As part of National Science Week celebrations, five hubs in the National Environmental Science Program came together in August to host Indigenous Science Conversations at Questacon in Canberra. It was wonderful to hear the inspiring First Nations speakers share their lived experience of the place of First Peoples in science, with a heartwarming Welcome to Country provided by Ngunnawal Elder Aunty Violet Sheridan. CAUL Hub’s Cathy Oke and Maddi Miller curated these events and NITV was the media partner.
Led by MC extraordinaire Benny Wilson the panels included Brad Moggridge, Maddi Miller, David Hudson, Duane Fraser, Taleah Watego-Piggott and Luke Briscoe. Over two sessions the speakers informed, encouraged and amused the audience by sharing heartfelt stories of their journeys and the obstacles faced by First Peoples in the way the business of science has been done in Australia.
Following a short Q&A session with the panellists, there was an opportunity for the audience to write questions on cards for follow up after the events. We received over 30 questions and are currently working our way through these. Find responses that CAUL Hub’s Indigenous Knowledge Broker has provided here.