Imma Perfetto
Cosmos science journalist
This year, NAIDOC Week is held across Australia from 7-14 July to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This year’s theme, chosen by the National NAIDOC Committee, is Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud.
“’Blak, Loud, and Proud’ encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world,” says National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair, Aunty Lynette (Dr) Riley.
Cosmos created this list of 41 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research leaders in collaboration with CSIRO, the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA), and Australia’s five Learned Academies – Australian Academy of the Humanities, Australian Academy of Science, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
These individuals are being recognised for their excellence across the career spectrum – from established leaders in their fields, to early and mid-career researchers, and the next generation of research trailblazers.
The list is neither exhaustive nor posted in any particular order.
Archaeology
Archaeologist Dr Chris Wilson is a Ngarrindjeri man who has researched First Australians throughout the Lower Murray River and Coorong regions of south-eastern Australia for more than 20 years. His interests focus on Indigenous cultural heritage, repatriation of Indigenous ancestral remains and critical race studies.
Zoe Rimmer is a Pakana (Tasmanian Aboriginal) community member and is a highly regarded for her work in museum and cultural management. After serving as a senior curator of First Peoples Art and Culture at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, she has recently finished her PhD focusing on repatriation, cultural revival and First Peoples museology.
Biology and ecology
Science communicator Alana Dooley is a Kaurna Narungga woman born and raised on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja in Western Australia. She is pursuing a double degree in Coastal and Marine Science and Professional Writing and Publishing at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia.
Camille Goldstone-Henry is Kamilaroi woman and experienced conservation biologist who worked for years to save endangered species like the Tasmanian devil and Sumatran tiger. More recently, she co-founded Xylo Systems – a cloud-based platform which uses artificial intelligence to help businesses measure and manage their biodiversity footprint.
Dr Jodie van de Kamp is a Palawa woman and Research Group Leader for Aquatic Ecosystem Processes in Environment at CSIRO in Hobart. Using molecular ecology, she observes and assesses biodiversity and ecological health, especially in coastal environments, focusing on the effects of human activities and long-term ocean health trends.
Dr Joe Greet is a Koori man and riparian ecologist at the University of Melbourne. He works collaboratively on research to inform restoration of wetland ecosystems including through restoration of swamp forests that provide critical animal habitat, developing Traditional Owner-led research and management programs to Care for Birrarung’s billabongs, and understanding and managing the impacts of feral deer on native vegetation.
Dr Mitchell Gibbs is a Thunghutti man through kinship of the Dunghutti nation and a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Geosciences at the University of Sydney. With a PhD in marine biology/biochemistry, his research centres on Indigenous practices around shellfish and coastal management and the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into modern management practices and curriculums.
Vanessa Sewell is a Worimi woman developing the technology needed to create a sustainable and affordable vaccine that could protect livestock from internal parasites. She is currently studying for a PhD at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales, where she is also an associate lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges.
Education
Kim Dyball is a Kalkadoon woman and educator with 30 years of experience in Indigenous education, training and employment. She leads the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy at CSIRO, which is empowering more than 600 young Indigenous women to change the landscape of the STEM workforce and increase Indigenous women’s economic prosperity.
Tamia Blackwell is a Narungga woman and Aboriginal Education Teacher. She was inspired by Professor Chris Matthews’ work to create a workshop based on an alternative way of teaching maths to Indigenous children using culture-based storytelling, through a combination of Indigenous story, dance and maths. She also designs, leads and MCs the annual STEM Aboriginal Learners Congress.
Engineering, mathematics, and technology
Professor Chris Matthews is a Noonuccal man from Quandamooka country internationally renowned as a leader in mathematics education for Indigenous learners. His new pedagogical approaches acknowledge the cultural challenges faced by Indigenous mathematics students. He has also made impactful cross-cultural contributions working with remote Indigenous communities while influencing national mathematics education policy and curricula at both State and National levels.
Gullara McInnes is an Indigenous woman using drone technology for cultural and environment preservation, including mapping cultural heritage sites. She is passionate about Indigenous inclusion and participation in the intersections of culture and technology. Gullara is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Science-Law at James Cook University in Queensland.
Applied mathematician Dr Jordan Pitt is a descendant of the Birri Gubba people, and associate dean of Indigenous Strategy and Services at the University of Sydney. He completed his PhD developing methods to model the inundation caused by tsunamis and storm surges and his current research focuses on modelling the interaction between ocean waves and sea ice. This interaction influences the annual growth and melt of sea ice, which is a key indicator and driver of the Earth’s climate.
Lisa Sarago is a Bundaburra Yidinji/Western Yalanji woman and CEO of Land on Heart – an organisation committed to promoting Indigenous voices in tech innovation by nurturing emerging tech talent and creating employment and economic opportunities for Indigenous communities.
