Indigenous Research Opportunities

Academic Lecturer

Osca (they/them) is a proud Guugu Yimithirr scholar and lawyer who was born on Ngunnawal country, and grown up on the lands of the Yidinji, Yirrganydji, and Djabugay peoples. They have lived, worked and studied on Gadigal land for the past ten years. Their research interests include decolonisation, legal theory, abolition, environmental law, criminal law, and gender and sexuality. They continue to practice law as a criminal defence lawyer, with a particular focus on the Children’s criminal jurisdiction in NSW.

Senior Lecturer 

Honours Convenor, Lecturer

Johanna has taught Indigenous Studies at Nura Gili since 2014. Her research centres on First Nations rights and the engagement of settler-colonial governments with Indigenous peoples. Johanna’s recent publication Redfern: Aboriginal Activism in the 1970s, by Aboriginal Studies Press, explores the ways in which local Aboriginal organisations pursued self-determination in the diverse fields of law, health, arts and culture, education and housing.

Academic Lead

Dr Katrina Thorpe is a Worimi woman and Academic Lead at Nura Gili. Katrina's research focuses on educational approaches that engage students in Country-centred 'Learning from Country' pedagogies. Katrina is passionate about developing culturally responsive pedagogies that facilitate connections between students and Aboriginal people, communities and Country. Katrina also has 20 years experience teaching mandatory Indigenous Studies across a number of disciplines including education, social work, nursing, health and community development.

Academic Lecturer

Osca (they/them) is a proud Guugu Yimithirr scholar and lawyer who was born on Ngunnawal country, and grown up on the lands of the Yidinji, Yirrganydji, and Djabugay peoples. They have lived, worked and studied on Gadigal land for the past ten years. Their research interests include decolonisation, legal theory, abolition, environmental law, criminal law, and gender and sexuality. They continue to practice law as a criminal defence lawyer, with a particular focus on the Children’s criminal jurisdiction in NSW.

Current Students Lead, Nura Gili

Tanya is a proud Ngiyampaa/Wangaapuwan/Yorta Yorta woman from far western NSW. She has over 24 years’ work experience in higher education sector, in several positions in the student services area. The most recent was leading the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Support Services team at the University of Sydney, where she was employed for 15 years.

Future Students Coordinator
Noni Hawkins is a proud Yuin woman who grew up on Birpai Nation. Noni has recently joined Nura Gili and UNSW community as the Project Administrator. She has previously worked in positions relating to Indigenous student engagement, retention, and research at both the University of New England and the University of Melbourne. Noni has a completed Bachelor of Criminology and currently undertaking a Bachelor of Law.

Content Producer

Belinda is a proud palawa woman who grew up in lutruwita (Tasmania). While studying a Bachelor of Screen Arts: Production at AFTRS, Belinda lived on campus at UNSW where she worked as creative arts tutor. Since graduating, Belinda has worked in coordinating roles for broadcast television on shows like Play School and Australian Idol. She is now eager to use her skills to give back to community and highlight Indigenous experiences at UNSW.