University of Sydney researcher Dr Mitchell Gibbs has received the 2025 Australian Academy of Science Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Award.

Dr Gibbs, a geoscientist in the Faculty of Science, draws on Traditional Knowledge and practices to support restoration of marine ecosystems with First Nations communities and owner groups.

Despite growing awareness of the value of incorporating Traditional Knowledge and perspectives into habitat restoration and management, uptake and application of these practices has been slow, according to Dr Gibbs, a Dunghutti man through kinship.

Sydney’s Botany Bay, known as Gamay to local First Nations people, once supported an abundance of oysters. These oyster reefs played an important role in the area’s marine ecology and as a sustainable food source for Gamay people. They were exploited to near extinction during the early days of European settlement.

Speaking to Indigenous Elders and knowledge holders, Dr Gibbs learned traditional management practices passed down through oral and lived histories while sharing his own ecological research and insights. He worked closely with Indigenous groups and organisations to develop a community-driven approach to shellfish restoration. He put this knowledge into action with the Gamay Rangers and the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council.

“Bringing Indigenous communities to the forefront of restoration will make sure those communities get recognition and acknowledgement for their knowledge and for the amount of knowledge held within communities,” Dr Gibbs said.

First Nations’ habitat restoration programs such as these are being rolled out across the globe. Dr Gibbs’ current project aims to bring together international expertise and establish cross-continental collaboration between Indigenous restoration communities.

“The project we’re doing, especially with the Gamay Rangers, brings people from the United States, and hopefully people from New Zealand as well, to Australia to talk about restoration projects they’ve done,” Dr Gibbs said.

“We’ll start talking about the importance of Indigenous restoration, which will bring just so much more life, I hope, to what restoration should be through an Indigenous sense.”

Associate Dean (Indigenous Strategy and Services) in the Faculty of Science, Dr Jordan Pitt, said: “Mitch Gibbs’ research is truly inspiring and important work. The whole University community is immensely proud of Mitch’s achievements and the voice he is giving to local communities.”

The Australian Academy of Science Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Award recognises research by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early and mid-career scientists in the physical and biological sciences and supports interdisciplinary and sociocultural research. There were two recipients in 2025. The other recipient is Associate Professor Shannon Kilmartin-Lynch from Monash University.

The call for applications for the Academy’s 2026 awards and funding opportunities are now open and close on 1 June 2025. Find out more at the Academy of Science website.

Main photo: Dr Mitch Gibbs at Gamay/Botany Bay, where he works with Traditional custodians on marine ecology. Photo: Australian Academy of Science