December 31, 2021
Dr Kathie Irwin acknowledged for mahi in Māori education
Her mahi and rangahau in Māori education for over 30 years has earned Dr Kathie Irwin a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Through Victoria University of Wellington, Dr Irwin founded and led He Pārekereke: Institute for Research and Development in Māori Education in 1991.
Her research contribution has been made as a Junior Lecturer through to Professor across five institutions; Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, Christchurch College of Education, Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, between 1981 to 2008. She was an Editor of ‘Feminist Voices’ and of ‘Toi Māori: worlds of Māori Women’. She received the Ngārimu Victoria Cross and the 28th Māori Battalion Post Graduate Scholarship for her PhD research.
Photo by Tania Niwa Photography
Dr Irwin was the first Māori recipient of the Hodge Fellowship in 1994 and was the inaugural recipient of the Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi Post-Doctoral Professorial Research Fellowship. She has been a keynote speaker for several years, speaking at the First United Nations Permanent Forum on indigenous issues and the kōhanga reo model in 2003. She has been on the Wellington College of Education Council, the Women’s Advisory Committee on Education, the New Zealand Association for Research in Education Council and more. Dr Irwin is the Deputy Chair of the Joint Research Committee Mana Wāhine Kaupapa inquiry.