Simon is from Tūhoe and Ngāti Ruapani ki Waikaremoana. He is an Indigenous geographer and is currently an Associate Professor in Indigenous Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, as well as working for Te Tira Whakamātaki as Chief Scientist. Simon’s research has focused on how Indigenous communities are impacted by disasters and emergencies, and how they can better position themselves to enact effective “disaster risk reduction” (DRR). This approach is also important in biosecurity as Maori and other Indigenous Peoples seek to protect their biological heritages that have a fundamental role in Indigenous cultures, food security, and wider planetary sustainability.