Dr Kēpa Morgan (BE, MBA, PhD, CPEng, FIPENZ) has a bicultural background rooted in his cultural identity and whakapapa to Te Arawa, Ngāti Kahungunu, and Ngāi Tahu. During his engineering career Kēpa has strengthened his understanding of his cultural roots while also striving for excellence both professionally and academically. As an indirect result of this combination of identity, interests and expertise, Kēpa often finds himself at the juncture between Indigenous aspirations and the engineering profession.
Kēpa’s research explores the interface between Māori and engineering, with research interests that can be understood broadly as indigenous engineering and technologies. His focus is on the enhanced outcomes that are possible when the contributions of multiple knowledge systems produce designs and solutions that are unlikely to originate from any knowledge system in isolation. Specifically he has developed alternative construction systems and materials (uku fibre reinforced earth composite) and a decision-making framework known as the Mauri Model. Kēpa is now interested in the insights that can be gained through adaptation of the Mauri Model to best suit social justice challenges in resource management contexts.
Kēpa created the Mauri Model Decision-Making Framework in 2005 and his work creating and applying the Mauri Model has been recognised by the Institution of Professional Engineers NZ with a Supreme Technical Award for Engineering, The Furkert Award for Sustainability.
Dr Kēpa Morgan.