Discovery Scholarships programme grows with new sponsorship

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Discovery Scholarships programme grows with new sponsorship

4 May, 2022

Our Discovery Scholarship programme for Māori and Pacific peoples in tertiary science received continued funding to fund a further 23 scholarships for 2021, paying up to $8,000 fees and up to $3,000 cash awards. The programme continues to be led by Principal Investigator
Dr Pauline Harris, Senior Lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington. Our widespread advertising through social media and our partners has led to high numbers of applications from students of diverse backgrounds from all around Aotearoa.

We recognise that there are still significant barriers to Māori and Pacific Island students entering and staying in science, so this year we were fortunate to be able to make short (90-second) videos of eight of our Discovery Scholarship recipients from 2020 and 2021 with the intention to inspire others to apply. We also introduced a fifth award category for 2021: Te Huarahi Ki Mua Award. This category is for students who have been previous recipients of a Discovery Scholarship and are continuing their study in a relevant field.

New Sponsors

Once again, the Scholarships were hugely over-subscribed, showing the urgent need for this kind of support only growing. The programme is being continued for 2022, and we are delighted to welcome onboard GNS Science as our first Discovery Scholarship co-sponsor, made possible through the MBIE-funded Aotearoa: Green Hydrogen Technology Platform, as part of the wider Kaupapa Hauwai Kākāriki Aotearoa (Green Hydrogen Programme NZ), led by our Principal Investigator Dr John Kennedy and his team at GNS Science. The funding will support at least five additional scholarships per year in 2022 and 2023 and promote the development of skills and knowledge in green hydrogen and renewable energy technology in Aotearoa.

Bioprotection Aotearoa became our second co-sponsor to champion our Discovery Scholarships programme, also supporting the programme for 2022 and 2023, and helping us nurture a pathway for Māori and Pacific students interested in STEM. 

Even if you might not have the same opportunities as every one else, either because of financial hardship or discrimination, take every opportunity that you get.

SHANNON MACDONALD Discovery Scholarship recipient
A place where talent wants to live 1


Opposite page, top row from left: Te Rina Kotara - Piki Ake Award recipient at the University of Canterbury Eady Manawaiti – Te Huarahi Ki Mua Award recipient at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) Alyssa Thomas – Te Mātauranga Pūtaiao Award recipient at Victoria University of Wellington Middle row, from left: Shannon Macdonald - Te Taumata Award recipient at the University of Auckland Nicky Hambrook – Te Huarahi Ki Mua Award recipient at Massey University Heamasi Vaioleti - Te Kainga Rua Award recipient at the University of Auckland Bottom row: Maia Dean - Te Taumata Award recipient at the University of Otago

I'm really excited to be part of the growing electricity sector in the future.

TE RINA KOTARA Discovery Scholarship recipient