Reimagining Community Engaged Research and Practice: Dialogues Between Early Career Researchers and Community Practitioners

Organised by The Powerful Stories Network (PSN)

This event is supported by an EMCR Training Grant from the Researcher Development Unit in the Research Portfolio and, co-sponsored by the Past and Present Research Cluster at the Vere Gordon Childe Centre for the Study of Humanity Through Time

MONDAY OCT 27th

Location - F23.01.105.Michael Spence Building. Auditorium (2) 105, University of Sydney, Camperdown

Lunch and coffee/tea included.

Organisers: Niro Kandasamy, Supriya Subramani and Michael McDonnell

Limited spaces, please register soon. First come basis.

REGISTRATION link: https://forms.gle/98eXeTkcxKFcvBdM8

Credit: Jess Torre on Unsplash

PROGRAM

10:15-10:30 AM: WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION

SESSION 1

10:30-12:00 PM

The Significance of ‘I’ and ‘We’: In Community Led and Engaged Research

and Practice

AMY DAVIDSON

Amy Davidson is a proud Wiradjuri woman who is also of mixed European

heritage. Following her undergraduate degree in 2019 in Government &

International Relations and Indigenous studies, Amy undertook a Master of

Education (by Research) at the University of Sydney on ‘What is Aboriginal

Community-Led Research?’ supervised by Associate Professor Lynette Riley

and Professor Valerie Harwood, and is now completing her PhD on the same

subject while also working with an international team on Historical

Incarceration of Aboriginal peoples. In all her work, Amy is eager to

continue working with communities to improve the outcomes of Aboriginal

research by shifting power to the community in the research process whilst

keeping cultural knowledges safe. Amy’s research interests include

Aboriginal Community-Led research, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

recognition, rights, Indigenous cultural and Intellectual cultural property,

social and emotional wellbeing - and the relationships between Aboriginal

communities and Aboriginal public policy making.

VEK LEWIS

Vek Lewis is a trans academic, writer, translator, and poet of Anglo-Indian heritage. She is

Senior Lecturer in Latin American Studies at the University of Sydney and managing editor

of Journal of Iberian and Latin American Research. Her work bridges Latin American

Studies, trans and queer theory, diasporic/migrant, and decolonial epistemologies,

centering lived experience and community knowledge. A peer support worker with SAMSN

(Survivors and Mates Support Network), Lewis is author of Crossing Sex and Gender in

Latin America (2010) and has featured in multiple journals and books. Her research

foregrounds grassroots activism and global South epistemologies, using community-engaged methods such as migrant health research and life history testimony to address

systemic violence against trans women. Her creative practice explores archive, myth, and trauma through poetry and prose, including Loop Vertigo, Stone Bitter Stories, and the novella Chiaroscuro. In this workshop, she will reflect, with others, on community-based research, particularly Participatory Learning for Action, and its intersections with narrative and poetic production.

SESSION 2

1:00-3.00 PM

Conserving heritage in stone project – sharing experiences on designing collaborative two-way research partnerships

Session description:

Recently a team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists and cultural heritage professionals came together, funded by an ARC Discovery Grant (DP250100663), to develop a research project that aims to develop an innovative approach to rock art conservation. The project aims to integrating Indigenous knowledge into decision-making processes, while pioneering the use of new femtosecond (fs) robotic controlled lasers for cleaning stones without causing surface damage. In this panel session the project researchers comprised of university-based researchers, Kakadu National Parks Cultural Heritage Team and Traditional Owners will describe how they developed the project. The conversation will describe our experiences on this project to date: what processes were undertaken in the design of the project and the history of relationships that enabled project co-design; methodologies adopted in the co-design process building upon a platform of trust and reciprocity; how we have embedded strong Indigenous governance into the project and will describe the ways to build in real world benefits into research. This panel discussion will be of interest to EMCR researchers who are interested in working with Australian Indigenous communities and who are interested in community based participatory research practices.  

TRISTEN JONES

Tristen Jones is a lecturer in the Master of Museum and Heritage Studies program.

Her main research interests are Australian Indigenous archaeology and heritage,

with a focus on rock art, cultural landscapes, material culture and museum

collections. Recently, Tristen has worked on developing Indigenous led research,

knowledge sharing and teaching partnerships in tertiary education with Australian

Indigenous communities as part of the ANUs Indigenous Health and Wellbeing

Grand Challenge. Her most recent research has focused on how Australian

Indigenous and Pacific material culture collections can transform disciplinary

histories, in particular how the materiality and agency of objects and their

relevance to contemporary Indigenous communities can shed new light on the

hidden histories of museum collections.

