Arts and Education - The University of Auckland

Applications for 2025-2026 open on 1 July 2025

Project code: ART001

Supervisor(s):

Alex McAuley

Discipline(s): 

Humanities, Classics and Ancient History

The past few decades have seen a renaissance in the study of Hellenistic royal women: gone are the days when they were dismissed as purely passive pawns in a masculine arena, and instead we are increasingly realising that female influence was an integral part of the structure of power in the Hellenistic world from Alexander the Great to Cleopatra.

This project aims to follow in this research trajectory by compiling a sourcebook of literary, epigraphic, and numismatic evidence for the study of these women with new translations and commentaries in light of contemporary methodological advances.

Nearly all of the sourcebooks used by students and researchers alike are almost exclusively masculine in their focus: kings are mentioned at the expense of queens, and women only appear as minor or supporting players in this game of power. This project will begin to right this imbalance by first identifying the key elite women of the period and then compiling primary attestations of them in literary sources, inscriptions, and coinage. Where needed translations will be updated or revised, and introductions to each source along with a concise bibliography will be compiled. A brief commentary on the source will follow to guide study and discussion.

Please note that if there is sufficient interest the project could certainly involve two summer scholars working together. In this case the scholars would have complementary skill sets and would work with materials relevant to their own expertise.

The role
The summer scholar will be a key collaborator in this project and along with the supervisor will identify the royal and elite women whom the sourcebook will feature. From then, the summer scholar will be tasked with researching several of these royal women and compiling a) a list of attestations of this woman in the ancient record, b) a brief overview of how she has been discussed in the scholarly literature, c) a bibliography for guided reading, and d) a compilation of translations that have been published thus far.

In collaboration with the supervisor the summer scholar will then work to revise these translations where needed to bring them up to date and avoid anachronisms, and if needed entirely original translations will be composed.
These dossiers of individual royal and elite women will then be grouped thematically into the sourcebook’s sections (either chronological or geographical), and the summer scholar will edit and contribute to the supervisor’s introductions to each of these and then the framing of the book as a whole.

Ideal student

The summer scholar will be expected to have a strong background in Ancient History, ideally (but not exclusively) in Greek history, and will be expected to have a strong knowledge of Latin and/or Greek.

Please note that if there is sufficient interest the project could certainly involve two summer scholars working together. In this case the scholars would have complementary skill sets and would work with materials relevant to their own expertise. For instance, those specialising in Roman history could work with materials from Roman authors and Latin texts, while those with more of a background in Greek history could work with Greek authors and texts. Please feel free to emphasise your own specialism in your application.

• Required Skills/Pre-requisites:
  Stage 3 study of Ancient History, ideally Greek history but not necessarily
• Stage 2 study of Greek and/or Latin
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Ability to research independently and present findings

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project code: ART002

Supervisor(s):

Alice Mills

Discipline(s): 

Social Sciences, Criminology

Recovery is the process through which individuals strive to improve their health and well-being after a substance-related condition. Recovery housing offers safe, stable accommodation for those in recovery and recognises the importance of experiential knowledge, peer support and community engagement for the recovery process.

Types of recovery housing range from peer-managed houses to structured therapeutic communities with onsite clinical services. Existing international research suggests that recovery housing can reduce criminal justice involvement (Polcin et al., 2018), but less is known about how different forms of recovery housing might affect the risk of reoffending among people leaving prison. 

The recent ‘Going Straight Home?’ study found that stable housing can reduce the risk of reimprisonment amongst those leaving prison, and housing perceived as a ‘home’ can encourage desistance – the process by which people stop committing crime.

The role

The current project aims to explore the potential role of recovery housing in supporting post-prison reintegration and desistance from crime. It will also explore the availability and nature of recovery housing services for people leaving prison in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

The Summer Scholar is expected to conduct a review of the existing literature relating to the process of recovery, prisoner reintegration, and desistance from crime. They will then identify the nature and extent of recovery housing services available for those leaving prison in Aotearoa, and create a sampling frame of recovery housing services for potential future research. The exact form of the sampling frame will be developed in conjunction with the Summer Scholar, but it will be based on existing secondary sources.

