Moana Project: lessons learned from a national scale transdisciplinary research project

Abstract

The Moana Project (moanaproject.org) started in 2018 with the ambitious goal of revolutionizing ocean modeling and observations in New Zealand and building a bridge between traditional indigenous knowledge and the scientific process. The overarching objective was to help ensure a sustainable and enduring seafood sector. The project initially included more than 60 researchers representing 16 national and international institutions. At the end of the project in September 2023, however, we had more than 30 institutions collaborating to maximize the benefits derived from project research and operational outcomes. Numerous challenges were overcome during the project’s 5 years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in internal leadership, and a review of New Zealand’s science sector. Together with the science challenges presented by the research process, these culminated in a richness of results and practical lessons learned on the development and implementation of large, multidisciplinary, cross-cultural research projects. The objective of this article is to share some of these lessons.