Arts and Education

Project

The past few decades have seen a renaissance in the study of Hellenistic royal women: gone are the days when they were dismissed as purely passive pawns in a masculine arena, and instead we are increasingly realising that female influence was an integral part of the structure of power in the Hellenistic world from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra.

This project aims to follow in this research trajectory by compiling a sourcebook of literary, epigraphic, and numismatic evidence for the study of these women with new translations and commentaries in light of contemporary methodological advances.

Nearly all of the sourcebooks used by students and researchers alike are almost exclusively masculine in their focus: kings are mentioned at the expense of queens, and women only appear as minor or supporting players in this game of power. This project will begin to right this imbalance by first identifying the key elite women of the period and then compiling primary attestations of them in literary sources, inscriptions, and coinage. Where needed translations will be updated or revised, and introductions to each source along with a concise bibliography will be compiled. A brief commentary on the source will follow to guide study and discussion.

Please note that if there is sufficient interest the project could certainly involve two summer scholars working together. In this case the scholars would have complementary skill sets and would work with materials relevant to their own expertise.

The role
The summer scholar will be a key collaborator in this project and along with the supervisor will identify the royal and elite women whom the sourcebook will feature. From then, the summer scholar will be tasked with researching several of these royal women and compiling a) a list of attestations of this woman in the ancient record, b) a brief overview of how she has been discussed in the scholarly literature, c) a bibliography for guided reading, and d) a compilation of translations that have been published thus far.

In collaboration with the supervisor the summer scholar will then work to revise these translations where needed to bring them up to date and avoid anachronisms, and if needed entirely original translations will be composed.
These dossiers of individual royal and elite women will then be grouped thematically into the sourcebook’s sections (either chronological or geographical), and the summer scholar will edit and contribute to the supervisor’s introductions to each of these and then the framing of the book as a whole.

Ideal student

The summer scholar will be expected to have a strong background in Ancient History, ideally (but not exclusively) in Greek history, and will be expected to have a strong knowledge of Latin and/or Greek.

Please note that if there is sufficient interest the project could certainly involve two summer scholars working together. In this case the scholars would have complementary skill sets and would work with materials relevant to their own expertise. For instance, those specialising in Roman history could work with materials from Roman authors and Latin texts, while those with more of a background in Greek history could work with Greek authors and texts. Please feel free to emphasise your own specialism in your application.

• Required Skills/Pre-requisites:
  Stage 3 study of Ancient History, ideally Greek history but not necessarily
• Stage 2 study of Greek and/or Latin
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Ability to research independently and present findings

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

Recovery is the process through which individuals strive to improve their health and well-being after a substance-related condition. Recovery housing offers safe, stable accommodation for those in recovery and recognises the importance of experiential knowledge, peer support and community engagement for the recovery process.

Types of recovery housing range from peer-managed houses to structured therapeutic communities with onsite clinical services. Existing international research suggests that recovery housing can reduce criminal justice involvement (Polcin et al., 2018), but less is known about how different forms of recovery housing might affect the risk of reoffending among people leaving prison. 

The recent ‘Going Straight Home?’ study found that stable housing can reduce the risk of reimprisonment amongst those leaving prison, and housing perceived as a ‘home’ can encourage desistance – the process by which people stop committing crime.

The role

The current project aims to explore the potential role of recovery housing in supporting post-prison reintegration and desistance from crime. It will also explore the availability and nature of recovery housing services for people leaving prison in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The Summer Scholar is expected to conduct a review of the existing literature relating to the process of recovery, prisoner reintegration, and desistance from crime. They will then identify the nature and extent of recovery housing services available for those leaving prison in Aotearoa, and create a sampling frame of recovery housing services for potential future research. The exact form of the sampling frame will be developed in conjunction with the Summer Scholar, but it will be based on existing secondary sources.

The Summer Scholar may also have the opportunity to meet with recovery housing services, such as Recovery First Foundation, and other housing agencies to enhance their understanding of this area.  The student researcher will be expected to write a 5,000-word research report that incorporates the literature review, a short evaluative summary of available recovery housing, and suggestions for future research and policy/practice development.

There may also be opportunities to participate in various dissemination activities, including seminars and a short article for Newsroom. 

Ideal student

The ideal candidate will be motivated, diligent and able to work on their own initiative with direction from the supervisor. They will have a keen interest in addictions/recovery, housing and/or post-prison reintegration and will have a background in Social Sciences, Social Work, or Law. They will have good research and communication skills and will be able to critically review relevant academic and grey literature and write a research report encompassing their findings.

Project

Up to 3 students

How do we develop methods of orientation and expansion in artistic research? This project involves developing practices of artistic research, and exploring how ideas can unfold, especially when considering expanded approaches to improvisation, choreography, site-based dance, interdisciplinary practice, documentation and writing.

This project can accept up to three student participants. Students who are available in December 2025 could work with Professor Longley on an exhibition at Te Atamira Gallery in Queenstown in November-December, with opportunities to explore creative-critical research with artists across Aotearoa and Chile, particularly Francisco González Castro, artist and philosopher.

Your proposals to include below information:
1. Supervisor(s): Professor Alys Longley
2. Contact details (email): a.longley@auckland.ac.nz
3. Discipline: Dance Studies/ Interdisciplinary Creative Practice
4. Project title: Interdisciplinary Practices and Expanded Fields of Artistic Research
5. Project description (can include skills required, prerequisites, timings etc) (max 200 words)

The role

How do we develop methods of orientation and expansion in artistic research? This project involves developing practices of artistic research, and exploring how ideas can unfold, especially when considering expanded approaches to improvisation, choreography, site-based creative work, interdisciplinary practice, documentation and writing. This project can accept up to three student participants. If a student was interested in exhibition practice and community arts they could support work with Professor Longley and Chilean artist Francisco González Castro at Te Atamira Gallery in Auckland and Queenstown December 2025.

Summer Scholar’s Work on the Project and Expectations of your Summer Scholar (200-250 words max; please consider that most applicants are Stage 2/3 students):

Creative research
Studio research internship with Professor Alys Longley
Literature review on arts and borders, art and translation studies
Potential work in gallery installation and documentation as well as community arts workshops.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Interest in creative research
• Literature review experience
• Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.
  

Project

We have a successful and well-established course on Critical Thinking that is very traditional in its approach, mindset, and examples. It is being refreshed over the next year. One aspect of this refresh is that we are looking to make it more relevant and accessible to students by adding queer perspectives, checking for implicit heteronormativity and cis-bias in examples and add a queer, counter-culture perspective to the content. This wouldn’t be a clip-on or band-aid, but a shift in mindset, structure, etc., to reflect the changing needs and demographics of our students and the changing values of society.

The role
The student would act as a subject matter / cultural expert on local queer culture. They would research how a range of queer perspectives have been used to change how critical thinking is taught in other universities, and how these insights are best adapted to Waipapa Taumata Rau.

They would research cultural shifts in queer scholarship, identify particularly gregariously cishet examples in the course, but also mindsets and values, and discuss possible resolutions with me, based on the queer pedagogical literature and their own situated experiences as a queer student.

A similar summer scholar project was run a few years ago, adding feminist epistemology to the course. We will initially parallel that project’s range of research activities and topics – and adapt, based on the student’s particular strengths and interests. The former summer student published a paper on the topic, co-authored with my colleague; this is a possible, though not mandatory outcome.

The student may also work with summer students enrolled in the course, to pilot, explore, or workshop ideas, developing their leadership, outreach, and communication skills.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Research skills. Queer community involvement / leadership. A pass in PHIL 105. Some philosophy or other analytic academic skills. Some gender studies or other academic or professional background in queer perspectives and cultures in Aotearoa.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP, www.issp.org) has been conducting cross-national social surveys annually since 1985, involving 30–40 countries each year (including Aotearoa-New Zealand). The topic of surveys changes each year but rotates on a 10-year cycle, with recent modules on: Family and Gender Roles, Health, Environment, Social Inequality, Religion, Social Networks, Role of Government, Work Orientations, Citizenship, and National Identity.

The cross-national data for the surveys are made available to researchers to analyse the data to investigate how attitudes and beliefs differ across countries and have changed over time. Roughly 10,000 papers and reports and theses have used ISSP data (we think), but the existing database of publications is not well-maintained nor easy to search. This project will create a searchable database of ISSP publications to enable researchers to make better use of ISSP findings.

The role
The scholar will create and optimise a bibliographic database (probably Zotero) containing publications which have used ISSP data. Depending on progress made, the project may also investigate:

(i) coding aspects of a selection of papers (e.g., which modules have been used; which countries have been investigated)

(ii) optimising search strategies to identify new publications.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Students interested in empirical social science research who are details-focused would be ideal for this project. Experience with literature searches or an understanding of bibliographic databases would be an advantage. The project would be of interest to students with a sociology, social psychology, or political science background, or students with an interest in any of the modules listed above.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

Two students

The Anthropology Collection at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland is substantial with an estimated 500,000 objects from Aotearoa, the Pacific, and other parts of the world. Since the late 20th century, archaeological practice has changed, from the legislation that protects heritage to the management of archaeological materials. This has resulted in more considered collection and management of taonga yet little is known about the Anthropology Collection.

In documenting and better understanding our collection, we aim to create new research pathways which allow for an intersection of deep past (taonga), near past (researchers and the communities from which objects were collected) and contemporary students and scholars. The platform created by these taonga and their history present a unique moment to intentionally reshape the ways in which we engage in research with the taonga in our care.

These summer scholarships are part of a wider project, now in its second year, to connect communities with their taonga – and building on best practice in museums, lead the way in the management of taonga in university contexts. This first phase of the project will focus on collections from Aotearoa. The "Anthropology Collection" summer scholarship brings two students into the process of understanding and engaging with these objects.

The role
This summer scholarship is unique in that it will involve direct work within a materials-based research space and provide students with professional connections between the University of Auckland and the Auckland Museum.

1) Collate and research a digital archive of site reports affiliated with one or more significant archaeological excavations carried out by staff or students at UoA between 1950 and 1975. This will include academic publications, site reports, records in the national repository of archaeological sites (ArchSite), and unpublished site records in the Anthropology archive. This work will be used to help establish a better understanding of the completeness of the documentation of the archaeological record (1 scholar).

2) Complete a literature review of museum and university collections outside of Aotearoa New Zealand which hold significant collections sourced from Aotearoa (1 scholar)

3) Check of the archaeological materials associated with the site(s) identified for the in-depth review. This will include working with the Roger Green collection, a collection of taonga donated to and collected by Anthropology in the 1950s and 1960s. The summer scholars will digitise the accession books, cross check taonga with accession books, and work on developing labels, database entry, and repacking. The student will also work on digitising relevant records from the Roger Green Archive. The students will also get an opportunity to visit Auckland Museum and see examples of collection management and care. (Both scholars)

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholars must be self-motivated, highly organised, and be able to work independently in labs and collection spaces.

The students would benefit from being familiar with and/or keen to learn about:

• Archaeology, anthropology, art history or history as a field of study
• Anthropological theories as a grounding for research
• Working in museum or taonga-centred research spaces
• Beginner level Te Reo me ona tikanga (language and protocols)
  

Project

Sport has a bidirectional relationship with the natural environment; just as sport is reliant upon the natural environment, sporting activities also have an impact on that environment. Because of sport’s reliance on a stable natural environment, the climate crisis poses an existential threat to sport. Climate dependent sports such as cricket, golf and snow sports are particularly at risk.

Likewise, sport has a significant carbon footprint, especially professional and for-profit sporting organisations and competitions.

This project investigates the impact of sport and active outdoor recreation on the natural environment, with a particular focus on Aotearoa New Zealand. Nonetheless, the parameters of the project are relatively open-ended to suit the interests of the scholar. In particular, work on climate change, sport and inequality would be encouraged.

The role
The scholar’s work will be divided into three sections, with reasonable flexibility to suit their interests and ambitions.

Firstly, in conjunction with the supervisor, a short research proposal will be developed in order to focus the research.

Secondly, following this proposal, the scholar will identify and annotate relevant academic organisational research. Through this process, a literature review will be created.

Thirdly, building on this literature review, the scholar will produce a report that attempts to create a framework for quantifying the environmental impact of sport and active outdoor recreation in Aotearoa. Nonetheless, as noted, this final stage can be altered to suit the scholar’s ambitions and interests.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholar should have a strong understanding of, and passion for, sport and environmental issues. An ability to create and maintain a thorough and accurate database of information is required, as well as excellent research and writing skills. A sound (though not advanced) level of mathematical ability is also required, as there will likely be a need to calculate the carbon footprint of selected sporting organisations. A broad understanding of the politics and economics of climate change action would be beneficial.

Project

This research project explores the historical roots and contemporary nature of relations between Aotearoa and India. Taking a longitudinal approach, it seeks to trace the trajectory of these ties from the 1940s when both sides – to differing degrees – gained independence from the British Empire. Such an approach aims to generate historically contingent understandings of their mutual foreign policy beliefs across different political generations and ideologies.

The project will be centred upon the utilisation of a norm-based (or value-based) approach to investigate the composite entrenched beliefs underpinning this relationship. Through an emphasis upon dominant narratives and discourse from each country’s foreign ministry (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (and its predecessors) in Aotearoa and the Ministry of External Affairs in India), it will focus upon an analysis of official documents and speeches.

Doing so will underscore the ways in which the core strategic goals of Wellington and New Delhi have frequently been simultaneously convergent and divergent within an ever-evolving international diplomatic system.

The role

The central task for this Summer Scholarship Project will be to collate primary documents. It is expected that this will largely focus upon the Aotearoan perspective on international / national relations with India, and that it will take the form of working through printed archive sources available in the University of Auckland library.

These sources date from the 1930s onwards and the successful applicant will be required to find all relevant sections on Aotearoa-India relations, and then to copy and collate them into a chronological set of evidence that is accessible in an electronic form.