The Summer Scholar may also have the opportunity to meet with recovery housing services, such as Recovery First Foundation, and other housing agencies to enhance their understanding of this area.  The student researcher will be expected to write a 5,000-word research report that incorporates the literature review, a short evaluative summary of available recovery housing, and suggestions for future research and policy/practice development.

There may also be opportunities to participate in various dissemination activities, including seminars and a short article for Newsroom. 

Ideal student

The ideal candidate will be motivated, diligent and able to work on their own initiative with direction from the supervisor. They will have a keen interest in addictions/recovery, housing and/or post-prison reintegration and will have a background in Social Sciences, Social Work, or Law. They will have good research and communication skills and will be able to critically review relevant academic and grey literature and write a research report encompassing their findings.

Project code: ART003

Supervisor:

Alys Longley

Discipline: 

Dance Studies

Interdisciplinary Creative Projects

Up to 3 students

How do we develop methods of orientation and expansion in artistic research? This project involves developing practices of artistic research, and exploring how ideas can unfold, especially when considering expanded approaches to improvisation, choreography, site-based dance, interdisciplinary practice, documentation and writing.

This project can accept up to three student participants. Students who are available in December 2025 could work with Professor Longley on an exhibition at Te Atamira Gallery in Queenstown in November-December, with opportunities to explore creative-critical research with artists across Aotearoa and Chile, particularly Francisco González Castro, artist and philosopher.

Your proposals to include below information:
1. Supervisor(s): Professor Alys Longley
2. Contact details (email): a.longley@auckland.ac.nz
3. Discipline: Dance Studies/ Interdisciplinary Creative Practice
4. Project title: Interdisciplinary Practices and Expanded Fields of Artistic Research
5. Project description (can include skills required, prerequisites, timings etc) (max 200 words)

The role

How do we develop methods of orientation and expansion in artistic research? This project involves developing practices of artistic research, and exploring how ideas can unfold, especially when considering expanded approaches to improvisation, choreography, site-based creative work, interdisciplinary practice, documentation and writing. This project can accept up to three student participants. If a student was interested in exhibition practice and community arts they could support work with Professor Longley and Chilean artist Francisco González Castro at Te Atamira Gallery in Auckland and Queenstown December 2025.

Summer Scholar’s Work on the Project and Expectations of your Summer Scholar (200-250 words max; please consider that most applicants are Stage 2/3 students):

Creative research
Studio research internship with Professor Alys Longley
Literature review on arts and borders, art and translation studies
Potential work in gallery installation and documentation as well as community arts workshops.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Interest in creative research
• Literature review experience
• Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.
  

Project code: ART004

Supervisor(s):

Andrew Withy

Discipline(s): 

Philosophy

We have a successful and well-established course on Critical Thinking that is very traditional in its approach, mindset, and examples. It is being refreshed over the next year. One aspect of this refresh is that we are looking to make it more relevant and accessible to students by adding queer perspectives, checking for implicit heteronormativity and cis-bias in examples and add a queer, counter-culture perspective to the content. This wouldn’t be a clip-on or band-aid, but a shift in mindset, structure, etc., to reflect the changing needs and demographics of our students and the changing values of society.

The role
The student would act as a subject matter / cultural expert on local queer culture. They would research how a range of queer perspectives have been used to change how critical thinking is taught in other universities, and how these insights are best adapted to Waipapa Taumata Rau.

They would research cultural shifts in queer scholarship, identify particularly gregariously cishet examples in the course, but also mindsets and values, and discuss possible resolutions with me, based on the queer pedagogical literature and their own situated experiences as a queer student.

A similar summer scholar project was run a few years ago, adding feminist epistemology to the course. We will initially parallel that project’s range of research activities and topics – and adapt, based on the student’s particular strengths and interests. The former summer student published a paper on the topic, co-authored with my colleague; this is a possible, though not mandatory outcome.

