Lowitja Institute Awards

Lowitja Institute celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership and excellence throughout our work. As Australia’s national community controlled health and wellbeing research institute, the biennial conference awards recognise outstanding contributions to the field of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing research. These awards showcase research that is culturally, ethically, and intellectually rigorous and for the benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.  

Nominations now open

The 2025 Lowitja Institute Awards will be presented at our 4th International Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Conference, taking place on Kaurna Country, South Australia, from 16-19 June 2025.

Click on the links below to nominate:

Nominations close at midnight on Friday 21 March 2025

Previous winners

Lifetime Achievement Award

Nominated by the Lowitja Institute Board

Winners

Professor Lester-Irabinna Rigney, a descendant of the Narungga, Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri peoples of South Australia. He is esteemed Professor of Education and Co-Chair of the Pedagogies for Justice Research group in the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion, based in the Education Futures, Academic Unit at the University of South Australia. He is Distinguished Fellow at Deakin University and previous Distinguished Fellow at Kings College, London.

Pat Anderson AO, an Alyawarre woman known nationally and internationally as a powerful advocate for the health of Australia’s First Peoples. She has extensive experience in Aboriginal health, including community development, policy formation and research ethics. Dr Anderson was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2014 for distinguished service to the Indigenous community as a social justice advocate, particularly through promoting improved health, and educational and protection outcomes for children.

The Lowitja Institute Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding and significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Lowitja Institute’s Board of Directors nominates outstanding individuals in this field.

The inaugural 2016 award was given posthumously to Mr Tiga Bayles. The 2019 winner was Professor Yvonne Cadet-James.

Cranlana Award

Winners

Professor James Ward, a descendent of the Pitjantjatjara and Nurrunga clans of central and southern Australia and Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at the University of Queensland.

Professor Jaquelyne Hughes, a Gumugul Woman of Wagadagam tribe, Mabuiag Island in Torres Strait, living on Larrakia Country. Professor Hughes is a nephrologist and inaugural Clinical Research Professor in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Advancement at Flinders University.

Given in partnership with the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership, the Cranlana Award celebrates excellence in research leadership by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researcher who has made a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This award was previously known as the Research Leadership Award (Cranlana Award). Past winners include Professor Roianne West (2020), Professor Catherine Chamberlain (2019), Professor Ray Lovett (2018), Professor Gail Garvey (2016), and Professor Sandra Eades (2015).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student Award

Winner

Ms Amy McQuire, a Dharumbal and South Sea Islander woman, and award-winning journalist who has recently submitted her PhD thesis titled ‘Speaking to Silences: MediaRepresentations of Violence Against Aboriginal Women’.

This award recognises an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student who has, or is, finishing their studies with a Masters by research or doctorate within the nominated timeframe.

In 2019, this award was given to Associate Professor Michelle Kennedy (previous name Michelle Bovill). Previous winners include Associate Professor Lisa Whop (2016), Dr Stewart Sutherland (2014), and Professor Ray Lovett (2012).

Pat Anderson Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researcher Award

Winners

Associate Professor Odette Pearson, a Kuku Yalanji/Torres Strait Islander woman who was awarded her PhD in 2013. She is Co-Theme leader and Population Health Platform lead in the Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity Theme, at SAHMRI and adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide.

Mrs Betty Sagigi, a Torres Strait Islander Health Worker within the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service. She is the Aged Care Assessment Team Coordinator and Assessor for the Torres Strait, working as part of Thursday Island’s Primary Health Post-Acute Rehab and Aged Care Program.

The Pat Anderson Award recognises emerging leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing research. This award is named after internationally respected health leader, Pat Anderson AO, an Alyawarre woman and powerful advocate for the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and first peoples globally.

This award was previously known as the Emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Award. Previous winners include Associate Professor Kalinda Griffiths (2019), Associate Professor Roxanne Bainbridge (2016), Dr Simon Graham (2014), and Professor Chelsea Bond (2012).

Tarrn-doon-nonin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research Ethics Award

Winner

Wungening Aboriginal Corporation: The Birdiya Maya project is a partnership between Wungening Aboriginal Corporation and the National Drug Research Institute to conduct community-led research, focused on elevating the voices of Aboriginal people experiencing homelessness. The project is guided by a Community Ownership Group (COG) of 15 Elders, as co-researchers.

Tarrn-doon-nonin is the Woiwurrung term for ‘trust’. This award recognises a research project in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and wellbeing that was conducted to an exemplary standard in line with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ethical principles and practices.

Previous winners include Mr John Singer, Dr Rosie King, and Ms Janet Stajic for their work at the Aboriginal Health Council of South Australia. The 2019 winner was Ŋuthanmaram djamarrkuḻiny’ märrma’kurr romgurr: Growing up children in two worlds.

Read more

Lowitja Institute honours outstanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers, June 2023

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land across Australia and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

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