Rate My Professor Michelle Schaaf

Dr Michelle Schaaf is a Senior Lecturer in Te Tumu: School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies and Associate Dean (Pacific) in the Division of Humanities at the University of Otago. Of Tongan and Samoan descent, she earned her BA, BCom, DipArts, MA, and PhD—all from the University of Otago. In 2011, she became the first staff member at Te Tumu to graduate with a doctorate in Pacific studies, establishing a significant precedent for the school's research capabilities. Throughout her career at Otago, Schaaf has played a pivotal role in Pacific academic development, providing leadership as Associate Dean to enhance Pacific initiatives across the Humanities Division, supporting postgraduate research, and collaborating on interdisciplinary projects.

Schaaf's research interests span cultural studies, Pacific studies, physical cultural studies, body studies, gender studies, education, and race, with focused attention on Pacific Islands women and education, and the representation of Polynesian female body image in New Zealand sport. Her scholarly contributions include co-authored publications such as 'Identity, belonging and place attachment amongst Pacific Island children: a photographic analysis' in Children's Geographies (2023, with Claire Freeman, Tuiloma Susana Taua'a, Helen Tanielu, and others), 'The use of maps in helping better understand children's lives' in Asia Pacific Viewpoint (2023), and 'Kinship and belonging: Pacific children's perspectives on the diaspora' in Childhood (2022). These works examine Pacific children's voices, place attachment, urban experiences, and diaspora dynamics. Schaaf teaches courses like PACI301: Gafa o Tagata Pasifika - Pacific Diaspora in New Zealand, supervises postgraduate theses, and has chaired Te Tumu's Research Committee. She received a Pacific Academic Staff Caucus grant in 2023 for 'Voices of the Dunedin Catholic Samoan Community' and was recognized as Pacific Academic Staff 2022 by the University of Otago Pacific Islands Students' Association. Schaaf delivers public lectures, including in the Global Dunedin series, and offers expert commentary on Pacific matters, such as the Dawn Raids apology, thereby influencing both academic discourse and public understanding of Pacific issues.