Indigenous Knowledge Institute

The Indigenous Knowledge Institute is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2020 seed funding round. It was a competitive process with 23 total applications received. Five projects were chosen, representing a broad range of Indigenous knowledge research topics and disciplines, from food and medicinal plant use to water law, astronomy, and dance.

Congratulations to the Indigenous Knowledge Institute Director of Research Capability, Associate-Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher and his team on receiving a prestigious ARC grant under the Discovery Indigenous Scheme. This is a remarkable achievement and well done to everyone involved. Summary of the project funded follow.

The Indigenous Knowledge Institute and the University Library Team in Student and Scholarly Services are pleased to launch the Indigenous Knowledges Research Library Guide. The guide provides an introduction to Indigenous knowledge research covering topics such as ethical engagement with Indigenous communities, how to handle Indigenous research data, and how to cite Indigenous knowledge holders in research.

Institute Manager, Aurora Milroy, recently joined the Drum to discuss the 2019-2020 bushfire season and recovery efforts in Australia. When asked about what people could learn from Indigenous people when it comes to bushfire management, Aurora spoke on the role of cultural burning in bushfire prevention:

Recently the Institute Director Professor Aaron Corn and Associate Provost Professor Marcia Langton spoke on the panel Objects, archives and their stories: unsettling colonial certainties at the Anthropology and Geography: Dialogues Past, Present and Future Online Conference.

The Indigenous Knowledge Institute congratulates the University of Melbourne's Professor Barry Judd (Director, Australian Indigenous Studies, Faculty of Arts), Dr Juliana Prpic (Indigenous Engineering Education Specialist) and Professor Marcia Langton AO (Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies and Associate Provost) on receiving a highly competitive ARC grants under the Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture 2020 scheme. This is an extraordinary achievement that attests to the outstanding calibre of their research teams and Indigenous partners. Well done to everyone involved. Summaries of the projects funded follow.

The Indigenous Knowledge Institute welcomes Associate-Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher as Director of Research Capability. Michael is a Wiradjuri man and currently the Assistant Dean (Indigenous) in the Faculty of Science and an academic with the School of Geography at the University of Melbourne.

On Thursday, 29 October 2020, join us online for the annual Hugh Williamson Lecture, presented by Science Gallery Melbourne in collaboration with Indigenous Knowledge Institute

Up to $20,000 available per project for University of Melbourne researchers to seed Indigenous knowledge research.

The Indigenous Knowledge Institute at the University of Melbourne is seeking expressions of interest from Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars who wish to undertake a PhD on a topic related to Indigenous knowledges.

Indigenous author and advocate Bruce Pascoe has joined the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences as Enterprise Professor in Indigenous Agriculture. The role has been designed to build knowledge and understanding of Indigenous agriculture and to grow engagement and research activities in this area.

Experienced educator and leading scholar of Indigenous music Professor Aaron Corn has been appointed the inaugural Director of the University of Melbourne’s new Indigenous Knowledge Institute for world-leading research and partnerships concerning Indigenous knowledge.

The Indigenous Knowledge Institute in partnership with the Melbourne Social Equity Institute is offering up to two fellowships for Indigenous applicants working at community organisations and looking to undertake a small research project with academic training and mentorship from the University of Melbourne.

Professor Marcia Langton AO, Associate Provost, and Aurora Milroy, Institute Manager at the Indigenous Knowledge Institute appeared on ABC TV's The Drum in June to discuss cultural heritage protections and repatriation.

Learn more about undertaking Indigenous knowledge research via the Library's 23 Research Things.

Last week Péta Phelan, Alumni Development Manager at the Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health sat down with the Indigenous Knowledge Institute’s Manager, Aurora Milroy.

As University of Melbourne students and staff continue to work from home all over the country, and in fact the world, acknowledging the traditional owners upon whose land we live, work and play is more important than ever. But how do we acknowledge Country in the digital realm?

Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) Professor Shaun Ewen and Associate Dean (Indigenous) Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Professor Sandra Eades reflect on their experiences at the University.

After moving from the US to study in Australia, astrophysicist Associate Professor Duane Hamacher now works to increase Indigenous representation in the astronomical and space sciences.

A university’s core role is knowledge creation, but Australian universities are still missing out on genuine two-way learning with local Indigenous knowledge.

The University of Melbourne has announced that it will invest at least $6 million to launch an Indigenous Knowledge Institute for world-leading Aboriginal knowledge, research and education.

A group of researchers from the University of Melbourne recently took the opportunity to call for greater investment in Indigenous land management and cultural burning practices.