Shaun is of Te Arawa (Ngāti Whakahemo) and Ngāti Awa (Ngāti Pukeko) descent.

As the BioHeritage Kaihautū Ngātahi, Shaun works in partnership with Co-Director Daniel Patrick on strategic priorities and building strategic links with Māori and indigenous researchers, groups and entities.

Shaun has a PhD in Ecology from the University of Canterbury, where he is a Professor with the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre. He is also the Director of Eco Research Associates Ltd, a private environmental research company.

In addition, Shaun is the Māori Business Development Consultant for the Cawthron Institute a principal investigator for Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, and a contractor to other organisations, including Lincoln University and The Environmental Protection Authority. Shaun also leads Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga’s Electoral College, Te Tira Takimano, where he has been the principal investigator on many research projects.

Previously Shaun has been an Associate Professor of Wildlife Management at Lincoln University, and Tumuaki of the Kaupapa Māori Unit of Lincoln’s Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty. He has also been a Principal Scientist – Māori Research at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Christchurch, and a scientist at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. Shaun has extensive experience of environmental research with Māori communities and his research interests include the development of techniques for the management of animal pests.