The student may also work with summer students enrolled in the course, to pilot, explore, or workshop ideas, developing their leadership, outreach, and communication skills.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Research skills. Queer community involvement / leadership. A pass in PHIL 105. Some philosophy or other analytic academic skills. Some gender studies or other academic or professional background in queer perspectives and cultures in Aotearoa.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project code: ART005

Supervisor(s):

Barry Milne

Discipline(s): 

Social Science, COMPASS

The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP, www.issp.org ) has been conducting cross-national social surveys annually since 1985, involving 30–40 countries each year (including Aotearoa-New Zealand). The topic of surveys changes each year but rotates on a 10-year cycle, with recent modules on: Family and Gender Roles, Health, Environment, Social Inequality, Religion, Social Networks, Role of Government, Work Orientations, Citizenship, and National Identity.

The cross-national data for the surveys are made available to researchers to analyse the data to investigate how attitudes and beliefs differ across countries and have changed over time. Roughly 10,000 papers and reports and theses have used ISSP data (we think), but the existing database of publications is not well-maintained nor easy to search. This project will create a searchable database of ISSP publications to enable researchers to make better use of ISSP findings.

The role
The scholar will create and optimise a bibliographic database (probably Zotero) containing publications which have used ISSP data. Depending on progress made, the project may also investigate:

(i) coding aspects of a selection of papers (e.g., which modules have been used; which countries have been investigated)

(ii) optimising search strategies to identify new publications.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Students interested in empirical social science research who are details-focused would be ideal for this project. Experience with literature searches or an understanding of bibliographic databases would be an advantage. The project would be of interest to students with a sociology, social psychology, or political science background, or students with an interest in any of the modules listed above.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Two students

The Anthropology Collection at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland is substantial with an estimated 500,000 objects from Aotearoa, the Pacific, and other parts of the world. Since the late 20th century, archaeological practice has changed, from the legislation that protects heritage to the management of archaeological materials. This has resulted in more considered collection and management of taonga yet little is known about the Anthropology Collection.

In documenting and better understanding our collection, we aim to create new research pathways which allow for an intersection of deep past (taonga), near past (researchers and the communities from which objects were collected) and contemporary students and scholars. The platform created by these taonga and their history present a unique moment to intentionally reshape the ways in which we engage in research with the taonga in our care.

These summer scholarships are part of a wider project, now in its second year, to connect communities with their taonga – and building on best practice in museums, lead the way in the management of taonga in university contexts. This first phase of the project will focus on collections from Aotearoa. The "Anthropology Collection" summer scholarship brings two students into the process of understanding and engaging with these objects.

The role
This summer scholarship is unique in that it will involve direct work within a materials-based research space and provide students with professional connections between the University of Auckland and the Auckland Museum.

1) Collate and research a digital archive of site reports affiliated with one or more significant archaeological excavations carried out by staff or students at UoA between 1950 and 1975. This will include academic publications, site reports, records in the national repository of archaeological sites (ArchSite), and unpublished site records in the Anthropology archive. This work will be used to help establish a better understanding of the completeness of the documentation of the archaeological record (1 scholar).

2) Complete a literature review of museum and university collections outside of Aotearoa New Zealand which hold significant collections sourced from Aotearoa (1 scholar)

3) Check of the archaeological materials associated with the site(s) identified for the in-depth review. This will include working with the Roger Green collection, a collection of taonga donated to and collected by Anthropology in the 1950s and 1960s. The summer scholars will digitise the accession books, cross check taonga with accession books, and work on developing labels, database entry, and repacking. The student will also work on digitising relevant records from the Roger Green Archive. The students will also get an opportunity to visit Auckland Museum and see examples of collection management and care. (Both scholars)

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholars must be self-motivated, highly organised, and be able to work independently in labs and collection spaces.

The students would benefit from being familiar with and/or keen to learn about:

• Archaeology, anthropology, art history or history as a field of study
• Anthropological theories as a grounding for research
• Working in museum or taonga-centred research spaces
• Beginner level Te Reo me ona tikanga (language and protocols)
  

Project code: ART007

Supervisor(s):

Chris McMillan

Discipline: 

Social Sciences

Sport has a bidirectional relationship with the natural environment; just as sport is reliant upon the natural environment, sporting activities also have an impact on that environment. Because of sport’s reliance on a stable natural environment, the climate crisis poses an existential threat to sport. Climate dependent sports such as cricket, golf and snow sports are particularly at risk.

