Kumari Na

Education-focused electrical and electronics engineering academic with nine years of continuous tertiary teaching experience and a decade in the discipline overall.

Currently Principal Academic Staff

Member at the Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), New Zealand, where I have led the design, delivery and accreditation of electrical engineering programmes across diploma, degree and distance-learning pathways, and have managed cohorts of more than 650 students. My practice centres on curriculum design, constructive assessment, and inclusive teaching for culturally and academically diverse cohorts capabilities developed through formal training in Aotearoa New Zealand's bicultural and Pasifika pedagogical frameworks.

As Program

Leader I rebuilt and coordinated three concurrent programme streams, including a fully online distance offering, and mentored early-career and international teaching staff. Alongside this I am completing a PhD at Auckland University of Technology investigating the frequency spectrum of the human lung for the detection of asthma and COPD by end of this year.

Principal Academic Staff Member at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Te Pūkenga — New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (2023-01 – Present)

Provide academic leadership across the electrical and electronics engineering discipline, contributing to faculty development, quality assurance and institutional strategic objectives.

• Lead curriculum innovation and the integration of contemporary engineering education practice across programme portfolios.
• Mentor academic staff and supervise student research, including capstone and applied industry projects.
• Advise on accreditation processes, capital equipment acquisition and laboratory development within the engineering domain.

Program Leader — Electrical Engineering at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Te Pūkenga — New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (2022-01 – 2026-12)

Led and coordinated three concurrent programme streams: the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Electrical), the Bachelor of Engineering Technology (Electrical), and the Distance / Conexus online delivery pathway.

• Directed strategic planning and implementation to improve delivery quality and student outcomes across on-campus, distance and offshore cohorts.
• Managed timetabling, staff allocation, moderation and programme-level assessment governance for cohorts exceeding 350 students.
• Coordinated programme accreditation and self-assessment documentation against professional engineering standards.

Lecturer — Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Te Pūkenga — New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (2018-01 – Present)

Design and deliver courses across the electrical and electronics engineering curriculum in on-campus, blended and fully online modes. [Level 6 and Level 7 — e.g. Circuit Analysis, Power Systems, Electrical Machines, Control Systems, Electronics, Instrumentation.]

• Develop learning outcomes, assessment instruments, marking rubrics and moderation processes aligned to programme graduate profiles.
• Design and supervise laboratory and practical work, including simulation-based and remote laboratory activities for distance students.
• Provide academic guidance, pastoral support and progression advice, with a particular focus on students from Māori, Pasifika, international and non-traditional entry backgrounds.
• Supervise final-year and capstone engineering projects, including industry- and community-partnered projects.

Researcher at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), Te Pūkenga — New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (2019-01 – Present)

Initiate and manage collaborative research projects with academic and industry partners, including securing funding, equipment and participant access.

• Collaborate with Auckland University of Technology and Waikato Hospital on biomedical instrumentation and respiratory measurement research.
• Publish in peer-reviewed venues and present at international conferences.

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering – Auckland University of Technology (AUT) (2026-12)

Master of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering

Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering

Graduate Diploma in Electronics and Telecommunication – Queens Academic Group, Auckland, New Zealand

Adult Teaching and Training Programme (ATTP) in Teaching – Waikato Institute of Technology

NZQA Unit Standard 4098 — Teaching Eligibility Course in Teaching – New Zealand Qualifications Authority