'Women in science look like your aunties, cousins and tīpuna' says Dr Sarah-Jane Paine

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Dr Sarah-Jane Paine, new research director for New Zealand's largest longitudinal study of child development.

Dr Sarah-Jane Paine of Tūhoe descent has recently been appointed as the new research director of Growing Up in New Zealand, the largest longitudinal study of child development in Aotearoa.

Paine brings an expertise in kaupapa Māori and a commitment to making tangata whenua a priority to the national project, conducted by the University of Auckland.

The Growing Up in New Zealand study has been closely following the lives of more than 6000 New Zealand kids over the past 12 years. The study provides information about what shapes a child’s early development and how interventions might be targeted early, to give every New Zealand child the best start in life.

It’s a longitudinal data set, which surveys the same group over a longer period of time. This means that when any developments are detected, positive or negative, changes to the individuals’ lives can be analysed. Using things like socioeconomic status, location and wellbeing, the catalyst and impediments of major issues can be easily identified. The data collected is incredibly important for informing not only our own view of the nation but advising policy and services for the wellbeing of Aotearoa.

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Paine grew up in Wairoa, the youngest of five children. A child of the kōhanga reo initiative, she said being Māori was part of the “norm’’ for her.

Paine recalls her upbringing in Wairoa, where “being Māori was part of my normal”.

Here she talks about her upbringing, and the future she wishes to see for the tamariki, mokopuna of Aotearoa, in an International Women's Day interview.

What was your experience of ‘growing up in New Zealand?’

Ko Ngati Rongo te hapū, ko Tūhoe te iwi. I come from Te Urewera but was raised in Wairoa, where my mum and sister still stay.

At least half of Wairoa was Māori. Being Māori was my normal. Everyone at school – Pākehā, Chinese, Māori – got stuck into te ao Māori. Everyone learnt a little te reo and I didn’t actually think about being Māori until I moved out of Wairoa and went to boarding school.

I always enjoyed school and that was thanks to my support systems. I was fortunate to have a good school experience and was even more privileged to have had positive experiences with science. But I know that isn’t the same for all Māori and Pasifika students and I don’t want young people to feel like science isn’t for them because of this.

I didn’t have the best grades but having supportive communities around me made all the difference. So when I experienced disappointments, I had people who could not only pick me up but build my confidence back too.

How did you get your start in research?

“I knew I wanted to give back to Māori, but I didn’t know what that looked like at the time.”

I grew up with the expectation that I would go to university. The professions that were encouraged at the time were law and medicine. I didn’t know a thing about law, so I pursued medicine.

While in this degree I faced my first ever hurdle. In my first week of med school I had a professor look at my grades then tell me I would “never become a doctor”. And I believed him. It was the first time I had someone actively discourage me from pursuing something.

I went on to do a science degree instead because I knew I had a passion for it. But the experience revealed to me the importance of listening to my puku. Listening to my gut allowed me to dig deep and ask myself, “What do I enjoy and what is good for me?” I knew I wanted to do something that gave back to te ao Māori, but I didn’t know what that looked like at the time

After my bachelor’s degree I was unsure of my next step. I approached another professor, who thankfully, pushed me to pursue a master’s degree. I had never imagined this for myself, so I remember being so positively overwhelmed that I rang my parents.

But once out of university I was doing research in labs and with rats. I learnt so much from these experiences, but I knew in my puku that I wanted to do something with people.

I finally got to pursue kaupapa Māori research with the Eru Pōmare Māori Health Research Centre and Te Kupenga Hauora Māori.

“Trust your puku – I get the privilege to watch many rangatahi step into their leadership,” says Paine.

A lot of what I bring to Growing Up in New Zealand had been informed by these projects.

What do you hope to achieve with the Growing Up in New Zealand study?

Growing Up in New Zealand is study of this whenua (land), so we need to make it for tangata whenua. I really believe as tangata whenua we believe in kaupapa that support the wellbeing of everyone here. This is our expression of manaakitanga – to take care of everyone here.

I feel very fortunate that I’ve got a lot of support. I want to help this study try to figure out how we can engage with whānau in a way that feels natural and normal. I want the study to be a place of connection that invokes pride.

I feel very supported in my role. Within my mahi (work), I receive tautoko (support) from my colleagues, which makes me feel like the timing is right and Growing Up in New Zealand is taking the right step by putting me in this role. But I also feel the support from my Māori colleagues, researchers and community service providers.

When I follow my puku and Māori communities tell me, “Yep, haere tonu, keep going,” then I know I’m heading in the right direction.

A big goal of mine is to build back the Māori cohort of the research participants. I want to mihi (give thanks) to the rangatahi (young people) and whānau who have given us their time for this study. It’s a big commitment, and we really appreciate it. Over time, we have lost touch with some whānau, but we want to let them know that we still care for and are looking for them.

If they feel engaged and feel like I might be able to bring the value they saw in this study forward then I hope they’ll come back to the study and back to the whānau.

Is there anything you would like to say to the future generation of wāhine Māori scientists?

If there were any rangatahi Māori reading this I would like to tell them, women in science looks just like you.

It looks like your aunties, your kuia (grandmother) and your mothers. It looks like your tipuna (ancestors). The idea that women in science are only created in universities is not true. Wāhine Māori have always been scientists, and we’ve always been engaged in the process of research – asking questions about the world, finding ways in which to operate and coming up with solutions to help our communities.

Women in science might look like me, it might look like other women working in universities, but it also looks like wāhine Māori at our dining tables, our marae and our kitchens.

Tamariki might have their own version of “the professor” who tell them they can’t do it. But I want these kids to trust their own puku, talk to their whānau and follow their aspirations. Because we will all be better for it if more girls, more rangatahi Māori and Pasifika were to enter the research and science space.

So listen to your puku, whaia te iti kahurangi and strive for something of great value.