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Mr Andrew Antony Sporle
Biography
I am based part-time in the Statistics Department at the University of Auckland, where I teach in courses on survey methods, official statistics and statistical literacy. I work primarily in my own businesses working in applied statistics in New Zealand, Australia and Pacific countries. With over two decades experience developing initiatives in social and health research as well as Māori research workforce development, most of my recent work has involved official statistics research in the public, private and academic sectors. I have been involved with official data innovations since 1998, including PRIMHD (national mental health data integration), Family and Whānau Wellbeing Census Data Project, NZ Census Mortality Study, Māori Mortality study, Virtual Health Information Network and applications of the longitudinal census database. Previous research roles have included being a member of University's Human Subjects Ethics Committee in the early 1990s following the Cartwright Inquiry, followed by several years as the inaugural Māori health research manager at the Health Research Council of New Zealand - the New Zealand government's health research funding organisation. My statistical training is through epidemiology - including advanced post-graduate courses in genetic and epigenetic epidemiology.
My current research interests are focussed around initiating permanent structural changes to research infrastructure and practice with the aim of increasing the impact of research and research resources. These initiatives include improving the Māori responsiveness of mainstream research, creating longitudinal studies with existing data as well as the development of public domain tools to improve the accessibility and utility of official statistics. There is also a long term interest in a community-initiated research programme to identify the causes of hereditary gastric cancer and co-design novel interventions to limit the impact of the disease within families/whanau.(http://www.otago.ac.nz/ctcr/otago055283.html) . My primary focus is an HRC funded longitudinal study of the determinants of Māori wellbeing, called Te Hao Nui. This project is intended to reorientate existing official statistics to be able to be applicable to and accessible by Māori communities.
I am a founding member of Te Mana Raraunga - the Māori data sovereignty network (www.temanararaunga.maori.nz), the Global Indigenous Data Alliance (www.gida-global.org) and was a founding member of the NZ Association of Adolescent Health and Development (since transformed into AraTaiohi).
He uri ahau no Ngāti Apa, Rangitāne, me Te Rarawa.
Research | Current
Present research/professional speciality |
Novel applications of linked administrative data, social inequalities, social research methods, ethnicity/indigeneity, Māori health, Māori responsive research policy, investment and design, youth health, gastric cancer, epigenetics.
Current Roles
Deputy Director of the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge
Better Start National Science Challenge: Science Advisory Panel member
International Sociological Assocation Research Committee RC05 Racism, Nationalism, Indigeneity and Ethnicity: Board member
Te Mana Raraunga: Executive member
Virtual Health Information Network: Executive member
Growing Up in New Zealand: Steering Group member
Genomics Aotearoa Variome Project: Steering Group member
Rauika Mangai National Science Challenge Maori Directors' collective member
Director, iNZight Analytics Ltd.
Current grants
2021 HRC (with Dr Dion O'Neale and others)
$996,466 Te matatini o te horapa: a population based contagion network for Aotearoa NZ 2 years
2020 Ministry of Social Development (PI)
$479,998 Tikanga Māori Strengths-based Index 3 years
2020 HRC COVID-19 and Emerging Infectious Diseases Grant (with Prof C Simpson and others)
$533,224 Predict and Prevent COVID-19: a data driven innovation project 2 years
2019 MBIE Endeavour Grant (with Prof C Simpson and Dr B Milne)
$2,658,600 Informatics for Social Services and Wellbeing Data New Zealand. 3 years
2019 MBIE (with Prof J Mann, Prof C Ni Murchu and Prof P Guilford and others)
$17,800,000 National Science Challenge: Healthier Lives. 5 years
2019 University of Auckland. (co-I with C Walker, I Ziedins, M Parsons, P Rouse)
$10,000 Distinguished Visitors Grant: Prof Margaret Brandeau
2019 Australian Bureau of Statistics (PI with Prof C Wild)
A$80,000 Extension of iNZight data analytics and graphing freeware. 6 months
