Amongst those researchers from University of Auckland recognised by the Royal Society as future leaders at the end of 2024 was Architecture NZ columnist and contributing writer Dr Karamia Müller. Müller is co-director of MĀPIHI Māori and Pacific Housing Research Centre and is one of eight University of Auckland researchers to be awarded a Royal Society fellowship.

In her project, Müller says she will be “centring Pacific people in housing decisions and ensuring that their voices and experiences shape the future of Pacific housing”.

“I’ll be working alongside families, communities, government and groups across Aotearoa New Zealand, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Hawai’i… bringing together lived experiences and policy insights,” says Müller. “By weaving these perspectives together, my aim is to identify what policy and practices empower Pacific communities to lead housing solutions that reflect their needs and aspirations.”

The University says the fellowships will develop and improve the retention of future research leaders, support career development and enhance equity and diversity. The eight Mana Tuāpapa Future Leader Fellowships were awarded to:

• Dr Karamia Müller, Creative Arts and Industries: Self-Determination in Pacific Housing: Understanding and Promoting Empowerment
• Dr Eileen Joy, Education and Social Work: What ‘counts’ as evidence in social wellbeing policymaking and development in Aotearoa New Zealand
• Dr Ying (Ingrid) Wang, Education and Social Work: Enhancing cultural competency for working with Asian learners in New Zealand schools
• Dr Farha Ramzan, Liggins Institute: Weaving Mātauranga and Science: the immunomodulatory role of kawakawa
• Dr Neil Birrell, Science: Beyond the Apocalypse: Evidence-based insect conservation for giant flightless weevils in Aotearoa New Zealand
• Dr Stephanie Stuteley, Science: Key regulators of redox metabolism in pathogenic bacteria
• Dr William Pearman, Science: Holobiont histories – rewinding host-microbe evolution to identify the contributions of microbes to host adaptation and resilience
• Dr Bicheng (Amy) Zhu, Science: Conductive Soil: Electrifying a sustainable future with increased food production

In addition to the eight research fellowships, Dr Andrew Hall, Engineering, was awarded a Māna Tūānuku Research Leader Fellowship to study how to reduce noise and improve ventilation for healthier homes in New Zealand and Professor Christian Hartiger, Science, was awarded a Mana Tūārangi Distinguished Researcher Fellowship to study the interactions between metal complexes and proteins to unlock applications in medicine and industry.