Join us to celebrate Māori excellence in engineering at the He kura nā Rātā, He kura pūkaha Dinner and Te Mana Kiwi SPPEEx Awards. This special event honours leaders who uplift kaupapa Māori through their mahi and contributions to the engineering profession.
The Award taonga
Te Moana Nui a Kiwa Whakapukahatanga Ihi South Pacific Professional Engineering Excellence (SPPEEx) is pleased to announce the recipients of their inaugural 2025 Te Mana Kiwi SPPEEx Awards.
Each recipient will be honoured with a distinctive hoe – taonga that are meant to be treasured by them and not returned for future awards. Should an individual progress from emerging to current or legacy recognition, they will bring their hoe back to receive additional carvings – marking their evolving contributions and achievements throughout their career.
- The Tētēkura (Legacy) hoe bears intricate designs, signifying a legacy of profound influence.
- The Te Ngaru Whakateo (Current) hoe features subtle detailing, reflecting the recipient’s growing impact.
- The Te Kahu o te Wai (Emerging) hoe remains nearly unadorned, symbolising a career still in its early stages.
Tētēkura (Legacy Award) – Sponsored by Pattle Delamore Partners (PDP)
The Tētēkura Award honours a distinguished leader, engineer or group who has navigated a long and impactful career within an ocean of experience that remains largely uncharted by Māori.
Tētēkura refers to a young shoot or frond and is often used to acknowledge emerging leadership. It is also the name given to a carved figurehead at the bow of a waka, which cleaves through ocean waves – symbolising the forging of new paths, overcoming challenges and creating possibilities.
Award recipient: Gerald Lynn Te Kapa (Gerry) Coates MNZM (Ngāi Tahu)
Gerry Te Kapa Coates has been a trailblazer in engineering leadership and cultural advocacy for more than five decades. His career reflects a rare combination of technical excellence, visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing Māori representation in the profession – while consistently championing ethical practice and environmental stewardship.
As the first Māori President of IPENZ (now Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau) from 2003 to 2004, Gerry broke new ground, opening doors for Māori engineers and embedding Te Ao Māori into the organisation's cultural fabric, with a transformative focus on sustainability. This milestone marked a turning point in the profession's journey towards inclusivity and respect for Māori perspectives.
Gerry's pioneering spirit extended beyond representation to fundamental questions of professional responsibility. In 1983, he founded Engineers for Social Responsibility (ESR), the first organisation of its kind in the world. Born from his conviction that engineers have "a special obligation to the public at large," ESR continues to challenge the profession to consider the broader implications of technology and engineering decisions. His founding articles, "Nuclear War and the Loud Silence" and "The Responsibility of Engineers," inspired a following of professional engineers throughout New Zealand and established a legacy of ethical leadership that endures today.
This commitment to principled leadership was demonstrated as a member of the Decision-Making Committee in his courageous minority vote to refuse consent for the controversial seabed mining application in 2017, placing environmental protection of the mana and mauri of the moana and whenua ahead of economic interests.
Gerry's technical expertise is equally distinguished. Holding BE (Hons) and ME degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Canterbury, he has worked as a consulting engineer since 1970, applying systems thinking and strategic analysis to complex challenges in infrastructure, aviation and systems engineering. As director of Wise Analysis Limited, he has provided thought leadership and practical solutions that have shaped industry practice. His influence extends to the written word, through numerous editorials and contributions to publications such as Aviation Report and Engineering Dimension, where he championed high standards and ethical practice.
His governance expertise spans multiple sectors, including director of Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation and Chair of the NZ Wind Energy Association. Beyond engineering, Gerry's impact reaches into literature through his published collection “The View From Up There”, education, and cultural advocacy. He has mentored countless professionals, served as a visible role model for Māori engineers and inspired others through public speaking and writing to pursue excellence while remaining grounded in identity and values.
Gerry's enduring legacy is one of courage, integrity and transformation – qualities that embody the spirit of Tētēkura, forging new paths, overcoming challenges and creating possibilities for those who follow. He has shown that true leadership means, not just achieving technical excellence, but using that expertise to serve the greater good and future generations.
Te Ngaru Whakateo (Current Award) – Sponsored by Aurecon
The Te Ngaru Whakateo Award is presented to a current leader, engineer or group who consistently demonstrates technical excellence, leadership and a commitment to uplifting Te Ao Māori within the engineering profession.
Te Ngaru Whakateo means “a crested wave” – a wave still rising, gathering energy and poised to release its potential before continuing its journey.
Award recipient: Dr Emily Afoa (Ngāpuhi · Ngāti Maniapoto)
Dr Emily Afoa (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto) is a pioneering environmental engineer whose work exemplifies the integration of mātauranga Māori with technical excellence. As Pou Whakarae and co-director of Tektus Consultants, Emily leads with purpose, placing Te Ao Māori at the heart of water-sensitive urban design and infrastructure delivery. Her career is a testament to the power of indigenous knowledge in shaping resilient, inclusive and sustainable engineering solutions, making her a deeply deserving recipient of the Te Ngaru Whakateo Award.
