Through our annual Unitec Excellence Awards we recognise and celebrate the amazing work that our people have contributed to Unitec.
Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s awards event on Thursday 1 December – what a great celebration! MC Darlene Cameron set an awesome vibe, the guests were dressed in their impressive ‘Through the Decades’ theme, and there was plenty of aroha for our finalists and winners.
A full story and photos are to come, but here’s the run-down of our winners!
Congratulations to our finalists and WINNERS!…
Excellence in Early Career Teaching
*WINNER* Maia Ratana: Lecturer – Architecture: Maia has taught in the School of Architecture since completing her Master’s degree in 2020. Her thesis looked at how architecture can influence Māori student success through the creation of spaces that reflect tikanga Māori. Since then, her objective as an early career teacher and Māori champion is to ensure Māori students are well supported and that course content includes teachings grounded in Te Moana nui a Kiwa.
As an early career teacher, she works tirelessly to create valuable and relatable content. Being one of a very small number of Māori academic staff at Unitec comes with significant cultural workload responsibilities. As a result, she teaches both undergraduate and post graduate courses and is about to complete her first primary Master’s supervision.
Maia’s academic experience has seen her co-lead Rangatahi ki te Kāinga, a two-year externally funded research project and report on youth homelessness which has received significant media attention and government interest.
Nursing First Year Team: Gilian Graham, Georgia Cray, Michele Henderson, Amanda Collins, Kirstin Botha, Shobha Johnson, Saleshni Nand: This team of teachers is constantly reviewing how they are teaching, while keeping the students at the centre of their thinking. They are all working on innovative ways of teaching, including developing new and authentic feedback practices, developing teaching activities that engage students in science content, developing authentic practical scenarios and simulations for students and using case studies to authenticate practice and develop an understanding of the health environment and good nursing practice.
The team is involved with each other’s classes to ensure they are using similar language and are consistent with their messaging. Moodle pages are also developed with one layout so students know where to find information, and the teachers observe each other and give feedback on teaching practices. This collective approach and reflective practice has enhanced and improved student learning and developed a sense of community for both students and teachers.
*WINNER* Sameh Shamout, Lecturer – Architecture: Sameh is a full-time lecturer and third-year leader in the School of Architecture for the past two years. During this time, Sameh has worked to develop three core courses and one elective within the BAS and MARCP programme. He has developed relationships with industry to ensure his courses are relevant, interesting, exciting and timely to meet best practices.
Sameh regularly works beyond the requirements of his role to ensure students have access to the best resources. This means working with students to set up extra ‘catch up’ classes for students who are struggling.
Sameh’s promotional efforts has led to the School gaining funding from Auckland Council and Tourism New Zealand to attract international conferences to Unitec.
Excellence in Teaching
*WINNER* Craig Goodhue, Lecturer – Trades and Services: Craig has navigated some stormy seas in his first years at Unitec, with staff shortages, COVID lockdowns and transitional upheaval with the move to Te Pūkenga. Through all of it he has kept focused on the success of his students and on the importance of improving his teaching practice.
Like the good plumber he is, Craig has not been afraid to diagnose the faults in his teaching practice, identify solutions and repair the leaks to code, with customer satisfaction guaranteed. He has worked tirelessly on improving his own teaching practice, developing his plumbing courses from scratch.
Craig is the living embodiment of Kaitiakitanga, is generous with his time and provides an excellent level of pastoral care for his apprentices. Craig is passionate about delivering engaging lessons based on authentic and current workplace practices which are highly valued by his students.
Dr Joseph Aziz, Senior Lecturer – Healthcare: As a teacher educator, Dr Joseph Aziz is constantly searching for innovative and genuine approaches to the learning, teaching, and assessing that occur inside the Medical Imaging Programme. He shows he is a leader in new pedagogies by making unique curricula, modern exams, and a deep understanding of how digital technologies can help students learn.
Joseph has excelled as a teacher, especially when he was in charge of all teaching duties during the COVID lockdown. He supplied excellent tools to help medical imaging students learn online interactive clinical anatomy.
Joseph supports his co-workers when they’re looking for new ways for students to learn through real-world experiences. Staff, students, and teacher educators all believe that Joseph is one of the field’s most creative and innovative teachers.
Madhusudan Vyas, Lecturer – Healthcare: Madhusudan has an effective and flexible teaching approach, created to meet the needs of individual learners and support student success.
He is a dedicated teacher and always strives for excellence. He loves teaching and truly lives by Te Noho Kotahitanga values in his job.
He is a talented researcher, and he and his group have found novel approaches to treating cancer patients. He has undertaken leadership roles at Unitec, acting as the PC for the Medical Imaging programme, as well as being a key support person for the Department of Healthcare during the transition to online learning. His external leadership is evidenced through his role as a member of the disciplinary tribunal for the New Zealand Medical Radiation Technologist Board (NZMRTB).