Renee Wootton is a Tharawal woman, an aerospace engineer, pilot and leader. She is committed to decarbonising aviation and making the aerospace industry more sustainable and diverse. She is currently completing her Master of Research in Aerospace Engineering on the impact of sustainable aviation fuel on aircraft flight planning.
Associate Professor Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch is a Yowong-Illam-Baluk and Natarrak-Baluk man, belonging to the Taungurung people of Victoria’s North-East Kulin Nations. His research embodies a profound commitment to caring for Country and mitigating the environmental impact of waste, including repurposing such things as coffee grounds and used face masks, which could be used as strengtheners in concrete.
Taylah Griffin is a Gangalu woman who completed her Honours degree in Electrical and Aerospace Engineering at QUT in 2018. She is now a senior systems engineer at Boeing Defence Australia and is a strong advocate for Indigenous women in STEM.
Food science
Anastasia Vickers is a Ngadjuri woman undertaking a Bachelor of Advanced Science in Nutrition and Food Science at Western Sydney University. Growing up on Dharug and Gundungurra Country has shaped her ventures into weaving culture into every day. She is passionate about cooking, science, native ingredients, and connecting and contributing to First Nations students’ and entrepreneurs’ experiences in the native agricultural and food science industry.
Health
Dr Andrew Goodman, an Aboriginal man from Iningai Country in Central West of Queensland, spent more than 14 years as an Indigenous healthcare worker alongside rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the discipline of cardiac and healthcare services, before starting his PhD in 2019. His research at the University of Queensland focuses on using mobile health (mHealth) to manage hypertension in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare settings. Andrew is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Australian eHealth Research Centre (AEHRC), at CSIRO.
Dr Chris Bourke is a Gamillaroi man who lives in Canberra and leads CSIRO’s Indigenous Science & Engagement team as Program Director. Passionate about integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into scientific achievement, Chris brings experience from his background in Indigenous health policy and as a dentist. He also serves as Co-Chair of the AIATSIS Research Ethics Committee; Board Chair of the Australian Dental Council; and holds honorary academic positions at Macquarie and Melbourne universities. His diverse background includes a term as an ACT mp, which underscores his dedication to public service and transformative leadership in Indigenous science.
Dr Jaquelyne Hughes is a Torres Strait Islander woman (Wagadagam), a nephrologist (kidney specialist doctor), and clinician researcher at Flinders University in the Northern Territory. Her research program spans enquiry and discovery about the mechanisms of decline in kidney health; learning from the experience of health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and defining and testing innovations that promote kidney health. Indigenous sovereignty and Indigenous data governance are crucial to her program of work and driving positive health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Pharmacist Dr Jared Miles is a Yuwi man, and early-career researcher with interests from culturally safe and effective pharmacy practice through to new technologies for pharmaceutical development and delivery. Jared worked as a community pharmacist before undertaking a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, focusing on discovering new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease at the University of Queensland.
Joel Liddle is an Arrernte man completing his PhD at the University of Melbourne where his research focuses on bilingual and bicultural curriculums for young Arrernte people to promote positive identity and enhanced mental health.
Dr Justine Clarke is Adnyamathanha woman from South Australia and cancer researcher undertaking postdoctoral research within the Indigenous Genomics Team at Telethon Kids Institute in Perth. Her research aims to use precision medicine to reduce cancer health disparities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver is an Aboriginal Australian epidemiologist and researcher in Aboriginal health. In 2003 Lisa became the first known Aboriginal person to receive a PhD in medicine from the University of Sydney where she is now Deputy Vice Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Services.
Professor Ray Mahoney is a Bidjara man with family ties to Central West Queensland. Ray has worked on prevention programs to close the gap in health and wellbeing between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Ray established the Indigenous Health Research Team at CSIRO’s Health and Biosecurity eHealth Research Centre. This Indigenous-led research program has established an evidence base for technology in health care specific to the interests and needs of Indigenous people. Ray now leads research in CSIRO’s Indigenous Science and Engagement team, supporting Indigenous research and science codesign and delivery across the organisation.
Distinguished Professor Yin Paradies of Deakin University in Victoria researches the impact of race and racism on health outcomes. He’s currently involved in a number of projects, including culturally appropriate frameworks for Indigenous dental care and the improvement of adolescent emotional and social outcomes through cultural dance.
Indigenous knowledges
Alana Kennedy is a Kalkadoon, Eastern Arrernte and Waanyi woman. She is the Founder and CEO of Ochre Sun, a skincare company working to bring traditional knowledges to the global skincare industry.
Dr Cassandra Sedran-Price is a Muruwari/Gangugari woman and a Senior Research Manager in CSIRO’s Indigenous Science and Engagement Program. She is also an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the School of Social Science, University of Tasmania. Cas is internationally recognised for her work in Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Governance. With a PhD in quantitative Marine Science, Cas has made significant contributions across climate ecology, natural resource management, Indigenous health, and national data development.
