kate grew up in the creek behind the family home and still spends lots of time in streams, even if many of them are now storm water channels. She completed her PhD in Indigenous water sciences (decolonising streams: a confluence of Indigenous and western sciences) at the Fenner School of Environment & Sustainability. This research required extensive time in the local storm water system, trialling Indigenous science-based infrastructure. She is thrilled to be helping the MSDI water team incorporate Indigenous water knowledges and practices in its work.

A wiradyuri woman, kate is very keen to decolonize current water management approaches, particularly in terms of streams. kate came into her indigenous heritage as an adult. As a child, she attended a primary school with a significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student body where it seemed that the smarter mob were, the more trouble the school administration gave them. kate anticipates following in this tradition.

kate’s research has consistently had a water focus. She was introduced to Indigenous science(s) during her Master of Arts (Asian Studies) sub-thesis where Thai Indigenous science (aka local intellect) exposed storm water as a construct of modern/western science. Her Master of Geography sub-thesis described the hyporheic zone of a tidal river in tropical Thailand. Working as an independent researcher, kate helped developed water diaries that have contributed to opening the ‘blackbox’ of intra-household water use. kate has also worked in the public sector, including the H₂Ok project in the ACT.

kate is currently a visiting fellow at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research and co-leader, with Dr Virginia Marshall, of the Indigenous peoples, culture and knowledge cluster at the Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions. Both these groups are housed at the ANU. Collaboration is an important part of research and kate is looking forwarding to building collaborative relationships with mob, the water sector and other academics.