From this basis, the student will then write a literature review that highlights the various themes and issues highlighted in these primary documents. How this work is presented and analysed will be at the discretion and direction of the scholar.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Effective project management, writing / reporting, interpersonal and communication skills
• High organisational abilities and diligence, plus very good time management capabilities
• Commitment and enthusiasm for the job at hand, and being reliable, efficient and collegiate
• Clear capacity to work on own initiative, coupled with a high level of team contribution
  

Project

Recently we have seen an exponential rise in AI-generated non-consensual image-based sexual abuse material (AI-IBSA), often referred to as deepfakes or deepfaked porn. The impacts of this are harmful, long-lasting and pervasive. This project will entail a comprehensive literature review and analysis of media articles and associated comments on AI-IBSA to explore public perceptions of harm, responsibility and resolution.

The role
The summer scholar will assist the supervisor in reviewing the literature, collecting and analysing online data and generating a report of key issues. Depending on the findings, there may be an opportunity to contribute to a co-authored manuscript.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites:
1. Have studied criminology, sociology, gender studies, law, communication, education, social work or psychology
2. Should ideally be at graduate level
3. Strong analytical skills
4. A conceptual knowledge of qualitative research methods
5. Strong knowledge of gender and feminism
6. Comfortable with the topic area
7. It would also be beneficial, but not essential, if the Summer Scholar has practical experience of utilizing research methods or has completed CRIM 710: Cybercrime

Project

Although students are increasingly using generative AI tools in their academic work, many remain hesitant to speak openly about this use. This research project investigates why such reluctance exists, despite the growing normalisation of AI in education.

Adopting a low-hierarchy, peer-led approach, the study engages students as co-researchers to interview fellow students, creating a more open, trust-based space for conversation. A total of 20 university students will be interviewed using semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences, concerns, and perceptions related to AI use.

This approach acknowledges that students may feel more comfortable sharing sensitive views with peers rather than staff, particularly on issues linked to academic integrity, surveillance, or fear of being misunderstood. The study aims to uncover the social, ethical, and institutional factors contributing to students’ silence and hesitation.

Findings will be used to inform university policymakers and teaching staff about the real concerns and values held by students, moving beyond assumptions. By surfacing these perspectives, the project seeks to promote open dialogue and support the co-creation of inclusive and student-informed AI ethics policies. Ultimately, it aims to foster a culture of transparency, trust, and shared responsibility in the age of AI-enhanced learning.

The role
The Research Assistant (RA) will play a key role in supporting the successful delivery of this student-led project. First, the RA will assist in finalising the interview protocol, including refining the questions and ensuring ethical considerations (e.g. informed consent, anonymity) are in place.

Next, the RA will help recruit and onboard student interviewers, including preparing brief training materials to guide ethical and effective peer interviewing.

Once interviewers are trained, the RA will coordinate scheduling, provide logistical support, and monitor progress to ensure all 20 interviews are completed in a timely manner. The RA will also help transcribe interview recordings, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality.

In the data analysis phase, the RA will assist in coding the transcripts and identifying emerging themes using qualitative analysis software. The RA will help compile the findings into a summary report tailored for university policymakers and support the preparation of dissemination materials such as presentation slides, infographics, or a student-facing summary.

Finally, the RA may help coordinate a feedback session with participants or co-design a workshop to promote open dialogue and policy engagement.

Overall, the RA will ensure the project runs smoothly across all phases, from design to dissemination, while upholding its student-centred ethos.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
1. Qualitative research experience: Familiarity with conducting and/or analysing qualitative interviews, including transcription, thematic coding, and use of qualitative data analysis tools.
2. Strong communication skills: Ability to communicate clearly with participants; experience writing or editing plain language summaries is a plus.
3. Project coordination abilities: Organised and capable of managing logistics such as scheduling interviews, tracking data collection progress, and supporting peer interviewers.
4. Ethical awareness: Understanding of research ethics, especially in projects involving peer-to-peer interviews, including confidentiality, consent, and respectful engagement.
5. Digital literacy: Competence in using standard digital and AI tools, and ideally comfort working in shared documents and basic data visualisation tools (e.g., Canva, ).
6. Cultural sensitivity: Comfortable working in a diverse student environment, with an open and inclusive mindset to support peer-led inquiry.

Project

This project will map the rapidly evolving relationship and between human artists and artificial intelligence in the creation of contemporary music. Building on the collaborative work presented in As composed by David Chisholm … and AI, this research project will pursue deeper enquiry at the interaction of aesthetic, technical, and conceptual implications of AI-assisted composition and creativity.

The role

The Summer Scholar will analyse selected works, engage with current AI tools (such as ChatGPT and AIVA), and explore how machine-generated outputs can be integrated into compositional workflows. The project is both practice- and research-led, offering insight into the future of creative partnerships between humans and machines in the arts.

While music processes are central to this research, the project will also pursue a broader contextualisation of work in and around creativity and AI. This context will be important as there is extensive emergent literature in this field, and the scholar will be meet regularly not only with the Project Supervisors, but with the following PhD candidates of both the supervisors:

Rebecca Allcock who is working on superhuman creativity
I-Chieh Wei who is working on membership inference for music model training data
Su Yuchen who is working on humour translation including song translation
Tim Pistotti who is working on the use of explicit knowledge in language generation and on testing the poverty-of-the-stimulus (Chomsky) doctrine
Sophie Burbery who is working on the development of Feminist AI Music Data Centre and creative projects that emerge from such an initiative
Liam Pram who is working on a thesis Inhibiting or Innovating Musical Creativity / Ethical and Design Consideration of Musical Co-Composition with Artificial Intelligence

The Summer Scholar will undertake research that contributes to a collective communitarian research group in order to map more conceptual territory and dimensions than merely the work of two supervisors.

Project

The purpose of this project is to collect and analyse media coverage and political communication by minor party leaders during the 2023 New Zealand General Election campaign. This includes examining the amount of media coverage given to these leaders, the focus and tone of coverage (e.g., issues, leadership), and the style and messaging of their communication on social media platforms.
The scholar will contribute to a larger research programme that started with the 2024–25 Summer Scholarship, which focused on televised leaders' debates and major party social media communication. The new research will add valuable data and analysis on minor party leaders, contributing to 1–4 journal articles.
The student will focus on both media coverage and social media communication, providing a holistic view of how minor party leaders navigated the campaign environment and shaped their public image.

The summer scholar will focus on both collecting and analysing academic literature and primary source material related to minor party leaders during the 2023 election. Their work will be divided into key activities:

1. Conducting a literature review of recent (2020–present) academic research on media and political communication related to minor political parties, with attention to ethnicity-based parties where relevant.
2. Reviewing key political media and communication theories to help shape the research framework.
3. Collecting primary sources from television (TVNZ, Newshub), print (NZ Herald, The Post), and social media platforms during the campaign period (1 Sept–13 Oct 2023).
4. Analysing the collected material against key variables, including media tone, leadership framing, issue framing, public engagement on social media, and leadership messaging targeted at Māori electorates.
5. Summarising findings in a research report or draft article sections.

The scholar will work independently but will receive close supervision and guidance from both project supervisors. They will be expected to meet deadlines, show initiative, and critically engage with the material and feedback provided.

Project

Reproductive coercion can be defined as controlling, or sabotaging another person’s access to contraception and/or abortion services. In Aotearoa the last study about reproductive coercion was before the 2020 law change decriminalising abortion.

In this study we wish to explore reproductive coercion specifically within abortion services. Most international research on reproductive coercion and abortion has considered how people might be forced to carry a child rather than being forced to abort.

We propose using a reproductive justice lens, which includes the right to not have alongside the right to have children. We particularly note that the fight for abortion access has tended to centre on abortion rights, however the right to have children is especially important for racialised women. In Aotearoa this has ramifications for how we think about reproductive justice for Māori and Pasifika women.

We propose a research project involving a literature review centred on reproductive coercion in abortion decisions. This project will use an intersectionally based, reproductive justice lens to then determine what any next steps might be in interviewing key informants such as midwives, abortion counsellors, nurses, and abortion providers to ascertain if and how reproductive coercion in abortion spaces is happening in Aotearoa.

The role
It is anticipated that the Summer Scholar will conduct a comprehensive literature review of material relating to reproductive coercion, with a clear focus on abortion. This literature review will be informed by a reproductive justice and intersectional lens. Depending on student progress, the literature reviewed, and the time available, the research project may also involve some initial planning, in consultation with supervisors, for a grant to pursue this research further.

Mentorship for crafting a literature review will be offered and there is potential for the work to be published.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Students applying for this project need to be feminist, firmly pro-choice, and gender-inclusive. Students will be expected to have strong analytical skills and experience in and/or knowledge of reproductive justice. They will be able to work independently and have a strong knowledge of how to use the University library databases, including how to use Boolean operators to refine search strategies.

Project

Two students

Philosophers of biology explore questions about the nature of biological concepts such as species, evolution, ecosystems, genes, and life itself, as well as engaging with social and ethical dimensions of the life sciences. This project will focus on the unique perspectives on topics in the philosophy of biology which we can develop through the lens of our location in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Two summer scholars will focus on two important topics in the philosophy of biology: (1) life and death, and (2) philosophical issues in conservation science and practice. The project will develop resources for localising philosophical engagement with these topics in the context of Aotearoa, here and now: for example, focusing on the contexts of our unique biogeographical setting and location in the Pacific, and the roles of Māori and Pacific knowledge systems in shaping understandings and relationships with the natural world.

The project will have two stages. The first stage will develop a set of resources (case studies, annotated reading lists, stories) for engaging with these philosophical questions in our local context. In the second stage, each scholar (with support from the supervisor) will develop and start addressing a specific research question, building on the first stage and guided by the scholars’ own interests and experience.

The role
The scholar and supervisor will work together to co-design the specific directions and details of both stages of the project. Whatever direction we land on, the scholar’s tasks will include, but will not necessarily be limited to: searching online databases to identify and compile lists of references; reading academic journal articles and book chapters; identifying other kinds of sources relevant to this project; providing written and verbal summaries of key themes identified in those readings and other resources; preparing an annotated bibliography; seeking other creative ways to present findings and potentially share them more widely; and meeting regularly with the supervisor to discuss the project.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholars should demonstrate the potential to conduct independent research using academic databases and other internet resources, and to carefully read and summarise journal articles and other published works.
The scholars will ideally have background in studying philosophy; especially helpful (but not necessary) would be coursework in the philosophy of biology (e.g., PHIL263/363), which covers material on which this scholarship project builds.

Project

This project is part of a collaboration between the supervisor and colleagues in the School of Environment, on the concept of knowledge systems in transdisciplinary research. The term ‘knowledge systems’ is increasingly used in work focused on finding solutions to global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and reversing the decline of global oceans.

Despite a relatively long history of use in disciplines such as anthropology and development studies, this term, in its current application, is used in various ways and often left undefined. ‘Knowledge systems’ is used sometimes used to refer to Indigenous and local knowledges (generically or specifically, for example in reference to mātauranga Māori). Other times, it is used to describe a broader category including these systems and the sciences, in relationship with or comparison to one another.

This project will build on a literature review we are conducting in 2025 as part of this project, examining historical and current use of the concept of ‘knowledge systems’ in transdisciplinary research contexts, with a particular focus on ocean science. This literature review work is largely descriptive. The summer scholar will join us in building on the literature review to develop a framework for supporting careful and constructive discussions of knowledge systems in a transdisciplinary research context, using analytic philosophical methods.

The role
The scholar’s tasks will include, but will not necessarily be limited to: reading, discussing and analysing results of conceptual literature review work which has been conducted on this project to date; contributing to ongoing literature review with a philosophical focus by searching online databases to identify and compile lists of references; reading journal articles and book chapters from philosophy and other disciplines; preparing an annotated bibliography; seeking other relevant resources; providing written and verbal summaries of key themes identified in those readings and other resources; contributing to efforts to synthesize and analyse project findings; and meeting regularly with the supervisor and collaborators to discuss the project.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholar should demonstrate the potential to conduct independent research using academic databases and other internet resources, and to carefully read and summarise journal articles and other published works.

The scholar should have some background in studying philosophy. Background in the philosophy of science, social sciences, and/or environmental science would be useful, but is not required.

Project

Performing Tāmakai Makaurau is a joint digital theatre history project being carried out by Emma Willis at Waipapa Taumata Rau and Senior Lecturer James Wenley at Te Herenga Waka, VUW. It principally focusses on the first 25 years of the 21st century theatre practices in Auckland, tracking the development of the theatrical form in Auckland through considering programming, venues, and collaboration.

Rather than focusing on case studies, the research draws from a wide dataset to consider trends and developments across the field of practice. The principle source of this data is the Theatre Aotearoa database. Theatre Aotearoa is an archival database of New Zealand theatre productions that was established in 2004 by colleagues at the University of Otago. It provides a partial historical record of past productions. The database was recently migrated to AusStage, an Australian database managed by a committee of Australasian representatives and affiliated to ADSA, the peak regional organization. This new platform provides much greater opportunities for data analysis.

Performing Tāmaki Makaurau takes inspiration from the exhibition and research project, Performing Sydney, and seeks to consider holistically the growth and development of theatre practices in our city relative to factors such as demography, gender and policy.

The role
The summer scholar will continue the work of our summer scholar in 2024/5, and will principally contribute to the ongoing project of updating the database. Additionally, the scholar will have the opportunity to contribute to preliminary data analysis.

To begin with, the student will be offered training at the beginning of the project on how to both upload information into the database, and how to extract it.

The first task will require the student to identify where there are existing gaps in the database for the period we are concerned with. Our 2024/25 Scholar made good progress, but there are still some key companies and venues yet to be captured. In consultation with the supervisor, the Scholar will identifying which venues, companies and events (festivals) are to be targeted within the parameters of the time that the student has to work on the project. For example, it may be that 2–3 important venues or companies that are targeted.

Secondly, the student will undertake research to discover existing records of productions as well as identifying where there are gaps in easily accessible information. This discovery process will involve consulting online sources, and existing published research, including print media, and scholarly research such as the Auckland theatre history project undertaken by a summer scholar last year under the supervision of Linda Bryder (who has been consulted in the preparation of this application). Identification of gaps in production knowledge will provide important information to the supervisor to aide in information gathering in the future.

