The WERO research programme assembles experts in Māori studies, Pacific studies, economics, epidemiology, human geography, sociology and psychology, and will amplify innovation by bringing their knowledge systems together to work toward ending racial oppression in Aotearoa New Zealand. WERO team members are all leaders in their fields of research, have extensive experience of delivering excellent research and are strongly engaged with policy and community end-users.
WERO Research Leads
Associate Professor Waikaremoana Waitoki
Ngāti Mahanga, Ngāti Hako
Associate Professor, Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, The University of Waikato
Waikaremoana is a clinical psychologist, and the Immediate Past President of the New Zealand Psychological Society. Her research includes kaupapa Māori research, hapū ora, Indigenous psychology and Māori health and wellbeing. Waikaremoana is the Scientific Lead for Institutional Responses to Racism and is responsible for the overall project. She is also the theme lead on the projects: Systemic Racism in Health Education, Training and Practice.
Science Lead and Theme Lead
Institutional Responses to Racism
Dr Arama Rata
Ngāruahine, Taranaki, Ngāti Maniapoto
Research Consultant
Dr Arama Rata (Ngāti Maniapoto, Taranaki, and Ngāruahine) is an independent researcher. Dr Rata will lead Whanaungatanga: Intergroup relations and undertake research on relationality across racial difference, ethical remembering and racism in mainstream and social media.
Theme Lead
Whanaungatanga – Intergroup Relations
Associate Professor Rachel Simon-Kumar
Associate Professor at the School of Population Health, The University of Auckland
Associate Professor Rachel Simon-Kumar has a research focus on intersections of ethnicity and gender, diversity policy, and health. Rachel will lead Geographies of Racism and undertake research on environmental impacts of segregation and inter-ethnic racisms.
Theme Lead
Geographies of Racism and Exclusion
Professor Francis L. Collins
Professor of Sociology, Te Puna Mārama, the School of Social Sciences at Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland
Professor Francis Collins is a Research Associate of Te Ngira: Institute for Population Research and has extensive international expertise in migration and urban studies. Francis leads the research team looking at Racism and Inequality in Employment. He is involved in projects on recruitment systems, employer preferences and systems of segregation.
Theme Lead
Racism and Inequality in Employment
Research Fellows
Dr Jessica Terruhn: Senior Research Fellow, Te Ngira: Institute for Population Research, University of Waikato
Jessica is a sociologist with expertise in racism and settler colonialism as they intersect with urban inequalities. She leads two projects on racialised housing inequalities in WERO’s Geographies of Racism theme.
Dr Kyle Tan: Research Fellow, Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, University of Waikato
Originally from Malaysia, Kyle has Chinese whakapapa. His academic background is in community psychology and population health. He currently works alongside A/Prof Waikaremoana Waitoki to examine the operation of racism in tertiary education and the psychology discipline.
Dr Ritu Parna Roy: Research Fellow, Te Ngira: Institute for Population Research, the University of Waikato
Ritu is a sociologist with expertise in ethnicity, racism, intersectionality, social inequalities, and migration studies. Her research explores the operational mechanisms and implications of systemic racism within New Zealand’s immigration and employment domains. Ritu works with Prof. Francis Collins.
Dr Andrea Edwards: Research Fellow, University of Auckland, with AProf Rachal Simon-Kumar. Andrea is an experienced researcher in environmental racism and geographies of racism.
Hemopereki Simon: Te Arawa, Tūwharetoa, Waikato-Tainui, Hauraki, Mataatua Whanui
Hemopereki is a research Fellow, Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, the University of Waikato. Hemopereki is an Honorary Indigenous Senior Fellow at the University of Kent. He has submitted his PhD for examination to Charles Sturt University. Hemopereki works alongside Dr Arama Rata, and AProf Waikaremoana Waitoki.
Dr Shanon Lim: A special mention to Dr Lim for his expertise during his time working with AProf Rachel Simon-Kumar.
WERO Project Manager
Jan Rata
Project Manager for WERO
Jan Rata is an experienced Project Manager and provides all administrative and budget oversight for the project. She will develop, in consultation with the leads, the research plan and will ensure completion of all activities, milestones and outputs.
Key Individuals
Professor Kim Dirks
Professor Kim Dirks studies the impact of urban environments on health and wellbeing.