ALISON WAIN

Alison Wain trained as an archaeological conservator before discovering a

passion for large technology conservation. She worked on the development of

the Scienceworks campus of Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, moved to

Canberra to head up the Large Technology Workshop and Small Objects

laboratory at the Australian War Memorial, and undertook a PhD exploring the

ways in which people value, use and care for large technology heritage. She is

now Assistant Professor and Discipline Lead in Cultural Heritage at the University

of Canberra teaching materials conservation and heritage practice. Her

research is focused on the challenges of preserving and interpreting engineering,

industrial and science heritage, and in particular on the importance of

recognising the intangible heritage of culture, skills and changeability connected

with and embodied in machinery heritage.

MELISSA MARSHALL

Melissa Marshall is the Director of the Nulungu Research Institute whilst simultaneously

holding a UNDA Industry-linked ECR Fellowship. As part of her post-doctoral research

she investigates the collaborative management and conservation of rock art sites

within the context of cultural landscapes through decolonised frameworks and

Indigenous worldviews. An archaeologist and GIS technician based on the Broome

Campus, Mel has lived and worked in the Kimberley region for two decades. With her

work broadly framed by Decolonising and Indigenous Methodologies, she specialises

in rock art research, conservation and cultural heritage management. Working

extensively across northern Australia for more than 20 years with Traditional Owners

and Indigenous ranger teams, she has developed strong reciprocal relationships with

community that has included the capacity building of community-based researchers

through alternate pathways.

ETHAN WILLIAMS

Proud Wiradjuri, Wangaaypuwan, Bangerang, and Paakantyi First Nations man with

over 15 years of experience working alongside First Nations communities to conserve

and protect their deep and rich culture, heritage and Country. My work has spanned

the repatriation of ancestors and cultural items, the stewardship of Country, and the

preservation of cultural landscapes and significant places. Through my experience, I

have developed a deep understanding of the importance of safeguarding physical

and tangible culture alongside the stories, traditions, practices and connections that

define culture and is embedded in Country. I am passionate about ensuring that this

strong culture, heritage and knowledge is passed down to future generations in ways

that honour both the past and the present and provides a platform for the future.

Connie Nayinggul is a Maniligarr Traditional Owner whose Country straddles both Arnhem Land side of the East Alligator River and of course into Kakadu. She’s living at Mikginj Valley in Arnhem Land and works in the East Alligator District as a Daluk Womens Ranger Co-ordinator. Connie is also the deputy chairperson of the Kakadu National Park Board of Management.

Joe Markham who is a Bolmo Traditional Owner from Jawoyn Country and the Chief Ranger for the most southerly district in the park, known as Igoymarrwa and taking in predominantly Jawoyn Country. Joe is passionate and holds knowledge for cultural protocols and places in Jawoyn including sickness Country.

Natasha Nadji is a proud Bunitj Traditional Owner whose Country stretches across the north east of Kakadu National Park. Tash is passionate about teaching younger generations about culture and law and working to protect and promote the living heritage of Kakadu. Tash started her journey as a young Ranger and is now a strong advocate for Bininj and Mungguy voices in decision-making and for the recognition of cultural knowledge, language and identity as central to caring for Country.

Jeffrey Lee, a Traditional Owner of the Djok clan and a long-time Ranger based in the Jim Jim District of Kakadu. Jeff is known for his leadership and unwavering advocacy in protecting his Country and cultural heritage from uranium mining at Koongarra, a powerful area rich with rock art and cultural significance. Jeffs commitment to caring for Country, led him to take his message all the way to UNESCO where he called for Koongarra to be incorporated back into Kakadu National Park to ensure its protection for future generations. 

Britt Garnarradj who is a Daluk Women’s Ranger on the East Alligator District and daughter to Alfred Naiyunggul, senior Traditional Owner of the Maniligarr Clan. Britt has been out on Country with her family since she was young, working to support her family in protecting culture and Country in the east of Kakadu and into Arnhem Land.

Joelene Paterson is a Ulbu Bunitj descendant who’s started her career as a junior Ranger in Kakadu and has risen to progress to the Assistant Manager of Kakadu National Park. Joelene is passionate about, supporting Traditional Owners and the Cultural Heritage Team to care for Country and cultural places across the park, helping to elevate culture’s importance and amplifying Bininj Mungguy voices in the practical application of a jointly managed National Park.

Mandy Muir is a Murrumburr Traditional Owner from the middle of Kakadu and long-time advocate for Bininj and Mungguy culture. She’s been involved in education, interpretation, and cultural tourism for many years and continues to play a key role in sharing local stories and knowledge across Kakadu and caring deeply for culture.

