Three young Maori science leaders from the University of Otago have successfully completed a Maori Enterprise Internship pilot programme in Wellington.
They are science student Malea Zygadlo, master of public health student Lisa Pohatu, and Marama Kainamu Wheeler, who is studying for a master of science communication degree.
Organisers said the summer internships aimed to increase Maori involvement in the country's science industry.
The Te Hikohiko Te Uira Maori Enterprise Internship Programme was a collaborative venture between Otago University and crown Entity Callaghan Innovation, as well as the Federation of Maori Authorities.
Federation chairwoman Traci Houpapa said the internship programme had been ''an enormous success'', and had run for more than 10 weeks.
Interns had met a range of business and political leaders, and the young science leaders exemplified ''the type of leadership and talent the Maori economy and New Zealand would need in the future''.
Prof Richard Blaikie, Otago deputy vice-chancellor research and enterprise, said the university saw the internship programme as a hands-on way for students to ''connect class learning to the issues faced by Maori businesses''.
They would be ''better equipped to meet those challenges using their science and business knowledge''.
The programme ended last month and the three interns recently presented their findings in Wellington and to students and faculty staff at Otago University.