Likewise, sport has a significant carbon footprint, especially professional and for-profit sporting organisations and competitions.

This project investigates the impact of sport and active outdoor recreation on the natural environment, with a particular focus on Aotearoa New Zealand. Nonetheless, the parameters of the project are relatively open-ended to suit the interests of the scholar. In particular, work on climate change, sport and inequality would be encouraged.

The role
The scholar’s work will be divided into three sections, with reasonable flexibility to suit their interests and ambitions.

Firstly, in conjunction with the supervisor, a short research proposal will be developed in order to focus the research.

Secondly, following this proposal, the scholar will identify and annotate relevant academic organisational research. Through this process, a literature review will be created.

Thirdly, building on this literature review, the scholar will produce a report that attempts to create a framework for quantifying the environmental impact of sport and active outdoor recreation in Aotearoa. Nonetheless, as noted, this final stage can be altered to suit the scholar’s ambitions and interests.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholar should have a strong understanding of, and passion for, sport and environmental issues. An ability to create and maintain a thorough and accurate database of information is required, as well as excellent research and writing skills. A sound (though not advanced) level of mathematical ability is also required, as there will likely be a need to calculate the carbon footprint of selected sporting organisations. A broad understanding of the politics and economics of climate change action would be beneficial.

Project code: ART008

Supervisor(s):

Chris Ogden

Discipline(s): 

Social Sciences, Politics and International Relations, Global Studies

This research project explores the historical roots and contemporary nature of relations between Aotearoa and India. Taking a longitudinal approach, it seeks to trace the trajectory of these ties from the 1940s when both sides – to differing degrees – gained independence from the British Empire. Such an approach aims to generate historically contingent understandings of their mutual foreign policy beliefs across different political generations and ideologies.

The project will be centred upon the utilisation of a norm-based (or value-based) approach to investigate the composite entrenched beliefs underpinning this relationship. Through an emphasis upon dominant narratives and discourse from each country’s foreign ministry (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (and its predecessors) in Aotearoa and the Ministry of External Affairs in India), it will focus upon an analysis of official documents and speeches.

Doing so will underscore the ways in which the core strategic goals of Wellington and New Delhi have frequently been simultaneously convergent and divergent within an ever-evolving international diplomatic system.

The role

The central task for this Summer Scholarship Project will be to collate primary documents. It is expected that this will largely focus upon the Aotearoan perspective on international / national relations with India, and that it will take the form of working through printed archive sources available in the University of Auckland library.

These sources date from the 1930s onwards and the successful applicant will be required to find all relevant sections on Aotearoa-India relations, and then to copy and collate them into a chronological set of evidence that is accessible in an electronic form.

From this basis, the student will then write a literature review that highlights the various themes and issues highlighted in these primary documents. How this work is presented and analysed will be at the discretion and direction of the scholar.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites

• Effective project management, writing / reporting, interpersonal and communication skills
• High organisational abilities and diligence, plus very good time management capabilities
• Commitment and enthusiasm for the job at hand, and being reliable, efficient and collegiate
• Clear capacity to work on own initiative, coupled with a high level of team contribution
  

Project code: ART009

Supervisor(s):

Claire Meehan

Discipline: 

Criminology

Recently we have seen an exponential rise in AI-generated non-consensual image-based sexual abuse material (AI-IBSA), often referred to as deepfakes or deepfaked porn. The impacts of this are harmful, long-lasting and pervasive. This project will entail a comprehensive literature review and analysis of media articles and associated comments on AI-IBSA to explore public perceptions of harm, responsibility and resolution.