*WINNER* Vimlesh Shukla, Lecturer, Nursing – Healthcare: In his role as a teacher educator, Vimlesh Shukla is constantly searching for innovative and genuine approaches to learning, teaching, and assessing within the Nursing programme. He demonstrates that he is a leader in the field of new pedagogies by developing unique curricula, designing contemporary examinations, and having a profound awareness of how the use of digital technologies can assist in the learning process.
During the COVID pandemic, Vimlesh organised a webinar for students to clarify confusion around the COVID vaccination; a highly-charged topic.
Vimlesh is continuously supportive of his co-workers’ efforts to investigate new methods by which students can learn through real-world experiences.
Throughout the past year, he has made valuable contributions to both the annual evaluation of the Nursing Council and the establishment of the new Bachelor of Nursing Te Pūkenga programme.
*WINNER* Whaikaha – Supported Learning: Dave Hicks, Caroline Leader, Angelina Wright, Lynette Solomon, Utkarsh Sanjanwala, Mary Perich, Colleen Chong: The Supported Learning staff constantly innovates to meet the needs of their students, supporting them to be independent adults. Recently, they went on their first-ever overnight trip with the students to Waitangi for a noho marae stay.
The staff managed significant logistical challenges, while intentionally and thoughtfully integrating the trip into the curriculum. The fundraising activities, the preparation of packing for the trip, the learning about tikanga, te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Mātauranga Māori were all beautifully interwoven into courses giving the field trip a significant purpose.
Mahi kotahitanga was evident as the team partnered across the organisation to stage the trip. The students loved the experience and their whānau were grateful to staff for exceeding their expectations of the programme.
Excellence in Teaching – Kaupapa Māori
*WINNER* Dr Hinekura Smith, Interim Director – Nga Wai a Te Tui, Ngā Wai a Te Tūī: Since she joined Unitec in 2021, Hinekura has assisted our postgraduate supervision community to better understand kaupapa Māori research and to work with Māori students wanting to engage with this important research methodology. She exemplifies the values of Te Noho Kotahitanga in her teaching and supervision and in her dedication to actively develop kaupapa Māori capability and capacity.
Hinekura joined the Unitec Research Ethics Committee in 2021 and has made significant contribution in kaupapa Māori research. Hinekura is the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) Emerging Researchers Capability Leader, providing MAI (Māori and Indigenous) Te Kupenga national coordination and leadership.
She coordinates the MAI ki Wairaka branch at Unitec and will convene the MAI National Doctoral Conference at Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae in November, with kai rangahau from across Aotearoa.
Richard Boynton, Lecturer – Trades and Services: Richard brings a highly effective and innovative approach to his teaching and really embeds Kaupapa Māori into his teaching and into the Institute. Richard takes his students out to see the dams as part of his plumbing programme to really allow them to connect to the process.
Richard has supported a number of hangi at Unitec, both as part of his class and also as part of the wairua he offers to our environment.
Innovation in Teaching
*WINNER* Caleb Wong, Lecturer – Trades and Services: Caleb is always thinking of new ways to get his Level 3 pre-trade automotive students to understand complex systems. In lockdown last year, frustrated by an inability to access campus and the automotive equipment at Mataaho, he adapted an online game Mechanics Simulator so students could experience as closely as possible the impact of decisions made in a workshop setting. This proved to be a highly innovative way of using a video game.
When he got approval to go back on campus, Caleb managed to hook up his laptop and cameras to film himself working on a car engine, with students watching from the comfort of their homes. Caleb continues to innovate with his latest innovation being to teach steering using his own hi-spec remote control cars. Students can race them and gain the same understanding as they make their steering decisions — connecting theory with practical.
Project House team: Tommy Atkins, Yang Miao, Eugene Nehring, Ruben Sigglekow, Feleti Key, Dean D’souza, Terry Church, Chris Stoddard, Stu Marshall, Kamuka Pati, Steve Tsai, Min Hall: The team is made up of two different schools, Trades and Services – Carpentry, and the School of Construction and Architecture. Together, they have collaborated to give their students a better understanding of construction and the physical and tangible aspects of building a residential house.
Those involved have been outstanding in their innovative ways of teaching in all-weather conditions and guiding the learning around working in a hazardous environment on a building site. They have helped navigate creating a safe site with great culture, and in making sure the house project was seen through to completion. They have all found innovative ways to work through curriculum changes, health and safety challenges, and pastoral care considerations to give their students the best in learning and service.
