Māori and Pacific people remain under-represented in our research sector. There have been recent efforts to address this particular workforce issue including targeted research funds, and fellowships. However, these efforts do not currently take into account where Māori and Pacific people are. Instead, they reflect a desire for where the government want Māori and Pacific to be. While this targeting is useful for driving Māori and Pacific people into STEM, it does leave the majority of Māori and Pacific in precarious and unsustainable career pathways. This paper considers where we currently find Māori and Pacific doctorates, where Māori and Pacific people are graduating from and finally makes recommendations for a whole of system approach while continuing to support Māori and Pacific scholars in STEM.
