Reconciliation Action Plan
Our vision for reconciliation is that all Australians recognise and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander custodianship as one of the oldest knowledge systems on the planet.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the custodianship of the lands and waters on which our staff work — the Ngunnawal people and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people — and the many lands and waters across Australia on which our Fellows work, live, and apply science, technology and engineering. We acknowledge that other people and families also have a traditional connection to the lands of the ACT and region and we respect this connection to country.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and pay respects to their Elders. We acknowledge Traditional Knowledge, and the deep history of innovation it embodies.
Our vision for reconciliation is that all Australians recognise and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander custodianship as one of the oldest knowledge systems on the planet. Through respectfully working with, listening and learning from current Traditional Knowledge holders and practitioners in science and engineering we will build a better nation and a healthier, more sustainable world.
Reconciliation through our STEM programs
- STELR – ATSE's STEM education in schools initiative – collaborates with Deadly Science to identify schools and works in collaboration with community to support students to understand and engage with sustainable engineering and renewable energy.
- Elevate – ATSE's STEM scholarship program – is designed using an intersectional approach to support people from traditionally underrepresented groups to access STEM study at Australian universities. In addition to the scholarship, the wraparound supports provided by the Elevate program, including a focus on psychosocial wellbeing, and access to inclusive networks and mentoring ensures that marginalised groups feel safer in spaces that have not always felt welcoming. Currently, 6% of Elevate scholars are Indigenous.
- All ATSE STEM Careers programs are designed with practices that uphold the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Reconciliation through our policy work
- We consult and seek expertise from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scientists, technologists and leaders, both within and beyond the ATSE Fellowship, and communities.
- Our people-focused tools, such as the Diversity and Inclusion toolkit, are reviewed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to ensure they are appropriate and fit for purpose.
- We aim to raise awareness of policy issues related to Traditional Knowledge and STEM participation through our government relations and advocacy work.
Our Reconciliation Action Plans
STAGE 1 — REFLECT Reconciliation Action Plan
STAGE 2 — INNOVATE Reconciliation Action Plan
RAP artwork
Ripples of memory, pathways of tomorrow
Robbie Beresford
Wiradjuri artist
This artwork is a visual narrative celebrating the continuing power of Traditional Knowledges and their essential role in the modern era.
The central motif addresses the fundamental human need for belonging and connection. It begins with self and community, represented by the traditional “U” shapes gathered in a communal space. Encircling this core is the circuit board pattern, the new pathway of technology and science. This arrangement showcases the belief that a strong culture is the core operating system for advanced innovation.
Moving outward, the artwork addresses the advancement of knowledge and the journey of future generations. The molecular-like structures within the corners represent the complex scientific frontiers.
Alongside this, the footprints walking along the pathways symbolise the continuous journey of learning and the need for representation. These tracks connect the path of our ancestors to the paths of future generations. It calls on the next generation to walk proudly in these footsteps to learn, innovate, and lead with the strength of culture and the curiosity of science.