Whaikaha – Supported Learning: Dave Hicks, Caroline Leader, Angelina Wright, Lynette Solomon, Utkarsh Sanjanwala, Mary Perich, Colleen Chong: The Supported Learning staff constantly innovates to meet the needs of their students, supporting them to be independent adults. Recently, they went on their first-ever overnight trip with the students to Waitangi for a noho marae stay.
The staff managed significant logistical challenges, while intentionally and thoughtfully integrating the trip into the curriculum. The fundraising activities, the preparation of packing for the trip, the learning about tikanga, te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Mātauranga Māori were all beautifully interwoven into courses giving the field trip a significant purpose.
Mahi kotahitanga was evident as the team partnered across the organisation to stage the trip. The students loved the experience and their whānau were grateful to staff for exceeding their expectations of the programme.
Excellence in Early Career Research
Madhusudan Vyas, Lecturer – Healthcare: Madhusudan is a talented researcher, leading research projects in the medical imaging programme. He and his group have found novel approaches to treating cancer patients.
He is actively identifying and leading responses to externally-funded research opportunities, and partnering with stakeholders on research projects. He also encourages his students to carry out research.
He has undertaken leadership roles at Unitec, acting as the PC for the Medical Imaging programme, as well as being a key support person for the Department of Healthcare during the transition to online learning. His external leadership is evidenced through his role as a member of the disciplinary tribunal for the New Zealand Medical Radiation Technologist Board (NZMRTB).
*WINNER* Associate Professor Renata Jadresin-Milic – Architecture: Renata has developed her experience in digital heritage into a comprehensive research framework which is providing significant opportunity for Unitec and successfully launched a new Digital Heritage Research Centre (DHRC) this year. The DHRC is already gathering national momentum and is in an area of high value to New Zealand architecture and heritage.
She developed a project based on digitally scanning Building One which involved a wide range of stakeholders. Renata has employed a number of students and recent graduates on her research projects, in addition to those benefitting from the industry partnered 3D scanning classes. She engaged Māori through renowned Māori architectural firm, designTRIBE, as well as Ngā Wai a Te Tūī and Professor Regan Potangaroa of Massey University.
Excellence in Research
Denis Lavrov, Research Associate, Tūāpapa Rangahau – Research and Postgraduate Office: Denis is a unique Unitec success story, working in the Unitec Cybersecurity Research Centre for approximately 10 years, employed as a Research Assistant straight from his Bachelor of Computing degree onto STRATUS, a six year $12.2m MBIE Endeavour Fund project in cybersecurity.
Denis identified the opportunities that sit in the “in between” spaces of industry partnered research and developed his Cybersecurity Research and Development as a Service concept. He had observed that industry often have strong ideas about what the problems that need researching are and that they need support with these. This has led to GeneCrypt, the first funded commercialisation contract at Unitec.
Denis heads the Cybersecurity Research Centre at Unitec and is collaborating on several MBIE Endeavour Fund and Health Research Council grant applications.
Associate Professor Leon Tan – Creative Industries and Tanya White, Kaihautu, Kaitiaki – Taiao, Lecturer, Māia: Tanya and Leon have worked together for the past few years. They have collaborated to develop Tanya’s Masters of Creative Practice research into a book chapter for The Routledge Companion to Decolonizing Art, Craft and Visual Culture Education (forthcoming 2023). They also recently presented some of the research associated with Rangimarie pa Harakeke at Alliances and Commonalities 2022 – Stockholm University of the Arts biennial conference on artistic research.
Leon supported Tanya to secure the inaugural Wairaka research grant in 2021, and collaborated with her to consolidate a research platform focusing on the sustainability and wellbeing of the urban ecology at Unitec’s current and former campus areas.
Leon and Tanya are working towards applying for an external research grant to advance these strands of research to include a comprehensive “mapping” of the place, including all of its flora, faua and microbiota, rethink urban design and intensification and continue placemaking initiatives to mediate positively the settlement of new residents and publics.
*WINNER* Associate Professor Peter de Lange – Animal and Environmental Sciences: Peter demonstrates the values of Te Noho Kotahitanga in his research leadership, collaborations and the impact of his research on conservation in Aotearoa.
As well as being one of the leading research botanists in Australasia, Peter demonstrates Rangatiratanga through his mentoring of emerging and early career researchers within Unitec and at other institutions in Aotearoa and overseas. He also supports his students to do research and publish in peer-reviewed journals, growing the next generation of scientists.
Peter demonstrates Mahi Kotahitanga through his extensive research collaborations with Unitec colleagues, graduates and students.
Peter is Ngākau Māhaki and Wakaritenga in action. He has a strong respect of te ao Māori and te Reo Māori, a genuine desire to be a good Treaty partner in his research collaborations with mana whenua, and is a champion of the culturally appropriate use of te Reo Māori in the sciences.
