Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Bridget Campbell (2025-present) – Bridget has a joint Post Doc appointment including: 1. Curriculum design for the Garrthalala Bush Uni, run by the Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation, where she is working with Yolŋu colleagues to co-design on-Country cross-cultural Micro-credentials; and 2. Continuing her cross-cultural fauna research with the Yirralka Rangers. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bridget-Campbell

Project officer/PhD student

Nick Crameri (2021-present) – Nick is working on the ARCLP20 “Can tropical coastal floodplains survive ferals and rising seas” in collaboration with the Yirralka Rangers and several members of the School of Natural Sciences. He is focussing on assessing floodplain carbon, cultural ecosystem services and palaeoecology an is contributing to new proposed carbon market around removal feal ungulates from floodplains. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicholas-Crameri

Andrea Jaggi (2024-present) – Andrea has a joint appointment as Wuyagiba Bush Uni Project Officer and PhD student. She is conducting her PhD research into the “outcomes beyond the numbers” of the Wuyagiba Bush Uni of remote south east Arnhem Land. She is collaborating closely with the Bush Uni professors Dr helen Rogers, Godfrey Blitner and Annette Daniels to understand the interests and aspirations of remote Arnhem land students, gain feedback from students and stakeholders and document the High Education vision of remote Arnhem Land communities. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrea-Jaggi

Research officer

Tahlia Robinson (2024-present) – Tahlia is working to uncover the story of Sydney’s native edible root species with other Aboriginal knowledge holders through interviews, historical reviews and glasshouse germination and growth trials.

PhD students (past and present)

Challis Pulotu (2024-present) – Hailing from Papua New Guinea, Challis is working with the Yuwaalaraay mob at Narran lakes Nature Reserve to understand the impacts of cultural burning on biocultural values and potential natural capital accounting outputs. he is also co-producing a fire and seasons calendar with the Yuwaalaraay Joint Management Committee (JMC). Challis is co-supervised by Dr Michael Chang (MQU ), Dr Eren Turak (NSW DCCEEW) and Aunty Brenda McBride, Rhonda Ashby and Jason Wilson from the Narran Lakes Nature Reserve JMC. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Challis-Pulotu-3

Renee Cawthorne (2024-present) – Wiradyuri woman Renee is a Macquarie University Indigenous Research Fellowship Holder conducting her PhD research on Macquarie University’s first Indigenous Science unit that she also developed and convenes. She also works with Indigeous Junior Rangers and collaborates widely to advance Indigenous science https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Renee-Cawthorne 

Gabrielle Brennan (2023-present) – Gabby is conducting collaborative cross-cultural research on the impacts of cultural fire on culturally important animals and plants. She works closely with the Dharug Women and Allies Cultural Fire Alliance, exploring the impacts of the first Dharug fire at Browns Waterhole (Lane Cove NP, Sydney) since colonisation. With the Yolŋu Yirralka Rangers she is studying the impacts of fire on wan’kurra, northern brown bandicoot in the Laynhapuy IPA (NT). She is supervised by Dr Jo Rey (MQU and Dr Michael Chang (MQU).  https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Gabrielle-Brennan-2293858441

Dr Shaina Russell (2016-2020) – Shaina conducted collaborative research with the TNC funded Ngukurr Yangbala Grup (Young people’s group) to study the microbial contamination and human health impacts of feral ungulates (buffalo and pig) on freshwater systems of the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area. Shaina was co-supervised by Prof Michelle Power (MQU). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shaina_Russell

Dr Michelle McKemey (2017-2021) – Michelle studied cross-cultural fire management on the New England Tablelands with the Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area (Banbai Rangers) and adjoining Warra National Park, as well as in Arnhem Land with the Yugul Mangi Rangers. She was based at the University of New England and was also supervised by: Prof Nick Reid (UNE), Dr Mal Ridges (OEH/UNE), Dr John Hunter and Oliver Costello. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michelle_Mckemey

Daniel Sloane (2018-2024) – Daniel collaborated with the Yirralka Rangers of the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area in north east Arnhem Land to investigate the drivers of coastal floodplain forest change. He used mixed methods including ecology, remote sensing and cultural knowledge to better understand the effects of feral ungulates and sea level rise on coastal vegetation and soils and what this means for local Indigenous people. Daniel was co-supervised by Prof Neil Saintilan (MQU)  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel_Sloane

Patrick Cooke (2019-2023) – Gangalida man Patrick Cooke completed his Masters of Philosophy researching Indigenous knowledge of Bunya Pine in Cape York and southeast Queensland/northern NSW and developing biocultural protocols for ecological research. He was co-supervised by Dr Michael Chang, (MQU), Gerry Turpin (JCU) and Darren Crayn (JCU). https://theconversation.com/profiles/patrick-cooke-1542519

Dr Monica Fahey (2019-2023) – Monica completed her PhD research on the genetics an biocultural conservation of prehistoric rainforest tree dispersal in conjunction with Patrick Cooke (above). She was co-supervised by Dr Maurizio Rossetto (Principal Scientist, Sydney Botanic Gardens and Herbarium) and Prof Ronika Power (MQ). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Monica-Fahey-2

Bridget Campbell (2021-2024) – Bridget did her PhD research with the Yirralka Rangers of north east Arnhem Land and explored the biocultural conservation of “walking animals” (mammals and reptiles). She conducted multidisciplinary research including ecology, genetics, linguistics and anthropology to better understand ho Western science and Yolŋu knowledge could be combine to enhance fauna conservation. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bridget-Campbell

Masters (Research)/Honours students (past and present):

Savana Carroll (2025). Masters thesis – Aboriginal cultural use and population genetics of Dioscorea transversa: Setting the stage for biocultural restoration.

Oscar Jones (2023). Masters thesis – Carbon and corms: Assessing the threats to Gurrumuru floodplain, northern Australia.

Ilona Papp (2022-2023). Masters thesis – Ngalingali Koorie (Petrogale purpureicollis): Diet, habitat, threats, management and Yalarrnga Indigenous knowledge.

Renee Cawthorne (Indigenous Masters, 2022) Thesis: Indigenising the Australian University Science Curriculum.

Gabrielle Brennan (2022, CDU Honours). Honours thesis: Indigenous Women’s Knowledge of Fire in Central Arnhem Land.

Bridget Campbell (2020) Masters thesis: Mapping Indigenous and Western knowledge of declining small mammal species in the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area, remote northern Australia.

Sabina Rysnik-Steck (2020). Masters thesis: Developing a risk and priority profile for Aboriginal cultural sites on the foreshore on Sydney Harbour in relation to sea level rise and boat activity.

Kataya Barrett (Indigenous Masters, 2020). Thesis: Cross Cultural Approach to Coastal and Marine Protected Area Design in south-eastern New South Wales.

Rukshana Sultana (2019) Masters thesis: Indigenous Eco-Cultural Knowledge of Freshwater Turtles in South East Arnhem Land, Australia.

Daniel Sloane (2017) Masters thesis: An eco-cultural investigation of Melaleuca spp. dieback in north east Arnhem land, Australia. 

Previous Lab members

Ben Kitchener – Indigenous Research Assistant (previously Indigenous cadet) working on the east Arnhem Land cross-cultural biodiversity project (Citizen Science Grant)

Budjarn Lambeth – Indigenous cadet working on databases and GIS mapping across a range of Lab projects.