Professor Melinda Webber of the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Arts and Education has received the Dame Joan Metge Medal, awarded every two years by Royal Society Te Apārangi to a social scientist who excels in research and creates opportunities for others. It was presented at Auckland Town Hall.
Webber studies what drives educational success and resilience, especially for Māori learners, and how young people build a sense of belonging in schools and universities. She directed the third phase of the Starpath Project, which helped about 40 schools in Auckland and Northland identify struggling students early, and co-authored a book of 24 stories of Māori ancestors.
She currently leads studies on Māori women’s leadership in Te Tai Tokerau and on the teaching methods used in community health wānanga. She places great value on mentoring early-career researchers and including Māori and Pacific colleagues as co-principal investigators.
