Our Staff
Dr Michael Adams
Education: • Doctor of Philosophy University of Wollongong, 2001 Redefining relationships: Aboriginal interests and biodiversity conservation in Australia • Bachelor of Landscape Architecture University of Sydney, 1988 • Bachelor of Arts (Hons) University of Sydney, 1978
Contact Details: • Building 30, Room GO7L • Ph: 02 4221 5392 • Fax: 02 4221 4244 • Email: [email protected]
Brief Introduction:
Michael has carried out collaborative research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in numerous contexts, including ‘remote’ Aboriginal and Islander communities (Cape York), and Aboriginal people from regional centres (Townsville, Bowen, Wollongong) and urban areas (Sydney). He has 20 years employment and consultancy experience with Aboriginal organisations across a spectrum of responsibilities, as well as professional roles in environment NGOs and state agencies.
In 2007 Michael received a National Carrick Award for Teaching Excellence (in 2008 the Carrick Institute was renamed the Australian Learning and Teaching Council). http://media.uow.edu.au/news/UOW038370.html http://www.altc.edu.au/carrick/go/home/awards/pid/59
Overview:
• Multi disciplinary academic record in Science, Humanities, and Environment and Built Environment. Teaching experience at a range of undergraduate levels and in several disciplinary areas.
• Extensive record of publications in academic and applied fields, including geography, biodiversity conservation, Native Title mediation documents, bioregional and conservation planning reports, and technical reports and manuals in community participation and environmental management.
• Employment and consultancy experience encompassing academic institutions (University of Wollongong), public sector organisations (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service), environment NGOs (Greening Australia), and Aboriginal organisations (Cape York Land Council, Central Queensland Land Council, Settlement Neighbourhood Centre).
• Policy analysis and development, with high level input to two state governments, and national and state NGOs, focusing on environmental issues and Aboriginal interests.
Teaching:
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University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia www.uow.edu.au Michael teaches and coordinates ABST201 Redefining Eden: Indigenous Peoples and the Environment. This subject examines the relationships between Indigenous knowledge, customary laws and social organisation, and the Western science of ecology, in contemporary strategies for natural resource use by Indigenous peoples. Interactions between Indigenous resource systems and Western approaches to conservation and natural resource management are examined, as well as the links between environmental impacts, policy processes and property regimes.
Michael also teaches in and alternates coordination of ABST150 Introduction to Aboriginal Australia with Ernie Blackmore. Both ABST150 and ABST201 are taught to Wollongong and the South Coast and Southern Highlands campuses.
Michael has also taught in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, in EESC308 Environmental and Heritage Management, and EESC210 Rural and Urban Australia.
Research Interests:
Michael is a geographer, carrying out interdisciplinary and collaborative research on the cultural, spatial and policy context for relationships between indigenous peoples and conservation agencies. This includes identifying the key cross-cultural issues which inhibit effective outcomes, and relating this analysis to the spatial distribution of relevant tenures (indigenous and conservation). Michael is carrying out collaborative work with Saami reindeer herders (the Indigenous people of Fenno- Scandinavia) and Swedish academics, focusing on contested approaches to the Laponia World Heritage Area in arctic Sweden. (laponia.nu, padjelanta.com)
Recently, Michael has also been researching particular aspects of teaching and learning practice. This work builds on his National Teaching Award, and focuses on the role and value of experiential education, in particular field trips, in teaching. He is also working collaboratively with other Woolyungah academics on issues relating to Indigenous pedagogies.
Michael’s research is conducted through the Institute for Conservation Biology and Law, and he is a member of the Social Innovation Network.
Michael is also actively involved in policy development with the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change, through the Aboriginal co-management program.
Professional Information:
• 2006 – present: Senior Lecturer, Woolyungah Indigenous Centre, University of Wollongong.
• 2004 - 2006: Lecturer, Woolyungah Indigenous Centre, University of Wollongong.
• 2002-2004: Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Conservation Biology and Law, University of Wollongong, NSW Environmental Trusts funded project. 'Native title, land rights and biodiversity conservation in NSW’.
• 1996-2002: Conservation Assessment and Data Unit, National Parks & Wildlife Service (NSW)
• 1990-1996: Sydney Manager, Greening Australia (NSW)
• 1982-1985: Co-ordinator, Settlement Neighbourhood Centre, Redfern
Publications:
Books and monographs
• Popp, T and M. Adams 1995 Settlements of Green - a Revegetation Manual. NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Parramatta.
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University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia www.uow.edu.au Chapters in edited books
• Adams, M 2005, Beyond Yellowstone? Conservation and Indigenous rights in Australia and Sweden, in G. Cant, A. Goodall and J. Inns (eds) Discourses and Silences: Indigenous Peoples, Risks and Resistance, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Christchurch.
• Adams, M and A. English 2005,‘Biodiversity is a whitefella word’: changing relationships between Aboriginal people and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. InL. Taylor, G. Ward, G. Henderson. R. Davis and L.A. Wallis (eds), The Power of Knowledge, The Resonance of Tradition, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.
Refereed journals
• Adams, M. 2008, Foundational Myths: Country and Conservation in Australia, Transforming Cultures eJournal, Vol. 3 No 1, February 2008. http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/TfC/ article/view/684/619
• Adams, M 2008, Response to Peter Thomson Interview, Transforming Cultures eJournal, Vol. 3 No 1, February 2008. http://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/ojs/index.php/TfC/article/view/690/625
• Lawrence, R and Adams, M. 2005, First Nations and the politics of Indigeneity: Australian perspectives on ‘Indigenous Peoples, Resource Management and Global Rights’, review article, Australian Geographer, Vol 36 (2) pp 265-272
• Adams, M. 2004, Negotiating nature: collaboration and conflict between Aboriginal and conservation interests in NSW, Australian Journal of Environmental Education, Vol 20 (1) pp3-11.