Excellence in Support
Andrew Powdrell, Computer Support Engineer, Information Technology: During his 16 years at Unitec, Andrew has helped a multitude of staff with the onboarding process and connected them to the organisation’s computer systems, giving them access to the resources they need. He goes the extra mile to talk teams through issues and offer support whenever needed. For his mahi kotahitanga, his spirit of cooperation and generosity, and for his kaitiakitanga, guardianship of knowledge of information technology, he adds value every day to Unitec/Te Pūkenga.
*WINNER* Bettie Warwick-Ching, Human Resources Business Partner: Bettie is a valued member of the extended Environmental and Animal Sciences (EAS) whānau. She supports the whole team through what are often complex HR policies and procedures. Bettie is always available to help the team, supporting them with one-on-one support and workshops, and provides exceptional support to the EAS leadership team.
She recognises there isn’t a one-size-fits-all model to her support and engages with staff in a way that works for them. She is solutions-focused, adaptable and maintains the utmost confidentiality when needed.
Bettie expertly balances the needs of the organisation with humanity and kindness. She values the input of the EAS leadership team into wider HR discussions and collaborates with the utmost respect and integrity.
*WINNER* Joseph Pitovao, Carpentry House Builds Project Lead: As Project Lead for the house building programme, Joseph (Joey) has been instrumental in developing our building site to service all lecturers and students. Site buildings have been upgraded to serve the teaching programme, and he has been at the forefront of a new arrangement to deliver fully completed houses for Kāinga Ora. This has required considerable planning, programming and liaison.
The demands and disruptions of the COVID pandemic have made managing a building site much more complex. Supply chains became highly problematic, site inspection bookings more complex and managing sub-contractors challenging. Sickness among students and staff also disrupted time schedules, but all these complicating factors have been ably managed by Joey who has been unwavering in his commitment and dedication to his role and his team.
Karen Haines, Academic Advisor (eLearning), Te Puna Ako: Karen is instrumental in supporting our new teachers at Unitec. She organises and facilitates workshops and continues that support with fortnightly emails with teaching activities and follow-up support where needed. Karen also maintains the New Teacher Moodle site, a space for teaching ideas and approaches for new teachers to access.
For teachers who start after the semester begins, Karen runs ongoing Teams sessions to ensure they feel safe and supported as they develop their teaching skills in a Unitec environment.
Karen lives and breathes whanaunatanga and manaakitanga. She acknowledges the importance of developing relationships and builds on that to encourage teachers to collaborate and learn from each other.
*WINNER* Dr Norasieh Md Amin, Subject Librarian: In her role as a subject librarian, Nora brings great strengths to her team and the staff and students of the schools she supports, including Computing, Engineering and Automotive. Nora has made valuable resources available to research staff, undergraduates and Masters students, working closely with them to identify their needs.
Nora is tech- savvy and has created libwizards, videos, Kahoot quizzes and much more for her students. She teaches information literacy skills that students are able to take beyond their tertiary education into their professional and personal lives.
Nora is active in the Muslim club, Disability Liaison, Women@Unitec, LIANZA (professional body for librarians) and the Chaplaincy and multi-faith team. She tackles every challenge that comes her way in a calm and professional manner.
Ruth Marsters, Student Event sand Communications Manager: Ruth has been pivotal in the organisation and staging of student events, including Orientation and Graduation, both of which have increased their profile and production to new levels during an incredibly difficult and challenging time for students and staff.
New students have never been more engaged – demonstrated in the recent record-setting student NPS results — and part of this is due to the calibre of Orientation which sets students up in a positive mind set from their very first days at Unitec. Ruth was instrumental in staging a highly successful Graduation this semester, and she led it with dedication and commitment despite losing key staff who would have otherwise supported her in previous years. She also played a major role in helping Unitec achieve its re-enrolling EFTS target this semester.
Supporting Pacific Learners Award
Ioane Aleke Fa’avae, Academic Development Lecturer – Pacific: Ioane is a quiet humble leader who just gets on with it. He has led the way for the Pacific Engagement workshops to support all staff to better understand Pacific learners. The workshops are held in very high regard by all those who attend them; testament to Ioane’s professionalism and organisational skills.
*WINNER* Jason Hallie, Lecturer – Social Practice: As a Pacific Champion for the School of Healthcare and Social Practice, Jason organises weekly fono for the students in both departments, and works with the Pacific Centre to provide support for the everyone in the School. He is very popular with his students, and is held in high regard by all those he works with.
Sophie Martin-Welsh, NZ Scholarships & Youth Guarantee Lead: Sophie is very involved with supporting Unitec’s MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) students, supporting them on all aspects of their journey. She reached out to Unitec whānau during last year’s COVID Christmas to share some cheer with those who were unable to return home to see their families, including dropping off hangi to students from the Soloman Islands who were so appreciative. Sophie has the ability to manaaki tauira and goes beyond the call of duty to ensure their health and wellbeing is well looked after.
