McAllister (Te Aitanga a Māhaki), TaraNaepi (Naitasiri/Palagi), SereanaWalker (Whakatōhea), LeilaniGillon (Ngāti Awa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāiterangi), AshleaClark (Ngāpuhi), PatriciaLambert (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama), EmmaMcCambridge, Alana BThoms (Ngāi Tahu -Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Tūhoe), ChannellHousiaux (Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa,, JordanEhau-Taumaunu (Ngāti Uepōhatu, Ngāti Porou, Te Ātiawa, Te Wh, HanareiaWaikauri Connell (Atihaunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tama, Tūwhare, Charlotte JoyKeenan (Te Atiawa, Taranaki), RawiriThomas (Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri, Te Ātiawa, Ngāi Tohora,, Kristie-LeeMaslen-Miller (Samoan), AmyTupaea (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Tiipa, Ngāti Kuia, Te Aitanga a M, MorganMauriohooho (Ngāti Raukawa ki Wharepuhunga, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, KatePuli'uvea, ChristopherRapata (Kāi Tahu), HannahNicholas (Ngā Pū Toru -'Avaiki Nui), Sally AkevaiPope (Ngā Ruahine), Rere-No-A-RangiKaufononga, Sangata AFReihana (Nga Puhi, Te Rarawa, Te Whakatōhea, Ngai Tūhoe), KiriFleury (Te Atiawa, Taranaki), KaneCamp (Samoan), NathanRangikahiwa Carson (Ngāti Whakaue), Georgia MaeKaulamatoa (Tongan/Pālangi), Jasmine LulaniClark (Tongan/Pālangi), Zaramasina LCollings (Te Rarawa), MelBell (Ngāti Maniapoto, Pare Hauraki), Georgia MHenare (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri), KimioraReiri (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Ngāi Tahu), KylieWalker (Whakatōhea), PunahamoaEscott (Ngāti Kahungunu, Samoan, Palagi), Kirita-RoseMoors, JayeWilson (Ngāti Tūwharetoa), Bobbie-JoLaita (Samoan, German), Olivia SimoaMaxwell (Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-a-Apanui, Ngāitai, Ngāti P, Kimberley HFong (Ngā Puhi), StephanieParata (Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Ka, RikiMeertens, MorganAston (Tangahoe, Ngāti Ruanui), ConnorTaura (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Tūwh, YvonneHaerewa (Ngāti Porou), NicoleLawrence (Samoan/Tokelauan/Pālangi), HelenaAlipia, Theresa2023-07-052023-07-052022-08-08Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, ISSN: 0303-6758 (Print); 1175-8899 (Online), Informa UK Limited, 52(S1), 116-134. doi: 10.1080/03036758.2022.20977100303-67581175-8899http://hdl.handle.net/10292/16364The experiences of Māori and Pacific postgraduate students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) offer insights into how universities, particularly science faculties, currently underserve Māori and Pacific people. This article shares the experiences of 43 current or past postgraduate students at New Zealand universities. Collectively, our stories offer insight into how representation, the white imprint, space invaders/stranger making, and institutional habits, specifically operate to exclude and devalue Māori and Pacific postgraduates in STEM. We provide new understandings of the white imprint (rewarding and incentivising white behaviour), where Māori and Pacific postgraduates were prevented from being their authentic selves. Importantly, this research documents how Māori and Pacific postgraduates experience excess labour because of institutional habits. This research also provides insight into how the science funding system results in superficial and unethical inclusion of Māori and Pacific postgraduates. Our stories provide persuasive evidence that the under-representation of Māori and Pacific in STEM will not be addressed by simply bolstering university enrolments. Instead, our stories highlight the urgent requirement for universities to change the STEM learning environment which continues to be violent and culturally unsafe for Māori and Pacific postgraduates.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/3903 Education Systems3904 Specialist Studies In Education39 EducationGeneral Science & TechnologyJournal ArticleOpenAccess10.1080/03036758.2022.2097710