Groundbreaking academics from the University of Waikato have been honoured by the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Four awards have been presented at the annual event, held in Wellington on Wednesday night, with three of them having been presented for the first time.

Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith has received the inaugural Te Puāwaitangi Award in recognition of the eminent and distinctive contribution she has made to Te Ao Māori, and to Māori and Indigenous knowledge.

Her citation highlights her trailblazing research in Indigenous methodologies and kaupapa Māori, which has contributed to the advancement of Māori research, education and society.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor Bruce Clarkson, says the award is fitting acknowledgement of Professor Smith's nationally and internationally recognised leadership in Māori and Indigenous Studies.

'Her seminal publication Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples (1999) was ahead of its time and it is interesting that many of the National Science Challenges are only now grappling with the issues it raised.

'Several reprint editions were published before the most recent revised second edition in 2012. This work alone would have placed her at the top of her field but she has continued to provide exemplary leadership, tirelessly championing Indigenous research and scholarship, is a sought after keynote speaker at international conferences, and has supervised more than 10 PhD students to completion.”

Dr Mohi Rua has received the Te Kōpūnui Māori Research Award for his innovative research on poverty, homelessness and Māori men's health, which is challenging the relevance of mainstream Anglo-American psychology for Māori and other indigenous peoples.

This is another new award, and recognises innovative Māori research by promising early career researchers.

Associate Professor Holly Thorpe has received the Early Career Research Excellence Award for Social Sciences for her research on the sociology of sport. Her research is redefining the use of sports for development and peace in conflict and disaster zones.

The team at Te Kotahi Research Institute has been given a new honour for their success in bringing together Māori providers, researchers and policy-makers to deliver maximum benefit to the communities they work with. It is the Health Research Council's Te Tohu Rapuora award, and was presented as part of the Royal Society Te Apārangi event.

For more details on each awardee.