Thirdly, the student will upload the records they have discovered into the Theatre Aotearoa database.

Lastly, the student will be asked to write a brief report reflecting on their observations during the data capture period.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The student needs to be highly organized, and capable of keeping records of their work.

The student needs to have basic online searching skills and/or a willingness to attend a UoA library PG seminar in “Literature review: Finding Information.”

Technical confidence.

Good attention to detail.

Existing knowledge of Auckland theatre is helpful but not essential.

An interest in the broad field of digital humanities.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

This Summer Research Scholarship project supports practice-based artistic research into the work and lives of under-recognised New Zealand women artists within the New Zealand art historical canon, and the production of new artworks that encourage new engagement with the historical artist’s contribution. This research and production should examine the meaning of their work in a contemporary context. In a field that has been historically dominated by men, it is important for today’s artists of all genders to recognise the contributions that women artists have made to New Zealand art.

The role
The Summer Scholar will select one or more of the many less-recognised New Zealand women artist(s) from history and research their lives, work, and legacy, in conversation with New Zealand art historians, academics, artists, curators, museums, and galleries. Over the summer scholarship period, the Summer Scholar(s) will work in a studio at Elam researching their chosen subject and developing a collection of artworks that respond to the histories and narratives that their research uncovers.

Artwork produced out of this research should respond to the historical artist’s life, the material and/or conceptual aspects of their work and the context they lived in. The artworks can be in any medium, and should have relevance to the developing artistic practice of the summer scholar. The finished body of work could create an exhibition or publication that reintroduces the artist from history into the New Zealand contemporary art world context, and offers a contemporary perspective on aspects of their life and work.

If there is more than one summer scholar selected for this project, the two can work separately or together, and may wish to explore further avenues to publish their work with the support of the supervisor.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
To be considered, applicants should be enrolled in a BFA or a BFA conjoint. They should have a demonstrated interest in or relationship to this topic, as well as the initiative and the necessary communication skills to connect with relevant professionals and institutions during the research process. They should be motivated to engage with history and to apply their findings to explorations in their own work.

Project

The opera libretto is a literary genre that is still somewhat under-studied. This project gives a summer scholar the opportunity to work on helping the supervisor to format and proofread a libretto translation project for Oxford University Press, and also gives the scholar time to work on a libretto-based topic of their own choosing.

This could involve translation of a libretto, literary analysis or close reading of one or more librettos, comparative study across librettists, composers, languages, or opera genres, philological history of librettos, or any other libretto-based topic.

The role

The first part of the study period (December) will be focused on helping the supervisor with the final formatting and proofreading of his libretto translation project (the librettos involved are Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte, Rigoletto, Carmen, and La Bohème).

In the second half of the summer, the scholar will be able to focus on their own project involving opera librettos, with support from the supervisor.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Attention to detail in proof-reading is a must. Knowledge of formatting in Microsoft Word is required. Some knowledge of Italian, German, and/or French is a plus, albeit not strictly required, as the work to be done is primarily about formatting rather than the translation itself.

Project

This project builds on Hayley McGlashan-Fainu’s HRC funded research exploring ākonga Māori experiences of sexuality education in Aotearoa. It aims to co-analyse interview data with Māori young people and support the translation of findings into knowledge-sharing outputs that reflect community priorities.

The role

The student will help with data transcription, thematic coding (using NVivo), and co-developing materials such as project reports and/or community presentations. We will be presenting findings back to communities following the final report and the student will contribute to the report writing and the planning of the presentations.

They will be encouraged to reflect on ethical and culturally responsive engagement with Māori communities, with a focus on data sovereignty (mana Motuhake and kaitiakitanga) in the final stages of the research project.
Depending on interest, they may also assist in journal drafting based on their contributions to the thematic coding.

This could build on the student’s competence and confidence in the process of academic publications and provide and ethical contribution to the publication (and project) considering the students involvement with the data analysis and dissemination stages.

All of these above tasks will support the student in the development of their research capabilities and provide networking opportunities for future collaborations, including supervision and/or co-publishing. It will also offer the student the opportunity to work in a research team and to develop the necessary skills in this area.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Interest in Māori youth, qualitative research, and community engagement. Māori students and those with lived or academic experience in Māori studies and/or gender and sexuality education are especially encouraged.

Project

The significant increases in the computing power of Large Language Models (LLMs) raises the question: Is their language capacity fundamentally different from humans? With the rapid increase in new technologies related to Artificial Intelligence, this question has become central to the debate around how humans and AI differ.

There is still no consensus on whether LLMs have language capacities similar to humans and whether the learning process mirrors human learning. Nevertheless, the investigation of how LLMs behave potentially yields insights into how humans can learn vast generalisations, and potentially advances a different theory of language.

Recent experiments on LLMs have investigated whether their performance on certain syntactic constructions mirrors that of humans. The results, however, are mixed, and are often based on constructed datasets which are problematic. This project aims to investigate similar phenomena, though with different datasets. The objective is to compare “grammaticality” judgments of specific syntactic constraints (“islands”) in English between human participants and an LLM using a novel, reliable dataset.

The role
The summer scholar will assist in designing and executing experiments on Large Language Models, e.g., through dataset curation, small-scale experiments, or output analysis. In addition, the scholar will assist with compiling a review of the literature, and possibly also annotate a corpus.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
It is recommended that the scholar has some basic familiarity with Python or another programming language, and some coursework in linguistics.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

This project explores how girl gamers (especially Pacific girl gamers) build their online identities and share their experiences through streaming their gaming online. It aims to understand more about what is posted online by girl gamers, for what kinds of purposes, and how the public engage with these posts via comments and resharing them. The research includes setting up specific search parameters and completing content analysis of specific videos to better understand the realities of girl gamer experiences in the public space of YouTube.

The role

The students will support data collection of gamer interactions on the social media platform of YouTube. This will include specific searching processes, watching clips and categorising specific aspects according to content analysis categories that will be set up in advance.

Students will also be invited to participate in discussion about the findings and some analysis. Within this research there may also be opportunities for students to co-author (with Jean) publications from the findings and analysis of the online streaming content.

Ideal student

This role would suit students with an interest in Pacific people, gender, gaming, content analysis and working within a Pacific relational framework and approach to research. It is an opportunity to also be involved in a mentoring relationship where discussions around research practices and pathways to postgraduate study are encouraged through and with Pacific cultural values at the forefront.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Potential students should have an interest in Pacific peoples, gender, and identity, as well as online gaming. Pacific students or those with ties to Pacific communities are especially encouraged to apply.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

Current research shows that AI adoption has varying effects on women and men, with women at a greater risk of job substitution (Fornasari & Bannò, 2025; Mason, 2021; Sun, 2021). Moreover, women and girls continue to be underrepresented in the STEM education and professions which are in-demand in developing AI systems (Collett et al., 2022).

Civil society has proven to be an important sector in advancing the interests of disadvantaged groups. However, civil society voices remain marginalised in discussions on AI governance and policymaking (Ulnicane, 2025). Drawing on a range of sources this project will document the level of knowledge and awareness of AI within civil society organisations in New Zealand and cross-nationally, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities for women and girls, and the implications for gender, good governance and participation in AI policy discussions.

The role

• Collate academic scholarship on civil society engagement with, and knowledge of, AI with specific attention to gender intersectional dimensions of participation and governance.
• Search for and summarise relevant grey literature and primary data from international organisations on digitalisation and AI governance initiatives that are inclusive of women and girls
• Co-author with project supervisors a background brief that brings together the findings from the above materials.

 Required Skills/Pre-requisites

The scholar should demonstrate the following:

• A broad knowledge of public policy, communications, governance/law and gender
• A demonstrated interest in comparative politics and gender intersectional analysis.
• Excellent research, writing, analytical and communication skills.
• A capacity to work independently and as part of a team and a willingness to learn new skills in the presentation, translation and dissemination of data and arguments.
  

Project

Studies have shown that Gender Based Violence (GBV) and violent extremism often originate from shared root causes, such as patriarchal norms, identity-based grievances, and the normalization of violence in private and digital spheres (Filipovic 2007; Te Mana Whakaatu Classification Office, 2024).

Online environments have emerged as key vectors for radicalisation, misinformation, and the amplification of misogynistic and extremist ideologies (Noble, 2018; Watson et al, 2025). Evidence also suggests that prevention strategies effective in reducing GBV can be adapted to disrupt extremist narratives and foster social resilience (Couture 2014; Finkelhor et al. 2022; Morrison et al. 2007).

However, there remains a gap in translating these successful approaches into cohesive models and programmes for preventing violent extremism. This research seeks to bridge that gap through a systematic analysis of international examples that could be considered successful. The research involves a cross-national environmental scan to identify approaches implemented in medium to high-risk countries and examine how success is measured and evaluated within these contexts.

The role

• Collate academic scholarship on gender-based violence and violent extremism with specific attention to prevention approaches and the features of those that have been identified as successful.
• Search for and summarise relevant grey literature and primary data from international organisations that promulgate knowledge and measures of good practices.
• Co-author with project supervisors a background brief that brings together the findings from the above materials.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

The scholar should demonstrate the following:

• A broad knowledge of public policy, politics, governance/law and gender
• A demonstrated interest in comparative politics and gender intersectional analysis
• Excellent research, writing, analytical and communication skills
• A capacity to work independently and as part of a team and willingness to learn new skills in the presentation, translation and dissemination of data and arguments
  

Project

Gender analysis of employment statistics, economic sustainability options and accounting for care work reveals that investment in both physical and social infrastructure is valuable for economic growth. While it is not common for policymakers to view spending on social infrastructure as a mechanism for boosting the economy, especially in recessionary times, research from seven OECD countries, shows that investing in both the caring and construction industries generates increases in employment and adds to growth.

This project will review the UK Women’s Budget Group study of the seven countries, with a focus on the methods, data sources, theory and comparative analysis used (ITUC, 2016). Our goal is to apply a similar analysis to the case of New Zealand, to illuminate how a gender analysis of government investment options can support the women workers engaged in the care economy.

The role

• Collate academic scholarship from 2014-2024 on investment in the care economy and social infrastructure and its projected contribution to economic growth cross nationally.
• Search for and summarise relevant grey literature and primary data that may support the replication of the ITUC report for the case of New Zealand.
• Co-author with project supervisors a background brief that brings together the findings from the above materials.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

The scholar should demonstrate the following:

• A broad knowledge of public policy, economics, governance/law and gender
• A demonstrated interest in comparative public policy, feminist economics, and gender analysis.
• Excellent research, writing, analytical and communication skills.
• A capacity to work independently and as part of a team and be willing to learn new skills in the presentation, translation and dissemination of data and arguments.
  

Project

Two students: 1 for racial equity and 1 for disability narratives

Drawing on success from the legacy EDSW case study narrative project in 2023–24, this project aims to collect experiences from the legacy Arts and CAI students and staff (academic and professional) to give the Faculty Equity Committee (EC) a baseline knowledge of opportunities and challenges amongst our ethnic and cultural, and disability equity groups.

The experiences of our Arts and Education (AED) students and staff will be woven into case study narratives used for education and professional development purposes within AED. We anticipate that they may be used in staff meetings and workshops with the aim of advancing our knowlege and resources to support members of these equity groups. In addition to targeted equity discussion to advance cultural and disability equity discussions within AED, we foresee this initial AED EC scoping project to lay the ground work for the development of a future AED equity research project.

The role

This project is aimed at supporting an undergraduate scholar with interest in equity work who wishes to pursue social sciences research. The successful candidate will benefit from the support of Postdoc scholar Dr Badhoora Naseer whose doctoral research employed ethnographic narrative methodology to understand how teachers become inclusive educators. Dr Naseer was one of the key legacy EDSW case study narrative staff and will provide invaluable insight into the legacy project.

The summer scholar will engage in the following key research specific tasks.

Methodological contributions

• Qualitative case study and narrative methodologies

Data Collection

• Interviews and focus groups to collect staff and student experiences with the support of Dr Naseer and relevant EC staff
• Transcription of the collected focus groups and interviews

Data Analysis

• Contribution to the initial identification of key themes and ideas emerging from the collected staff and student experiences (content and thematic analysis)

Academic writing

• Assistance with the development of case study narratives with relevant EC staff support

Literature Engagement

• Review of UoA equity ethnic and cultural, and disability policies and existing support practices
• Review of key ethnicity, culture and disability academic literature as required/informed by the interviews and focus groups
  

Project

Display was a vitally important aspect of warfare in the ancient Mediterranean world. For ancient warriors, it was not enough for them to merely defeat their opponent; they must be seen to do so by their peers, and be equipped and act appropriately in this context. Warfare was a very public and social activity, conducted in front of an audience, and governed by deeply held rules and norms.

As a result, the visual and aesthetic aspects of ancient warfare were incredibly important. Arms, armour, and display elements were not simply markers of wealth, as often supposed, but key elements in a warrior's overall identity and offer important insight into how they wished to be perceived – and, in the case of depictions, arguably how they were perceived. This study will explore both the representation of warriors in Pre-Roman Italy, and the military equipment associated with the warriors themselves (with an eye to display and presentation), seeking to understand the visual ‘language’ of warfare used by both warriors and the artists and artisans in this environment.

The role

As part of this summer scholarship, the student will be expected to complete the following.

• Compile and analyse artistic depictions of warriors from Pre-Roman Italy (600–350 BCE)
• Compile and analyse military equipment finds from Pre-Roman Italy (600–350 BCE)
• Work with the supervisor to identify key features and elements that can be used to categorise depictions and artefacts
• Work with the supervisor to identify key regions and areas of particular interest and activity in this area

Required Skills/Pre-Requisites

Students should have a solid background in the ancient Mediterranean world, and have ideally taken some courses looking at Roman/Pre-Roman Italy. Some background in art history or archaeology is preferred.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project

This interdisciplinary project emerges from a wānanga held in May 2025, under the auspices of Manawātia te Wai, a Transdisciplinary Ideation Funded project on Joyce Campbell’s whānau land in the upper Mangapoike Valley inland from Wairoa.

