May 17, 2023
International recognition for Indigenous science champion
Noted Māori academic Linda Tuhiwai Smith has been elected as a lifetime international member of the United States National Academy of Sciences.
Professor Smith, a distinguished professor at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, was recognised for her transformative contributions to education and Indigenous science methodologies.
The academy says she developed “foundational ways to decolonize the process of science by developing a more critical understanding of the underlying assumptions, motivations and values that inform research practices”.
Distinguished Professor Smith says it was was a genuine ‘wow’ moment to be recognised by scientists outside New Zealand for her work in the fields of Indigenous studies, Māori education, social sciences and kaupapa Māori.
The National Academy was established in 1863 through an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Since then, approximately 500 current and deceased members have won Nobel Prizes.