Te Kūwaha key contacts

Marino Tahi joined the NIWA Science Management team in 2015. He came to NIWA from Landcare Research where he was Māori Partnerships Manager since 2006. He leads NIWA’s endeavours to maximise the transfer of natural resources and environmental science knowledge to Māori entities and communities, leading Te Kūwaha and working across NIWA sta to achieve this. His tribal affiliations are Ngāi Tūhoe, and he comes from Ruatahuna, a small settlement in Te Urewera.

Darcel Rickard is an early career researcher who joined NIWA in February 2016 in a hybrid science communication/environmental researcher role. Darcel has a background in environmental monitoring and management, however her real passion lies in the communication and engagement of rangatahi, whanau and hapu in science. Darcel leads the science communication and outreach programme for NIWAs National Centre of Māori Environmental Research (Te Kūwaha) within which NIWA aims to promote the science impact and value-add capabilities of the research that our Māori researchers do with hapu, iwi and Maori communities throughout Aotearoa. The programme also looks to increasing Māori science capacity and capability with whanau, hapu and Māori communities.

Lee recently worked for Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o Te Ika (Port Nicholson Block) as Kaiwhakahaere Taiao me Tono – Manager, Environmental and Cultural Services. Her Pou Ārahi role is charged with guiding staff to work collaboratively with Māori that creates, implements and delivers on best practice. Nā te mahi tahi, waiho ma te tangata e mihi!