The wānanga brought together scientists, weavers, healers, tangata whenua and tauiwi. Rooted in mātauranga Māori and site-based practice, the proposed summer research project Whiri ngā Repo explores the ecological, material, and cultural restoration of wetland (repo) environments through fibre harvesting, pūrākau pertaining to sites of significance for Ngai Kōhatu/Ngāti Hinehika and regenerative collaboration with local Māori research partners.

The project will involve research into harakeke and para as fibres for mycelium-based forms, working alongside scientists from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Molecular Medicine and Pathology (supervision provided by Professor Simon Swift), who are leading national research into sustainable organic material development.

The scholar’s fieldwork will support this science, and also document, map and reflect on sites of pre-colonial occupation of tuna harvesting camps within the repo and the architectural significance of these spaces.

Combining weaving, stonework, fibre science, and Indigenous spatial knowledge, this project is a continuation of fibre and stone-based courses (Fine Arts 220/221) and centres Māori-led ecological restoration, architectural reimagination, and whanaungatanga as critical methodology.

The role
The scholar will work as an embedded collaborator and learner within an interdisciplinary wetland restoration kaupapa based in Wairoa. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated excellence in fibre and stone-based practices through Ngā Toi Taketake (Fine Arts 220) and Kōwhatu (Fine Arts 221). They will deepen their practice-based research through hands-on fieldwork, ecological restoration, fibre processing, and material experimentation.

Their work will begin with a two-week wānanga in late November/early December 2025, focusing on harvesting and processing harakeke and para, and working alongside mycelium scientists to test compatibility between traditional fibres and organic matter used in bio-architectural forms.

In January/February 2026, they will undertake two additional weeks of research that shifts focus toward spatial mapping, site analysis of historical occupation within the repo, and conceptual reconstruction of Indigenous architectural forms through drawing, modelling, and fibre-based prototyping.

The final weeks will be spent in Auckland writing up an analysis of findings.
The scholar will be mentored directly by Arapeta Hākura and supported by Joyce Campbell, with guidance from tangata whenua and ecological specialists.

The expectation is that they will bring their lived experience, technical knowledge, and commitment to mātauranga Māori into this collaborative research environment. They will be required to document their learnings and material processes, participate in knowledge exchange, and contribute toward a final reflection or output that synthesises their research across fibre, ecology, and Indigenous space-making.

Project

As long as there have been social practice professionals (social workers, counsellors, psychotherapists, and more), there have always been those that actively challenge the dominant political ideology, systems, and practice that shapes those professions. Histories of radical social practitioners emerge elsewhere in the world as part of the fabric of these relationship-based professions, yet this history in Aotearoa has not been well documented.

This project invites a student to explore historical practices of social practitioners in Aotearoa who have worked outside of the dominant systems in an attempt to reshape individualised approaches to personal and social problems. This project draws on the legacy of radical social practitioners like Miriama Rauhihi-Ness of the Polynesian Panthers and her work supporting Pasifika and Māori communities during a time of intense racist targeting by Police and the state.

Students are encouraged to build upon the work, and the critiques of, these social practitioners to expand our collective knowledge of this history to help us develop future education and practice.

The role

• A broad literature review of social practitioners who are or have been part of community or political organising that challenges dominant professional paradigms
• Inclusion of a wide range of relevant scholarly literature, media, and other documentary evidence
• Production of a written report (or other form of dissemination of findings) based on the available literature
• Potential to interview key informants
• Potential to contribute to the education of students in the School of Social Practice in future

Potential to write an article with the supervisors in future

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Critical analytical skills
• Capability to engage in independent study
• Ability to communicate ideas effectively, whether written, oral, illustrative, or otherwise

We seek a student who is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Social Work, or a student enrolled in another undergraduate programme who is interested in postgraduate study in Counselling or Social Work.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Timing

Please confirm that you are able to be co-located and based in Auckland with your scholar during the summer research project. Projects should start at the beginning of December. In exceptional circumstances, students may be able to start the project in mid-November subject to supervisor’s approval and Scholarships Office agreement.

Timing of project is negotiable based on student and supervisor availability. We can be flexible within the broad timeframe. We are both available in Auckland to support the student over the timeframe of the scholarship.

Project

Technology education includes diverse disciplines such as food, fabric, design, wood, metal, electronics, and digital technologies. Teachers are often expected to teach across these areas, regardless of their specialist training. This project explores how they manage this challenge. What strategies do they use? How do they adapt when teaching subjects they know little about? Despite being a widespread issue, this topic is rarely researched.

The summer scholar will be supported to understand the discipline, and its issues. They will then be assisted to source and use Ministry data and then undertake a scoping literature review focused on challenges and strategies in cross-disciplinary teaching within technology education. They will then interview technology teachers from a range of disciplines and career stages, and help record video clips for use in initial teacher education. Data will be collated, thematically analysed, and aligned with key findings from the literature. Outputs will support academic publication and resource development for student teachers.

Scholar Learning
The scholar will develop skills in literature searching. They will learn how to gain and use MoE statistics, APA referencing, interview techniques, thematic coding, and ethical video documentation. They will gain insight into the New Zealand Technology Curriculum, particularly in relation to cross-disciplinary teaching. They may also contribute to drafting publications. This project provides valuable experience in educational research and offers practical outcomes to support future technology educators.

The role
The start of the project is dedicated to helping the Scholar understand what technology education is (especially if they do not have an education background). The scholar will then be shown how to source Ministry of Education statistics and how to record findings. They will read about scoping and systematic literature reviews and be guided to start their own. The scholar will be supported to draft a paper/s based on the findings. We will discuss these findings and possible publications and direction of the research. The student will then identify key questions for teachers and start collecting data by interviewing and, with permission, creating short video clips.

Over the following 10-week programme the scholar will be supported through weekly meetings, connections with relevant technology experts through a series of feedback exchanges with the supervisors on this project. Through this process the Scholar will scope their topic, collect source material, identify key themes and ideas, and present their research in a meaningful story.

Literature review

• Exploring the advantages and disadvantages; barriers and enablers; successful teaching strategies to effectively teaching across multiple disciplines within technology; and the reality of the technology classroom
• Identifying key specific discipline knowledge and skills needed in technology education

Gathering data

• Video teachers’ backgrounds, experiences, challenges, and success strategies

Collating findings

• Develop suggestions for teachers to not only survive but flourish in this environment

Required Skills/Pre-Requisites
None required. It would be a huge advantage if the scholar had video and video editing skills. It would also be an advantage if they were an education student (but not a pre-requisite).

Project

This project will identify and record a broad range of indigenous items and practices, which would include the ingredients and materials (and their sources and manufacture), tools and techniques, protocols, as well as the designs and products created by a diverse range of indigenous groups.

The project would involve a scoping literature review (indigenous knowledge currently used to teach technology education)., data collection (interviews and photography), documentation and collation of findings. Alignment of findings to key technological concepts.

Background
The NZ technology curriculum expects teachers to “explore how developments and outcomes are valued by different peoples in different times”.

Justification
Although the MoE expects technology education to be inclusive of all cultures, few examples of traditional and contemporary indigenous practices have been recorded.

Technology includes: understanding the properties of materials and how they can be utilized; looking at existing products and the relationship between their physical and functional natures; considering how societies influence and are influenced by technology; and understanding how to design, make and evaluate products which utilize traditional and contemporary resources and processes.

Outputs
This project is expected to produce material for a number of publications for both academics, teacher education and classroom teachers. Publications will be focused initially for a publication (eg International Journal of Design and Technology Education) or the local Australasian Journal of Technology Education. Following this, material will be used for initial teacher education classes and national teaching resources through technology subject associations.

The role
The start of the project is dedicated to helping the Scholar understand what technology education is (especially if they do not have an education background). The scholar will then read about scoping and systematic literature reviews and be guided to start their own. The team will discuss these findings and possible publications and direction of the research. The student will then select their country/ies of interest.

Preliminary meetings will be held with various sectors that have already indicated a willingness to participate in this research. They include MOTAT, Auckland Museum, UoA cultural groups, International Conference for Technology Education (ICTE) members etc. From these meetings, the Scholar will select one or more foci to pursue for their project.

Over the following 10-week programme the scholar will be supported through weekly meetings, and connections with relevant cultural and technology experts, through a series of feedback exchanges with the supervisors on this project. Through this process the Scholar will scope their topic, collect source material, identify key themes and ideas, and present their research in a meaningful story.

Literature review
• The value of using indigenous knowledge to teach technology
• Identifying indigenous knowledge from the South East Asian region in technology education
• Identifying indigenous knowledge from the South Pacific region in technology education
Gathering data
• Interview community experts
• Photograph traditional ingredients, materials, products and processes
Collate findings
• Relate to technological concepts

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
None required. It would be an advantage if the scholar was Māori, or from the South Pacific or South East Asia. It would also be an advantage if they were an education student (but not a pre-requisite). Photography skills would be another advantage.

Project

Māori data sovereignty (MDSov) has become a key priority across academic, corporate and government sectors in Aotearoa New Zealand. MDSov underscores the inherent right of Māori hapū, iwi and hāpori to control data that derive from them, and which pertain to their communities, knowledge system, lands and natural resources. Māori data are a taonga and a critical enabler of hapū and iwi self-determination and wellbeing.

Since the publication of the 2016 title Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Toward an Agenda, institutional interest in MDSov has grown significantly. While this growing attention signals a promising shift, there is a risk that the development of MDSov-related policies and frameworks may outpace researchers' understanding of the concept and its practical relevance to their work. Many researchers remain uncertain about how to engage with MDSov principles in meaningful and ethical ways.

This research looks to reduce this gap by identifying and reviewing existing literature and resources aimed at supporting researchers to engage with Māori data governance. The work carried out during the Summer Research Scholarship will contribute to the foundation of a larger research project that I will be seeking funding for in 2026.

The role
The Summer Scholar will carry out a scoping review of publicly available policies, frameworks, and strategy documents from institutions such as universities, Crown Research Institutes, and government agencies. The focus will be on identifying how these organisations refer to and engage with Māori Data Sovereignty (MDSov) principles.

This review will help build a clearer picture of how MDSov is currently being interpreted and applied in institutional settings across Aotearoa New Zealand. The student will summarise key themes, highlight differences in approach, and identify areas where greater clarity or alignment with Māori perspectives may be needed.

In addition to the review, the student will contribute to drafting background content for a larger research proposal planned for 2026. This may include identifying literature gaps, outlining key needs in the field, and helping to develop the rationale for future research.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
This project is well suited to students with an interest in Māori Data Sovereignty and a willingness to learn skills in data organisation. Students with ties/commitments to Māori communities are especially welcome. Strong communication skills (written, oral) are necessary. Ideal applicants should be independent, self-motivated, with demonstrated initiative and time management skills. Training and support will be provided, and the student will have opportunities to develop research and critical analysis skills throughout the project.

Project

Expressions and enactments of sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples vary. The different ways in which colonisation impacts our agency, self-determination, and ways of being directly impacts our bodies, stories, lands, and much more.
This research project seeks to scope current expressions of sovereignty by exploring literature, social media, and further ways in which Indigenous sovereignty is enacted. This includes and is not limited to, Indigenous body sovereignty, Indigenous data sovereignty, Indigenous story sovereignty.

Here, undertaking a scoping review of Māori, Pacific, Indigenous literature and sources will see the Summer Research Scholar engage in wider critical analysis and evaluation of literature and sources to include in the review.

The role
We are currently seeking a student to work alongside us to achieve components of this study. Firstly, a scoping review on Indigenous expressions and enactments of sovereignty with a focus on a key research question: What do contemporary expressions and conversations around different forms of Indigenous Sovereignties looks like?

A key output for this project will be to write up a scoping review. From this review, our scholar will be tasked with drafting an article with our guidance for the next stage of this project. Our student will have the opportunity to gain project experience through planning, development, implementation, scoping and literature review, as well as research exploration experience.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
This project is well suited to students with Māori, Pacific, Indigenous backgrounds. Students with commitments to Indigenous communities and sovereignties are particularly welcome. Strong communication skills are necessary as well as time management and the ability to work independently. 

Ideal student

• Independent, self-motivated, with attention to detail and good time management
• Digitally media savvy, and open to research and technical training
• Familiarity with online platforms and social media (important)

Training and support will be provided, and the student will have opportunities to develop research and critical analysis skills throughout the project.

Project

Recognising the value and interconnectedness of human and non-human life, climate activism is directed toward the protection of our biosphere and natural environment as a whole. These research project opportunities will enable students to explore climate activism from a range of perspectives depending on their interests.

For instance, potential research questions could include one of the following:
1. What are the philosophical foundations of climate activism in Aotearoa, and/or the wider Pacific?
2. What concepts and practices underpin a uniquely Indigenous climate activism in Aotearoa and/or the wider Pacific?
3. What has been the role of Creative Arts in Climate Activism?
4. How has climate activism utilised creative media?
5. Historically, how did climate activism develop in Aotearoa, and how has it evolved?

Students also have the opportunity to co-develop another question aligned with their interests.

By exploring the foundations, practices, and uses of climate activism through literature and case study reviews, students will come to understand the rich and complex nature of climate activism. They will also come to appreciate its diverse forms and ongoing significance in Aotearoa, the Pacific region, and globally.

The role

Summer scholars will meet with the supervisor(s) each week to wananga/talanoa about their chosen topics.

The students will also keep a research journal detailing:
1. The literature and case study reviews relevant to their chosen question
2. The insights that the cases generate for our understanding of climate activism

Each week students will share parts of their journal with other students and supervisors. The journal will support the writing of a final written report for the project. The details of the final report will be discussed in preliminary meetings with the supervisor(s).