Edited conference proceedings
• Adams, M 2004, Negotiating nature: new approaches to social-ecological relationships. Effective Sustainability Education Conference Proceedings, UNSW.
• Adams, M 1993 The Reconstruction and Fabrication of Native Plant Communities. Bushland in Our Cities and Suburbs, Proceedings of NSW Nature Conservation Council Seminar, Sydney.
• Adams, M 1992 Corridors of Green: Urban Revegetation Opportunities. In Common Ground, Proceedings of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects National Conference, Brisbane.
• Adams, M and E. Hampel 1990 Roadside vegetation. In Environmental Conference Proceedings, NSW Roads and Traffic Authority, Sydney.
Reports
• Adams, M., V. Cavanagh, L. Waddell, 2007, Aboriginal Partnerships Audit, Report to Parks and Wildlife Division, NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change.
• Adams, M. 2004, A comparative analysis of indigenous peoples’ interests and national park issues in arctic Sweden, Report to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia (pdf)
• Head, L, D. Trigger and E. Woodward 2004, Nature, Culture and the challenges of environmental sustainability: Bridging the science/humanities divide, Adams was a collaborator in this ARC funded project, and a contributor to this publication.
• Adams, M (2003) From the Mountain to the Ocean’s Edge: Aboriginal culture and landscapes in the Illawarra, Report to NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney.
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University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia www.uow.edu.au • Johnston, R and M. Adams 2001 Guthalungra Landuse and Management Planning Report: Preparation for Native Title Mediation. Confidential Report to Central Queensland Land Council, Mackay.
• Johnston, R and M. Adams 2000 Aboriginal Interests in the Lake Eyre Basin. Confidential Report to Lake Eyre Basin Co-ordinating Group, Longreach.
• Adams, M 2000 Draft Plan of Management for proposed Silver Plains-Macilwraith Range National Park. Confidential Report to Cape York Land Council, Cairns.
• NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 1997 Urban Bushland Biodiversity Survey, 6 volumes. NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, Sydney [author of one volume, editor of full report, co-ordinator of project].
• Lean, B and M. Adams 1995 The vegetation, its faunal associations, and past and present Aboriginal resources in the Parklea area, for Department of Archaeology and Paleoanthropology, University of New England, Armidale.
Films
• Aboriginal Illawarra: culture and landscape 2003 Sixty minute and ten minute videos, directed by Andrew Lawrence, produced by Michael Adams.
• Guthalungra 2000 Video used in Native Title mediation. Directed by Andrew Lawrence, produced by Michael Adams.
Conference Presentations
• Laponia and Uluru: Indigenous rights and Western trends in conservation, Northern Europe and its Indigenous Minorities: Pointers for Australia?, Centre for European Studies Conference, UNSW, July 2007.
• Indigenous peoples in the C21st, invited presentation, Kiama High School Reconciliation Assembly, Kiama NSW, June 2007.
• Sacred Geography: contested and complementary approaches to land and culture, invited paper, Conserving Heritage, Connecting Cultures Conference, NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change Cultural Heritage Division, Sydney, June 2007.
• Foundational myths: conservation and country in Australia, invited paper, ARC Asia Pacific Futures Network project: IndiaAustralia: cross border communications through media, environment and people, workshop, UTS, October 2006. Led field trip for visiting eminent Indian researchers.
• Arctic to outback: Indigenous rights and Western trends in conservation, International Geographical Union Conference, Brisbane, July 2006.
• Negotiating nature: new approaches to social ecological relationships, XI World Congress of Rural Sociology, Trondheim Norway, 2004.
Memberships
• 1. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (member)
• 2. Institute of Australian Geographers (co-convenor, Indigenous Studies Working Group)
• 3. International Geographical Union Commission on Indigenous Peoples and Rights (member)
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University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia www.uow.edu.au Grants:
2007 Carrick Award for Teaching Excellence $25,000
ESDF Grant with Dr Nick Gill $14,000 2006 UoW Teaching and Learning Fund grant for WIC academic $32,000 team NSW Department of Environment and Conservation $6,000 Commercial Research Agreement 2004 University of Wollongong Strategic International Links Grant. $6,500 For further comparative research with Indigenous Saami reindeer herders in Laponia, arctic Sweden. Churchill Fellowship. For international comparative research $15,000 in indigenous/conservation issues in arctic Sweden 2002-04 NSW Environmental Trusts Research Grant (with Professor $145,000 Rob Whelan and Professor David Farrier) NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service research support $56,000 1998-2000 ARC-SPIRT Postgraduate Scholarship (with Associate $62,000 Professor Lesley Head) 1999 ANU Centre for Cross Cultural Research - Visiting Scholars $2,500 Program
Research Students
• Garry Jones, PhD, 'Art of Engagement', co-supervised with Derek Kreckler and Professor Diana Wood Conroy.
• Bridget Edmunds, BSc (Hons), 'Aboriginal Fisheries on the NSW South Coast', co-supervised with Professor Lesley Head.
• Amanda Baldwin, MSc, co-supervised with Professor Lesley Head.
• Vanessa Cavanagh, graduated 2007, BSc (Hons First Class), 'The NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act in the Bundjalung Aboriginal Nation', co-supervised with Associate Professor Gordon Waitt.
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University of Wollongong NSW 2522 Australia www.uow.edu.au