Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher is Wiradjuri man, Physical Geography researcher and Assistant Dean (Indigenous), Faculty of Science at University of Melbourne. He is also Director of Research Capability at the Indigenous Knowledge Institute.
His interests are in the long-term interactions between humans, climate, disturbance and vegetation at local, regional and global scales. Professor Fletcher’s current work involves developing and integrating high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records from across the Southern Hemisphere using multiple proxies, including microfossil, charcoal, geochemical and isotopic analyses to provide comprehensive reconstructions of environmental change.
Rae Johnston is a multi-award-winning STEM journalist, Wiradjuri woman, mother, broadcaster, voice actor and MC. Rae is the first ever Science and Technology Editor for NITV, and can be seen hosting That Startup Show, The Point and NITV News. Rae is also the co-host of Take It Blak, NITV’s podcast exploring the stories behind the news, and is currently voicing “Janali Banks” in ABC & Nine’s animated children’s series, Space Nova.
With a decade of experience appearing on every national television and radio network in Australia, Rae is a leading commentator on all things science, technology, video games and geek culture. Rae is a part of the prestigious “brains trust” Leonardos group for The Science Gallery Melbourne, a mentor for Science Media Centre Australia‘s Indigenous Science program, and a Federal Council Delegate for the MEAA.