Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Victoria University of Wellington
Mere spent much of her career advocating for, and teaching in, both the primary and early childhood sectors and initial teacher education with a focus on critical literacy, critical race theory, colonialism, indigenising the academy, Indigenous languages revitalization and history. A Mātanga Reo, Mere is a graduate from Te Panekiretanga o te Reo Māori (a Māori Language Academy), as the Kirikawa (expert in Māori cultural understandings). She proudly wears the moko kauae (Indigenous genealogical patterning on chin) to represent her journey into ‘te whakarauora reo Māori’ (Māori language regeneration) and ‘te katinga o te kēti’ the very last intake to graduate as the Kirikawa from that Academy.
Current research projects include the National Science Challenge - He Pā Mataora: Learning to live with the living pā: He Pā Mataora will seize the rare opportunity afforded in the lead-up to the opening of Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington’s Living Pā building to explore the needs and challenges of moving an entire marae community into more climate adaptive and resilient practices. That research is delving into four interrelated pātaka of knowledge: tikanga, reo, ako and taiao. Mere is Lead for Te Pātaka Reo https://deepsouthchallenge.co.nz/research-project/he-pa-mataora/. International Project funded by the Spencer Foundation, Chicago, USA: title: Enacting Sustainable Futures in Early Childhood Education: Transforming Educational Systems in Relation with Living Lands, Waters and Languages Across Global Contexts is an international research project set in three countries, Canada, the United States and Aotearoa. Mere is a Principal Investigator alongside Professor Michelle Perez (USA) and Associate Professor Fikile Nxumalo (Canada). Kia ketekete mai anō ngā kākākura: Language teaching and learning in initial teacher education is a project investigating the contribution made by the different facets of Victoria University’s initial teacher education programme (ECE) to the overall aim of developing and maintaining an ongoing commitment to learning and assisting with revitalising te reo Māori. Mere is a Principal Researcher with associate investigators Associate Professors Jenny Ritchie and Judith Loveridge.
Mere was invited by Professor Gaile Cannella as an International Research Fellow with the Velma E. Schmidt International Critical Childhood Policy Studies Collaborative and Indigenous to Indigenous collaborations. She is currently engaged in research into the Waitangi Tribunal Mana Wahine Claim, and presented affidavit in this Wai2700 Mana Wahine Kaupapa Inquiry; is the 2022 NZARE Recipient of the Te Tohu Pae Tawhiti Award recognising researchers who have made a significant contribution to Māori education by conducting high-quality research over an extended period; is currently a Board member of the Māori Education Trust (and Chair of the Organisation, Remuneration and Appointments Subcommittee [ORA] which supports the Board); a Board member for the NZCER, and the Vice President of the Māori Women’s Welfare League.