Developing a Digital Twin Digital Twin utilises digital twin technology to more deeply understand the state of the natural waterways and the current water infrastructure systems in order to better service and to support the growth of a papakāinga development at Ihumaatao. Te Ihu Mataoho

About this project

Digital Twin Te Ihu o Mataoho utilises digital twin technology to more deeply understand the state of the natural waterways and the current water infrastructure systems in order to better service and to support the growth of a papakāinga development at Ihumaatao.

In collaboration with Te Ahiwaru and Nextspace (platform providers), the digital twin Te Ihu o Mataoho project led by Dr Jenny Lee – Morgan offers the potential for importan t knowledge be represented and visualised in powerful ways that are accessible and connected to the community.

The creation of a digital twin through its ability to centralise, co – ordinate and improve availability of information will be invaluable to Te Ah iwaru in their continued land development and at a broad level, the expression of tino rangatiratanga over their whenua and wai.

Key Achievements

  • Creation of an initial Digital Twin Te Ihu o Mataoho for Te Ahiwaru.
  • Four place-based wānanga were undertaken with Te Ahiwaru at Ihumaatao. The wānanga were a key opportunity to develop the digital twin mapping with the aspirations of Te Ahiwaru centred.
  • Te Ahiwaru trained Digital twin developers through workshop training led by Nextspace.
  • Launch of the Digital Twin Te Ihu o Mataooho with Te Ahiwaru whānau, Nextspace and Pūrangakura research team.
  • Development of a project video Tribal-led Development of Digital Twin Ihumaatao that showcases the key considerations of the digital twin development for Te Ahiwaru.
  • Conference presentations by research team.

Our Research Team

Dr Jenny Lee Morgan

Science Lead

Dr Cat Mitchell

Project Lead

Kate Lee

Project Administrator

Nicola Short

Mapping Advisor, Contractor

Science Lead

Dr Jenny Lee Morgan

Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan has a distinguished background in teaching and kaupapa Māori research. Jenny has led and contributed to several large community projects, including the Endeavour MBIE-funded ‘Generation Kainga: Rangatahi building resilient and regenerative Aotearoa’, the Marsden-funded ‘Matike mai Te Hiaroa: #Protect Ihumātao’, and ‘Marae Ora Kainga Ora’, among others. In 2016, she received the Te Tohu Pae Tawhiti Award from the New Zealand Association for Research in Education, recognising her high-quality research and significant contribution to Māori education. Jenny co-edited the award-winning book Decolonizing Research: Indigenous Storywork as Methodology (2019) with Prof Joan Archibald and Dr Jason DeSantolo. Her most recent book, Tiakina te Pā Harakeke: Ancestral knowledge and tamariki well-being (2022), was co-edited with Dr Leonie Pihama.

 

Project Lead

Dr Cat Mitchell

Dr Cat Mitchell is a senior researcher at Pūrangakura, working on various projects related to te taiao, housing and homelessness. She holds a PhD in higher education from the University of Auckland and has more than fifteen years of experience as a lecturer in academic development. In her mahi, she utilises her expertise in postgraduate academic writing to aid in developing the scholarly publications of Pūrangakura. Her commitment to Kaupapa Māori underpins her work to share significant Māori stories and to support emerging Māori researchers.

Project Administrator

Kate Lee

Mapping Advisor, Contractor

Nicola Short

Te Ahiwaru

Pania Newton

Housing Lead & Advisor

Sophia Ola-Whaanga

Sophia Ola-Whaanga

Gary Te Young

Digital Twin Technical Developer

Cullen Te Young

Digital Twin Technical Developer

Stephen Lee

Waikato, Te Ahiwaru, Ngāti Mahuta

Housing Lead & Advisor

Pania Newton

holds a Conjoint Degree in Law and Health Sciences and is currently completing her Master’s degree as part of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity, The University of Melbourne. Well-known and highly respected for her leadership in the campaign to protect tribal whenua at Ihumatao, Pania is also a valued researcher with the MOKO and Rangatahi ki te Kainga projects.

Sophia Ola-Whaanga

Sophia Ola-Whaanga

Digital Twin Technical Developer

Gary Te Young

Digital Twin Technical Developer

Cullen Te Young

Advisor

Waikato, Te Ahiwaru, Ngāti Mahuta

Stephen Lee

Stephen Lee is a Research Project Manager at Pūrangakura and a driving force behind the Wai Ora Kāinga Ora kaupapa. With a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering ) and more than two and a half decades worth of experience in the water, dairy and energy sectors, Stephen brings significant expertise in engineering, project management and systems design to his role. Stephen has worked closely with hāpori to deliver compliant drinking water solutions to marae and papakāinga. His work is grounded in kaupapa Māori research and driven by a bold vision for housing justice, mana motuhake, and thriving kāinga. At Pūrangakura, he partners with whānau, hapū and iwi to reimagine housing futures, weaving together strategy, innovation, and Indigenous knowledge.

Nextspace

Mike Murray

Advisor

Brent Ellison

Advisor

Advisor

Mike Murray

Advisor

Brent Ellison

Research Partners

Te Ahiwaru.logo
nextspace.logo

Research Funders

National science Challenge

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