Rate My Professor Lachy Paterson

Emeritus Professor Lachy Paterson is affiliated with Māori Studies in Te Tumu: School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies, University of Otago, within the Humanities Division. He completed his BA in History and Māori Studies, Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Māori Studies, and PhD in Māori Studies at the University of Otago, where his doctoral thesis examined colonial discourses in niupepa Māori newspapers from 1855 to 1863, published as Colonial Discourses: Niupepa Māori, 1855-1863 by University of Otago Press in 2006. Before entering academia, Paterson worked as a signal maintainer for New Zealand Railways in Dunedin, self-teaching te reo Māori through night classes and correspondence. Following graduation, he lectured in History at Massey University for two years before joining Otago in late 2007 as a lecturer. He progressed to Associate Professor and then Professor, holding key administrative roles such as Acting Dean of Te Tumu, Acting Associate Dean (Academic), Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) for Te Kete Aronui, and Acting Dean of the Graduate Research School. Paterson retired at the end of June 2023, receiving the Emeritus Professor title in recognition of his outstanding contributions to teaching, research, and university service. He also holds RSA/Cambridge CELTA certification.