2019 Health Research Council of NZ (Co-I with Bernadette Jones and others)
$1,186,338 Project Grant: Te Ao Marama: Disability perspectives of tangata whaikaha Maori. 3 years
2019 Ministry of Social Development (PI)
$50,000 Project Grant: Design of Evaluation Tool for E Tu Whanau Programme. 6 months
2019 Ministry of Social Development (co-I with Barry Milne)
$50,000 Project Grant: Scoping a tikanga informed community strengths index. 6 months
2018 Health Research Council of NZ (PI)
$1,198,495 Project Grant: Te Hao Nui. 3 years
2018 Health Research Council of NZ (Co-I with Dr Moana Theodore)
$500,000 Emerging Leader Fellowship: Dr Moana Theodore
2017 Health Research Council of NZ (co-I with Prof. Parry Guilford and others)
$4,971,155 Programme Grant: Reducing the burden of gastric cancer in New Zealand. 5 years
Recent research grants
2017 Health Research Council of NZ (co-I with Barry Milne and others)
$1,181,607 Project Grant: Child poverty: health consequences, costs, and policy interventions. 3 years
2017 Ministry of Social Development. (co-I with Allen and Clarke Ltd plus others)
$443,965 Evaluation of Family Start
2017 BBHTC National Science Challenge (co-I with Kay Saville-Smith and others)
$1,000,000 Programme Grant. Revitalising the production of affordable homes to provide for successful, engaged and healthy lives. 2 years
2017 Ministry of Social Development. (co-I with Dr Tahu Kukutai, University of Waikato)
$70,000 Project Grant: Housing quality and Whanau Wellbeing
2017 University of Auckland.
$10,000 Distinguished Visitors Grant: Prof Julia Lane (Co-I with Barry Milne)
2017 Statistics New Zealand (Co-I with Kirikowhai Mikaere)
$15,000 Iwi defined GIS data boundaries pilot project extension. 1 year
2016 University of Auckland.
$98,000 Vice Chancellors Strategic Development Grant (co-I with Prof Chris Wild)
2016 University of Auckland.
$10,000 Distinguished Visitors Grant: Prof Matt Snipp
2016 Health Research Council of NZ (PI)
$10,000 Development Grant: Longitudinal Wellbeing Study. 1 year
2016 Statistics New Zealand (Co-I with Kirikowhai Mikaere)
$10,000 Iwi defined GIS data boundaries pilot project extension.. 1 year
2016 Families Commission / SUPERU. (co-I with Dr Tahu Kukutai, University of Waikato)
$50,000 Project Grant: Whanau structures and wellbeing
2015 University of Auckland. (co-I with Prof Lumley)
$10,000 Distinguished Visitors Grant: Prof Sander Greenland
2015 Families Commission / SUPERU. (co-I with Dr Tahu Kukutai, University of Waikato)
$75,000 Project Grant: Whanau Wellbeing
2014 Health Research Council of NZ (co-I with Prof Peter Davis, Auckland)
$1,091,258 Project Grant: Life Course Predictors of Mortality Inequalities. 3 years
2013 Health Research Council of NZ (PI)
$1,199,945 Project Grant: Preventable Maori Mortality. 3 years
Teaching | Current
Contributing to:
STATS 705: Applied Official Statistics
STATS 240:Design and structured data.
STATS 150: Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics
COMMS 208: Digital Communication Ethics
POLICY 762: Statistics and Data Analysis for Policy
...as well as occasional guest lectures in New Zealand and overseas
Postgraduate supervision
I may be available as a post-graduate supervisor, especially if it aligns with my current research projects. As my primary employment is outside of the University of Auckland, I may not be able to supervise every semester.
Recent students:
2016 Alex Stuteley BSc Hons (Medical Statistics) dissertation. "A novel on-line tool using robust
statistical methods and official population statistics to produce population level outcome measures"
2015-16 Natalia Boven. BA Hons (Statistics) dissertation. "An Examination of Māori Trust and Educational Achievement using the Te Kupenga CURFs".
Distinctions/Honours
2021 Prime Minister's Science Prize (as part of Te Punaha Matatini's Covid modelling team)
2020 Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Statistics, The University of Auckland.
2019 Invited plenary, Hack Aotearoa NZ's 1st Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Conference
2014 Invited plenary, World Congress of Epidemiology, Anchorage, Alaska
2012 - current Member, College of Experts. The Health Research Council of New Zealand
2011 International Statistical Institute. Best Cooperative Project Award in Statistical Literacy (joint award)
Areas of expertise
Research design, official statistics, research ethics, multi-methods research, community driven and applied research, research funding
Invited Presentations (recent)
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet roundtable, Canberra.
