Dr Lincoln Dam

Senior Lecturer
Education

In 1984, Dr Lincoln Dam's father arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand as a refugee from Cambodia and came through what is now the AUT Refugee Education Centre in Māngere. Forty years later, Lincoln joined AUT as a lecturer – teaching students who, like him, are the first in their families to go to university.

What’s your role and how long have you been at AUT?

I’m a senior lecturer in Te Kura Mātauranga (the School of Education) and co-director of the AUT Migrant and Refugee Health Research Centre. I joined AUT in 2024 after over a decade in part-time roles, alongside my studies, at the University of Auckland.

What made you choose AUT – and what made you stay?

A full-time, permanent lecturing role emerged at AUT two weeks after I submitted my doctoral thesis for examination. The advertised role happened to be in the Bachelor of Arts in Education, the same programme I taught in at the University of Auckland for over a decade. I think my ancestors were conspiring!

I was drawn to AUT for several reasons. First, in 1984, my father arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand as a refugee from Cambodia and came through what is now the AUT Refugee Education Centre in Māngere. Securing my first full-time academic position at AUT was a special full-circle moment for my family and me. Second, I was keen to work with students who, like me, are the first in their families to attend university. Approximately 67% of AUT students are first-in-family. Third, as the country's youngest university, AUT is burgeoning with possibility. I was particularly drawn to AUT’s important and exciting commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

What has surprised you most about working here?

The way AUT cares for and acknowledges its people. I've been pleasantly surprised by AUT's investment in staff wellbeing. Employees have access to a range of benefits, including free use of the university's gyms and reimbursements for prescription glasses. Staff achievements are also regularly recognised, with accomplishments celebrated every month through the Celebrating success webpage and through events at the university.

When did you last think: this is why I do this job?

Every day! Teaching and research are rewarding because they provide opportunities to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. As a first-in-family university graduate myself, I’m especially committed to supporting students as they navigate higher education and create positive change for themselves, their families and their communities. I can't imagine doing anything else!

What does working here let you do that you couldn’t do anywhere else?

AUT allows me to combine three things I care deeply about: teaching, research and service to the community. I get to work alongside students, many of whom are the first in their families to attend university, while undertaking research with and for communities. For me, that combination is incredibly rewarding.