Be brave, help us make change in Australian geoscience
Image: Reconciliation Australia
This year for National Reconciliation Week (NRW), Reconciliation Australia invite all Australians to ‘be brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can make change for the benefit of all Australians’. We invite the national geoscience community to join us in responding to this important request now and into the future.
Background
In 2021, Geoscience Indigenous Collaboration and Engagement group ‘GICE’ was formed to help support the Australian geoscience community to be more inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in geoscientific programs. The group was initially formed through AuScope, Australia’s national geoscience research infrastructure provider, CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and Geoscience Australia, Australia’s national public sector geoscience organisation. These commonwealth agencies recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ deep connection to the land, sea and skies and as Australia’s first geoscientists.
The first event supported by GICE was an Indigenous-led workshop called Ancient Rocks, Ancient Culture and You at the Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference in September 2021. This workshop was possibly the first of its kind in Australia and ignited a sense of personal and collective agency amongst the 70 participants in creating ongoing conversation towards making deep changes. We invite you to read the reflection.
2022
In continuing the 2021 momentum, GICE is now preparing to form a Specialist Group of the Geological Society of Australia (GSA) as a values-aligned organisation that will enable GICE to deepen links and relationships across Australia’s geoscience community. GSA will provide a sustainable administration for ongoing activities that are positively impactful for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australian geoscience. Currently, the GICE committee is made up of scientists from CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and AuScope, including two Indigenous members who guide the committee in their decision making ensuring cultural sensitivities are considered at all times.
Torres Webb, a member of GICE recently reminded us that:
“Partnerships that enable the building of respect and appreciation for Indigenous knowledge are desired – particularly where they support an Indigenous voice in decision-making processes that affect us.
Respect for Indigenous knowledge, culture and Country are critical for the development of trust and relationship-building, which underpin strong partnerships.”
Upcoming Workshops
This year GICE will hold another workshop for the Australian geoscience community that is by GICE and you! How can we support your learning and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures? What would help you in your day-to-day job to make your work or your workplace more inclusive? What would you simply like to learn more about?
Please fill in this short survey to let GICE know:
GICE recognises this is an important time of the calendar year for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, with National Reconciliation Week (27 May – 3 June 2022) and NAIDOC Week (3 – 10 July 2022). These events invite all Australians to explore individual steps toward reconciliation in Australia, and to celebrate the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth, respectively. GICE plans to focus on supporting these events in the coming years. Reconciliation week sought to encourage us to ‘Be Brave Make Change’, through GICE by becoming part of GSA we plan to achieve that, with you. Please consider joining us on this journey.
CONTRIBUTE
Let us know what you would like to learn about at the next GICE led Indigenous Engagement workshop in late 2022 in this short survey. Thank you in advance for contributing — we will keep you posted!
AUTHORS
Dr Sandi Occhipinti (CSIRO),
Torres Web (CSIRO), Jo Condon (AuScope), Dr Verity Normington, (Geoscience Australia), Dr Jessica Stromberg (CSIRO), Ashby Cooper (Odyssey Geophysics) Marina Costelloe (Geoscience Australia) and Dr Yvette Poudjom Djomani (Geoscience Australia) and Dr Tim Rawling (AuScope)
FURTHER READING
Take an NRW 2022 action,
download the NRW 2022 email signature, and download other
NRW 2022 digital artwork