Data driven indigenous development: data sovereignty and new data approaches empowering indigenous development in New Zealand
Andrew Sporle 8 May 2019
Ministry of Health, Cook Islands.
Improving health services by using data
Andrew Sporle 11 March 2019
New Zealand Algorithms in the Public Sector Conference. Wellington
Improving Algorithm-based Policy Advice
Andrew Sporle December 2018
Ministry of Social Development Insights and Evaluation Seminar. Wellington.
An overview of Māori Data Sovereignty
Andrew Sporle December 2018
Kaumatua Service Providers Conference. New Plymouth.
He Oranga Hauora
Andrew Sporle 21 November 2018
Plant and Food Research Workshop. Auckland.
An overview of Māori Data Sovereignty
Andrew Sporle November 2018
National Science Challenges' Lifecourse Symposium. Wellington.
Ka hao te rangatahi: Life course approaches in Aotearoa
Andrew Sporle October 2018
Pharmac seminar. Wellington.
Changing the game – using new tools and existing data to address health inequity.
Andrew Sporle October 2018
Australasian Epidemiological Association. Waikato Tainui College.
Changing the game – what can be done to build the capacity and capability of epidemiology to address inequity in Aotearoa
Andrew Sporle August 2018
CoMPASS Big Health Data Symposium. Auckland.
Data, difference, and an indigenous development dividend to big data health analytics.
Andrew Sporle June 2018
Melbourne Institute Public Economics Forum, Canberra.
Empowering Indigenous Development: Data about, for, with or by Indigenous People
Andrew Sporle. 19 September 2017
RIMU, Auckland Council, Research workshop
Māori Data Sovereignty
James Hudson, Andrew Sporle and Tahu Kukutai 28 July 2017
Office of the Prime Minister, Data and Research Workshop, Cook Islands
Data Sovereignty and Development.
Andrew Sporle 10 July 2017
Partnership Pilot Projects Workshop: Statistics NZ. Wellington.
Iwi Defined Data Boundaries.
Andrew Sporle and Kirikowhai Mikaere. 15 May 2017
International Workshop on Government Administrative Data for Policy-relevant Research: Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA.
Linked Administrative Data for an Entire Nation.
Andrew Sporle. 1-2 May 2017
Te Ritorito 2017 Forum: Towards whānau, hapū and iwi wellbeing. SuPERU and Te Puni Kokiri. Wellington.
Te Kupenga: the opportunities and challenges in measuring whānau wellbeing.
Andrew Sporle. 3-4 April 2017
http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/Events/1420pm%20-Andrew%20Sporle.pdf
NZ Treasury Guest Lecture:
Data and Development: Maori interests in the data ecosystem.
Maui Hudson, Kirikowhai Mikaere and Andrew Sporle. 12 December 2016
Healthier Lives National Science Challenge Korero Tahi:
NCDs: A Māori Perspective.
Andrew Sporle. 18 October 2016
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI9wuya4kmqW7TYWj5Y-AK-0cV9fHnwcA
Indigenous Open Data Summit, Madrid.
Te Mana Raraunga - Māori Data Sovereignty in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Kirikowhai Mikaere and Andrew Sporle. 5 October 2016
http://usindigenousdata.arizona.edu/indigenous-open-data-summit-agenda
Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit Seminar: Families and Whānau Status Report 2016. Whanau Wellbeing.
Andrew Sporle, Tahu Kukutai and Matt Roskruge. 22 July 2016
http://www.superu.govt.nz/seminar_families_whanau_2016
Ageing Well National Science Challenge Combined Governance meeting
Māori Responsiveness in Research.
Tahu Kukutai and Andrew Sporle
Social Policy Evaluation and Research Unit Seminar: Families and Whānau Status Report 2015.
Expressions of Whānau
Tahu Kukutai, Andrew Sporle and Matt Roskruge. 23 July 2015
http://www.superu.govt.nz/news-and-events/2015-families-and-wh-nau-status-report-presentation
Conference Presentations (recent)
International Association for Official Statistics Biennial Conference .
