Dr Petera Whaiao Hudson (School 1971-1976) is a proud Collegian of St Paul’s Collegiate School and School House. In May this year, he graduated with his PhD from Massey University. His doctoral journey saw him complete a transformative research project that brings Maaori knowledge systems into conversation with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) design.

While his academic and professional achievements are impressive, those who know Petera through the Collegians Committee might first describe him as the life of the party – always ready with a song, a smile, or a moment of mischief. A proud member of School House, he’s been a driving force behind Collegian connections, serving on the committee for eight years and playing a key role in reviewing and updating the Constitution. Whether at reunions, matches, or casual catch-ups, Petera is often the one keeping friendships alive, especially among his fellow cricket lovers.

His doctoral thesis, undertaken through Te Pūtahi a Toi, the School of Māori Knowledge, explores how maatauranga and tikanga Maaori can shape AI technologies that centre cultural wellbeing, strengthen whānau connections, and serve future generations.

Petera credits his time at St Paul’s for giving him both a strong academic foundation and the confidence to navigate across cultures. “My time at St. Paul’s gave me both a grounding in academic discipline and the confidence to navigate multiple worlds,” says Petera. “This PhD brings those threads together: tradition and technology, ancestry and innovation.”

Petera’s professional journey has been as diverse as it is impactful. After teacher training and postgraduate study in New Zealand and the United States, he spent over a decade working in international education, including roles in Denmark and Singapore. He returned home in the mid-90s with a renewed commitment to empower Maaori learners through digital access.

In the early 2000s, he co-founded EDUCA TransTech, a mobile computer classroom he and his whaanau built to bridge the digital divide for tamariki in rural communities. He later became a lead facilitator for several Ministry of Education IT initiatives, helping bring digital literacy to Maaori educators nationwide.

Now a Research Fellow at Massey University, Petera’s current focus is on indigenous-led approaches to AI, contributing to international research programmes including Abundant Intelligences, which bring together indigenous scholars from across the globe to design technologies grounded in relational and place-based ethics.

Petera’s memories of his time at St Paul’s are deep and significant, with friendships lasting more than 50 years. His best friend, Lex de Jong, shared much of that journey; the pair played First XI hockey and First V basketball together, became school prefects (Lex as Head Boy), and travelled on the school’s European Tour. Their families also formed strong bonds that have stood the test of time. “I can count on Lex’s support for anything, and it is reciprocated by me and my family,” says Petera.

It’s this kind of support and connection that Petera recalls from his school days,  not only with classmates but also in conversations with staff who offered a steady presence and a listening ear. He remembers being able to talk openly about anything from books and music to favourite desserts, and he credits those exchanges with helping shape his confidence and sense of belonging.

Petera’s work has been published in leading academic journals and will soon feature in Ōhu Kainga Waewae: The Places My Feet Have Taken Me, a co-edited reflection of fellow Maaori PhD candidates’ and their life’s work around creating change that promotes the lives of their whānau and futures. His work is widely published, including in journals including IEEE Annals of the History of Computing and The Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

Reflecting on his research, he says, “Artificial intelligence can be more than just code. It can carry the values of care, community, and connection, if we choose to design it that way.”

Petera lives in Whanganui and remains closely connected to his iwi, Te Whakatoohea.