Anay Franey is a Ulbu Bunitj descendant from the Kakadu region, who has started her career with Kakadu National Park as a trainee ranger, working to gain skills and knowledge in caring for Country and culture.

Mathew Rawlinson Jr is a young Murrumburr Man from the Kakadu region, who has started his career with Kakadu National Park as a trainee ranger, working to protect his Country and culture. 

SESSION 3

3.30-5.00PM

Creative Compass: Learning Community

Practitioners’ Perspectives and

Challenges

GHASAN SAAID

Ghasan Saaid is a Sydney-based contemporary visual artist, curator, and community

arts developer dedicated to supporting refugees and migrants in Australia. His work

blends creative expression with advocacy, fostering inclusive spaces that celebrate

cultural diversity and promote social justice.He currently serves as the Creative Arts

and Orientation Manager at SSI, where he leads the Arts and Talents Committee and

manages key community arts initiatives. Through these programs, Ghasan empowers

individuals from refugee and migrant backgrounds to share their stories and build

community through art. An award-winning artist with a strong exhibition history in

Australia and internationally, Ghasan’s work explores themes of identity, displacement,

and belonging using innovative visual techniques. He has curated numerous

collaborative projects that bring diverse perspectives to the forefront, often working

with cultural institutions, artists, and local communities. Ghasan holds a Master’s in

Contemporary Visual Arts from the University of Sydney, alongside further studies in

arts and community services. His practice bridges theory and real-world engagement,

making art a powerful tool for connection and change.

MOONES MANSOUBI

Moones Mansoubi is a Sydney-based community advocate and art & cultural

development Leader. She collaborates with migrants and refugees through her role

at SSI and in various other capacities. Recognized as a leader in community and

cultural development, Moones has successfully managed numerous initiatives and

projects that empower migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum using a

strengthened base approach. Her work focuses on amplifying marginalized voices

and fostering connection, particularly those of women and artists, by creating

opportunities for storytelling, cultural exchange, and skill development. Alongside her

leadership roles, Moones maintains an active practice rooted in community, social

justice, and human rights, focusing on participation, community-led projects, and

transformative change. She holds a master's degree in international relations and is

passionate about social justice and human rights. Moones is currently Women, Youth

and Community Manager at SSI, and coordinates the SSI’s Community Refugee

Welcome Centre, which has won two awards under her leadership. She was the

translation consultant for Behrouz Boochani’s award-winning book No Friend but the

Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison (Picador Australia, 2018) and the co-editor of

Freedom, Only Freedom (Bloomsbury, 2023). Her translations and writings have also

been published in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Saturday Paper,

and other media outlets.

HOSNA SAIF

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Hosna grew up in a world where being a girl meant her

dreams of education and freedom were denied. She turned to art as her voice, using

drawing and painting to express strength and advocate for women’s rights. After

leaving Afghanistan, she lived in Pakistan, where she won a prize for her artwork

“Gender Equality”. Now based in Sydney, she continues to practice art while working

as a paralegal and studying law at Sydney University, building a future shaped by both

creativity and purpose. Her charcoal works have been showcased through Creative

Campus in exhibitions including “Beyond Borders” and “Spirit of Welcome”. Hosna’s

story, told through her art, is a reminder that even in the hardest circumstances, it is

possible to rise, rebuild.

ALI SAYOUH

(Born in Syria) Ali is a visual artist whose practice spans portraiture, abstract

expressionism, and surrealist compositions. A graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts at

Damascus University and an original member of Syria’s Syndicate of Fine Artists, his

work explores identity, resilience, and the human experience. Hands and human figures

recur as symbols of layered emotion, while his innovative use of frames and dimensions

invites viewers to question self and perception. Guided by the belief, “You presume

you are a small entity, but within you is enfolded the entire universe,” Ali has exhibited

in Syria, Iraq, and Australia, including exhibitions with the NSW Police Force

Headquarters (2023–24), the Macquarie Bank–SSI Beyond Borders exhibition (2024),

and the Culture Dose program (2025). He joined his first group show, The Pioneers, at

age 11 in Syria, and later held a solo exhibition at Vagabond Art Gallery (2012) and

several group shows in Baniyas and Damascus (2012–16). Now based in Sydney, Ali runs

Alivision Creative Design, volunteers with SSI’s Creative Compass, and has facilitated

workshops such as at the Refugee Welcome Centre in Lilyfield (2024). Recognised as

a success story by SSI and Activate Australia, he has spoken at events with SSI and

Multicultural NSW. Alongside his art in painting, calligraphy, and digital design, Ali

works full-time as a Facilities Engineering Specialist.