OECD, Paris . September 2018
Making Official Statistics Usable by Non-Statisticians: Novel tools for reducing the skill barriers to using official statistics. Andrew Sporle, Chris WIld, Daniel Barnett and Alex Stuteley
Australian Population Association Biennial Conference 2016.
Sydney. 29 Nov – 2 Dec 2016
Indigenous concepts of family in Aotearoa NZ: Findings from Te Kupenga, the 2013 Māori Social Survey. Tahu Kukutai and Andrew Sporle.
Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Transforming Official Statistics to Enhance Their Contribution to Māori Development in Aotearoa New Zealand. Andrew Sporle and Tahu Kukutai
Australasian Vital Statistics Interest Group (AVSIG) Biennial Conference
ABS, Canberra. 21-22 Nov 2016.
A New Online Epidemiological Tool for Age Standardisation and Population Comparisons with Downloadable Outputs. Andrew Sporle and Alex Stuteley.
Māori Association of Social Sciences Biennial Conference.
Victoria University, Wellington. 9-11 November 2016
Indigenous concepts of family in Aotearoa NZ: Findings from Te Kupenga, the 2013 Māori Social Survey. Tahu Kukutai and Andrew Sporle.
International Open Data Conference
Madrid. 6-8 October 2016
Data and Māori Development. Kirikowhai Mikaere and Andrew Sporle.
Committees/Professional groups/Services
Current memberships:
Maori Association of Social Scientists (MASS), Australasian Epidemiology Association (AEA), Population Association of America, Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, Sociological Association of Aotearoa / New Zealand (SAANZ), International Sociological Association (ISA), ISA Research Committee on Social Stratification RC28, ISA Research Committee on Sociology of Health RC15
Boards, governance roles, etc:
2018 - current Executive Member, International Sociological Association Research Committee on Racism, Nationalism, Indigeneity and Ethnicity
2018 - current Organising Committee, International Sociological Association World Forum of Sociology for the Research Committee on Racism, Nationalism, Indigeneity and Ethnicity
2018 - current Independent member, Growing Up in New Zealand Steering Committee, Ministry of Social Development
2017 - current Chair, Māori Health Career Development Awards Review Committee, Health Research Council of New Zealand
2017 - current Career Development Awards Review Committee, Health Research Council of New Zealand
2017 – 2017 Iwi Classification Review Panel, Statistics NZ
2016 – 2019 Strategic Advisory Group, Ageing Well National Science Challenge
2016 – 2018 Convenor, Kahui Maori, Healthier Lives National Science Challenge
2016 – 2017 Member of the Statistics Act Legislative Review Advisory Group
2016 - 2017 Rangahau Hauora Assessing Committee, Health Research Council of New Zealand
2016 – current Member of the Virtual Health Information Network (VHIN) executive
2016 – current Associate - National Centre for Lifecourse Research, University of Otago
2015 – 2018 Founding Member of Data Strategy Expert Panel of the Independent Maori Statutory Board of Auckland Council
2015 – current Founding Member of Te Mana Raraunga and executive board member
2014 - 2015 Member, NZ Data Futures Forum workshop and advisory group
2013 - 2017 Member, Clinical Trials Assessing Committee. The Health Research Council of New Zealand
2012 - 2016 Advisory Board, Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences (COMPASS), University of Auckland.
2011 - 2013 Co-chair. Programme Grant Assessing Committee. The Health Research Council of New Zealand
2011 – 2016 Member, Public Health Assessing Committee, The Health Research Council of New Zealand
2011 - 2013 Board Member, North Harbour Waterpolo Club.
2010 - 2016 Member, Māori Advisory Group, Centre of Methods and Policy Application in the Social Sciences (COMPASS), University of Auckland.
2009 - 2017 Member, Māori Health Research Grants Review Committee, Health Research Council of New Zealand
2009 – 2013 Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Department of Statistics, University of Auckland.
2008 – 2011 Member, Māori Health Scholarships and Fellowships Selection Committee, Health Research Council of New Zealand
2007 – 2009 Health Convener, Expert Advisory Panel, North Shore Skill and Employment Project, Enterprise North Shore, North Shore City Council
2007 – 2009 Member, Board of Trustees, Browns Bay School, North Shore City, Auckland.