Outstanding Contribution by a Project Team
*WINNER* Exercise Lab team: John MacFarlane; Wesley Verhoeff, Andrew Lenton, Rob Gambolati, Maja Zidov, Sarah Coutts, Malcolm Yurak, Katie Bruffy, Sue Emerson: After the closure of Unitec’s Sport Centre, the Sports team partnered with Sustainability and Wellbeing, Health and Safety, and Facilities to create an exercise lab by turning underutilised office space into a gym for teaching and staff wellness. The project to relocate equipment from the sport centre meant the Diploma and Certificate Sport, Recreation, and Exercise courses retained access to specialised teaching on campus. They also offered staff inexpensive memberships, and students and staff have welcomed the space. The project wouldn’t have been possible without the mahi kotahitanga and vision from several key groups at Unitec, including Sport, Recreation, and Exercise Staff, Sustainability and Wellbeing, Health and Safety, and Facilities.
Learner Outreach Project Advisor team: Helena Finau-Hakalo, Rolani Moasegi, Helen Luka, Amy Jesensek, Grace Zhang, Yoshie O’Neill, Aki Te’evale: The Learner Outreach Project (LOP) team goes above and beyond when it comes to student pastoral care support, especially during times of adversity and transformation, contributing to Unitec’s highest-ever NPS scores. The LOP team got a 96% success rate ensuring students were abiding with the MVP (My Vaccine Pass) policy and entering it all on Peoplesoft. The team’s Outbound Re-enrolment project in the semester break saw them contact more than 1,400 current students, encouraging them to re-enrol this semester, with positive feedback from many students who appreciated the call.
The LOP team continues to track and monitor students at risk with a steady decline of only 2% identified and monitored at High Risk as of September 2022, compared with 13% five months earlier.
*WINNER* People and Culture – Transition to Te Pūkenga team: Sonia D’Mello, Ada Poon, Kusal Eriagama, Joss Rutherford, Vic Russell, Bettie Warwick-Ching, Jo Adlam, Maja Zidov: The People and Culture team took responsibility for operationalising the offer letters for the project, along with the payroll configuration requirements that needed to occur behind the scenes. This programme of work required everyone to work together as specialists, team workers and doers, coordinators delegating tasks, investigators, extraordinary communicators. There was a myriad of activities to be taken care of with a great deal of stakeholder management. To the team’s credit, 100% of offer letters were fully signed well before the final deadline.
Te Pātaka Art Trail team: Dr Bobby Hung, Peeti Lamwilai, Associate Professor Leon Tan, Paul Woodruffe, Becca Wood, Hohepa Renata, Tanya White, Gina Ferguson, Dale Cotton: Te Pātaka Art trail is a project that will help keep us connected and engaged with our campus, as it begins to change and reshape in the coming years. Te Pātaka Art Trail is a community project intended to encourage public engagement with the significant heritage, cultural and environmental qualities of our place, such as Te Wai Unuroa o Wairaka, Te Auaunga and Rangimarie Pā Harakeke, at a time of unprecedented housing intensification and urban change.
Innovation and Enterprise Award
*WINNER* Mechanical Engineering Teaching Team: Bryan Davis, Gerald Ryan, Hector Zinck, Svetlana Pencheva, Rudolph Johans Mario: Bryan and his team have introduced a valuable initiative with the welding micro-credential, showing high awareness in their engagement with industry and dedication and perseverance to overcome challenges to bring new innovation to Te Pūkenga. They have known about the gap in the market for welding qualifications for a considerable amount of time. They have remained in close contact with our industry partners looking for solutions. The team has identified and embraced micro-credentials to solve so many Trades Training problems. They are not resting on their laurels; they are in the process of offering Te Pukenga a new concept in Trades training based on micro-credentials and upcoming skill standards. The School is proud of their mahi and enterprise..
Exercise Lab team: John MacFarlane, Wesley Verhoeff, Andrew Lenton, Rob Gambolati, Maja Zidov, Sarah Coutts; Malcolm Yurak, Katie Bruffy, Sue Emerson: After the closure of Unitec’s Sport Centre, the Sports team partnered with Sustainability and Wellbeing, Health and Safety, and Facilities to create an exercise lab by turning underutilised office space into a gym for teaching and staff wellness. The project to relocate equipment from the sport centre meant the Diploma and Certificate Sport, Recreation, and Exercise courses retained access to specialised teaching on campus.
