Workshop: Ancient rocks, ancient culture, and you
How can the Australian geoscience research community be more inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in designing, undertaking, and reflecting on Australian geoscientific programs for mutual and environmental benefit? Join us on Zoom for an Indigenous-led workshop on Friday 17 September to explore this and many other questions together so that we can be and do better together!
Overview
This workshop, hosted on Zoom, invites you to learn about initiatives and requirements to support inclusive and cross-cultural outcomes in Australian geoscientific programs. Together, we will consider examples of successful cross-cultural engagements and discuss best practice engagement for working together on traditional lands in the city and the field. We will also explore ways that we can each enact meaningful allyship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This workshop will be led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in Australian science and geoscience and supported by a small team of scientists from AuScope, CSIRO – Mineral Resources and Geoscience Australia. It forms part of the Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference (AEGC 2021) program, however excitingly, it is open for both elegates and non-delegates to attend.
Please visit the AEGC 2021 website to purchase your tickets and if you require financial assistance to attend this workshop, please get in touch with our workshop organising committee.
Speakers
We are excited to announce our speakers for this workshop: Ashby Cooper, Torres Webb, Emma Woodward, Florence Drummond, Tim Munday and Dr Chris Bourke. Ashby will be facilitating the workshop, and Torres and Emma will share new key actions from Our Knowledge, Our Way Guidelines. Next, Ashby and Tim will share their experiences of working on country with Indigenous communities across Australia, Florence will lead an engagement strategies session, and to close, Chris will discuss ways to create employment opportunities for Indigenous people. Please read on below to learn about these amazing speakers.
Introducing our workshop speakers, from clockwise: Ashby Cooper (Odyssey Geophysics), Torres Webb (CSIRO, Dr Emma Woodward (CSIRO), Florence Drummond (IWIMRA), Dr Tim Munday (CSIRO) and Dr Chris Bourke (CSIRO).
Ashby
Ashby is the founder of Odyssey Geophysics, an innovative company specialising in passive seismology. Ashby is a proud indigenous Tasmanian. His deep sense of connection to the land inspired him to explore the natural world from an early age. Bushwalking, rock climbing and collecting rocks have been essential activities throughout his life. Like all Indigenous people, past and present, Ashby is curious about how the natural world works. It is this curiosity that drives him to explore the unknown in his professional and personal life.
Torres
Torres is a proud Far North Queenslander and Indigenous man from the Torres Strait (Erub, Darnley Island). Torres brings a wide-range of international and national science advocacy and leadership experience. He has worked with the following high profile organisations: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO); Oxfam International; Climate Reality Leaders Corps; Client Earth; Asia-Pacific Indigenous Youth Network; Firesticks Alliance; SEED Mob; and, Indigibee.
Torres’ vision for Indigenous science advocacy and leadership is focussed on “what’s strong rather than what’s wrong”. He brings this strengths-based approach by infusing his outstanding communication skills with his passion for supporting the improved achievement, wellbeing and life-chances of First Nations communities across the country. Torres has always seen science as a tool to support reconciliation by foregrounding the deep Indigenous science knowledges and wisdoms of Australia’s first peoples, honed over millennia, with the wider Australian community. Torres currently works with the CSIRO Office of Indigenous Engagement Team as a Cultural Capability Advisor.
Emma
Dr Emma Woodward is a Research Scientist and leader in co-design who brings together different knowledge systems and types to deliver collaborative solutions to land and sea management at regional and national scales. Based with CSIRO Land & Water in Perth, Australia, Emma’s research frequently involves partnering with Australian Indigenous communities to co-develop methods, tools, protocols and guidelines that can facilitate understanding and inclusion of diverse knowledges, values and interests in natural resource planning and management and enterprise development.
Tim
Tim Munday has more than twenty years’ experience in the application of airborne geophysical methods; notably airborne electromagnetics for groundwater and aquifer characterisation, ecosystem function, surface water – groundwater interactions and environmental applications. In this context he has worked with indigenous communities and supporting Government agencies in The NT and South Australia in developing an enhanced understanding of critical water supplies in remote parts of The country. He is currently the Research Director of CSIRO’s Deep Earth Imaging Future Science Platform.
Florence
Florence Drummond is the Co-Founder and CEO of IWIMRA (Indigenous Women in Mining and Resources Australia), a group creating a stronger connection amongst Indigenous women in Australia’s mining and resource sector since 2017. With grassroots beginnings, the network has reached Indigenous stakeholders to the mining and resources industry around the globe. It is now progressing towards best practice conversations led by the members of this growing community. IWIMRA commits to continually growing the capacity for greater participation and striving towards sustainable and meaningful outcomes.
Chris
Dr Chris Bourke leads CSIRO’s new Indigenous Science and Engagement program that is focussed on equitable partnerships and transformational change through tackling national challenges prioritised by Indigenous Australia. Chris is a Gamillaroi man and Australia’s first Indigenous dentist. In an extensive career he has held clinical positions in the private and public sector including his own private dental practice, Aboriginal Medical Services, public hospitals and state/territory health departments. In his recent role with the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association he led their work on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, aged care, rural health and oral health. From 2011 to 2016, Chris was a Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly, with various ministerial portfolios.
Chris has postgraduate diplomas in Public Health and Clinical Dentistry (Oral Implants) and an MBA. He is an Honorary Professor at Macquarie University, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at Melbourne University, Adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University and a Fellow of the International College of Dentistry. Chris is a board member of the Australian Dental Council and co-chairs the ACT Reconciliation Council.
Access
This workshop will be run on Zoom teleconferencing software. It will include live and pre-recorded segments, however it will not be recorded in its entirety on the day, and some pre-recorded elements will not be available later. So please make sure that you have a good quality internet connection in place on the day to capture all valuable information and insights!
WORKSHOP SIGN UP
Please visit the AEGC 2021 workshops
web page to purchase your tickets:
PRESENTED BY
Confirmed speakers for this workshop include Ashby Cooper (Odyssey Geophysics), Florence Drummond (IWIMRA) and Dr Chris Bourke
(CSIRO – Indigenous Engagement).
ENABLED & DESIGNED BY
This event is enabled by AuScope,
CSIRO – Mineral Resources and Geoscience Australia.
This workshop has been co-designed
by speakers and organisers for AEGC 2021’s research and applied geoscience audience. Organisers include Jo Condon and Dr Tim Rawling (AuScope); Marina Costelloe, Yvette PoudjomDjomani, Rebecca Mouthan and Dr Rachel Przeslawski (GA); Dr Jessica Stromberg and Dr Sandi Occhipinti (CSIRO); and Verity Normington (GSA).
