Firsts at ANU conferring

By Shelly Simonds

The ANU's first Aboriginal science graduate, Lynette Liddle, received her degree at last month's conferring ceremonies. She graduated with a Master of Environmental Management and Development from the National Centre for Development Studies.

Several other Aboriginal graduates also received their degrees. Dr Gordon Briscoe received a PhD from the Research School of Social Sciences after completing a major study of disease, health and healing in the indigenous communities of Western Australia and Queensland.

Mr John Peisley graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Ms Emma Lee received a Bachelor of Arts with honours from the Arts Faculty, which had a record conferring of 374 graduates.

Ms Liddle (pictured receiving her degree from Chancellor Prof Peter Baume) was the first ANU student to receive the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship Award. She also won the Outstanding Woman of the Year Studying in a Non-traditional Area Award from the National Centre for Women.

Originally from a cattle station near Alice Springs, Ms Liddle is interested in agriculture and the issues facing rural farmers. The title of her master's thesis is "Communication between Scientists and Aboriginal Land Managers".

Last year she worked to improve understanding between farmers and Aboriginal people with a series of talks in rural NSW.

She said she was surprised to find the farmers she spoke with were more interested in her views on education and opportunity for Aboriginals than Native Title.

She discovered that news of the benefits of scientific research often failed to reach Aboriginal land-holders.