Aboriginal researchers achieve milestone
The first Capacity Building Grant comprising solely of Indigenous researchers has been completed successfully, generating a wide range of research and skills to improve the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and their families.
The five year grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) was awarded in 2004 after an application spearheaded by Perth's The Kids for Child Health Research, along with Curtin University of Technology, the University of Western Australia and the Combined Universities Centre for Rural Health.
In that period, the ten Aboriginal researchers have contributed to:
- 14 substantial reports
- 9 books/or chapters in books
- 35 journal publications
- 35 presentations at international conferences
- 34 presentations at national conferences
- and 48 competitive grants.
Five have enrolled in PhDs, two have been completed, one with distinction. Two researchers have been awarded prestigious NHMRC post-doctoral fellowships.
Institute Director Professor Fiona Stanley said the Indigenous Capacity Building Grant had not only produced excellent research, but excellent Aboriginal researchers.
"I am extremely proud of this group of outstanding Aboriginal researchers who have made such a commitment to the successful completion of this project," Professor Stanley said.
"While each of the specific research projects has great value, this grant has truly built capacity amongst Aboriginal people to conduct their own research into the issues that are of most importance to them."
The research undertaken as part of the grant covered a broad range of topics including mental health, self-esteem, gender issues, substance abuse, bullying, juvenile justice, primary health care, human rights and transition zones for young Nyungar males. The researchers developed diverse Indigenous methodologies.
The Aboriginal researchers also hosted a National Roundtable on Research on Racism toward Indigenous Australians which led to a united Declaration and a submission to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
Grant leader Associate Professor Deborah Lehmann said the Aboriginal researchers had also taught a lot to their non-Aboriginal colleagues.
"There is now a critical mass of outstanding Aboriginal researchers who will be able to work directly to improve the lives of their people, and who will be able to train other Aboriginal people in the future, " Associate Professor Lehmann said.
The Aboriginal researchers who participated in the grant come from WA, QLD and the NT. They are:
- Associate Professor Dawn Bessarab
- Associate Professor Juli Coffin
- Dr Janet Hammill
- Jocelyn Jones
- Associate Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker
- Daniel McAullay
- Associate Professor Ted Wilkes
- Dr Michael Wright
- Professor Helen Milroy
- Associate Professor Ngiare Brown.
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