Congratulations Jamie Graham-Blair – University of Tasmania, Tasmania
The Indigenous STEM Awards recognise the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander STEM professionals and students as well as schools, teachers and mentors working in Indigenous STEM Education.
Jamie Graham-Blair is a Trawlwoolway Pakana man from the North-East of lutruwita (Tasmania). He is soon to graduate from the University of Tasmania as a Marine and Antarctic Scientist. Jamie studies and works from within the cultural interface of pakana and Western science and is committed to protecting and healing Country using both knowledge systems. Working with NITA Education, he teaches at hundreds of Tasmanian schools a year, sharing pakana philosophies of sustainability, science, technology and practical connections to country. In 2018, Jamie won a place on the Indigenous Cultural and Educational Exchange program sponsored by the UTAS Office of the Pro Vice Chancellor, Aboriginal Research and Leadership. He joined other higher achieving Indigenous students on a study tour of North America and its Tribal Nations sharing cultural connections and knowledge along the way. He has represented his community at cultural events such as Dance Rites at the Sydney Opera House and the National Indigenous Fire Workshop.
Jamie firmly believes that the knowledge and science of his old people has the capacity to bring great healing to the world, particularly in the fight for climate justice. For the past two years he has been learning, sharing and teaching practical knowledge on the job, focussing on climate, technology, engineering and material sciences from an Aboriginal perspective. He has been involved with many Fire Ecology and traditional burning projects. He is State Coordinator and local Nipaluna/Hobart volunteer for Seed Mob where he runs workshops on climate proofing country using traditional land management practices. His efforts have recently been recognised on a national scale after being invited to join the steering committee for the National First People’s Gathering on Climate Change in Cairns to advocate for climate action, healthy country and healthy communities.
Read about all the winners of the CSIRO Indigenous STEM Awards.
Words and image via CSIRO.