The role
The summer scholar will assist the supervisor in reviewing the literature, collecting and analysing online data and generating a report of key issues. Depending on the findings, there may be an opportunity to contribute to a co-authored manuscript.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites:
1. Have studied criminology, sociology, gender studies, law, communication, education, social work or psychology
2. Should ideally be at graduate level
3. Strong analytical skills
4. A conceptual knowledge of qualitative research methods
5. Strong knowledge of gender and feminism
6. Comfortable with the topic area
7. It would also be beneficial, but not essential, if the Summer Scholar has practical experience of utilizing research methods or has completed CRIM 710: Cybercrime

Project code: ART010

Supervisor(s):

Danping Wang

Discipline(s): 

Cultures, Languages and Linguistics (Applied Language Studies)

Although students are increasingly using generative AI tools in their academic work, many remain hesitant to speak openly about this use. This research project investigates why such reluctance exists, despite the growing normalisation of AI in education.

Adopting a low-hierarchy, peer-led approach, the study engages students as co-researchers to interview fellow students, creating a more open, trust-based space for conversation. A total of 20 university students will be interviewed using semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences, concerns, and perceptions related to AI use.

This approach acknowledges that students may feel more comfortable sharing sensitive views with peers rather than staff, particularly on issues linked to academic integrity, surveillance, or fear of being misunderstood. The study aims to uncover the social, ethical, and institutional factors contributing to students’ silence and hesitation.

Findings will be used to inform university policymakers and teaching staff about the real concerns and values held by students, moving beyond assumptions. By surfacing these perspectives, the project seeks to promote open dialogue and support the co-creation of inclusive and student-informed AI ethics policies. Ultimately, it aims to foster a culture of transparency, trust, and shared responsibility in the age of AI-enhanced learning.

The role
The Research Assistant (RA) will play a key role in supporting the successful delivery of this student-led project. First, the RA will assist in finalising the interview protocol, including refining the questions and ensuring ethical considerations (e.g. informed consent, anonymity) are in place.

Next, the RA will help recruit and onboard student interviewers, including preparing brief training materials to guide ethical and effective peer interviewing.

Once interviewers are trained, the RA will coordinate scheduling, provide logistical support, and monitor progress to ensure all 20 interviews are completed in a timely manner. The RA will also help transcribe interview recordings, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality.

In the data analysis phase, the RA will assist in coding the transcripts and identifying emerging themes using qualitative analysis software. The RA will help compile the findings into a summary report tailored for university policymakers and support the preparation of dissemination materials such as presentation slides, infographics, or a student-facing summary.

Finally, the RA may help coordinate a feedback session with participants or co-design a workshop to promote open dialogue and policy engagement.

Overall, the RA will ensure the project runs smoothly across all phases, from design to dissemination, while upholding its student-centred ethos.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
1. Qualitative research experience: Familiarity with conducting and/or analysing qualitative interviews, including transcription, thematic coding, and use of qualitative data analysis tools.
2. Strong communication skills: Ability to communicate clearly with participants; experience writing or editing plain language summaries is a plus.
3. Project coordination abilities: Organised and capable of managing logistics such as scheduling interviews, tracking data collection progress, and supporting peer interviewers.
4. Ethical awareness: Understanding of research ethics, especially in projects involving peer-to-peer interviews, including confidentiality, consent, and respectful engagement.
5. Digital literacy: Competence in using standard digital and AI tools, and ideally comfort working in shared documents and basic data visualisation tools (e.g., Canva, ).
6. Cultural sensitivity: Comfortable working in a diverse student environment, with an open and inclusive mindset to support peer-led inquiry.

Project code: ART011

Supervisor(s):

David Chisholm

Michael Witbrock

Discipline(s): 

School of Music – Composition / Digital Arts / Creative Practice

This project will map the rapidly evolving relationship and between human artists and artificial intelligence in the creation of contemporary music. Building on the collaborative work presented in As composed by David Chisholm … and AI, this research project will pursue deeper enquiry at the interaction of aesthetic, technical, and conceptual implications of AI-assisted composition and creativity.

The role

The Summer Scholar will analyse selected works, engage with current AI tools (such as ChatGPT and AIVA), and explore how machine-generated outputs can be integrated into compositional workflows. The project is both practice- and research-led, offering insight into the future of creative partnerships between humans and machines in the arts.

