Social Science
Christchurch Science Centre
Maria is a social scientist with ESR’s IRfS Group. She holds a Masters in Māori from Canterbury University. Since joining ESR in 2001, she has developed experience in interdisciplinary project work, participatory action research and systems science.
Areas of interest:
- action research
- systems thinking
- bi-cultural environmental decision-making between tangata whenua and local government
- bi-cultural research practice
Current research:
Maria is a member of the team for the current FRST-funded "Sustainable Development: The Human Dimension" which has involved an interdisciplinary team of of multiple agencies, communities and tangata whenua in decision-making on water allocation, water quality and the beneficial use of biosolids (sewage sludge).
She is also a member of the team for the current HRC funded “Te Riu o Hokianga: environmental health through Maori community development”, a 3-year participatory action research project to improve tangata whenua community-based sewage treatment and disposal.