Crystal Arnold is a Gundungurra woman of the Yuin nation in Southeast NSW completing her PhD at the University of Wollongong. Crystal’s research nurtures a relationship between Indigenous knowledges and more-than-human geographies. She has recently published on concepts of coexistence in invasive plant management and rewilding, as well as Indigenous wellness and identity through the environment.
Professor Daryle Rigney is a citizen of the Ngarrindjeri Nation and professor and director of the Indigenous Nations and Collaborative Futures Research hub in the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney. His recent research focuses on Indigenous Data Sovereignty, repatriation and the biopolitics of DNA, health and self-determination.
Associate Professor Linda Payi Ford is a Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu Traditional Aboriginal Owner from Kurrindju. She is a senior research fellow in the Northern Institute of Charles Darwin University and has led and participated in multi-disciplinary research projects spanning education, health, ethnomusicology, sciences, and Indigenous knowledges. Her Mirrwana and Wurrkama (2005) philosophy presents a guideline to enhance Indigenous knowledges in academic higher education.
Dr Malcolm Connolly, a Muruwari man from the Culgoa River region in northwest New South Wales, is a leading figure in Indigenous science research. The archaeologist and heritage management practitioner now focuses on bridging Indigenous knowledge and western science through strong networks at CSIRO. Malcolm’s research leverages new technologies and multidisciplinary methods, emphasising the importance of Indigenous perspectives in tackling climate change and other environmental challenges.
Linguistics and literature
Distinguished Professor Alexis Wright is a Waanyi writer best known for winning the Miles Franklin Award for her 2006 novel, Carpentaria. Her most recent release, Praiseworthy, earnt Wright her second Stella Prize. In addition to her literary career, she is a land rights activist and a distinguished research fellow at Western Sydney University researching Indigenous oral storytelling.
Tula Wynyard is a Burramadagal woman completing her PhD at the University of Melbourne focused on documenting Ritharrŋu-Wägilak, a language spoken in Arnhem Land. Her research practices and scholarship were recognised in 2023 when she was awarded the John Mulvaney Fellowship from the Australian Academy of the Humanities.
Philosophy and Psychology
Dr Olivia Evans is a Gomeroi woman and a post-doctoral research fellow at the Australian National University’s School of Medicine and Psychology. Her research focuses on inequality, social connectedness and mental health. In 2023 she was awarded an Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia Rechnitz Fund grant to study online racism toward First Nations Australians.
Dr Oscar Davis is a descendent of the Gamilaraay people and assistant professor in Philosophy and History at Bond University on the Gold Coast. Oscar is a philosopher interested in the intersection of evolutionary biology and moral philosophy.
Dr Vincent Backhaus is a Kalkadoon and Kiwai man, and a research fellow with The Cairns Institute at James Cook University. He is co-investigating the engagement of Reef Traditional Owners across the Great Barrier Reef and the ways Traditional Owners lead, inform and govern the management of the Crown of Thorns starfish. Vincent was the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to graduate with a PhD in Education and Psychology from the University of Cambridge in the UK.
Social and political science
Dr Belinda Jane (BJ) Newton is a Wiradjuri woman and a Scientia Senior Research Fellow based at the Social Policy Research Centre within the University of New South Wales Sydney. Her research focuses on working in partnership with Aboriginal organisations to build evidence and support Aboriginal families interfacing with child protection systems. Her current research ‘Bring them home, keep them home’ investigates the rates, outcomes and experiences of successful and sustainable restoration for Aboriginal children in out-of-home care.
Professor Dawn Bessarab is an Aboriginal woman of Bard and Yjindjarbandi descent. She is director of the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health at University of Western Australia and principal investigator on the Good Spirit Good Life Centre for Research Excellence in Indigenous Ageing. Dawn developed the framework on yarning as an Indigenous methodology, which is now widely applied across Australian and international communities.
Louisa Warren, a proud Torres Strait Islander woman from Badu Island, has over 20 years of experience in community engagement, strategy, and policy development. She has led social and economic development projects in Indigenous communities and is an experienced Reconciliation Action Plan Manager. As the Executive Manager of the Indigenous Engagement team at CSIRO, Louisa provides strategic advice on several Indigenous Advisory Panels. She recently won the ‘Indigenous Leader of the Year’ award at the Women in Digital Awards for her contribution to CSIRO’s Indigenous Jobs Map and played a key role in launching the organisation’s Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Principles.
Clarification: 15/07/24: At the request of representatives of people in this list but who are not in STEM fields, we have adjusted reference to the more accurate and useful “research leaders.”
You can read 2023’s list of 52 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people changing the world here.