While music processes are central to this research, the project will also pursue a broader contextualisation of work in and around creativity and AI. This context will be important as there is extensive emergent literature in this field, and the scholar will be meet regularly not only with the Project Supervisors, but with the following PhD candidates of both the supervisors:

Rebecca Allcock who is working on superhuman creativity
I-Chieh Wei who is working on membership inference for music model training data
Su Yuchen who is working on humour translation including song translation
Tim Pistotti who is working on the use of explicit knowledge in language generation and on testing the poverty-of-the-stimulus (Chomsky) doctrine
Sophie Burbery who is working on the development of Feminist AI Music Data Centre and creative projects that emerge from such an initiative
Liam Pram who is working on a thesis Inhibiting or Innovating Musical Creativity / Ethical and Design Consideration of Musical Co-Composition with Artificial Intelligence

The Summer Scholar will undertake research that contributes to a collective communitarian research group in order to map more conceptual territory and dimensions than merely the work of two supervisors.

Project code: ART012

Supervisor(s):

Edward Elder Professional Teaching Fellow, Faculty of Arts/School of Social Sciences 

Dr Mark Boyd Research Fellow, School of Social Sciences, Politics and International Relations

Discipline(s): 

Social Sciences, Politics and International Relations

The purpose of this project is to collect and analyse media coverage and political communication by minor party leaders during the 2023 New Zealand General Election campaign. This includes examining the amount of media coverage given to these leaders, the focus and tone of coverage (e.g., issues, leadership), and the style and messaging of their communication on social media platforms.
The scholar will contribute to a larger research programme that started with the 2024–25 Summer Scholarship, which focused on televised leaders' debates and major party social media communication. The new research will add valuable data and analysis on minor party leaders, contributing to 1–4 journal articles.
The student will focus on both media coverage and social media communication, providing a holistic view of how minor party leaders navigated the campaign environment and shaped their public image.

The summer scholar will focus on both collecting and analysing academic literature and primary source material related to minor party leaders during the 2023 election. Their work will be divided into key activities:

The scholar will work independently but will receive close supervision and guidance from both project supervisors. They will be expected to meet deadlines, show initiative, and critically engage with the material and feedback provided.

Project code: ART013

Supervisor(s):

Eileen Joy

Liz Beddoe

Discipline(s): 

School of Education and Social Practice (Social Work)

Reproductive coercion can be defined as controlling, or sabotaging another person’s access to contraception and/or abortion services. In Aotearoa the last study about reproductive coercion was before the 2020 law change decriminalising abortion.

In this study we wish to explore reproductive coercion specifically within abortion services. Most international research on reproductive coercion and abortion has considered how people might be forced to carry a child rather than being forced to abort.

We propose using a reproductive justice lens, which includes the right to not have alongside the right to have children. We particularly note that the fight for abortion access has tended to centre on abortion rights, however the right to have children is especially important for racialised women. In Aotearoa this has ramifications for how we think about reproductive justice for Māori and Pasifika women.

We propose a research project involving a literature review centred on reproductive coercion in abortion decisions. This project will use an intersectionally based, reproductive justice lens to then determine what any next steps might be in interviewing key informants such as midwives, abortion counsellors, nurses, and abortion providers to ascertain if and how reproductive coercion in abortion spaces is happening in Aotearoa.

The role
It is anticipated that the Summer Scholar will conduct a comprehensive literature review of material relating to reproductive coercion, with a clear focus on abortion. This literature review will be informed by a reproductive justice and intersectional lens. Depending on student progress, the literature reviewed, and the time available, the research project may also involve some initial planning, in consultation with supervisors, for a grant to pursue this research further.

Mentorship for crafting a literature review will be offered and there is potential for the work to be published.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
Students applying for this project need to be feminist, firmly pro-choice, and gender-inclusive. Students will be expected to have strong analytical skills and experience in and/or knowledge of reproductive justice. They will be able to work independently and have a strong knowledge of how to use the University library databases, including how to use Boolean operators to refine search strategies.

