Shaping the next wave of research

A Federation University researcher has been appointed to the Australian Research Council's (ARC) College of Experts – a panel of internationally renowned researchers who contribute to research excellence by assessing, ranking, and providing recommendations for top-tier grant applications.

Professor Bindi Bennett, Professorial Research Fellow in Federation’s National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice has joined 268 other researchers on the College of Experts, who will assess research proposals for funding under the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). The appointment is a three-year term.

A K/Gamilaroi woman, mother, and social worker, Professor Bennett's research is underpinned by a commitment to improving and growing cultural responsiveness, re-Indigenising Western spaces, understanding and exploring Indigenous Knowledge Systems, and human-animal bonds.

Professor Bennett describes her early education as "wobbly", spending time in and out of hospital as a child and initially struggling when she got to education full-time in year 7.

"Back then, many Aboriginal people were seen as someone who would not go on to university, and career counsellors would suggest jobs where there wasn't a lot of vision," Prof Bennett said.

"It took me quite a while to get into social work. I was convinced by a significant elder to join – he thought it was a good fit for me.

"I had a 20-year career as a social worker in mental health, specialising in trauma, which I really enjoyed and then a friend said I should do a PhD – I didn't know what that was but that's where my academic journey began".

Prof Bennett's PhD looked at how light-skinned Aboriginal people can formulate their identity when they are coming into their identity.

She says she had the support of many people who took time to help her with her Aboriginal identity and has had had a great number of teachings over the years, "but my concern was, I kept meeting and seeing a lot of younger people who had been part of the Stolen Generation and didn't have the same opportunities".

"So how do we create this for the future, for our children's children? The elders I've had are amazing, but they won't be here forever. So, how do we formulate our identity? When I completed the PhD, I kind of just wanted my mum to read it, which would have been a success."

Prof Bennett says her research is guided by her Aboriginal and social work values – compassion, empathy "and a little bit of radicalness"– seeking transformational change and equity.

"I approach research with Aboriginal ways of knowing, doing and being and a sense of social equity, and seeking human rights and self-determination. I also added the values of social work – do no harm, respect and social justice." Professor Bindi Bennett

After winning an Endeavour Award, Prof Bennett travelled to the United States to explore how animals could help people who had experienced trauma.

"We can do this for young people who live with disabilities, we can use it for young people who have had trauma and can't trust or speak to humans the way they can trust and speak to animals," Prof Bennett said.

"This therapy is taking off in Australia. It's a little behind America where in the prison system, wild mustangs are broken in and then trained and sold which keeps the mustangs alive and keeps traditions alive. One could argue it heals people in the prison system."

"I brought this back with me, and it's been a long haul to convince Australia that it's something to think about. It's been very difficult to convince people that it could be something for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how that would look – but I'm still in that space trying."

Having joined Federation in early 2023, Prof Bennett said the University had a clear vision when she joined Professor Andrew Gunstone at the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice.

"We're doing things a little differently to a lot of other universities because we're listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples," she said.

"I love working with Andrew, he represents Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people impeccably, and he's a fantastic ally. Joining the Centre and then also having the Voice at the same time, it was interesting to see how Federation, particularly the Vice-Chancellor, championed reconciliation and the Voice for us and gave us incredible leadership.

“For me, I felt safe and comfortable because I had my two bosses behind me. The other thing that I've enjoyed about the Centre is usually when I join a workplace, I'm a little bit passionate and some people can find it off-putting, but Andrew just embraces it and he's passionate too. In fact, he probably could be even more passionate than me sometimes.

"I've been able to just be myself, and we've all been working for the same things. We have the same visions and values, even if we're doing different work. We all want voice, sovereignty, and social justice – all the team.

"We all might be doing different things, but we're all going on the same path."

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