Emily’s leadership at Tektus has normalised the valuing of mātauranga Māori in engineering practice, particularly in advancing te mana me te mauri o te wai. She oversees projects spanning land development, resource consenting, public infrastructure and catchment-scale water management, while fostering collaboration across disciplines to achieve holistic outcomes. Her influence extends nationally, with regular contributions to technical committees, steering groups and policy development, reflecting her standing as a thought leader in water-sensitive design.
Guided by the whakataukī: Ka ora te wai, ka ora te whenua. Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata, Emily actively centres tikanga and mātauranga Māori in engineering decision-making. Despite not growing up immersed in Te Ao Māori, she has embraced her whakapapa and become a strong advocate for Māori representation and leadership in the sector. Through her involvement in groups such as SPIES and SPPEEx, she uplifts Māori voices and creates pathways for future generations.
A Chartered Engineer with a PhD in civil engineering, Emily has contributed to research and teaching that reimagines water engineering through a Te Ao Māori lens. Her technical expertise, combined with cultural insight, positions her as a unique and influential leader. She mentors young professionals, particularly wāhine Māori and champions diversity and inclusion across the industry.
Emily’s innovative work includes developing frameworks that align Māori values with engineering systems, such as mauri-based assessment tools. These culturally responsive methodologies challenge conventional paradigms and deliver benefits for both Māori and non-Māori communities. Her approach is transforming how water services are designed and delivered, embedding indigenous principles into mainstream practice.
Beyond her consultancy role, Emily is a kairangahau with Pūrangakura, served on the Board of ACE New Zealand, contributes to industry think tanks and shares her knowledge through guest lectures, webinars and public speaking. Her commitment to education, advocacy and systemic change demonstrates a vision for an engineering profession that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embraces cultural partnership.
For her outstanding leadership, technical excellence and unwavering dedication to integrating Te Ao Māori into engineering, Dr Emily Afoa exemplifies the values of Te Ngaru Whakateo and is a truly worthy recipient of this prestigious award.
Te Kahu o te Wai (Emerging Award) – Sponsored by Air New Zealand and The Diversity Agenda
The Te Kahu o te Wai Award is given to an emerging leader or young professional (under 30 years of age) who has shown early achievement in technical development, leadership and the active promotion of kaupapa Māori within the engineering profession.
Te Kahu o te Wai refers to the surface of the sea, representing potential, discovery and learning – especially in contexts yet to be fully explored. It evokes the image of someone just beginning to break the water’s surface with the tip of their paddle, learning the intricacies of navigating their career.
Award recipient: Alyce Lysaght (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Pākehā)
Alyce Lysaght embodies the spirit of Te Kahu o te Wai: a passionate, visionary engineer whose leadership, technical excellence and unwavering commitment to kaupapa Māori are already reshaping the profession in Aotearoa. A rising leader and powerful advocate for equity, cultural integration and the visibility of Māori voices in engineering, Alyce brings courage, innovation and deep cultural reconnection to every arena in which she serves.
In 2023, appointed as the youngest member of the Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau Governing Board and the highestpolling young professional in Board elections, she used this opportunity to represent emerging professionals while bringing Te Ao Māori perspectives to governance and championing Kimihia Rangahaua, a strategic rautaki to engage Māori across the sector.
Technically accomplished, Alyce holds a BE(Hons) in Natural Resources Engineering with a minor in Water and Environmental Systems and a Diploma in Global Humanitarian Engineering from the University of Canterbury and was recognised with the 2025 FultonDowner Silver Medal for excellence and impact. She now works in development as an Infrastructure Adviser with Manatū Aorere | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade supporting infrastructure delivery across the Pacific. Prior to this role, she served as a Water Engineer at WSP New Zealand, where she supported engineering solutions that protect te taiao and deliver tangible benefits to communities. She currently serves on the Return on Science Physical Sciences Investment Committee, and in her final year of university was a member of the Te Ao Māori Testing Panel for Te Waihanga | New Zealand Infrastructure Commission.
A cultural advocate and storyteller, Alyce created and hosts the groundbreaking Māori in Engineering podcast, featuring over 30 Māori professionals. Through this platform, she amplifies Māori voices, shares intergenerational kōrero and educates listeners on the rich engineering heritage of our tīpuna. Her personal journey to reclaim te reo Māori – sparked by her grandfather’s lost language – fuels a lived commitment to revitalisation and representation.
Alyce’s outreach as a keynote speaker, panellist, mentor and volunteer inspires rangatahi and tauira Māori to pursue engineering and to see themselves in the future of the profession. During her studies she held leadership roles in the Student Volunteer Army, represented ākonga through Te Akatoki, mentored with ENG Me!, and received recognition from the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre, alongside international acknowledgement via the Stantec Equity & Diversity Scholarship.
From student leader to Board member, award recipient and cultural advocate, Alyce’s trajectory is steep and purposeful, signalling a future leader who will continue to shape the profession with integrity, humility and impact. For her sustained service to people and place, her technical excellence and her steadfast advocacy for Māori in engineering, Alyce Lysaght is a truly worthy recipient of this award.
She exemplifies the values of Te Kahu o te Wai – kaitiakitanga, collaboration and courage – consistently leaving places better than she found them. Her leadership advances Te Tiriti commitments and lifts Māori participation, visibility and influence across governance, practice and education – shaping an inclusive, future focused profession.
