Michael Mathew Walker is a biologist at

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

notable for his work engaging with

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

students. He established a mentoring program called ''Tuākana'' in 1991, which pairs first year Māori students with more experienced students in an effort to reduce the previously-high drop-out rate. He is of Te Whakatōhea descent. Walker was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...

in 2003. In the

2009 Queen's Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 2009 were appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as p ...

, he was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit () is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have r ...

, for services to science. In 2011, he won the

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

’s Supreme Award, and a sustained excellence in teaching in a kaupapa Māori context award''.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Michael Scientists from Auckland Academic staff of the University of Auckland New Zealand Māori academics Living people 20th-century New Zealand biologists Whakatōhea people Year of birth missing (living people) New Zealand Māori scientists Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand 21st-century New Zealand biologists