Professor Matt Roskruge PhD, B.SocSci (Hons)

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy - University of Waikato (2014)
• Bachelors of social science with honours - University of Waikato (2011)

Research Interests

My research interests sit broadly within population and development economics, with particular interests in how people, place, relationships and institutions shape economic opportunity and wellbeing.

Current areas of research include:

• Māori economics, Māori economic development and Māori enterprise
• Population and labour economics, including employment, mobility and inequality
• Regional and urban economics, economic geography and regional development
• Health economics, health-system performance and service delivery
• Social capital, social connection and wellbeing
• Indigenous economic development and economic measurement
• Applied econometrics, survey research and mixed-methods approaches
• Māori research approaches, including work informed by Kaupapa Māori principles

Thematics

21st Century Citizenship, Resource Development and Management, Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Applied Economics (140200): Economic Development and Growth (140202):
Economic Development Policy (160505): Economic Geography (160401):
Economics (140000): Health Economics (140208):
Human Geography (160400):
Labour Economics (140211):
Medical And Health Sciences (110000):
Policy and Administration (160500):
Public Health and Health Services (111700):
Studies In Human Society (160000):
Urban and Regional Economics (140218)

Keywords

Māori economics
Māori economy
Māori economic development
Māori enterprise and business
Indigenous economics
Population economics
Labour economics
Regional economics
Urban economics and economic geography
Health economics
Social capital
Wellbeing
Social and occupational mobility
Applied econometrics
Public policy

Current Projects

Completed Projects

Teaching Statement

My teaching focuses on making economics accessible, applied and relevant to students’ future work. I have taught across economics, population studies and demography, from large undergraduate core courses through to postgraduate health and applied economics.

I place particular emphasis on research-led teaching and real-world application. Where possible, I draw on my own research and professional experience, including work in the public sector, to show how economic theory and quantitative methods are used in policy and practice. I also aim to develop critical and independent thinking rather than relying heavily on textbook learning.

I value flexibility in course design and assessment, particularly for distance, international, Maori and Pacific students, and try to create opportunities for students to connect course content with their own interests, communities and career aspirations.

Increasingly, my teaching and educational leadership focus on postgraduate study, Maori economic issues, and building pathways for Maori and Indigenous students into research, economics and related professional careers.

Graduate Supervision Statement

I supervise Masters and doctoral research across Māori economics and economic development, population and labour economics, regional and urban economics, health economics, social capital and wellbeing, and related areas of applied social science.

My supervision style is collaborative but increasingly independent as a project develops. I work with students to sharpen the research question, build a clear analytical framework and develop a realistic pathway through the research, while encouraging students to take ownership of their project and develop confidence as independent researchers.

I place strong emphasis on research that is methodologically credible, practically relevant and useful beyond the thesis itself. Where possible, I connect students with real-world research projects, professional networks and opportunities for collaboration, and I particularly value helping students develop work that strengthens their future academic, policy or professional pathways.

A major focus of my supervision and mentoring is building a stronger pipeline of Māori and Indigenous postgraduate researchers, while also supporting non-Māori students undertaking thoughtful research on Māori economic and social issues.

Current Doctoral Supervision

Main Supervisor of:

• Thomas Tom Carter - Doctor of Philosophy
  Cardiac Testing Guideline non-adherence and the unknown costs of the feedback sanction
• Rennae Cherry - Doctor of Philosophy
  Understanding Economic Resilience - The Case for Aotearoa New Zealand
• Kowhai Dalton - Doctor of Philosophy
  Exploring the relationship between the economy and crown-Iwi patnership in Aotearoa
• Litia Simpson - Doctor of Philosophy
  Can Circular Economy Advance Pacific SIDS SDG and DNC Targets While Maintaining Self-Determination?  A Mixed Methods Approach

Co-supervisor of:

• Sarah Reo - Doctor of Philosophy
  Māori collective business models
• Florence Malama - Doctor of Philosophy
  The Impact of Pacific Motherhood on Leadership Progression in the New Zealand Public Sector: A Study of Labour Market Outcomes
• Dina Chakma - Doctor of Philosophy
  Discrimination against the elderly, women and children in household food distribution: Evidence from Bangladesh

Completed Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

• 2020 - Bruce Borquist - Doctor of Philosophy
  The Context and Enactment of Faith-based Social Entrepreneurship

Other Links

• Te Au Rangahau - Profile and research information from Te Au Rangahau | Māori Business Research at Massey University.
• Google Scholar - Publication and citation profile covering academic research outputs.
• Orcid - Persistent researcher identifier linking publications, affiliations and research activity.
• Rutherford Discovery Fellowship - Royal Society Te Apārangi profile outlining Matt’s Rutherford Discovery Fellowship research programme.
• Linkedin - Professional profile covering current roles, experience, research interests and public engagement.