Project code: ART014

Supervisor(s):

Emily Parke

Discipline(s): 

Humanities, Philosophy

Two students

Philosophers of biology explore questions about the nature of biological concepts such as species, evolution, ecosystems, genes, and life itself, as well as engaging with social and ethical dimensions of the life sciences. This project will focus on the unique perspectives on topics in the philosophy of biology which we can develop through the lens of our location in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Two summer scholars will focus on two important topics in the philosophy of biology: (1) life and death, and (2) philosophical issues in conservation science and practice. The project will develop resources for localising philosophical engagement with these topics in the context of Aotearoa, here and now: for example, focusing on the contexts of our unique biogeographical setting and location in the Pacific, and the roles of Māori and Pacific knowledge systems in shaping understandings and relationships with the natural world.

The project will have two stages. The first stage will develop a set of resources (case studies, annotated reading lists, stories) for engaging with these philosophical questions in our local context. In the second stage, each scholar (with support from the supervisor) will develop and start addressing a specific research question, building on the first stage and guided by the scholars’ own interests and experience.

The role
The scholar and supervisor will work together to co-design the specific directions and details of both stages of the project. Whatever direction we land on, the scholar’s tasks will include, but will not necessarily be limited to: searching online databases to identify and compile lists of references; reading academic journal articles and book chapters; identifying other kinds of sources relevant to this project; providing written and verbal summaries of key themes identified in those readings and other resources; preparing an annotated bibliography; seeking other creative ways to present findings and potentially share them more widely; and meeting regularly with the supervisor to discuss the project.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholars should demonstrate the potential to conduct independent research using academic databases and other internet resources, and to carefully read and summarise journal articles and other published works.
The scholars will ideally have background in studying philosophy; especially helpful (but not necessary) would be coursework in the philosophy of biology (e.g., PHIL263/363), which covers material on which this scholarship project builds.

Project code: ART015

Supervisor(s):

Emily Parke

Co-supervised by Prof Karen Fisher, School of Environment, Faculty of Science

Discipline(s): 

Humanities, Philosophy

This project is part of a collaboration between the supervisor and colleagues in the School of Environment, on the concept of knowledge systems in transdisciplinary research. The term ‘knowledge systems’ is increasingly used in work focused on finding solutions to global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and reversing the decline of global oceans.

Despite a relatively long history of use in disciplines such as anthropology and development studies, this term, in its current application, is used in various ways and often left undefined. ‘Knowledge systems’ is used sometimes used to refer to Indigenous and local knowledges (generically or specifically, for example in reference to mātauranga Māori). Other times, it is used to describe a broader category including these systems and the sciences, in relationship with or comparison to one another.

This project will build on a literature review we are conducting in 2025 as part of this project, examining historical and current use of the concept of ‘knowledge systems’ in transdisciplinary research contexts, with a particular focus on ocean science. This literature review work is largely descriptive. The summer scholar will join us in building on the literature review to develop a framework for supporting careful and constructive discussions of knowledge systems in a transdisciplinary research context, using analytic philosophical methods.

The role
The scholar’s tasks will include, but will not necessarily be limited to: reading, discussing and analysing results of conceptual literature review work which has been conducted on this project to date; contributing to ongoing literature review with a philosophical focus by searching online databases to identify and compile lists of references; reading journal articles and book chapters from philosophy and other disciplines; preparing an annotated bibliography; seeking other relevant resources; providing written and verbal summaries of key themes identified in those readings and other resources; contributing to efforts to synthesize and analyse project findings; and meeting regularly with the supervisor and collaborators to discuss the project.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The scholar should demonstrate the potential to conduct independent research using academic databases and other internet resources, and to carefully read and summarise journal articles and other published works.

The scholar should have some background in studying philosophy. Background in the philosophy of science, social sciences, and/or environmental science would be useful, but is not required.

Project code: ART016

Supervisor(s):

Emma Willis

Discipline(s): 

Humanities, Drama

Performing Tāmakai Makaurau is a joint digital theatre history project being carried out by Emma Willis at Waipapa Taumata Rau and Senior Lecturer James Wenley at Te Herenga Waka, VUW. It principally focusses on the first 25 years of the 21st century theatre practices in Auckland, tracking the development of the theatrical form in Auckland through considering programming, venues, and collaboration.

