Keep the fire burning - Traditional Knowledge in STEM

In honour of NAIDOC Week, this session explores the powerful intersection of Australia’s First Nations People and their Traditional Knowledge with Western science. From mathematical modelling of extreme bushfires to marine ecology on the RV Investigator, the panellists share their journeys integrating knowledge and practices from the world’s first scientists and technologists.

Host: Dr Alison Every (Director of STEM Careers at ATSE)

Moderator: Professor Jason Sharples FTSE (UNSW Bushfire Research Group)

Guests:

· Jamie (Jam) Graham-Blair (Marine Ecologist at CSIRO)

Key Discussion Points

1. Reclaiming mathematics and physics

• From struggling in high school to a double degree in Math and Physics [07:20].
• Transitioning from black holes to bush fires [11:33].

2. Two-way learning & caring for Country

• Combining traditional sustainable harvesting with modern survey techniques [21:30].
• Learning on country is just as valid as the formal education system [22:19].
• The challenge of Western and Traditional Knowledge "butting heads" and the importance of standing up for community and culture [24:43].

3. Cutting-edge STEM projects

• Bushfires that generate their own weather, turning into thunderstorms [16:13].
• Surveying of the Southeast Australian marine ecosystem that hasn't been seen by humans for 12,000 years [29:15].
• Using AI and machine learning to count seabirds and environmental DNA to detect species from fragments of seawater [29:43].

4. The 2024 NAIDOC theme: "Keep the Fire Burning" [41:43]

• The shift from "fighting" fires to "gifting" fire to country, maintaining a healthy landscape through cultural fire management
• Being a small part of a large story and bringing ancestral work into the "here and now."

5. Advice for students & educators [33:35]

• Follow your passion and prove the doubters wrong.
• A strong math background makes it easier to switch between different scientific fields.
• Find your own learning style and connecting with people who think like you.
• Aboriginal people "love a yarn”. Reach out to local Land Councils, Ranger groups, and Land Carers to start a conversation.

Notable Quotes

"All knowledge is interrelated and connected. I love to keep my learning broad so I can paint in 'big picture' language." - Jam Graham-Blair

"Aboriginal people love a yarn. They like to share their culture, as long as you are doing that in a respectful way. Don't be afraid of making mistakes; they'll let you know if you're doing something that isn't kosher." - Professor Jason Sharples

Useful Links

• STELR Program: ATSE’s national STEM education initiative for schools – www.stelr.org.au
• Elevate Scholarship (atse.org.au/elevate): A university scholarship supporting women in STEM.
• IMNIS Program (www.imnis.org.au): An industry mentoring network for PhD students.
• UNSW Bushfire Research Group: Leading extreme fire research –https://www.unsw.edu.au/canberra/our-research/research-centres-institutes/unsw-bushfire

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs9IW6JwjhY