First published 6 September 2024
Three QUT Indigenous Australian doctoral graduates have received the prestigious Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award (ODTA).
The awards are provided to the top five per cent of HDR doctoral students annually the year after they graduate, with nominations from examiners reviewed by faculty committees and ultimately decided by the Research Degrees Committee.
The three Indigenous Australian award winners were:
- Dr Katrina Wruck, Mabuigilaig and Goemulgal woman, for her thesis "Value Adding to Natural Zeolite: Process Optimisation for Depolymerisation by Alkali Activation and Synthesis of Zeolite LTA". Her thesis identified how to turn a waste rock material into a key ingredient in laundry detergent in an environmentally-friendly way and completed with the Faculty of Engineering
- Dr Tegan Cohen, a Wiraduri woman, for her thesis “The datafied polity: Voter privacy in the age of data-driven political campaigning” which spans the regulation of digital platforms and artificial intelligence, privacy law and theory, and the laws of democracy and electoral politics. It was completed with the Faculty of Business and Law.
- Dr Ali Drummond, a Meriam, Erubam and Wuthathi man, for his thesis “It's about the humanity of nursing': Shifting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health education beyond white possession and towards a relational approach”. It was completed with the Faculty of Health.
Dr Katrina Wruck said she dedicated her win to the Stolen Generations.
“My family was very much affected by the Stolen Generations, so I dedicated it to my grandmother and my great grandmother, and all the families affected,” Dr Wruck said.
“Winning this award was so validating after all the hard work that goes into a PhD. Often there are periods of self-doubt and questioning by yourself or others about the work, but this shows that if you back yourself and persevere, you can do anything you put your mind to.”
Dr Ali Drummond, CEO of the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM), said that finding a culturally respectful space that honoured and encouraged Indigenous’ thinking was a key part of his success.
“The Carumba Institute’s emphasis on Black Knowing and finding a community of black fellas to sit with, talk with, and make sense of the ideas we are reading was so important for me to find my voice and complete my PhD,” Dr Drummond said.
The Carumba Institute provides a world-class Indigenous research and educational environment at QUT that foregrounds Indigenous sovereignty.
Carumba Institute executive director Professor Chelsea Watego said these achievements reflected the QUT commitment to supporting and amplifying Indigenous voices in academia, and the importance of diverse and inclusive educational spaces with Indigenous sovereignty at the forefront.
“Having all three Indigenous Australian doctoral graduates receive this award highlights the strength of Indigenous scholarship we have here at QUT, and shows what can be achieved when black spaces are created for black academics,” Professor Watego said.
“With the Faculty of Indigenous Knowledges and Culture taking its first students next year, we hope and expect to celebrate many more impressive achievements by Indigenous Australian students and academics.”
Main image, from left: Dr Katrina Wruck, Dr Tegan Cohen, and Dr Ali Drummond.
Media contact:
Rod Chester, 07 3138 9449, rod.chester@qut.edu.au
After hours: 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au
