Notre Dame’s Indigenous Community Liaison Officer receives research fellowship

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Indigenous Visiting Research Fellowship has been awarded to Mr Joe Edgar, Indigenous Community Liaison Officer for The University Notre Dame Australia’s Broome Campus and the Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies. Mr Edgar was recently granted a three month Indigenous Visiting Research Fellowship with AIATSIS in Canberra. The application for the fellowship came with support and reference from Dr Patrick Sullivan, Visiting Research Fellow in AIATSIS and Mr Steve Kinnane, from the Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies. AIATSIS is Australia’s premier national institution for Australian Indigenous studies, having responsibility for a broad research program, managing world class collections of cultural and research material and publishing a range of material through its publishing arm, Aboriginal Studies Press. In 2008, AIATSIS, in partnership with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, announced a new initiative to support Indigenous researchers. An Indigenous Researcher’s Fund has been established to support a range of opportunities for Indigenous researchers to visit for short periods in order to further their research or to engage with current public policy debates. This prestigious national research program will allow Research Fellows and Scholars to undertake research in their fields of interest and, where appropriate, work with relevant government departments to discuss policy and practice. As part of his professional development Mr Edgar hopes to further develop his skills and knowledge of research ethics and field research, and to develop high quality research practices which should benefit the Broome Campus’ School of Arts and Science and the Nulungu Centre. Vice Chancellor, Professor Celia Hammond said that this was recognition of his potential. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Joe and will be very valuable to the increasing research being undertaken by our staff at the Nulungu Centre.” Mr Edgar’s research topic will focus on Native Title (Prescribe Body Corporate) processes and on issues of governance within Aboriginal communities and organisations. He will be in Canberra between February and April, 2009. Media contact: Lyn Quince, 08 9192 060