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• An interest in climate activism
  

Project

Up to three students

Anecdotal reports from several Rainbow staff describe a mix of positive and negative encounters with homophobic and transphobic discourses in the teaching environment. However, little research has been conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand to capture these experiences and how they are navigated. This pilot research study seeks to answer the question: How do Rainbow-identifying educators engage with discourses about Rainbow communities within the teaching environment? Through answering this question the research aims to:

• Explore the lived experiences of Rainbow faculty from the School of Education and Social Practice
• Identify factors that contribute to supportive or confrontational environments concerning Rainbow-related discussions in the teaching environment
• Develop a set of school recommendations for Education and Social Practice to better support Rainbow staff and promote inclusive educational practices that will likely be transferable to the broader faculty

The project is framed as a Narrative inquiry which involves exploring people’s lived experiences through the stories they tell. We will use a Dialogical Narrative Analysis, which looks at how these stories are shaped by personal, social and cultural voices. This will help us to understand how Rainbow-identifying educators navigate conversations and construct meaning in teaching environments where Rainbow topics are supported or challenged.

The role

Scholars will start the project by reviewing key readings assigned to them by supervisors to understand existing and related research on this topic. This background knowledge will be used by the supervisors later in writing up the findings, where students will be named as co-authors.

Scholars will also help conduct open-ended interviews with Rainbow-identifying faculty, using interview questions pre-designed by the supervisors, with prompts like “Can you tell me about a time when . . .?” to encourage storytelling.

To gain confidence in interviewing, each scholar will participate in a morning interview training session before completing a minimum of two 1-hour interviews with faculty. While supervisors will lead the formal analysis, students will be invited to participate in an “Analysis Jam”, a collaborative session where supervisors and scholars come together to unpack the stories in the interviews and experiment with creative methods of presenting data.

In addition, scholars will conduct interviews with faculty members who identify as Rainbow, using questions prepared by supervisors to encourage storytelling. Each scholar will first complete interview training before carrying out a minimum of two hour-long interviews.

While supervisors will lead the formal analysis, scholars who are interested in the process will be invited to participate in an “Analysis Jam.” This collaborative session will bring together supervisors and students to explore the interview findings and experiment with creative ways to present the results.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

The following skills are required for this project:

• Willingness to learn new research skills such as interviewing, and literature synthesis (Training will be provided.)
• Respect for diverse identities and lived experiences, especially those within Rainbow communities
• Ability to work independently on tasks like reading, note-taking, and summarising literature while also collaborating effectively with supervisors and fellow summer scholars
• Comfort engaging with sensitive topics, such as discrimination, identity negotiation, and inclusion in educational settings
• Availability at agreed upon times (to be determined collectively at the beginning of scholarship start date) to meet in person for skills training and feedback sessions
• Strong time management skills to contribute reliably to a small research team
  

Project

The student will complete a longitudinal media content analysis of Aotearoa New Zealand newspaper and TV representations of university “studenthood”, between 1975–2025. The aim is to study how cultural norms around what it means to study at university have changed in Aotearoa New Zealand over 50 years. A representative sample of newspaper text and TV transcripts will be analysed quantitatively, with a smaller sample of images analysed qualitatively.

The role

The student will learn through employing a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods which are commonly used in media and communications research. They will learn how to use NVivo, qualitative analysis software.

They will also learn about retrieving material from media archives and creating a corpus from a representative sample.

Further – they can learn about conducting interviews through checking transcripts for accuracy by listening to audio recordings.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Completion of COMMS 207 or other equivalent research methods course
• An interest in research and post-grad study
  

Project

This is an exciting opportunity to pursue a research topic of your choice, based on the rich histories of Tāmaki Makaurau. In undertaking this project, the successful applicant will gain a real world understanding of different archives, hone research writing skills, and gain valuable experience at the interface of the GLAMRs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums, Records) sector and academia. With six scholarships in the programme, the Scholar will be working in a team environment, under Linda Bryder and Jess Parr’s guidance. The Scholar will identify, scope, and research a topic that interests them, producing three to five short articles that are published on the Auckland History Initiative’s website (https://ahi.auckland.ac.nz/summer-research-scholarships/)

This Summer Scholarship is an introduction to postgraduate study, with the student having autonomy over their project and access to two supervisors as well as the chance to build relationships and applied research skills within leading heritage organisations in Auckland. This programme is a part of the Auckland History Initiative (AHI), located in History, School of Humanities. The AHI seeks to engage with and capture the historical development, vibrancy and diversity of Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and its importance to Aotearoa New Zealand life and beyond.

The role

The start of the project is dedicated to helping the Scholar narrow down a topic of interest that also has a set of archival records to draw on. Preliminary meetings will be held with various sectors that have already indicated a willingness to participate in this programme and have done so in the past to help students identify and scope a topic. They include the UoA Library Cultural Collections team, the Auckland City Library Research Centre, and Auckland City Council Heritage Unit.

From these meetings and a brief survey of available source material, the Scholar will select a case study/topic to pursue for their project. Over the following 10-week programme the scholar will be supported through weekly meetings, connections with relevant GLAMRs specialists and through a series of feedback exchanges with the supervisors on this project. Through this process the Scholar will scope their topic, collect source material from a variety of archives, identify key themes and ideas, and present their research in a meaningful story.

Our expectations are that the Scholar will meet weekly with the other researchers and supervisors to discuss their project. They will conduct their own research and produce three to five illustrated short articles for the AHI website on their chosen research topic (with each essay c.1500 words). They will give a presentation in the Auckland Library’s Heritage seminar series in early 2026.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Some historical training will be a pre-requisite along with basic computer skills. The students will not necessarily have already engaged with primary source material but will have good analytical and writing skills and be prepared to give an oral public presentation.

Applications for this project will be considered for the Jonathan and Mary Mason Summer Scholarship in Auckland History.

Project

This is an exciting opportunity to pursue a research topic of your choice, based on the rich histories of Tāmaki Makaurau. In undertaking this project, the successful applicant will gain a real world understanding of different archives, hone research writing skills, and gain valuable experience at the interface of the GLAMRs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums, Records) sector and academia. With six scholarships in the programme, the Scholar will be working in a team environment, under Linda Bryder and Jess Parr’s guidance. The Scholar will identify, scope, and research a topic that interests them, producing three to five short articles that are published on the Auckland History Initiative’s website (https://ahi.auckland.ac.nz/summer-research-scholarships/)

This Summer Scholarship is an introduction to postgraduate study, with the student having autonomy over their project and access to two supervisors as well as the chance to build relationships and applied research skills within leading heritage organisations in Auckland. This programme is a part of the Auckland History Initiative (AHI), located in History, School of Humanities. The AHI seeks to engage with and capture the historical development, vibrancy and diversity of Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and its importance to Aotearoa New Zealand life and beyond.

The role

The start of the project is dedicated to helping the Scholar narrow down a topic of interest that also has a set of archival records to draw on. Preliminary meetings will be held with various sectors that have already indicated a willingness to participate in this programme and have done so in the past to help students identify and scope a topic. They include the UoA Library Cultural Collections team, the Auckland City Library Research Centre, and Auckland City Council Heritage Unit.

From these meetings and a brief survey of available source material, the Scholar will select a case study/topic to pursue for their project. Over the following 10-week programme the scholar will be supported through weekly meetings, connections with relevant GLAMRs specialists and through a series of feedback exchanges with the supervisors on this project. Through this process the Scholar will scope their topic, collect source material from a variety of archives, identify key themes and ideas, and present their research in a meaningful story.

Our expectations are that the Scholar will meet weekly with the other researchers and supervisors to discuss their project. They will conduct their own research and produce three to five illustrated short articles for the AHI website on their chosen research topic (with each essay c.1500 words). They will give a presentation in the Auckland Library’s Heritage seminar series in early 2026.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Some historical training will be a pre-requisite along with basic computer skills. The students will not necessarily have already engaged with primary source material but will have good analytical and writing skills and be prepared to give an oral public presentation.

Applications for this project will be considered for the Auckland Library Heritage Trust John Stacpoole Summer Scholarship.

Project

This is an exciting opportunity to pursue a research topic of your choice, based on the rich histories of Tāmaki Makaurau. In undertaking this project, the successful applicant will gain a real world understanding of different archives, hone research writing skills, and gain valuable experience at the interface of the GLAMRs (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums, Records) sector and academia. With six scholarships in the programme, the Scholar will be working in a team environment, under Linda Bryder and Jess Parr’s guidance. The Scholar will identify, scope, and research a topic that interests them, producing three to five short articles that are published on the Auckland History Initiative’s website (https://ahi.auckland.ac.nz/summer-research-scholarships/)

This Summer Scholarship is an introduction to postgraduate study, with the student having autonomy over their project and access to two supervisors as well as the chance to build relationships and applied research skills within leading heritage organisations in Auckland. This programme is a part of the Auckland History Initiative (AHI), located in History, School of Humanities. The AHI seeks to engage with and capture the historical development, vibrancy and diversity of Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland and its importance to Aotearoa New Zealand life and beyond.

The role

The start of the project is dedicated to helping the Scholar narrow down a topic of interest that also has a set of archival records to draw on. Preliminary meetings will be held with various sectors that have already indicated a willingness to participate in this programme and have done so in the past to help students identify and scope a topic. They include the UoA Library Cultural Collections team, the Auckland City Library Research Centre, and Auckland City Council Heritage Unit.

From these meetings and a brief survey of available source material, the Scholar will select a case study/topic to pursue for their project. Over the following 10-week programme the scholar will be supported through weekly meetings, connections with relevant GLAMRs specialists and through a series of feedback exchanges with the supervisors on this project. Through this process the Scholar will scope their topic, collect source material from a variety of archives, identify key themes and ideas, and present their research in a meaningful story.

Our expectations are that the Scholar will meet weekly with the other researchers and supervisors to discuss their project. They will conduct their own research and produce three to five illustrated short articles for the AHI website on their chosen research topic (with each essay c.1500 words). They will give a presentation in the Auckland Library’s Heritage seminar series in early 2026.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Some historical training will be a pre-requisite along with basic computer skills. The students will not necessarily have already engaged with primary source material but will have good analytical and writing skills and be prepared to give an oral public presentation.

Project

The international justice system has failed the millions who need it most, those who have suffered the gravest violations, such as genocide, torture, slavery, and extrajudicial killing. Against multiple crises, including rising authoritarianism, record-levels of violent conflict, and climate change, solving the injustice crises is more urgent than ever.

This political research will help solve this vexing problem. Beyond holding violators to account, it seeks to help restore survivors and repair the damage inflicted on them.

Why have our political systems so profoundly failed these victims? How can they find justice? This project seeks to untangle the multifarious barriers to justice – including legal/political, psychological, sociological, economic and geographic – through multiple methods and help solve the crisis. These include a rigorous, multidisciplinary literature review, metadata study, analysis of oral history interviews with the advocates representing these survivors, and document analyses of materials drawn from court, legislative, government, and media reports related to these cases.

The role

The scholar will work alongside the supervisor on four parts of this research, depending on the scholars’ strengths, skills and desires. These include working with the supervisor in conducting literature searches in different disciplines to understand the barriers to justice that have already been studied. This would include searching in journals related to sociology, politics, law, psychology, political geography, anthropology, and economics (some of this has been conducted already but there is more to do). This literature that addresses these unique barriers will then need to be organized thematically.

The scholar may also work with the supervisor searching for specific documents related to the cases, organising them in a coherent way with regard to types of barriers to justice, and researching advocates.

And thirdly, the scholar may work with the supervisor to analyse interview manuscripts of human rights advocates to further identify and understand the barriers to justice as discussed by the advocates, particularly those that may have not yet been identified in the literature. These will also be organized thematically and analysed alongside the literature. The scholar and supervisor will then discuss and contrast the literature with the findings from the interviews to identify what is new to the fields, how this material might contribute to the scholarship, and what journals make the most sense for those findings.

Finally, the material will be written, edited and submitted for a journal article, co-authored if the scholar desires to do so.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Most importantly, the summer scholar should have an interest in human rights redress-related matters and the questions around these impediments. Further, the summer scholar should have critical analysis and written communication skills and a capacity to be creative and comprehensive in conducting searches. The supervisor will guide the scholar about coding and analysis of this material. It would be great (but not required) if the scholar has some background or experience in law-related courses and issues.

Project

Both science communication and school science aim to support the public and students to be critical consumers of science. The latest research in science education suggests that the public and students should be supported to differentiate and engage in trustworthy sources of information (Osborne & Pimentel, 2022). Nonetheless, research often indicates how biased the media are when they portray scientific research and discovery.

These findings do not contribute to motivating the public or students to consume media science. Some initial analyses of some high-quality current affairs newspapers, such as The Economist, reveal that they are entertaining as much as they are educational when they report scientific discoveries. For example, they represent science as being done by people in different parts of the world, in different cultural contexts, and of different genders (i.e., not only White males). They cite their sources of information, and they discuss how frontier scientific discoveries could resolve some global issues.

This study will use content analysis to identify key features of selected articles published in the ‘Science and Technology’ section of The Economist. These key features would be useful to inform both school science and science communication on how to engage the public/students in science news.

Reference: Osborne, J. & Pimentel, D. (2022). Science, misinformation, and the role of education. Science, 378(6617), 246–248.

The role
The exact focus for content analysis (i.e., what and how the newspaper reports about chemistry/ physics/ biological sciences/ ecology/ medical advancement/ space science/ robotics, etc.) will depend on the summer scholar's interest and will be negotiated with the supervisors.

The supervisors will provide a tentative coding scheme for content analysis. The finalised coding scheme will be agreed upon by both the supervisors and the summer scholar.

The summer scholar will conduct keyword searches and screening of relevant articles, and organise the article info, such as the titles and publication dates, in a spreadsheet.

The summer scholar will extract relevant information from 30-40 articles based on the coding scheme. (The process is called ‘coding’.). They will organise the information systematically. As the articles report frontier scientific research, it is likely that she/he will come across ideas, concepts or research methods that she/he does not know. It is expected that the summer scholar will do a little research to get some basic understanding. Nevertheless, we do not expect the summer scholar to develop profound scientific knowledge about the articles.

