After only two years into his journey to learn te reo Māori (the Māori language), PhD student Conor Vaessen has prepared a short cancer research talk entirely in his newly adopted language.
Conor is a PhD student in the Centre for Translational Cancer Research in the Department of Biochemistry, and is finding new drug treatments for hereditary stomach cancer.
He has kindly agreed to record his kōrero Māori (Māori talk) and have it posted on YouTube so that we can all learn about his mahi (work), both in reo Māori and in cancer research.
Conor prepared this talk for the School of Biomedical Sciences three minute research talks in Māori (ngā kōrero rangahau toru meneti) held in September in the Hunter Centre.
Unfortunately Conor was not able to attend on the day, but he has since presented the kōrero to the Department of Biochemistry where everyone was impressed by what many view as a daunting task. He has surely inspired others in the Department to kōrero Māori in their research!
Ka pai tō mahi, Conor. Ka mau te wehi! Great work. Awesome!