Researcher

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land and water management, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, language and history, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-based research, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and regional development, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community governance and decision making, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander political participation and representation

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Biography

I am the Research Coordinator of the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group in the School of Humanities and Languages at UNSW Sydney. As a first-generation settler of Filipina descent, my work is grounded in supporting Aboriginal landholders and communities in advancing land rights, land justice, and land-based governance in environmental and energy transitions.

I am currently part of a multi-partner research project led by Professor Heidi...view more

I am the Research Coordinator of the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group in the School of Humanities and Languages at UNSW Sydney. As a first-generation settler of Filipina descent, my work is grounded in supporting Aboriginal landholders and communities in advancing land rights, land justice, and land-based governance in environmental and energy transitions.

I am currently part of a multi-partner research project led by Professor Heidi Norman that places Aboriginal land rights at the centre of the renewable energy transition. Working alongside Local Aboriginal Land Councils across New South Wales, we map renewable energy potential on Aboriginal land and identify pathways for employment, enterprise, equity, and care for Country. In collaboration with GIS, renewable energy specialists and land councils, we have co-produced spatial tools and governance resources designed to strengthen Aboriginal decision-making and secure community-controlled benefits.

Previously, I worked on an Australian Research Council-funded project examining the social, economic, and governance impacts of Aboriginal land restitution in NSW. My broader interests include Indigenous governance, environmental history, political ecology, and climate justice.


My Grants


My Qualifications

BA (Honours I) History (USyd); BSc Psychology (USyd)


My Awards

  • 2018: Charles Trimby Burfitt Prize for the Study of Australian History Prior to 1900 

My Research Activities

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Location

Room 320, Level 3, Morven Brown Building

Videos

Led by Professor Heidi Norman, a descendant of the Gomeroi people, the Indigenous Land and Justice Research group at UNSW is enabling Aboriginal leadership in Australia’s clean energy transition. By co-developing research and policy with Aboriginal communities, the initiative supports community-led planning, increases First Nations ownership in renewable energy projects, and ensures that Aboriginal voices are central in national energy strategies. Their work has influenced federal and state energy policy, empowered Local Aboriginal Land Councils to explore renewable energy options, and catalysed a cross-disciplinary collaboration at UNSW. It represents a transformative model for decolonising sustainability research and advancing Indigenous rights in climate action.
From the 1960s and onwards, Tulladunna was home to Aboriginal cotton chippers and their families. In this short documentary, the community shares memories of living, working, and being together on country.

This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council and the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Hub at the University of Technology Sydney
Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group: Green Gown Awards Australasia finalists
Tulladunna