Jemaima Tiatia-Siau

Jemaima Tiatia-Siau is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at the University of Auckland specialising in Pacific Studies and mental health and wellbeing. Tiatia has studied suicide in the Pacific community in New Zealand, conducting the first national review of suicide deaths, and writing national guidelines for postvention. In 2024 Tiatia-Siau was elected a Foundation Fellow of the Pacific Academy of Sciences. She is the first Pacific woman Pro Vice-Chancellor at any New Zealand university.

Academic career

Tiatia-Siau is of Samoan descent, and was born in Tokoroa and raised in West Auckland. She completed a master's thesis in 1997 at the University of Auckland, with a thesis on the relationship between the church and Pacific Island youth. Her thesis was later published by the Christian Research Association as the book Caught Between Cultures. Tiatia-Siau then joined the faculty of the University of Auckland, rising to full professor in 2024. Tiatia-Siau is a Professor of Pacific Studies, and in 2022 was appointed as Pro-Vice Chancellor Pacific. She is the first Pacific woman Pro Vice-Chancellor at any New Zealand university. Tiatia-Siau conducted the first review of suicide deaths in the New Zealand Pacific community, and then wrote national guidelines for postvention, interventions taken to reduce the likelihood of further suicidal behaviours and associated psychological impacts.

Selected works