Dr 'Ilaisaane Fifita, a Tongan teaching fellow at the University of Auckland Business School, was among nine academics who were awarded cash prizes of between $1,500 and $2,500 for “well-communicated, quality research”.

The awards were part of ‘Business Research Translation Competition’, an initiative to reward academics who produce papers are easy for lay readers to understand. Papers from 29 contestants were assessed by a jury made up of independent and highly regarded business practitioners.

“Academic research can be jargon-riddled and impenetrable to members of the public”, stated Auckland University.

“The Business Research Translation Competition (BRTC) hosted by the University of Auckland Business School aims to change that”.

Dr Fifita’s wrote about “The Role of Identity in Resisting Tobacco Smoking”, in a paper studying the high rate of smoking amongst Maori and Pacific Islander communities.

Her research identified ways of increasing people’s resistance to taking up smoking. Twenty-five per cent of Pacific Islanders in New Zealand smoke compared to the national average of fifteen percent.

“We have entered an era of unprecedented technological development and disruption,” said Professor Susan Watson, Dean of the University of Auckland Business School.

“In order to thrive, we must understand these trends. Our business schools produce innovative research, ideas, and insights that can benefit New Zealand. We need to ensure our researchers are able to easily communicate this work.”