The supervisors will meet with the summer scholar primarily face-to-face weekly or fortnightly. The meeting will go through the coded information of each article and discuss key features across articles. The summer scholar will write up the key features she/he thinks are salient and based on the meetings.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
We are looking for a scholar who:

• Has a background in science and is fascinated by what scientists do
• Is strong in reading and extracting information from media reports on scientific research
• Is systematic in organising information extracted from the media reports
• Is interested in reading science education research publications as a background for this study
  

Project

The summer scholar will contribute to a larger project that critically examines responses to national and international white supremacy and racism. Specifically, the project focuses on the work of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Programme to Combat Racism (PCR) in NZ during the 1970s and early 1980s. The PCR supported and connected with a range of prominent anti-racist activists and organisations in NZ during this period.

The role
The scholar will assist with analysis of archival materials that have been obtained from the Alexander Turnbull library (Wellington), the Ayson Clifford Library (Auckland), and the John Kinder Library (Auckland), and the World Council of Churches Library (Geneva). These materials include reports, reflections, and extensive correspondence between PCR representatives and NZ church leaders and activists. In addition, the scholars will have opportunities to be involved in further collection of materials from libraries and archives in Auckland.

Over 10 weeks, the scholar will meet weekly with the supervisor. Within the wider project they will have the opportunity to identify and pursue particular areas of interest. In early 2026, they will have the opportunity present their findings and discoveries in the THEOREL Research Seminar.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

There are no particular skills or prerequisites that are required for contributing to this project. Through their involvement, the summer scholar will learn primary research and organisational skills, including on the use of Nvivo. The supervisor will work with them to help them prepare to give their presentations.

Project

This project explores the role of inner speech in shaping writing practices and communication in New Zealand workplaces. It investigates how multimodal strategies (such as voice, gesture, and AI-assisted tools) can support neuroinclusive and effective written expression. The broader aim is to develop and evaluate interventions that improve workplace writing experiences for neurodivergent individuals.

The role

The summer scholar will contribute to early-stage research and knowledge translation activities, with a focus on inclusive communication and cognitive strategies in professional contexts.

The summer scholar will assist with literature reviews on inner speech, workplace writing, and neurodiversity. They will help prepare and organise anonymised editing logs and/or contribute to early-stage coding of qualitative data. The student may also support the usability review of digital writing tools or draft short communication materials for stakeholder audiences.

Mentorship will be provided through regular check-ins and guidance from Professor November. The student will be expected to produce a short written reflection on their contribution, and may have opportunities to attend discussions with staff in other faculties, especially Science/Psychology.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Strong research and writing skills; interest in cognitive science, communication, or neurodiversity; familiarity with academic databases; experience with collaborative digital tools is helpful.

Project

Growing provenance courses and conferences globally are becoming pertinent to the relevance of Art History in a practical sense. Research focused on the provenance of Nazi-era stolen artworks, for instance, has enabled not only the return of treasures, but almost more importantly, the restitution of the mana of those affected by the forced removals. As such, the field of Provenance research – or whakapapa as it would be called in Te Ao Māori – has become increasingly important in light of growing calls for repatriation of cultural heritage.

Tracing the history of movement of cultural treasures reveals shifts in balances of power and core relationships, with ongoing challenges to auction houses, museums, and other cultural institutions to open their databases and doors to source communities, especially Indigenous groups.

To date there is little knowledge or discussion about the significance of provenance in relation to Indigenous groups, and the capacity for this field to open up dialogue and produce meaningful results, including reconnection with works ‘lost’ in the process of colonisation and now in museums, and maybe even the return of such works.

This project seeks to understand the current state of Provenance research themes and methods (6 weeks), to investigate how this has, or could, apply to Maori and Indigenous cultural treasures (4 weeks).

The role

• Conduct a comprehensive literature search on provenance, including Indigenous provenance. This will include material in books and articles in particular.
• Review, analyse and interpret this material to identify, where possible
• Key themes from the field as a whole; and
  o critical methodologies in relation to studies in this area, particularly from an Indigenous perspective, where evident; and
  o important artworks and practices which should be highlighted for their korero (life stories);
  o gaps in the current state of the literature that my project will attempt to address
• Synthesise these up into a cohesive 5,000-word report.
  

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Research skills: ability to identify important online and in-library sources, organise them into type and tribal affiliation, and maybe date, and synthesise them into an extended report
• PDF processing: scanning all relevant documents, particularly images of adornments
• Ref Works: confidence in using this online bibliographic software
• Dropbox: where all the scanned documents and final Review will be stored
• Time management skills: a self-starter, and able to work by themselves with the supervisor’s support
• Ideally someone with a some knowledge of Art History, History or Anthropology
• Ideally the student will also have their own or access to a laptop on which to work for the project
  

Project

This project develops content for an online portal for the development of transcultural competence in participatory arts practices. The portal is being developed for deployment across multiple countries as part of the INTRACOMP project, a transdisciplinary initiative focused on transcultural competence. The summer scholar will contribute to game and app design, documentation, and analysis of how digital storytelling tools can scaffold transcultural competence.

The role

The summer scholar will be involved in developing gameplay interactions, assisting with user feedback collation, reviewing literature on gamification in education, and drafting learner support material. They may also explore elements of narrative and usability within the digital tool, gaining insight into human-centred design. The student will work closely with the supervisor, participate in regular project meetings, and develop transferable research and communication skills.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Strong communication and writing skills; interest in education, gamification, or design thinking; basic research experience; comfort with digital tools.

Project

The William F. Cody Archive is a digital archive that focuses on the life and times of one of the greatest American entertainers of the late 19th Century. Known around the world as Buffalo Bill, William F. Cody created an entertainment empire, which included some of the greatest performers from the American West and worldwide.

As the associate director (German ) of the archive, this project is responsible for the collection and interpretation of material on Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in Germany and Central Europe from 1890-1906. The shows were enormously successful and Buffalo Bill was able to bring to his audiences an American Wild West that was both nostaglic and exotic, with the German audience members showing particular interest in the North American Indigenous performers.

At a time of heightened nationalistic tensions both in America and Europe, this project both examines and situates Cody’s influence and the Wild West’s broader contributions to American nationalism both at home and abroad.

The role

The scholar’s work will consist of transcribing and translating a collection of German newspaper articles from 1890-1910 reporting on Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and the tours in German speaking countries and providing explanatory footnotes on the articles and the shows. Resources will be provided. The scholar will also contribute to a database on German writers from 1800-1890 who wrote about the American West. If there is interest on the part of the scholar, the scholar can also explore the creation and use of the digital archives.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

An excellent knowledge of German and English is required, together with translation skills. The scholar would have to have Stage III German (or excellent grades in Stage II) with a near native speaker command of English. Although a background digital humanities is not required, it would be considered an asset.

Project

Two students

Much of the lexicon carries information about how people sense the world around them through vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Sensory associations significantly contribute to a better understanding of language. This realisation has triggered a burgeoning interest in collecting large sets of linguistic stimuli and their sensory measures across different languages.

To date, no Polynesian language is yet represented in this endeavour. The present project aims to fill this gap by collecting perceptual strength ratings for 3000 te reo Māori words capturing six modalities: audition, gustation, haptics, olfaction, vision, and interoception. These new norms will serve as a valuable resource for lexicographers as well as researchers into language, cognition and perception.

The aim in the next step is to engage with 150 Maori speakers who would be willing to participate in a simple 30-minute word norming task (there is a 20$ Countdown gift voucher ready for each participant). The next plan then is to publish the analyses in a strong journal, Behavior Research Methods, where studies like this have been well received https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13428-021-01656-9, with the student researchers listed as co-authors in all related outputs, including conference presentations and publications. Two Summer Scholars are sought to take part in 2025/26.

The role
As Summer Scholars on the Sensory Modality Norms for te reo Māori project, you will play a central role in a unique effort to document how Māori words relate to sensory experience. Your main task will involve coordinating the collection of perceptual strength ratings for 3000 Māori words, based on how strongly each is associated with six sensory modalities: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and internal sensation (interoception). The word lists in te reo Māori are ready, and for the data collection stage there are many good examples to follow from the literature. You will help refine the data collection tools, assist with participant recruitment (aiming for 150 Māori speakers at different levels of proficiency), and support participants during short online or in-person rating sessions.

You will also be introduced to key techniques in experimental linguistics and data management, learning how to handle large linguistic datasets and ensure validity and reliability of participant responses. As the project progresses, you will contribute to data cleaning and preliminary analysis, and there is potential for co-authorship on a journal article for Behavior Research Methods, a leading outlet in the field.

Ideal student

No prior experience is necessary, but we are looking for someone with strong attention to detail, good communication skills, and an interest in language, cognition, and te reo Māori. This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on research experience and make a meaningful contribution to indigenous language resources.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Interest in language and cognition – especially in how words relate to sensory experience (for example, words associated with food might evoke both taste and smell, reflecting the intertwined nature of these senses in our experiences) and perception.
• Basic familiarity with te reo Māori – some understanding or prior coursework is an advantage, but not essential.
• Good communication skills – particularly for liaising with participants and explaining the rating task clearly.
• Attention to detail – essential for accurately managing large sets of data and ensuring consistency in data collection.
• Organisational skills – ability to manage tasks like scheduling participant sessions and maintaining clear records.
• Comfort with digital tools – basic competence in using spreadsheets (e.g. Excel); familiarity with survey tools (e.g. Qualtrics) is a plus.
• Willingness to learn – especially in relation to research ethics, experimental methods, and simple data analysis (optional).
• Cultural sensitivity and respect – particularly when working with Māori participants and engaging with kaupapa Māori research values.
  

Project

The research will examine dance education curriculum and pedagogies within formal contexts locally and globally. A research question may include: How do some western dance education paradigms colonise specific indigenous cultures and their unique expression of knowledge, and further to this how does decolonisation of dance curriculum foster social inclusion and social cohesion?

Another research topic will focus on researching how community dance constructs diverse notions of community. A research question may be: How does community dance create resilient communities?

The role

The summer scholar will firstly refine a specific research question and a relevant methodology that speaks to their exact interest and context. The Summer scholar and I will discuss a timeline for completing a review of literature and identifying a specific community of interest with which they will work and interview. We will review how to undertake interviews and then establish a process and procedure for collecting interview data. Once data is collected then it will be analysed and discussed. The outcome for this research will be experience in undertaking qualitative research. The chief output is the drafting of a research journal article.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Be curious, be pro-active, be organized and in communication with supervisor and networks of interest, be an independent worker.

Project

The Natalie Blair Summer Research Scholarship involves lithic analysis of Ahuahau Great Mercury Island materials. This might include measuring basic technological attributes of stone artefacts, sourcing material with pXRF, and creating 3D models of select artifacts. The research will provide insights into processes of niche construction and how Māori created and used material culture on Ahuahu over some 700 years.

The role
The Scholar will conduct analyses in the Roger C. Green Archaeological Laboratory and at Auckland Museum, statistically assess results, and write a report on their work. The Scholar is expected to be a cordial and productive research collaborator. They should be open to suggestions and directives from their supervisor and other project team members. They should have the ability to think laterally and proactively solve problems, and an enthusiasm for the research process.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Ability to work as a member of a transdisciplinary research group and openness to being supervised and supported during project activities.
• Ability to conduct independent laboratory activities.
• Ability to develop and follow consistent protocols and procedures.
• Familiarity with Excel and statistical software is advantageous, and the ability and desire to develop these and other software analytical skills is necessary.
• Desire to develop report writing skills.
  

Project

This project explores the untapped potential of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT) integrated with Virtual Reality (VR) and generative AI to support creative expression in autistic adults. It is the first study of its kind in Aotearoa to use full-body movement and real-time interactive dance models in VR to stimulate mental imagery and creativity. The project is co-designed with autistic participants and aims to evaluate the efficacy of a custom VR-DMT intervention using mixed-methods research.

The role

The summer scholar will contribute to the development of this VR-based therapeutic tool, gaining insight into inclusive research practices, creative technology, and mental health innovation.

The summer scholar will assist with literature reviews on mental imagery, autism, creativity, and digital therapy. They will also support qualitative data collection and management, help document user feedback and contribute to design testing for the VR DMT tool. There may be opportunities to observe co-design sessions with neurodiverse participants and to contribute to digital content development, depending on skillset.

The student will be mentored by Dr Weber and A/Prof Lottridge in weekly check-ins. They will also be introduced to broader networks working in creative arts therapies and inclusive digital design. The student will be expected to write a research reflection and present key findings to the team at the end of the placement, with potential to contribute to publications/presentations.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Interest in Creative Arts Therapy/Dance Movement Therapy, neurodiversity, creative technologies, and/or health/wellness research; ability to conduct literature reviews; organisational and communication skills; experience with digital tools (desirable but not essential).

Project

A review of DELNA conducted in 2025 made recommendations with the aim of improving the identification and support of students at the University of Auckland (UOA) who would benefit from language enrichment initiatives. The successful applicant will work on two research projects corresponding to action areas identified in the review.

The first project will collect evidence of the benefits of completing DELNA with the aim of encouraging greater student engagement with the DELNA process. In this project the successful applicant will compare UOA achievement data for students who do and do not engage with DELNA. They will also collect questionnaire data and interview students who have completed DELNA, investigating their perceived benefits of doing so.

The second project will address the recommendation that DELNA incorporate a spoken communication component in the Screening and/or Diagnosis assessment. The successful applicant will conduct a trial of one or more assessments of spoken language and compare results along with the other measures which comprise the current DELNA Screening and Diagnosis assessments. Results will suggest to what extent the incorporation of an assessment of oral language might be warranted, and if so, what type of assessment might be indicated.

The role
The Summer Scholar will:

• Using data that DELNA provides, extract and compare:
  o achievement data of students who do and don’t engage with the DELNA Diagnosis when Screening results indicate that completing the Diagnosis is recommended

o achievement data of students who do and don’t engage with language support and advice when the DELNA Diagnosis results recommend this engagement

• Administer questionnaires to students who have engaged with the DELNA process and analyse results
• Conduct interviews with students who have engaged with the DELNA process and analyse results

Administer [a] test[s] of spoken language and analyse results, comparing these with results from other components of the DELNA Diagnosis assessment

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Some skill/experience with quantitative data would be an advantage but is not obligatory.

