What does your job involve?
My role is to identify where the commercialisation of University research overlaps with M膩ori values or interests and improve UniServices鈥� ability to respond to these links.
My job title, Poutaki Hononga, means 鈥榬elationship facilitator鈥� and I work to build and strengthen relationships within the M膩ori commercialisation process at UniServices.
For example, we might have a particular piece of technology that has some affinity to M膩ori, whether that be M膩ori team members, a social goal to benefit M膩ori or M膩ori investment. My role is to identify these connections and build team capability to consider them appropriately.
I am currently building questions into our idea disclosure 鈥榯riage鈥� process that ask researchers to consider a Te Ao M膩ori perspective, particularly how the commercialisation of their idea might affect M膩ori people.
Network building, to future-proof this approach, is also an important part of my role. Developing a bank of capable stakeholders will ensure there is more than one person to turn to for advice about M膩ori commercialisation.
