2 research outputs found
Seen but unheard: navigating turbulent waters as MÄori and Pacific postgraduate students in STEM
The experiences of MÄori and Pacific postgraduate students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) offer insights into how universities, particularly science faculties, currently underserve MÄori and Pacific people. This article shares the experiences of 43 current or past postgraduate students at New Zealand universities. Collectively, our stories offer insight into how representation, the white imprint, space invaders/stranger making, and institutional habits, specifically operate to exclude and devalue MÄori and Pacific postgraduates in STEM. We provide new understandings of the white imprint (rewarding and incentivising white behaviour), where MÄori and Pacific postgraduates were prevented from being their authentic selves. Importantly, this research documents how MÄori and Pacific postgraduates experience excess labour because of institutional habits. This research also provides insight into how the science funding system results in superficial and unethical inclusion of MÄori and Pacific postgraduates. Our stories provide persuasive evidence that the under-representation of MÄori and Pacific in STEM will not be addressed by simply bolstering university enrolments. Instead, our stories highlight the urgent requirement for universities to change the STEM learning environment which continues to be violent and culturally unsafe for MÄori and Pacific postgraduates.fals