2 Te Wānanga o Aotearoa researchers have been recognised at the Royal Society Te Apārangi and the Health Research Council of New Zealand awards this week.

The awards recognise researchers who have achieved excellence in scholarship or innovation or who have made a significant contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand through their research careers.

Both award winners – Dr Maree Sheehan and Dr Tim Angeli-Gordon – are part of the team at Te Manawahoukura, the Rangahau centre established by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to champion Indigenous-led interdisciplinary Rangahau.

Dr Sheehan (Ngāti Maniapoto-Waikato, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Tahu-Ngāti Whāoa, Clan Sheehan, Clan Marshall) was awarded the Royal Society Te Apārangi Te Kōpūnui Māori Research Award for her scholarship on audio portraiture and sonic practices that honour and elevates the voices and identities of wāhine Māori.

She uses her experience as a researcher, educator, and composer to challenge the idea of traditional western portraiture (paintings) through the creation of audio portraits using immersive sound technologies to record, synthesise, and spatially position interpretations of the subject's perspectives, experiences, and nature. This audio portraiture includes a unique exploration and artistic interpretation of sound, providing insight of an individual's identity.

These audio portraits contain the multi-dimensional factors of the subject’s lives and are invigorated in a Māori knowledge framework. They have been described as the sounds of people, land, oceans, and air, which are woven into a cloak of sound. Combining a kaupapa Māori framework with state-of-the-art sonic practices, Dr Sheehan captures a unique perspective of identity.

Dr Angeli-Gordon received the Cooper Award for discovering new electrical and cellular disease mechanisms to diagnose patients suffering chronic gastrointestinal disease and bringing new bioengineering techniques into clinical application.

Gastrointestinal disorders can cause major clinical, economic, and societal burdens, with patients suffering debilitating symptoms often faced with limited options for diagnosis and treatment. Dr Angeli-Gordon and his team’s research has led to the development of a new medical technology that could allow clinicians to diagnose hard-to-identify stomach complaints, such as gastroparesis, without invasive surgery.

This ground-breaking work exemplifies the mission of Te Manawahoukura to advance Indigenous-led and interdisciplinary research that addresses real-world challenges and elevates mātauranga Māori.

“Both kairangahau (researchers) represent the profound impact that Rangahau at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa can have – not only within academic and scientific communities but also in improving the lives of individuals and enriching the cultural fabric of Aotearoa,” says Rebecca Kiddle, Director – Te Manawahoukura.

"Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is immensely proud to celebrate the achievements of Dr Maree Sheehan and Dr Tim Angeli-Gordon. Their mahi reflects our commitment to fostering excellence, innovation, and the unique voices of Indigenous researchers," says Nepia Winiata, Te Kaiwhakatere Chief Executive of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

"Their contributions not only exemplify the values of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa but also uplift mātauranga Māori and make a meaningful difference to the well-being of our whānau and communities."