9 December 2022

Twenty-two awards were presented to kaimahi across thirteen categories, ranging from ‘Excellence in Teaching’ to ‘Innovation and Enterprise’.

Unitec Executive Director Gus Gilmore said staff’s mahi and commitment to ākonga during what has been another highly challenging and disruptive past year “is testament to your dedication, innovation and commitment to Te Noho Kotahitanga.”

Excellence in Teaching awards went to Trades lecturer Craig Goodhue, Nursing lecturer Vimlesh Shukla and the Whaikaha - Supported Learning teaching team.

The prestigious ‘Unitec Champion’ award was presented to Sue Emerson, Lead Academic Programme Manager in Community Studies, in recognition of how she “connects at all levels of the organisation guiding our waka, uniting communities, and building capability and resilience within our people.”

Sue was thrilled to receive the Champion award and spoke passionately to the audience.

 “A week or so ago I heard a young Maori Samoan woman called Arizona Leger give the closing address at our global IWG Women and Girls in Sport conference. She challenged us to be brave ancestors for the next generation to come. She said ‘We are brave ancestors. When thunder strikes choose to be brave, to pay back those who have gone before you by being brave. We are wayfarers; right now in education we sure are wayfarers.”

 

Full list of winners:

Excellence in Early Career Teaching

• Maia Ratana: Lecturer – Architecture
• Sameh Shamout, Lecturer – Architecture

Excellence in Teaching

• Craig Goodhue, Lecturer – Trades and Services
• Vimlesh Shukla, Lecturer, Nursing – Healthcare
• Whaikaha – Supported Learning: Dave Hicks, Caroline Leader, Angelina Wright, Lynette Solomon, Utkarsh Sanjanwala, Mary Perich, Colleen Chong

Excellence in Teaching – Kaupapa Māori

• Dr Hinekura Smith, Interim Director – Nga Wai a Te Tui, Ngā Wai a Te Tūī

Innovation in Teaching

• Caleb Wong, Lecturer – Trades and Services

Excellence in Early Career Research

• Associate Professor Renata Jadresin-Milic – Architecture

Excellence in Research

• Associate Professor Peter de Lange – Animal and Environmental Sciences

Excellence in Support

• Bettie Warwick-Ching, Human Resources Business Partner
• Joseph Pitovao, Carpentry House Builds Project Lead
• Dr Norasieh Md Amin, Subject Librarian

Supporting Pacific Learners Award

• Jason Hallie, Lecturer – Social Practice

Outstanding Contribution by a Project Team

• Exercise Lab team: John MacFarlane; Wesley Verhoeff, Andrew Lenton, Rob Gambolati, Maja Zidov, Sarah Coutts, Malcolm Yurak, Katie Bruffy, Sue Emerson
• People and Culture – Transition to Te Pūkenga team

Innovation and Enterprise Award

• Mechanical Engineering Teaching Team
• Vivienne Merito, Director – Marketing and Communications

Sustained Outstanding Contribution to Unitec

• Aanoalii Rowena Fuluifaga, Manager – Learning and Achievement
• Associate Professor Marcus Williams, Director – Research & Enterprise

Te Noho Kotahitanga Team Award

• Accounts and Finance: Irene Lee, Sharon Fu, Natalia Moroz, Vijaya Rath, Thi Nguyen, Siphiwe Kumwenda, Abhishek Masih, Rakesh Patel, Louise Spears, Michal Chudzinski-Pawlowski, Wei Jin, Rebecca Millward, Manasi Khatkul
• Student Central: Jeffrey Wu, Chardanay Apikolo, Fatin Elier, Joe Wang, Lubna Khan, Michelle Paki, Muhammad Sajjad Haider Naqvi, Pa Tepairu Tere

Unitec Champion Award

• Sue Emerson, Lead – Academic Programme Manager, Community Studies