An ability to relate well to peers, and to put them at ease in an interview/assessment context.

Project

This project investigates imperial and colonial soldiers’ pictorial representations of the New Zealand Wars and its legacy through collections held in Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum. Instances of ‘image-making’ might include drawing, painting, and sketching, as well as early photography. Rather than focusing on aesthetics and soldiers’ art as a discrete part of the artistic history of colonial Aotearoa, this project aims to connect soldiers’ pictorial practices with the wider context of militarised cultural encounters in the nineteenth-century British Empire and how museums negotiate and address these legacies (or not) in collections over time.

The student will interrogate colonial pictorialism within specific regimental systems and values. In this way, the project will contribute to how historians assess pictorial images of colonial conflict as nineteenth-century sources but also as a lens to address how the wars have been remembered in colonial archives overtime.

The role
As part of this summer scholarship, the student will be expected to complete the following:

• Write a literature review of scholarship on soldiers’ artwork in military and settler colonial contexts
• Identify a group of pictorial representations relating to the NZ Wars, with assistance from the supervisor
• Identify other possible images held in other collections
• Work with the supervisor and museum staff to compile background information on these items in the collection, including provenance, exhibition history, and other archival information
• Write a biography of the soldier-artist and their work
• Conduct a visual analysis of images, linked to themes of military violence, colonisation, and memory, and wider historical arguments;
• Draft a blogpost that will feature as part of the Museum’s Atarau platform, its NZ Wars digital resource hub

Required Skills/Pre-requisites:
The student does not need to have studied Aotearoa New Zealand histories (although this is preferable). Similarly, the project will fit with a student who has studied art history and/or museum studies..

Project

This research focuses on Indigenous parent, family and teacher perspectives of Inclusive Education for Indigenous schools in the U.S. and New Zealand. Indigenous schools are quickly developing culturally sustaining curriculum and pedagogy as part of cultural revitalization movements across both the U.S. and New Zealand (Smith, 2012; Tocker, 2015). However, little research has been conducted to examine how Inclusive Education would be developed within Indigenous contexts rooted in Indigenous knowledge. My research question responds to this gap in literature to ask, "What are Indigenous perspectives of Inclusive Education for in the development of Indigenous schools and education? What are the cultural foundations necessary for meaningful learning for disabled and neurodiverse learners?"

In this study, I will be utilising interviews from Indigenous parents/guardians and educators from the U.S. and New Zealand for a comparative study to showcase how Indigenous communities across oceans are conceptualising Indigenous Inclusive Education. I knowledge-share and codesign outcomes to create articles and resources both for academic and advocacy purposes. These recourse aim to highlight the development of this new field and to create connections that help us learn from one another and support our communities across waters and ancestral wisdom for the next generation of Indigenous diverse learners.

The role
The main focus of the Summer Scholars’ contribution will be the transcription and preliminary analysis of eight interviews conducted with parents and educators across Aotearoa. These participants bring lived experience relating to the challenges and opportunities for Inclusive Education within Indigenous schooling contexts, including Kura Kaupapa Māori, Kohanga Reo, bilingual specialist units, and immersion schools. These interviews are central to the research project and will expose scholars to transdisciplinary methods that bridge academic inquiry and community-engaged practice.

With guidance and mentorship from the Principal Investigator, scholars will also be supported to contribute to an initial round of thematic analysis through group discussions. Engaging closely with participant narratives through transcription will help scholars surface meaningful insights and patterns. From there, scholars will be supported to conduct literature searches using university archives and databases to contextualise the emerging themes within Aotearoa’s inclusive education landscape. These findings will be captured in a modest literature review, helping to develop a strong foundation for future outputs from the research.

The expectations are:

• Scholars contribute to the transcription of a reasonable number of interviews from parent and educator participants across Aotearoa.
• Scholars participate in the initial analysis phase by contributing key themes from transcripts, supported through fortnightly group discussions with the Principal Investigator/Supervisor.
• Scholars collaborate on a modest literature review to contextualise emergent findings, using relevant academic and archival material.
• Scholars bring strong foundational knowledge of Indigenous communities and some familiarity with educational contexts such as Kura Kaupapa Māori, Kohanga Reo, bilingual specialist units, and immersion schools.
• Scholars demonstrate interest in inclusive education, Indigenous data sovereignty, Indigenous internationalism, and interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary approaches to research.
• Scholars show commitment to community-based research methodologies and uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities in their work practice.
• Scholars are passionate about advancing equitable outcomes for disabled and neurodiverse learners.
• Scholars are imaginative, solutions-focused, and able to synthesise complex ideas to help shape an emerging field of Indigenous Inclusive Education.
• Scholars are confident and enthusiastic about engaging with global Indigenous research contexts and bring a willingness to connect this work to wider international Indigenous communities.
  

This role provides practical training in transcription, thematic analysis, collaborative inquiry, and literature synthesis – offering meaningful opportunities for scholars to engage in postgraduate-level research with purpose and support.

Project

This research asks, what are Māori, Pacific, and International Indigenous diasporic perspectives of disability and autism in Aotearoa New Zealand? Disability and autism are often understood solely as diagnostic traits. This understanding permeates all sectors that provide service to disabled people.

However, there are wider cultural understandings of disability that move beyond diagnostic criteria. We frame Māori, Pacific, and International Indigenous diasporic identities as Tangata Whenua, Tangata Moana, and Tangata Tiriti perspectives to explore what autism and disability mean to these marginalised communities. Together, these perspectives highlight the power relations between dominant and cultural perspectives engaging with the health and disability sector in Aotearoa.

Current understandings of disability fail to account for the diverse array of histories, customs, or ancestral stories within Māori, Pacific, and Indigenous diasporic communities. These perspectives are needed to support professional expertise, engagement and effective planning on how to best work with diverse populations in the health and disability sector in Aotearoa.

This project gathers family and Autistic people’s perspectives of autism to be published in a book contracted by NZCER. This book is aimed for family and communities, to advance narratives of love to reframe understandings of autism.

The role
The summer scholars will support with the transcriptions of interviews from across Māori, Pacific and Indigenous (iwi taketake) streams of the project.
The expectations are:

• Scholars contribute to transcription of a reasonable number of interviews from a stream(s) of their choice (Māori, Pacific, Indigenous from other lands and waters).
• Scholars contribute to the analysis discussions through fortnightly group meetings with the Principal Investigator/Supervisor and sometimes (the wider team).
• Scholars may contribute some literature reviews to support analysis.
• Scholars are proficient in the medical, social and cultural models of disability.
• Scholars have well-developed knowledge of Māori, Pacific, Indigenous community in Aotearoa and experience working with these communities.
• Scholars have a high-level of awareness of systemic racism, inequality and disparities in the health and disability sector.
• Scholars are interested in Māori and Indigenous health, disability, neurodiversity, Indigenous data sovereignty, Indigenous Internationalism, and transdisciplinary research.
• Scholars are committed to community-based research, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi responsibilities within their work practice.
• Scholars are passionate about equitable outcomes for disabled and neurodiverse peoples and value the importance of family voice.
• Scholars are creative and committed to taking complex information to build comprehensive solutions that are accessible and appropriate for the health and disability sector.
  

Project

This research project aims to explore the intersections of choreographic creation, pedagogy, performance, and collaboration across a diverse range of contexts. These may include tertiary education institutions, the professional dance industry, high school dance education, community-based dance initiatives, and international or cross-cultural settings.

The study seeks to investigate how choreography functions not only as an artistic product but also as a dynamic process shaped by educational frameworks, collaborative practices, and cultural environments. It aims to examine how choreographers, educators, and performers negotiate creative relationships, learning outcomes, and audience engagement within different settings.

The project will likely adopt a qualitative methodology, drawing on interviews, observations, and case studies; or it could evolved into practice-led research to gain deeper insights into lived experiences and creative processes. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which collaboration and pedagogy inform choreographic development and how context influences performance-making. By analysing these intersections, the research aims to contribute to broader understandings of choreography as a multifaceted practice that reflects and responds to educational, professional, and cultural dimensions of dance.

The role

The Summer Scholar will assist in gathering and analysing qualitative data related to choreographic creation, pedagogy, and performance. Tasks may include conducting interviews, transcribing recordings, assisting in observation sessions, and contributing to literature reviews.

The scholar is expected to demonstrate initiative, strong communication skills, and an interest in dance or arts education. They will also contribute to data organisation and preliminary thematic analysis. Attendance at regular meetings with the supervisor is expected and will support their research skill development. By the end of the project, the scholar will have gained valuable experience in qualitative research methods and insights into choreography across varied educational and artistic contexts. Our aim is that the scholar and supervisor will create a scholarly journal article for submitting at the completion of the project.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Bachelor of Dance Studies with an interest in dance research. Strong writing and critical thinking skills would be useful.

Project

This choreographic performance and production project centres on an innovative, creative, and community-minded live performance context. It aims to support the development of future-ready creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial skills through practice-led choreographic research. The project is designed to engage a Summer Scholar in an immersive, mentored experience that encourages critical thinking, artistic exploration, and reflective practice.

Through collaborative rehearsal processes and creative development, the student will contribute to the creation of an original choreographic work, culminating in a live performance. This hands-on research will allow the scholar to explore how choreography functions as both an artistic and academic method of inquiry, particularly within a community or education-based setting.

The project will also introduce the student to methods of documentation, analysis, and reflection, positioning them to understand how performance can generate new knowledge. With regular mentoring and support, the scholar will gain confidence in navigating artistic research and will be encouraged to consider postgraduate study in dance or performance studies.

The final collaborative performance will stand as both a creative and scholarly output, demonstrating the value of embodied research within tertiary and public contexts.

The role
The Summer Scholar will play an active role in the creation, development, and presentation of a collaborative choreographic performance work. This project provides an opportunity to engage in practice-led research, where movement-making becomes both the process and the method of inquiry. The scholar will participate in studio-based rehearsals, creative discussions, and feedback sessions, contributing ideas and movement material toward the development of the final performance.

Under the guidance of the project supervisor, the student will also explore choreographic research methods such as reflective journaling, video documentation, and analytical writing. They will learn to identify and articulate the research questions embedded in creative practice and understand how live performance can generate new knowledge. Expectations include consistent participation in rehearsals, a willingness to experiment and collaborate, and the ability to engage in critical reflection and discussion.

Throughout the project, the scholar will be mentored to develop skills in artistic inquiry, creative leadership, and collaborative processes. They will also be introduced to academic practices relevant to postgraduate research, including research ethics, documentation, and presentation of creative work.

Ideal student

This is an ideal opportunity for a Stage 2 or 3 student who is passionate about dance, performance, or choreography and who is considering further study or a career in the creative industries. The experience will culminate in a public performance and a short reflective report or presentation.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

Bachelor of Dance Studies with an interest in choreographic research and creative practice methods. Strong writing and critical thinking skills useful.

Project

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex genetic endocrine disorder which was first characterised by Stein and Leventhal in 1935 following a case series of seven women who had a combination of amenorrhea, bilateral enlarged polycystic-appearing ovaries on surgical and pathologic evaluation, hirsutism and obesity.

Since its characterisation 90 years ago, PCOS has become the most common endocrine disorder for reproductive-aged women. Despite this, there remains a lack of Aotearoa population-based estimates of incidence and prevalence, let alone current data specifically about PCOS and Māori and Pacific women.

This research looks to reduce this gap by reviewing literature from Māori/Indigenous/Pacific studies, anthropology, history, population health and sociology to understand what has been written thus far about Māori and Pacific women’s experiences of PCOS. The work undertaken in the Summer Research Scholarship will contribute to the foundation of a larger research project that we will be seeking funding for in 2026. 

The role
We are currently seeking a student to work alongside us to achieve components of this study. Firstly, review literature on PCOS, reproductive health, healthcare inequities and indigenous health practices primarily from Māori/Indigenous/Pacific studies, anthropology, history, population health and sociology, with a focus on the key research question of the study. A key output for this project will be to write up a literature review.

From this literature review, our scholar will be tasked with developing, with our guidance, the Ethics application for the next phase of this research. Our student will have the chance to gain project management experience as we work through the planning and development of the project alongside the ethics.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

This project is well suited to students with a background in Māori/Indigenous/Pacific studies or anthropology. Students with ties/commitments to Māori and/or Pacific communities are especially welcome. Strong communication skills (written, oral) are necessary. Ideal applicants should be independent, self-motivated, with demonstrated initiative and time management skills. They should be savvy digital media navigators, have attention to detail, and be open to research and technical training. Familiarity with online platforms and/or social media research is a plus. The successful candidate will be offered a study desk at the Pacific Studies and/or Māori Studies complex for the duration of the course.

Project

This project explores how Pacific understandings of grief and healing are expressed through Pacific languages and cultural frameworks. While Western psychological models often define grief in clinical terms, this project examines how concepts of mourning, wellbeing, and restoration are shaped by cultural values, faith, and intergenerational knowledge transmission within Pacific communities.

Drawing on interdisciplinary literature from Pacific Studies, Indigenous psychology, and language revitalisation, this research seeks to illuminate strengths-based approaches to coping and collective healing that are embedded in Pacific worldviews. The project lays the foundation for future quantitative and qualitative research involving talanoa and community engagement, with long-term goals of contributing to culturally responsive wellbeing services. 

The role
We are currently seeking a scholar who will gain experience in culturally grounded research that engages with Pacific community priorities. They will learn how to conduct literature reviews, identify gaps in existing research, and begin shaping research questions that could support future postgraduate study.