2006 – 2009 Trustee, North Harbour Community Health and Education Trust
2006 – 2007 Member, Social Research Advisory and Monitoring Board, Environmental and Scientific Research Limited.
2005 – 2006 Founding Member, New Zealand Social Statistics Network.
2005 – 2006 Convener, Indigenous Statistics Sessions, ASC/NZSA Joint Conference Auckland
2002 Member, Scientific Committee, Australasian Epidemiological Association 11th Annual Scientific Meeting, Wellington.
2001 – 2002 Member, Advisory Board, Māori Chronic Care Workforce Development Programme, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Auckland
1997 – 1998 Member, Pacific Health Research Programme Assessing Committee, The Health Research Council of New Zealand.
1995 – current Research Advisor, Kimihauora Trust, Tauranga.
1995 – 1998 Member, National Management Committee, Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand.
1995 – 1996 Member, National Board of the NZ Association for Adolescent Health
1994 – 1998 Research Advisor, Te Kaha o te Rangitahi Whānau Trust.
1994 – 1994 Convenor, Auckland branch of the NZ Association for Adolescent Health
1991 – 1993 Member, University of Auckland Human Subjects Ethics Committee,
1991 – 1991 Welfare Officer, Auckland University Students Association.
Selected publications and creative works (Research Outputs)
- Saxton, P., Adams, J., Fenaughty, J., Exeter, D., & Sporle, A. (1/7/2019). GAYS, GOVERNMENT AND BIG DATA: SHOULD ROUTINE HEALTH RECORDS INCLUDE SEXUAL ORIENTATION?. SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. 10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.602
Other University of Auckland co-authors: John Fenaughty, Peter Saxton, Daniel Exeter - Milne, B. J., Atkinson, J., Blakely, T., Day, H., Douwes, J., Gibb, S., ... Teng, A. (2019). Data Resource Profile: The New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). International Journal of Epidemiology, 48 (3), 677-677. 10.1093/ije/dyz014
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Barry Milne - Theodore, R., Ratima, M., Edwards, W., Sporle, A., Te Morenga, L., Kiro, C., & Ruakere, H. (2019). How a lifecourse approach can promote long-term health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori. Journal of Indigenous Wellbeing, 4 (1), 15-25. Related URL.
- Robertson, S. P., Hindmarsh, J. H., Berry, S., Cameron, V. A., Cox, M. P., Dewes, O., ... Laurence, A. (2018). Genomic medicine must reduce, not compound, health inequities: the case for hauora-enhancing genomic resources for New Zealand. The New Zealand medical journal, 131 (1480), 81-89.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Rob Doughty, Ofa Dewes, Jessie Jacobsen, Andrew Shelling, Russell Snell, Cristin Print, Jonathan Skinner, Paul Hofman - Kiro, C., Von Randow, M., & Sporle, A. (2010). Trends in Wellbeing for Māori Households/Families, 1981-2006. Auckland, New Zealand: Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, Auckland. Related URL.
URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/27985
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Martin von Randow - Graham, P., Blakely, T., Davis, P. B., Sporle, A. A., & Pearce, N. (2004). Compression, expansion or dynamic equilibrium? The evolution of health expectancy in New Zealand. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 58 (8), 659-666. 10.1136/jech.2003.014910
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Peter Davis - Watson, P. D., Adair, V. A., Ameratunga, S. N., Crengle, S. M., Denny, S. J., Dixon, R. S., ... Schaaf, D. (2004). Alcohol and New Zealand Youth:A snapshot of young people's experiences with alcohol. 1-27. Auckland, New Zealand: The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Related URL.
Other University of Auckland co-authors: Shanthi Ameratunga, Simon Denny, Robyn Dixon, Sally Merry - Finlayson, M. P., Gower, S., Graham, P., & Sporle, A. A. (3/9/2003). Nurses' perceptions of the cultural appropriateness of care in their hospitals. Poster presented at 3rd Asia Pacific Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care, Aotea Centre, Auckland.
Contact details
- +64 9 923 5948
- +64.9.923.5948
- a.sporle@auckland.ac.nz
- aspo003@aucklanduni.ac.nz
Primary office location
SCIENCE CENTRE 303S - Bldg 303S
Level 3, Room 371
38 PRINCES ST
AUCKLAND CENTRAL
AUCKLAND 1010
New Zealand