They also offered staff inexpensive memberships, and students and staff have welcomed the space. The project wouldn’t have been possible without the mahi kotahitanga and vision from several key groups at Unitec, including Sport, Recreation, and Exercise Staff, Sustainability and Wellbeing, Health and Safety, and Facilities.
Micro credentials in Liaison Interpreting team – Hong Yu Gong, Anna Guo, Sarah Bampton Manu’a Polai, Howard Norton and Lisa Simperingham: The Micro-credentials in Liaison Interpreting (MCLI) team was funded by MBIE to develop the delivery of micro-credentials online. They provide valuable introductory interpreter training which will be required for mandatory accreditation from the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) Australia in 2024.
The MCLI Team made significant headway in upskilling with new tools, under the careful guidance of Lisa Simpringham and Howard Norton in Te Puna Ako, who worked tirelessly on working out how content can best be delivered in an online context.
The innovation shown by the collaboration between the teaching team and Te Puna Ako has had great implications for interpreter training in New Zealand by breaking down location barriers and offering flexibility for the changing work schedules of students across the country.
Whaikaha – Supported Learning: Dave Hicks, Caroline Leader, Angelina Wright, Lynette Solomon, Utkarsh Sanjanwala, Mary Perich & Colleen Chong: The Supported Learning staff constantly innovates to meet the needs of their students, supporting them to be independent adults. Recently, they went on their first-ever overnight trip with the students to Waitangi for a noho marae stay.
The staff managed significant logistical challenges, while intentionally and thoughtfully integrating the trip into the curriculum. The fundraising activities, the preparation of packing for the trip, the learning about tikanga, te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Mātauranga Māori were all beautifully interwoven into courses giving the field trip a significant purpose. Mahi Kotahitanga was evident as the team partnered across the organisation to stage the trip. The students loved the experience and their whānau were grateful to staff for exceeding their expectations of the programme.
*WINNER* Vivienne Merito, Director – Marketing and Communications: Viv has a complicated role across many schools and disciplines; she gives collaborative marketing support to the marketing teams as Director of Marketing, while overseeing Industry partnerships and Micro-credentials. This space has seen many changes over the past year, but Viv has continued to give outstanding support across multiple disciplines and teams.
Viv displays all of Unitec’s values with ease, bringing legitimacy and meaning as to why we are providing educational services to begin with. Her cohesive and loyal team feel valued and respected.
Her emotional intelligence reflects her respect for all, where we came from and what our goals are.
Sustained Outstanding Contribution to Unitec
*WINNER* Aanoalii Rowena Fuluifaga, Manager – Learning and Achievement: Rowena led her team through the past two uncertain and challenging years with authority, responsibility, empathy and respect.
Te Noho Kotahitanga values provided a guide for Rowena’s decision-making. Through uncertainty, lockdowns, turbulent teaching and learning environments, she remained a calm, positive leader, pulling her community together and offering creative solutions and support with great generosity. Rowena consistently demonstrates and models Te Noho Katahitanga, guarding and protecting her team, modelling Mahi Kotahitanga and working collaboratively across the organisation to ensure the student experience is prioritised. She is an excellent listener and pools experience and ideas to allow a collective solution to be found.
During the pandemic, Rowena rallied teams to distribute food to students and creatively provided new services to those struggling to continue their education due to digital poverty and additional responsibilities.
Andrea Thumath, Director – Under 25s Success: Andrea has been pivotal in her role as Director of Under 25 Success. Throughout COVID, she ensured that the teaching and support provision of our Vocational Pathway learning was adapted to support secondary school learners. She looks for meaningful ways to connect with others and tries to be as future-focused as possible, all while putting Under 25 learners at the centre of her decision-making.
She is a champion of Te Ao Māori and is an example of best practice for non-Māori to provide a mihi or share their pepeha. Andrea is passionate about the continued maintenance and building of relationships in Māori communities and has strong ties among local Kura Kaupapa Māori schools and the community.
Dr Dan Blanchon, Head of School, Environmental & Animal Sciences: Dan’s support of his colleagues, stakeholders and students is experienced through the values of Te Noho Kotahitanga, most notably Mahi Kotahitanga and Ngākau Māhaki. Dan supports his team with workplace concerns, whether teaching and learning-related, collegial support, research or professional development, as well as lending an ear when personal issues arise. He is always at the forefront of promoting, advertising, and developing the Environmental & Animal Sciences School. He has involved 12 subsidiaries and has led the development of industry, student, mana whenua and other stakeholder consultation, bringing the programmes to the last phase of NZQA approval. His organisation and development of the programme has demonstrated his ability to facilitate multi-institutional programme development with insight and respect. Dan recognises the strengths of the school and capitalises on them for the benefit of the school, current and future students, and its staff members.
