Taiuru & Associates Ltd provides Critical Indigenous Research services for organisations, universities, CRIs, iwi, hapū, Māori entities, and public sector teams seeking high quality research grounded in Kaupapa Māori and decolonising approaches. Led by Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, we support projects across Vision Mātauranga, AI and algorithms, Māori Data Sovereignty, digital governance, Māori intellectual property rights, and emerging technologies (including digital and genetic ethics).
Current and recent projects include multiple projects across several universities including: University of Auckland including “A collaboration to develop an Aotearoa Health AI Evaluation Framework” working with multiple other universities, The Australian National University “AI as Infrastructure: Large Language Models for Transnational Historical Research”; University of Canterbury Marsden Fund “Training natural language models to understand genomics and study gout in Māori and Pacific populations”, “AI-driven Two Way, Feedback Controlled Emotional Recognition Training for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder”; University of Canterbury and Health Research Council “Development and validation of Human Digital Twins for reversing Type II Diabetes” providing tikanga Māori expertise with Data and AI; LandCare Research “Harnessing generative artificial intelligence to inform nature-based adaptation to climate change”; Victoria University of Wellington “Saving Screen Time: People with ADHD and Disconnecting from the Internet” using tikanga Māori Data Sovereignty to understand cultural differences.
We are available for part FTE to strengthen funding applications, research design, governance, and outputs while ensuring cultural safety, methodological rigour, and practical impact.
Dr Taiuru holds a Master’s (Distinction) in Indigenous and Māori Leadership (University of Canterbury) and a PhD from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi focused on tikanga sovereignty with genetic materials. Alumni of multiple AI ethics and governance courses.
Dr Taiuru is also active in co-authoring and international collaborations, and maintains an ongoing publication record across AI, data, governance, and Indigenous research.
- MBIE-formatted CV available on request
- Taiuru & Associates is vendor-ready for NZ universities and commonly works with institutional finance and contracting processes
- Available for short-turnaround reviews or longer-term project partnerships