2024 Industry Laureate Profile: Professor Bruno David

Professor Bruno David

Administering Organisation: Monash University

Fellowship Project Summary 

IL240100034 – Katungal: Managing archaeological sites threatened by sea level rise

Significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander coastal archaeological sites and landforms are being destroyed by accelerating rates of erosion caused by sea level rise, storm patterns and encroaching coastal developments. These threatened coastal archaeological sites and landforms need to be investigated, and mitigation strategies need to be developed before it is too late. Working in close partnership with Aboriginal representative organisations with significant areas of coast and sea Country, this project intends to transform how coastal archaeological sites are researched, and to train a new generation of Aboriginal Sea Rangers to map, monitor and manage coastal landscapes threatened by erosion. The benefit of this research is to document and safeguard vulnerable coastal sites and landforms that connect Aboriginal peoples to Country, and to share in culturally appropriate ways knowledge about the significance of these coastal places with the broader Australian and international public. These benefits will be achieved through an extensive program of partnership research and training with First Nations organisations and State and national agencies, as well as the production and release of a documentary film.

Australian Research Council funding: $3,626,230

Industry Partners: Gunaikurnai Land & Waters Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC

To find out more about Professor David, please visit his profile page here.

For further information about this funding scheme, please visit the Industry Laureate Fellowships page.