Julie McGregor-Martin, Learning and Development Lead: Julie is an integral part of the HR team, supporting staff with their professional development and responsibilities and more recently, guiding Unitec through the Te Pūkenga change process.
She has taken on more and more workload over the past two years, while remaining professional and outstanding in everything she does.
Julie has developed many professional development modules and initiatives in collaboration with other staff, including the ADEP process, the refresh of our values, the Code of Practice and the new Te Pūkenga induction module. She always maintains a focus on our values and encourages others to do the same.
She works with many teams across Unitec and has a collaborative, open approach to working with others.
*WINNER* Associate Professor Marcus Williams, Director – Research & Enterprise: In his 30-year career with Unitec, Marcus has moved from academic teaching to research leadership which he has championed for the last ten years, first in Creative Industries and then Unitec-wide as Dean/Director of Research.
In an environment where cost pressures incentivise managers to look for quick wins, Marcus has persevered with multi-year development plans for research areas and centres.
Stunning successes such as Unitec’s Cyber Security Research Centre and the Environmental Solutions Research Centre, plus the formation of two new research centres this year would not have been possible without Marcus’s dedication to the long game, and have resulted in Unitec becoming the leading research institution among polytechnics.
Ricky Waters, Coordinator Chaplaincy and Multi-faith Team: Ricky Waters is one of the unsung heroes of Unitec, working with staff and students, often at their most difficult times. He is the epitome of Mahi Kotahitanga and Rangatiratanga in his leadership the team of multi-faith chaplains, the SOAR group, his role modelling of working across institutes, his contributions to the national and international conversations to change attitudes to religious diversity and many other significant pieces of work.
He has developed and facilitated workshops for staff and students on Working with Religious Diversity which has been replicated around the country and internationally.
He has been pivotal in the move of the Memorial Garden, ensuring that it is done in a respectful way that honours the relationship between the family of deceased staff and Unitec. This involved countless hours of work and sensitive conversations with family members.
Te Noho Kotahitanga Team Award
*WINNER* Accounts and Finance: Irene Lee, Sharon Fu, Natalia Moroz, Vijaya Rath, Thi Nguyen, Siphiwe Kumwenda, Abhishek Masih, Rakesh Patel, Louise Spears, Michal Chudzinski-Pawlowski, Wei Jin, Rebecca Millward, Manasi Khatkul: Although 2022 was a unique year, throwing different challenges at the Finance team, they did an excellent job of overcoming each of these. They coped with departing staff, restructuring and the uncertainties of the proposed operating model, but continued to display Rangatiratanga at all times, and ensured their stakeholders had uninterrupted service.
The year also experienced the biggest transaction of land settlement and the team seamlessly managed cash flow and accounting. The smooth transition to Te Pūkenga would not have been possible without the effort put in by the entire Finance team. They always respond with a sense of urgency, ensuring an uninterrupted flow of information to the business and helping them to find solutions.
Assessment Support: Astrid Pinto, Frank Yang, Jess Yock, Bella Ma, Hugo Hu, Sisi Shang, Angela Prastya, Alfred Stevens, Anna Dhadwal, Jane Harrison, Naomi Taufoou: The team has worked exceptionally hard over the past couple of years of lockdown, displaying the values of of Te Noho Kotahitanga in everything they do, and showing great support for each other. The team is constantly evolving with new people joining, but they have never relented in their demonstration of respect for each other. With patience, guidance and adherence to our values of Te Noho Kotahitanga, the team has emerged stronger and more unified, with a lot of positive feedback from other teams.
Māia: Toni Vaughan, Darlene Cameron, Camelia Pirika, Deacon Andrews, Diane Tamati, Hohepa Renata, Jonyne Mariu-Komene, Joy Tautuhi, Kiri Neho Wijohn, Lynda Toki, Lyndiana Rosieur, Marama Haines-Te Whare, Nina Pelling, Owen Ormsby, Tamarangi Nightingdale-Pene, Tanya White, Veraneeca Taiepa, Victor Grbic: As kaitiaki of Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae and the Academic space in Te Puna, the MĀIA whānau also engage with Unitec staff to provide them with the necessary tools to embed Matauranga Māori into their everyday teaching.
Unitec’s Whai Ake i te Ara Tika Māori Scholarship Programme within MĀIA supports tauira Māori, academically, financially, culturally and pastorally. MĀIA has established and implemented the “Living TNK” and “Tīpare” Parity Badges for all staff as part of the “Manaakitia te Rito” Māori Strategy Plan. Our Māia whānau have been the leaders of a number of Māori initiatives for Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka, including the Kahurangi Māori Success celebration for the 2022 graduating Māori students and staff, Matariki, Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and Māori Orientation.
Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) Coordinators: Cindy Wee, Margi Grey and Ashutosh Basnyat: Cindy and Margi have co-ordinated the PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) scheme since 2011, improving retention rates, enriching student learning and encouraging active participation in the academic community Actively demonstrating Mahi Kotahitanga and Manaakitia te Rito, the students work with other students who may need support around ‘troublesome knowledge’ and threshold concepts.
Ash joined the team this year, bringing with him expertise in disability and this content is now included in the PASS leader training.
Evidence collated via surveys suggests that both the students receiving the support and those delivering the support and PASS sessions develop transferable skills. Margi, Cindy and Ash consistently evaluate their practice through surveys and focus groups, and constantly update their knowledge through PASS events, symposiums and advanced courses.
This year, despite the challenges posed by lockdowns, PASS has expanded to Nursing and Bridgepoint and our colleagues from MIT have shadowed our approach to PASS.
*WINNER* Student Central: Jeffrey Wu, Chardanay Apikolo, Fatin Elier, Joe Wang, Lubna Khan, Michelle Paki, Muhammad Sajjad Haider Naqvi, Pa Tepairu Tere: The Student Central team projects our values of Te Noho Kotahitanga when delivering excellent service to students, and goes above and beyond to help them get to where they want to be or get the help they need in order to become successful. They display respect, compassion, co-operation and humility in their support of teaching and support staff and students, and in their execution of different projects such as onboarding, re-enrolment and connecting with Schools.
Unitec Champion Award
Associate Professor Marcus Williams, Director – Tūāpapa Rangahau, Research & Enterprise: Marcus Williams has overseen the growth of Unitec’s research capability over the past three years as the country grappled with COVID. This has resulted in the current research centres; Environmental Solutions and Cybersecurity, being awarded millions in funding grants, allowing them to perform applied research that is already making an impact in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Due to the strength of the research team’s work, two more centres were announced in 2022; the Centre for Research in Education for Healthcare Professionals, led by Associate Professor Samantha Heath; and the Digital Heritage Research Centre, led by Associate Professor Renata Jadresin-Milic. It is a testament to Marcus’s guidance and foresight that Unitec is the highest-performing research institute in the Te Pūkenga network. On a personal level, he is a quiet achiever, always offering a ready smile and solid advice and, after 30 years at Unitec, he is a role model to all of us on how to integrate TNK values into our work life and dealings with others.
Ruth Marsters, Student Event sand Communications Manager: Ruth has been pivotal in the organisation and staging of student events, including Orientation and Graduation, both of which have increased their profile and production to new levels during an incredibly difficult and challenging time for students and staff.
New students have never been more engaged – demonstrated in the recent record-setting student NPS results — and part of this is due to the calibre of Orientation which sets students up in a positive mind set from their very first days at Unitec. Ruth was instrumental in staging a highly successful Graduation this semester, and she led it with dedication and commitment despite losing key staff who would have otherwise supported her in previous years. She also played a major role in helping Unitec achieve its re-enrolling EFTS target this semester.
*WINNER* Sue Emerson, Lead – Academic Programme Manager, Community Studies: Sue is fearless and tireless and has held her Sport and ECE teams together, even when the going was rough. She has excellent leadership skills and makes sure each individual voice is heard. She demonstrates everything that’s good about Unitec in one vibrant, cheerful, positive package. Sue’s can-do attitude is relentless, selflessly serving EVERYONE! She connects at all levels of the organisation guiding our waka, uniting communities, and building capability and resilience within our people. A true display of Ngākau Māhaki. Sue also leads the team of Academic Programme Managers, ensuring Schools are supported and the APMs can voice their thoughts and concerns. Sue is skilled in leadership development and is a pioneer in her field, working in that space with students, athletes, teachers, coaches and leaders. She is also regularly invited onto community sport working groups, to develop programmes for the future of sport. Sue is an asset to Unitec and our community.
Vivienne Merito, Director – Marketing and Communications: Viv’s willingness to speak up and be heard has already had a huge impact on the timelines for the Te Pūkenga brand transition and potentially will be far reaching. Her knowledge, competence and tenacity are a real inspiration for staff to keep going despite the uncertainty and challenges we all face. Viv gives continued outstanding support across multiple disciplines and teams, including industry partnerships, micro-credentials, marketing and communications. She displays all of Unitec’s values with ease, bringing legitimacy and meaning as to why we are providing educational services to begin with. Her cohesive and loyal team feels valued and respected. Her emotional intelligence reflects her respect for all, where we came from and what our goals are.
Awards ceremony
This year’s awards event was held in Te Puna, Mt Albert campus on Thursday 1 December.
Check out the finalists, winners and highlights from last year’s awards – the first time we have run it remotely, due to Covid-19.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the awards, please email Communications@unitec.ac.nz