Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Focus

The AAG Research Trust is committed to funding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led initiatives. Key to this goal is a separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Review Panel to lead and support the selection of Indigenous-focused applications.

Examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-focused applications that have been funded by the AAG Research Trust include:

  • In 2020, the AAG Research Trust’s Hal Kendig Research Development Program funded $20,000 for a project on ‘Supporting psychosocial wellbeing with older Aboriginal Australians: Listening to community members' knowledge about Culture and connection’ by Dr Louise Lavrencic, who is a non-Aboriginal researcher at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).
  • Biripi woman Lauren Poulos from Neuroscience Research Australia was awarded a 2021 Strategic Innovation Program grant of $30K, which represented 24% of all funding available over the two rounds. Lauren’s project was entitled, ‘Evaluating the culturally responsive elements, effectiveness and transferability of online dementia education and training with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities’.

The focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led research is supported by AAG's Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Ageing Advisory Group (ATSIAAG), which is made up of and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of AAG, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous researchers working in this area. 

Listen to Professor Ray Mahoney, Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Review Panel, provide a quick update of ‘How the Trust got here’ (1 min 49 sec).