Professor Tom Roa
Professor Tom Roa (Ngāti Maniapoto). Historian, kaumatua, and Māori language expert.
AProf Polly Atatoa Carr
Associate Professor Polly Atatoa Carr (University of Waikato) is a public health physician and researcher specialising in improving population health and equity. Polly will undertake research on neighbourhood inclusion and wellbeing of social housing tenants.
Dr Dave Maré
Dr Dave Maré (Senior Fellow at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research) has extensive research expertise in the economics of immigration, economic performance of cities, and patterns of labour market adjustment. Dave will undertake research in relation to income and employment inequality and segregation.
Dr Omoniyi Alimi
Dr Omoniyi Alimi (Waikato Management School) has expertise in socio-demographic factors of income inequality. (update) Dr Alimi now works for the World Bank in Washington.
AProf Damian Scarf
Dr Damian Scarf is a senior lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Otago. He has expertise in social identity, youth mental health and alcohol consumption.
Professor Michelle Johnson-Jennings
Professor Michelle Johnson-Jennings (Choctaw), focuses on Indigenous community health and epidemiology, transforming historical trauma, cultural identity, and land-based healing.
AProf Jeffery Ansloos
Associate Professor Jeffery Ansloos (Nehiyaw-Ochekwi-Sipi) focuses his research on Indigenous people’s health and psychosocial wellbeing.
Dr Ottilie Stolte
Dr Ottilie Stolte researches poverty, homelessness, health and inequalities.
Dr Justin Phillips
Dr Justin Phillips researches political communication, social media, and media discourse.
AProf Donna Cormack
Dr Donna Cormack (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe) (Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, University of Auckland) has extensive expertise in classification of ethnicity data on inequities and the impacts of racism on Māori health and health inequities.
Dr Logan Hamley
Logan has whakapapa to Whanganui but grew up in Tāmaki. They are an uncle, kdrama watcher and a researcher at Whakauae Research. They research in, and around Indigenous Psychologies, and the ways that Indigenous/Kaupapa Māori ways of being and knowing can create brighter futures.
Co-researchers
Prof Leonie Pihama
Professor Leonie Pihama (Te Ātiawa, Ngā Māhanga a Tairi, Ngāti Māhanga) is the Director of Māori and Indigenous Analysis Ltd, a kaupapa Māori research company. She is also a senior researcher for Tu Tama Wahine o Taranaki and have actively been engaged with a wide range of Māori and iwi organisations regarding kaupapa Māori theory, research and provision. She is working on a project for WERO entitled ‘Defining Abolition in the context of Aotearoa’.
Dr Marco de Jong
Dr Marco de Jong is a Pacific historian and lecturer at the AUT Law School. His work details the history of regional politics and environmental governance in the Pacific Islands with a particular focus on Indigenous knowledge, nature conservation, anti-nuclearism, and climate change.
Dr Cayathri Divakalala
Dr Cayathri Divakalala is a Research Fellow in Social and Community Health, Waipapa Taumata Rau The University of Auckland. With over 20 years of experience as an activist researcher in the social justice realm and a PhD in Sociology, Dr Divakalala is currently co-investigating a project on inter-ethnic racisms in Aotearoa New Zealand, alongside Associate Professor Rachel Simon-Kumar.
PhD Scholars
Bilal Nasier (completed); Byron Williams, Ngahu Potaka, Ara Alam-Simmons, and supported PhD students include: Nuzha Saleem (completed); Joanna Chan, Zohirul Islam (completed), Moe Edmonds, and Ropata Moore (funded by the UoW Doctoral Seeker Scholarship 2024).
Research Assistants and Summer Scholars
Research Assistant: Te Aorere White
University of Waikato 2024 Summer Interns: Svante Johansson (alongside Dr Waikaremoana Waitoki and Dr Kyle Tan) and Olivia Warrender (alongside Dr Jessica Terruhn).
University of Waikato 2023 Summer Interns: Sophia Wairoa-Harris (alongside Dr Kyle Tan and Dr Waikaremoana Waitoki) and Evalesi Tu’inukuafe (alongside Dr Ritu Roy).
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga 2022 Summer Interns: Hineana Tihore and Melissa Bradley; and Mengzhu Fu.