’ access to and success in STEM learning.

Professor Richard Clarke, Dean of Engineering and Design, says the research demonstrates the importance of investing in equity driven, partnership-led approaches to STEM education.

“If we are serious about diversifying the STEM workforce and meeting future skills needs, we need to start by ensuring young people can see clear, achievable pathways into these fields,” says Clarke. “This research does exactly that - translating evidence into practical tools that support students, whānau, and schools to make informed decisions.”

“The Faculty of Engineering and Design is proud to support this work because it addresses systemic barriers, not individual deficits. By centring Māori, Pacific and young women’s experiences and working alongside schools, the project strengthens the pipeline into STEM in ways that are both culturally responsive and future focused. That kind of impact is critical for New Zealand’s innovation, productivity, and social equity.”

Why this matters

Māori and Pacific peoples remain underrepresented in New Zealand’s STEM pipeline, comprising just eight percent of tertiary STEM enrolments despite being projected to make up 40 percent of the workforce under 40, by 2041.

New Zealand faces sustained skills shortages across science, technology, engineering and data driven industries, yet large and growing sections of the population remain locked out of STEM pathways.

The research found that around 40 percent of students were interested in pursuing a STEM-related career. However, many young women only consider taking STEM subjects once they clearly see a place for themselves in those fields.

Understanding how STEM subjects connect to future study and careers, was the strongest driver of subject choice.

“Young women were telling us it wasn’t just about whether they were capable,” says Lai. “They needed to be able to imagine themselves in STEM roles.”

“This research is about shifting the system. Working alongside schools allowed us to surface where inequities happen, and to co-design responses that are grounded, usable and responsive to real world contexts.”

Working alongside schools

Central to the research was engagement with secondary schools, including surveys, focus groups and iterative testing of ideas in practice. This partnership-led approach ensured the research reflected lived school realities rather than abstract policy intent.

“Schools are navigating complex pressures - qualifications reform, resourcing, data demands and equity commitments,” Lai says. “This work recognises that complexity and supports schools to make sense of it, rather than adding to the burden.”

Co-designed tools with national relevance

The project led to the development and testing of two co-designed tools that directly address gaps identified through the research. Designed to be scalable and adaptable, the tools help schools better interpret data, plan clear pathways, and respond to inequities in STEM participation and outcomes.

Dr Oldehaver and a team of four talented final-year Computer Science students Jasleen Kaur, Lara Remo, Krishna Viswanathan and Zac Iloka, worked together on a year-long journey to design, build and test a prototype NCEA STEM navigation app, Taeao (Sāmoan for ‘new dawn’ or ‘tomorrow’).

“This unique collaboration aims to address barriers to equitable participation in STEM by supporting clearer pathways for Māori and Pasifika secondary school students through a centralised, personalised app,” said Dr Oldehaver.

Taeao is a cross platform mobile and web application featuring interactive tools such as a live Rank Score calculator, a ‘Map My Aspirations’ quiz, a career planning tool, a curated scholarship database, and a dedicated Parent Hub.

The tools help students and whānau track academic progress, explore a wide range of STEM pathways and careers, and clearly see how subject choices connect to future opportunities.

Taeao is like “Google Maps for your NCEA and STEM journey,” says the student design team.

The app helps secondary students see where they are, consider where they want to go, and navigate STEM pathways, clearly signposting key milestones such as subject credits, scholarships, and support options. Designed with flexibility in mind, Taeao can adapt if secondary assessment frameworks move beyond NCEA in the future.

“The next phase will build on the project’s strong co‑design approach, working alongside Māori and Pasifika students in Years 9–13, their whānau, and STEM educators to test and strengthen subject content, cultural relevance, and parent‑friendly features of the app,” says Dr Oldehaver.

The second co‑designed tool is an easy‑to‑use dashboard that helps schools track STEM achievement over time. By showing patterns clearly, it supports teachers and school leaders to identify strengths, spot areas that need attention, and plan next steps.

“Co-design was critical,” says Lai. “It ensured the tools are not only technically sound, but culturally responsive, educator friendly and capable of evolving as the secondary qualification landscape changes.”

Equity at the centre

Conducted between 2023 and 2025, the research places Māori and Pacific experiences at the forefront, with gender equity embedded at its core.

It shows how the structural features of assessment and subject‑choice systems shape not only who participates in STEM, but whose success is recognised and made visible.

“Equity work takes time, trust, and shared responsibility,” says Lai. “This project shows what’s possible when researchers, schools, and communities work together with equity as the starting point.”    

What comes next 

With the research phase complete, the team is now preparing for broader national rollout and long‑term future‑proofing of the tools, with the aim of supporting schools across Aotearoa. 

“Ultimately, the goal is a STEM education system where Māori, Pacific and young women can see clear, supported and meaningful pathways,” says Lai.