Rather than focusing on case studies, the research draws from a wide dataset to consider trends and developments across the field of practice. The principle source of this data is the Theatre Aotearoa database. Theatre Aotearoa is an archival database of New Zealand theatre productions that was established in 2004 by colleagues at the University of Otago. It provides a partial historical record of past productions. The database was recently migrated to AusStage, an Australian database managed by a committee of Australasian representatives and affiliated to ADSA, the peak regional organization. This new platform provides much greater opportunities for data analysis.

Performing Tāmaki Makaurau takes inspiration from the exhibition and research project, Performing Sydney, and seeks to consider holistically the growth and development of theatre practices in our city relative to factors such as demography, gender and policy.

The role
The summer scholar will continue the work of our summer scholar in 2024/5, and will principally contribute to the ongoing project of updating the database. Additionally, the scholar will have the opportunity to contribute to preliminary data analysis.

To begin with, the student will be offered training at the beginning of the project on how to both upload information into the database, and how to extract it.

The first task will require the student to identify where there are existing gaps in the database for the period we are concerned with. Our 2024/25 Scholar made good progress, but there are still some key companies and venues yet to be captured. In consultation with the supervisor, the Scholar will identifying which venues, companies and events (festivals) are to be targeted within the parameters of the time that the student has to work on the project. For example, it may be that 2–3 important venues or companies that are targeted.

Secondly, the student will undertake research to discover existing records of productions as well as identifying where there are gaps in easily accessible information. This discovery process will involve consulting online sources, and existing published research, including print media, and scholarly research such as the Auckland theatre history project undertaken by a summer scholar last year under the supervision of Linda Bryder (who has been consulted in the preparation of this application). Identification of gaps in production knowledge will provide important information to the supervisor to aide in information gathering in the future.

Thirdly, the student will upload the records they have discovered into the Theatre Aotearoa database.

Lastly, the student will be asked to write a brief report reflecting on their observations during the data capture period.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
The student needs to be highly organized, and capable of keeping records of their work.

The student needs to have basic online searching skills and/or a willingness to attend a UoA library PG seminar in “Literature review: Finding Information.”

Technical confidence.

Good attention to detail.

Existing knowledge of Auckland theatre is helpful but not essential.

An interest in the broad field of digital humanities.

Applicants should address these required skills in their application and indicate if they have been in touch with the proposed supervisor.

Project code: ART017

Supervisor(s):

Fiona Jack

Discipline(s): 

Fine Arts

This Summer Research Scholarship project supports practice-based artistic research into the work and lives of under-recognised New Zealand women artists within the New Zealand art historical canon, and the production of new artworks that encourage new engagement with the historical artist’s contribution. This research and production should examine the meaning of their work in a contemporary context. In a field that has been historically dominated by men, it is important for today’s artists of all genders to recognise the contributions that women artists have made to New Zealand art.

The role
The Summer Scholar will select one or more of the many less-recognised New Zealand women artist(s) from history and research their lives, work, and legacy, in conversation with New Zealand art historians, academics, artists, curators, museums, and galleries. Over the summer scholarship period, the Summer Scholar(s) will work in a studio at Elam researching their chosen subject and developing a collection of artworks that respond to the histories and narratives that their research uncovers.

Artwork produced out of this research should respond to the historical artist’s life, the material and/or conceptual aspects of their work and the context they lived in. The artworks can be in any medium, and should have relevance to the developing artistic practice of the summer scholar. The finished body of work could create an exhibition or publication that reintroduces the artist from history into the New Zealand contemporary art world context, and offers a contemporary perspective on aspects of their life and work.

If there is more than one summer scholar selected for this project, the two can work separately or together, and may wish to explore further avenues to publish their work with the support of the supervisor.

Required Skills/Pre-requisites
To be considered, applicants should be enrolled in a BFA or a BFA conjoint. They should have a demonstrated interest in or relationship to this topic, as well as the initiative and the necessary communication skills to connect with relevant professionals and institutions during the research process. They should be motivated to engage with history and to apply their findings to explorations in their own work.

Project code: ART018

Supervisor(s):

Gregory Camp

Discipline(s): 

Music

The opera libretto is a literary genre