Meet our staff
Dean and Head of School: David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research
Professor Peter Buckskin
Prof Buckskin is Dean and Head of School of the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research (DUCIER)and Unaipon School. The College and School are part of the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, University of South Australia.
Prof Buckskin's passion for the pursuit of educational excellence for Aboriginal students has led to his appointment to many positions, both state wide and nationally over his thirty year career. Positions included: classroom teacher in Western Australia and South Australia; Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education Consultative Committee; appointment as Ministerial Adviser; Superintendent of Schools; and a Senior Executive at both State and Federal level.
For over a decade he has worked as an officer in the Commonwealth's Senior Executive Service, where he occupied a number of strategic positions in the portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs, Employment, Education and Training.
He has also served one term as a Commissioner of the Australian Commission to UNESCO.
In recognition of his contribution to Aboriginal Education he has received numerous awards and honours. These include:
- 2001: Australia Day Honours: the Commonwealth Public Service Medal (PSM) in recognition of his outstanding public service in pursuing equality in education for Australia's Indigenous peoples.
- 2002: Patron of Principals Australia's, Dare to Lead Program, which encourages and supports Australian school Principals in improving Indigenous education outcomes and working for Reconciliation in their schools.
- 2003: Frank H Klassen Award from the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) for leadership and contribution to Teacher Education.
- 2005: Commonwealth's Department of Education, Science and Training Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education at the National Deadly Awards.
- 2006:Member of the Australian College of Educators
- 2007: Nominated as a Fellow of the Academy in 2007 for his continuing contribution to education.
- 2008: Chair of the National Indigenous Higher Education Network and Co-Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Body.
College Executive
Peter Gale
Senior Lecturer
Jillian Miller
Coordinator: Indigenous Student Services
Dr Tangi Steen
Portfolio Leader - Teaching & Learning/Senior Lect
Dr Steen is the Portfolio Leader: Teaching and Learning and Senior Lecturer at the David Unaipon College of Education and Research (DUCIER); in addition to course co-ordinating a number of courses at DUCIER within the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences at City West Campus.
Dr Steen is a Polynesian woman from the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific and a community radio broadcaster with the Tongan Community Radio of SA Inc in the ethnic radio station 5EBI 103.1FM.
Her academic interest lies in Information Technology (IT) education and its uses
in learning and research.
Dr Irene Watson
Associate Professor/Portfolio Leader: Research & Research Education
Dr Watson belongs to the Tanganekald and Meintangk peoples and in colonial times their languages, peoples and lands became more commonly known as Ngarrindjeri. Their country lies across the Coorong and the south east of South Australia.
Dr Watson has worked as a legal practitioner and also been a member of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement SA from 1973-2005. As an academic she has taught in all three South Australian universities from 1989 until her current appointment at UniSA.
She has worked internationally at the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations and has extensive experience working on questions of international law and Aboriginal peoples. Prior to taking up this position Dr Watson was a Research Fellow with the Law School at the University of Sydney.
Academic Staff
- John Brown - Senior Academic Advisor
- Amy Cleland - Lecturer
- Dr Brenda Croft - Lecturer
- Laura Deane - Lecturer
- Sharon Gollan - Lecturer
- Natalie Harkin - Lecturer
- Dr Alice Healy - Lecturer
- Joy Makepeace - Academic Advisor
- Professor Alan Mayne - Research SA Chair
- Sharon Meagher - Lecturer
- Dr Douglas Morgan - Associate Professor in Aboriginal Studies
- Ron Nicholls - Lecturer
- Syd Sparrow - Lecturer
- Jarred Thomas - Lecturer
- Jasmine Valadian - Lecturer
- Frances Wyld - Lecturer
Adjunct staff
- William Edwards - Adjunct Senior Lecturer
- Dr Mary-Anne Gale - Adjunct Research Fellow
- Dr Olga Gostin - Adjunct Senior Lecturer
- Dr Paul Hughes - Emeritus Professor
- Lewis O'Brien - Adjunct Research Fellow
- Dr George Robert Teasdale - Adjunct Professor
Professional staff
- Lorraine Connor - College Executive Officer
- Emma Errington - Indigenous Students Services Administrator
- Jacqui Newman - Program Support Officer
- Kizze Rankine - Administrative Officer
- Lydia Rankine - Personal Assistant (Dean and Head of School)
- Jodi St Clair - Project Officer - Research
- Sreng Tang - College Administrative Officer