Through regular mentoring, they will be introduced to the research process and receive guidance on applying to honours or masters programmes. The work will build their confidence in interdisciplinary research and help them explore career pathways in academia, health, and policy.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
This project is well suited to students with a background in Native/Indigenous/Pacific studies, history, psychology or anthropology. Students with ties/commitments to Pacific communities are especially welcome. Strong communication skills (written, oral) necessary. Ideal applicants should be independent, self-motivated, with demonstrated initiative and time management skills. They should be savvy digital media navigators, have attention to detail, and be open to research and technical training.

Project

This project contributes to a groundbreaking book documenting the first 21 Pacific women poets to publish solo collections of poetry in English. The research will support the completion of a manuscript due for submission for publication in February 2026 (contracted to Auckland University Press), representing a significant contribution to Pacific literary scholarship and women's literary history.

The summer scholar will conduct comprehensive research on contemporary Pacific women poets, including biographical updates, publication histories, and current literary activities. This involves archival research, database searches, and correspondence with poets, publishers, and literary organisations.

The scholar will also assist with obtaining permissions for text reproduction, sourcing current photographs, and maintaining detailed research databases.
This project addresses a critical gap in Pacific literary documentation and will serve as an essential reference for future scholars, educators, and readers interested in Pacific women's voices in literature. The research directly supports Indigenous knowledge preservation and celebrates Pacific women's contributions to global literary culture.

The role
The summer scholar will work independently and collaboratively on essential research tasks supporting this pioneering literary project. Key responsibilities include:
Research Activities: Conduct systematic research on Pacific women poets using academic databases, library archives, and digital collections. Update biographical information, track recent publications, awards, and literary activities. Research publication histories and reception of poetry collections.
Archival Work: Examine physical and digital archives for historical materials, reviews, interviews, and promotional materials related to the poets and their work.
Documentation and Database Management: Maintain detailed research databases, create bibliographic entries, and organise findings systematically for manuscript integration.
Permissions and Image Research: Contact poets, estates, publishers, and photographers to secure permissions for text reproduction and obtain current professional photographs for publication.
Communication and Correspondence: Draft professional correspondence with poets, literary organisations, and publishers. Conduct follow-up communications as needed.

The scholar will develop advanced research skills whilst contributing meaningfully to Pacific literary scholarship. Regular in-person and Zoom supervision meetings with myself and Dr Wang will ensure progress and provide mentorship. This position offers unique exposure to book publishing processes and literary research methodologies.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Strong written communication skills and attention to detail are essential. Experience with academic research methods, database management, and library systems preferred. Interest in Pacific literature, poetry, or women's studies advantageous. Proficiency in digital research tools and basic knowledge of copyright and permissions processes helpful. Ability to work independently while maintaining regular communication with supervisors. Cultural sensitivity when working with Pacific literary materials and communities required.

Project

This summer scholarship project offers an exciting opportunity for a student to explore the intersection of educational psychology, robotics, and inclusive education. The focus is on conducting a comprehensive literature review addressing the use of robotic technologies to support students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Key research questions include: What types of robots have been developed for this purpose? What were the educational psychological theories, if any, are behind the design of the robotic interventions? In what specific educational scenarios have they been implemented, and how were they used? What age groups were involved, and what were the observed outcomes? How were these outcomes measured?

This is a growing and important area of research with significant potential to inform future educational interventions and technological innovations. In addition to synthesising existing findings, this project will take a cultural and ethical lens to critically examine how robotic interventions may impact learners differently across contexts, and explore whether these tools align with principles of equity, cultural responsiveness, and student wellbeing.

This scholarship is ideal for students interested in educational technologies and neurodiversity. It offers the chance to contribute meaningfully to a novel and rapidly evolving field while building valuable research skills.

The role
The Summer Scholar will be responsible for conducting a systematic review of the literature on the use of robotic techniques to support students with ADHD. The scholar will be guided in applying the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol to ensure a rigorous and transparent review process.

The first stage will involve conducting comprehensive searches across relevant academic databases to identify potential sources. The scholar will then screen titles and abstracts to determine which studies meet the predetermined inclusion criteria. Following this, the full texts of selected publications will be reviewed in detail. Key information from each study – including types of robots used, educational settings, age groups involved, outcomes reported, and methods of outcome measurement—will be systematically extracted and organised into a summary table. This table will serve as the primary output of the project.

The scholar is expected to work independently, keep accurate records of their search and selection process, and engage in regular supervision meetings to discuss progress. Through this process, the scholar will gain valuable experience in research methods and critical analysis of literature in an emerging interdisciplinary field.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The ideal candidate for this project is a student who is interested in developing research skills in preparation for postgraduate study. They should demonstrate a strong interest in supporting neurodiverse learners and/or exploring the use of educational technologies. The scholar should be open to learning new methodologies, particularly in conducting systematic literature reviews, and possess strong attention to detail. The ability to read and summarise academic literature is essential. While prior knowledge in educational technology is a strength, it is not a requirement. A proactive attitude, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to producing high-quality work will be key to the scholar’s success in this project.

Project

If you are interested in literature and literary research, this project is for you. This Summer Scholarship offers an exciting opportunity to join the team working on a prestigious project with Cambridge University Press. The volume entitled Literature in Context – Stefan Zweig will feature approximately 40 contributions from leading international scholars and will provide comprehensive insight into the literary, cultural, and historical contexts of Austrian author Stefan Zweig (1881–1942), one of the most widely translated European writers of the 20th century.

Designed as the benchmark English-language reference work on Zweig, the volume aims to present the latest research in a concise, accessible format. In addition to contextual essays, the volume will offer up-to-date bibliographic resources and critical reflections on Zweig’s legacy, making it an essential compendium for future scholarly engagement.

The role
The summer scholar will have two key responsibilities:
1. Biobibliographical Chronology
The scholar will compile a concise, well-researched biobibliographical chronology of Stefan Zweig’s life and major literary works, to be included in the appendix of the volume. This timeline will serve as an accessible reference point for readers and help situate individual essays within a broader context.

The task involves consulting key English-language biographies of Zweig and using the comprehensive Zweig bibliography to identify important publication dates. The scholar will be guided in using this specialised bibliography and supported in identifying anchor points that highlight Zweig’s literary and personal development.

2. Editorial Assistance
Given that approximately two-thirds of the contributors to the volume are non-native English speakers, the scholar will provide essential editorial support to ensure clarity, accuracy, and idiomatic fluency in English. Specifically, the scholar will:

• Assist authors in locating published English translations of Zweig’s works, particularly where the original texts cited are in German or French
• Proofread submissions to improve grammar, expression, and correct typographical issues, especially in essays written in English by non-native speakers
• Check all references, footnotes, and bibliographies for consistency with Cambridge University Press style guidelines
• Communicate professionally with authors to clarify suggested edits where appropriate

This role is particularly valuable as neither editor is a native English speaker, and the scholar’s contribution will help ensure the final publication meets the standards of a top-tier English-language academic press.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

•  Experience with literary or textual research (no prior knowledge of Zweig required)
• Native-level proficiency in written English, with impeccable grammar, accurate spelling, and a strong sense of tone and clarity.
• Outstanding attention to detail in academic writing
• Excellent written communication skills
• Prior experience in proofreading or copy-editing an advantage
• Knowledge of German is welcome but not required
  

Project

Perinatal mental health challenges are known to affect women across all ethnic groups, but limited existing evidence suggests that Asian women in Aotearoa New Zealand may experience higher levels of distress alongside lower rates of service use (e.g., Svardal et al., 2021). Despite this, there is limited visibility into the availability and accessibility of culturally appropriate perinatal mental health support for Asian communities. “Asian” in the New Zealand context refers to people from South, Southeast, East, and parts of West Asia (Rasanathan et al., 2006). These communities are culturally diverse, and support needs may vary significantly within and between groups.

This project will map existing perinatal mental health support available to Asian communities, focusing on services offered by government agencies and NGOs. The student will review policy documents, public reports, and service directories to identify support structures and highlight potential service gaps.

The student will also be encouraged to think critically about the diversity of services offered and whether they reflect the heterogeneity of Asian communities in Aotearoa. There is flexibility for the student to tailor the project to their interests (e.g., focusing on specific Asian communities or types of support).

The role

The summer scholar will undertake a review of publicly available policy documents, service listings, and NGO reports related to perinatal mental health support for Asian communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. They will map current support offerings, identify the presence or absence of culturally responsive services, and consider whether diversity within Asian populations is reflected in available care.

The scholar is expected to be conscientious, organised, and able to manage their time effectively. They will be a strong critical thinker and have excellent written skills. While I will typically meet with the student fortnightly to check on progress and discuss goals, I expect them to work independently and show initiative in planning and executing their tasks. I do not have strong expectations about when or where the student works, and I encourage them to develop a schedule that suits their working style, provided that steady and effective progress is made.

Findings will be shared with relevant stakeholders, including Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa (PADA) and community organisations working to improve mental health outcomes for Asian populations in Aotearoa.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Strong reading and writing skills
• Excellent critical thinking skills
• Ability to conduct literature reviews and synthesise information
• Good organisation and time management.
• An interest in public health and cultural diversity
  

Project

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasingly recognised as a condition that affects people across the lifespan. In Aotearoa New Zealand, public services such as health, education, and social services play a key role in ADHD identification, diagnosis, and support. This project aims to explore what is currently known about ADHD within the NZ public sector, with a particular focus on policies, guidelines, and documented support pathways for children and adults.

The summer scholar will conduct a review of publicly available documents produced by public sector organisations (e.g., Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Te Whatu Ora, Oranga Tamariki), and identify where guidance exists or is lacking on ADHD diagnosis, treatment, and support. There is flexibility for the student to shape the project depending on the scope of available documents, their academic background, or interests. For example, they may choose to focus specifically on children, on women, or on a particular public sector area.

The role

The summer scholar will conduct a document analysis of policy and publicly available material related to ADHD in New Zealand's public sector. This will involve identifying relevant reports, strategy documents, and guidelines, then summarising the key content relating to ADHD diagnosis and support.

The scholar will be expected to:

• Identify and compile relevant policy and guidance documents by reviewing websites of relevant public sector organisations
• Extract and organise content thematically (e.g. diagnostic guidance, support pathways)
• Write a short summary or report that synthesises findings
• Reflect critically on equity implications (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors)

The scholar is expected to be conscientious, organised, and manage their time effectively. They will be a strong critical thinker and have excellent written skills. While I will typically meet with the student fortnightly to check on progress and discuss goals, I expect them to work independently and show initiative in planning and executing their tasks. I do not have strong expectations about when or where the student works, and I encourage them to develop a schedule that suits their working style, provided that steady and effective progress is made.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Strong reading and writing skills
• Excellent critical thinking skills
• Ability to conduct literature reviews and summarise key themes
• Good organisation and time management.
• An interest in public policy and mental health
  

Project

Civilian harm in contemporary conflict is a significant moral and legal concern, but little consideration has been given to how civilian harm is depicted in the contemporary media. This project will examine how civilian harm from Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria and Iraq has been represented in the international media, focusing specific attention on the videos, images, infographics that have been used to visualize the harms inflicted upon civilians.

The project will examine how these depictions circumscribe what harms become (in)visible in the media landscape, and how these depictions might reinforce particular ways of thinking about this harm. We will consider the visual regimes that determine what can/cannot be depicted alongside recurring motifs that are often used to visualize civilian casualties.

At the same time, the project will consider how organizations such as Airwars, Amnesty International and Forensic Architecture have tried to challenge these visual motifs, developing innovative techniques to visualize those harms that are more difficult to depict, such as the slow violence that accumulates over time.

The role

As part of this summer scholarship, the student will be expected to complete the following:

• Write a literature review on debates about visualizing civilian harm.
• Compile and analyse visual representations of civilian harm from Operation Inherent Resolve from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and so forth.
• Compile and analyse visual representations of civilian harm from NGO reports, including Airwars, Amnesty International and Forensic Architecture.
• Work with the supervisor to identify common themes across these images.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

The ideal candidate will have a background in the Humanities and/or Social Sciences with some experience conducting a media analysis. Please note, this project will involve the student collecting and analysing media images depicting civilian harm, including some that might be distressing. However, the student will be restricted to images that have been published in the media and NGO reports to avoid images that are too graphic.

Project

Framed by the following question: How does the historical discourse of He kanikani O te Rangitahi and Taiao Dance Theatre inform current interpretations and representations of Māori and Pacific contemporary Dance in Aotearoa? This research will explore the history of Indigenous contemporary dance in Aotearoa from the 1980s to the present day.

Using Kaupapa Māori research methods, it will present restored archives of cultural taonga (treasures) to re-tell histories of Indigenous Contemporary Dance pioneers through hui, wānanga, and specific creative outputs. Emerging from prior research that involved the restoration of cultural dance archives, this research provides an opportunity to reimagine the socio-political influence of Māori and Pacific contemporary dance and art.

Through collaboration with Mana Oceania Arts communities, the project will invigorate stories of the significant contributions made by Māori and Pacific contemporary dance pioneers to Indigenous and non-Indigenous arts in the Pacific and broader global contexts.

The role
This project will involve transdisciplinary collaborations between Dance Studies at the Faculty of Arts and Education and the wider Indigenous Arts community in Aotearoa. Applicants will be prepared to engage in Creative Research and community-based participatory research methodologies. Though they are not expected to be skilled in Dance performance and scholarly discourse, other arts skill sets, experience and/or aspirations to work with community and whānau members, kaumātua, arts leaders, educators and artists as co-facilitators are key characteristics required for this project.

The student will work with the PI and a small project team as a research assistant supporting the research hui and wānanga with research participants. They will be involved in interviewing, transcribing, and knowledge dissemination for scholarly creative outputs, and they will work with Indigenous Contemporary Dance archives.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
For this research project, the required skills and prerequisites are:

• Experience in working alongside Māori or Pacific communities.
• A foundational understanding of research methodologies is evidenced in previous coursework or community experience and interests.
• Experience and foundation knowledge of Māori and Pacific Art and performance and relevant communities within Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.
• As an emerging practitioner and researcher, an aspiration to develop experiences and skills in Indigenous Research theory and methodologies.
• An ability to integrate information from multiple sources and communicate complex ideas clearly and concisely in a multi-modal way.