Auckland University of Technology (AUT) staff came together for the Inaugural Vice-Chancellor Diversity Awards to acknowledge the diversity initiatives of eight awardees at the Auckland Art Gallery last week. The awards celebrated AUT’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, embedding everyday diversity and saluting work by the University’s staff in the diversity space. AUT Director of Diversity and event organiser, Professor Edwina Pio, added, “Many here will resonate with the echo of myriad memories, of inconvenient doubt, of stumbling, of passing the baton, of broken dreams, of fulfilling dreams and of grit and endurance. We do diversity every day and I privilege hope and compassion as the heart of diversity.”

The list of awardee included:

• Lexie Matheson, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Culture and Society – for her work in the LGBTI community; is also the Rainbow Representative for the TEU

• Mahsa Mohaghegh, Lecturer, Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies - founded She# in 2014, a non-profit networking and learning group for women interested in technology; in recognition of her efforts, she was one of ten semi-finalists in the 2018 New Zealander of the Year Awards

• Professor Candice Harris, Head of Department, Management, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law - member of the Universities New Zealand Women in Leadership Steering Group since March 2009; co-initiated and organised the inaugural NZWIL symposia

• Robert Hogg, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences - for his outstanding and extraordinary contributions to enhancing Mātauranga Māori within the School of Sport and Recreation

• Jo-Anne Lewis, Community Relations Manager, AVC Strategy and Stakeholder Relations - an ally of the LGBTQI community at AUT, working with Out@AUT and helping deliver events such as AUT at Big Gay Out, the Pride Parade and Pink Shirt Day

• Shahla Damoory, Centre Leader, AVC Corporate Development and Support - for her continued commitment to the development of tikanga in the centre

• Brett McCready, ICT Core Platforms Manager, AVC Finance & Infrastructure - for his Fit Camps initiative, an inclusive and outstanding contribution to diversity

• Isabella Rasch, Pacific Student Support Advisor, DVC and PVC Groups – for her continuous support to Pasifika students at AUT