Dr Rufus McEwan

Associate Head of School
Communication Studies

Dr Rufus McEwan has been part of AUT for nearly 20 years, researching media, radio and indigenous broadcasting while taking on progressively more complex teaching and leadership roles. The connections he has built here – with colleagues, students and alumni – are what keep the work meaningful for him.

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

I’m a senior lecturer and the associate head of school of the School of Communication Studies | Te Kura Whakapāho. I first started working at AUT in 2006 as a casual lecturer whilst continuing my postgraduate studies, so I’ve been working at AUT for about 20 years.

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

AUT offered me the opportunity to teach, research and practise in the areas that I’m passionate about. When I embarked on my doctoral study overseas, I was able to reflect on the ways that AUT had prepared me as a lecturer and researcher. AUT’s approach to combining practical learning and teaching with industry experiences and connections, translated very well to a new academic environment and made me eager to return. Since then, I’ve been able to progress my career through various leadership roles and to connect with a wider network of colleagues in my faculty and the wider university.

What has surprised you most about working here?

For a relatively young university, the quality of our teaching and research continues to impress me. I believe we offer a distinct point of difference from many other universities where students can get direct access to the resources and experiences they may hope to find in their chosen industries before they complete their studies (often, from the very beginning). I’m also surprised that for an organisation as large as ours, we can easily find opportunities to connect with one another, irrespective of any roles or positions we hold.

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

Our AUT alumni are genuinely leaders in their industries and highly valued both locally and internationally. It’s always great to reconnect with graduates that will generously donate their time to sharing their insights and experiences for our current students. We recently heard from one of our graduates that has achieved success in major sports leagues locally and abroad and the emphasis they placed on the contribution I made to their development, alongside my colleagues, was a distinct reminder that we can make a real difference for our students. Seeing our students succeed as graduates is immensely rewarding.

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

As an environment with learning at its centre, AUT gives you permission to try something new, discover success – maybe make mistakes – and try again. Recently, I worked with colleagues from AUT’s Traumatic Brain Injury Network and our Brand and Marketing Services team to produce a podcast series that highlighted some of the distinct advances AUT researchers are making in this important field. Whilst my role was mostly as a facilitator and producer drawing on my own expertise, we were able to quickly bring together many different areas of expertise and produce a complex media product that is easily comparable to industry standards and expectations. Above all else, we were able to explore new ways to share research and aim to reach the people that most need to hear it.