From
the Waikato, Dr Keegan is a Computer Science senior lecturer at the University
of Waikato and an authority on Māori language technologies. His recent work has
culminated in him spending 6 months at Google’s head office in California
assisting with their on-line translation technologies to work with te reo Māori
Whānau: Te Taka is married to Ari and they have
four children
Marae/Hapū: Te Taka has been an active contributor
over many years to Pūrekireki Marae (Pirongia).
Iwi: Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Apakura, Te
Whānau-ā-Karuai ki Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaaue.
National: Te Taka’s mammoth contribution to Māori
language interfaces in technology is well known. These include working with MicroSoft to
develop keyboards to type the Māori macron, the translated versions of Windows and
Office that are available, maintaining the Māori Niupepa Collection that is at
the NZDL (http://nzdl.org/niupepa),
assisting with the translation of Google Web Search tool and other Google
technologies, the translation of Moodle, and the macron restorer (http://www.greenstone.org/macron-restoration-service/jsp/mi/main.jsp)
.
Professional and Cultural Contribution: Dr Keegan’s IT
systems and technology skills matched with his software engineering experience
is an asset to Tūhono in the development and management of its core business
capability.