He Pito Mata 2026

Connect with other emerging leaders to tackle the real issues: how to secure funding, outsmart artificial intelligence, protect data sovereignty, and smash goals for research impact. Delegates can even become named authors through live research workshops, including on storytelling and on women in research.

The Society’s Early-Career Researcher Forum has planned the programme, based on the evolving landscape of research in Aotearoa New Zealand, with a strong focus on research impact, wellbeing, future opportunities, and connections across communities, industries, and stakeholders. 

Join for inspirational keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions that highlight the realities of early-career research and offer practical tools.

Speakers will offer insights on the current landscape in funding, international collaboration, leadership, and interdisciplinary research.

He Pito Mata will also address emerging challenges such as the role of artificial intelligence in research, Indigenous data sovereignty, and how to effectively communicate research results, and influence change.

View programme for 10-11 September.

Māori and Pasifika early-career researchers are also invited to a dedicated wānanga on the afternoon before the 2-day He Pito Mata gathering. This is an opportunity to tūhonohono (connect), explore Māori and Pasifika leadership in the research, science, innovation, and technology sectors, and to strategise for change. 

View programme for 9 September.

Additional Information

To better understand the needs, experiences, and priorities of early-career researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand, the Forum has planned three facilitated workshops to collect data on women in research, storytelling from a Māori perspective, and the use of AI in research. The outcome of each workshop will be an academic publication; delegates will be offered the opportunity to be named authors on an academic publication for each topic.

Questions? email rsnzecrforum@gmail.com

Useful Links:

Check out some of the highlights from He Pito Mata 2023.

Join the mailing list and LinkedIn page for the Society’s ECR Forum.