Dr Tara McAllister (Te Aitanga ā Māhaki/Ngāti Porou) is a māmā and an academic living on the Kāpiti Coast. Tara’s research spans freshwater ecology and racism in the tertiary sector. Her recent research has focused on the under-representation and undervaluing of Māori academics in New Zealand’s universities. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow in Te Pūnaha Matatini, University of Auckland.