Indigenous students explore the cosmos through Swinburne’s astrophysics program

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge of the skies stretches across more than 65,000 years. Yet, their voices remain rare in the academic astronomy community. 

Swinburne’s Indigenous Astrophysics Work Experience Program is helping to change that by providing hands-on exposure to astrophysics research for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. 

Currently only eight per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 25-34 hold a bachelor’s degree. The program aims to encourage more students to consider university study in science and technology. 

Benny Rayner, Operations Support Officer at Swinburne’s Moondani Toombadool Centre, says the program offers more than just exposure to astrophysics. 

“The week is about building confidence, creating connections, and showing young students that they belong in these spaces,” he says.

“Science is stronger when it includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, and programs like this help make that future a reality.”

A week of discovery at Swinburne

From 14-18 July 2025, seven students in Years 10-12 from across Australia joined Swinburne in Naarm for an immersive week of astrophysics. 

The students were welcomed by Ryan Chand from Swinburne’s Moondani Toombadool Centre, who introduced pathways into tertiary study and support programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Mentored by Wiradjuri woman Dr Kirsten Banks and Gomeroi woman Krystal De Napoli, both astrophysicists, the students explored research and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander science traditions. 

Students toured Swinburne’s OzSTAR and Ngarrgu Tindebeek Supercomputers, the Virtual Universe and VR environments. They visited the Melbourne Museum and Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, and attended workshops with Indigenous academics including Dja Dja Wurrung machine learning expert Kiowa Scott-Hurley. They were supported throughout by Indigenous student ambassadors Rachel Johnson and Sienna Vallejo.  

The week concluded with student-led presentations, where participants shared self-directed research on topics like quasars, black holes and the relationship between religion and the skies. 

“I was absolutely blown away by the amazing final presentations on the Friday afternoon,” says Swinburne’s Professor Emma Ryan-Weber from the Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing.

“One of the students admitted he was initially nervous but was so glad that he joined. I could sense real growth over the course of the week.”

Looking to the future 

The program was first developed by the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D (ASTRO 3D) in 2023 at Mt Stromlo Observatory. Swinburne ran its first program in 2024, with support from ASTRO 3D and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav).

With strong demand and positive feedback, Swinburne plans to run the Indigenous Astrophysics Work Experience Program again in 2026, ensuring that the voices of the world’s first astronomers continue to shape the future of astrophysics.