Matire Harwood

In 2019 Harwood was awarded the Health Research Council of New Zealand's Te Tohu Rapuora Award.

Harwood is the recipient of several national and international awards, including the 2018 Matariki Award, Tūhono for Improving Māori Health, the 2017 New Zealand L'Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowship, and the 2017 Dr Maarire Goodall Award.

Harwood has served on national health committees, including as a member of the PBRF Assessment Panel (2018 onwards), and the Expert Advisory Group for New Zealand Health Strategy (2018 onwards) and as a board member for the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (2017 onwards), the Health Research Council (2009–2016), the Waitematā District Health Board (2016 onwards), and the Asthma Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand (2006–2010; 2016 onwards).

Matire Louise Ngarongoa Harwood is a New Zealand clinical researcher and trainee general practitioner.She is an associate professor at the University of Auckland. Harwood was the 2017 New Zealand L'Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Fellow. Her expertise is in Māori health, focussed on reducing health inequity by improving indigenous health and well-being.

Harwood received a PhD from the University of Otago in 2012. Her doctoral research on patient-driven rehabilitation following a stroke developed an intervention designed especially for Māori and Pasifika. The success of this intervention led to changes in treatment guidelines for stroke recovery.

Harwood moved back to New Zealand to study medicine at the University of Auckland, graduating with an MBChB in 1994. No one in her family had previously attended university. She credits the influence of her grandfather, Ngature Matenga Werekake, who inspired her to be a doctor when she was seven years old.