Dr Daniel (Dan) Hikuroa is an Earth Systems Scientists who integrates mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and science to realise the dreams and aspirations of the communities he works with. He is an established world expert on integrating indigenous knowledge and science and has undertaken many projects including co-writing the 2014 State of the Hauraki Gulf Environment Report, geothermal developments, co-writing iwi environmental management plans, hazard and vulnerability assessments and industrial waste rehabilitation.
Dan was the Research Director for Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga from July 2011 - December 2015.
Previously he was the Community Earth Systems Science Programmes Manager at the Institute of Earth Science & Engineering University of Auckland and has an extensive background in Earth Systems Science. After leading a deep field geology mapping expedition for the British Antarctic Survey for his PhD he then completed a Post-Doc Fellowship investigating how the worlds oceans and biota have responded to naturally driven climate change in the ancient past.
Dan has led the following NPM projects:
- Restoring the Mauri to Rotoitipaku (Industrial Waste Site): Implementing Matauranga in a Scientific Paradigm
- Harvesting the Fruits of Papatuanuku - A Kaitiaki Approach to Geothermal Development.
He is contributing to the following NPM project:
- How do we return the mauri to its pre-Rena state?
He has supervised the following NPM interns:
- Ani Kainamu
- Jade Newton
Related Projects
Kia Ārohi Kia Mārama - Scoping Excellence
Project commenced:What aspects of mātauranga Māori are relevant to Māori-medium schools, for example mātauranga pūtaiao, that promote the wellbeing of the students, the kura, the place and the community?
Full project
Across New Zealand, many rivers are unsafe parts of the ecosystem, with Kiwis seriously concerned about declining river health.
The ‘bottom line’ regulatory approach of the government's freshwater reforms requires coordinated commitment across river stakeholders. Despite the talent and commitment of existing groups, the current fragmented approaches are not achieving the scale and rapidity of change needed; it is not enough to rely on government.