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Pearl Duncan's career and achievements

Pearl Duncan is an accomplished individual with a long history in the education sector. She has taught students from primary schools to university. She has contributed to research work in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies, in addition to heading several organisations and representing her community at the highest levels.

Qualifications

Justice of the Peace (Qualified), Queensland, 1995
Master of Education, University of Canberra, 1992
Bachelor of Letters Anthropology (Honours) Australian National University, 1986
New South Wales Teacher 's Certificate, Sydney Teachers College, 1963

Work experience

1997

Project Officer, Indigenous Translation Domestic Violence Project, Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General

1996

Project officer, Women 's Policy Unit, Department of Family Services Queensland, Brisbane

1992-1995

Head of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Unit at Queensland University of Technology; wrote courses, lectured and served on university committees

1985- 1992

Assistant Research Officer, Federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Canberra
Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University (known then as the Northern Rivers CAE)
Wrote five courses in Aboriginal Studies and designed and coordinated external courses in Aboriginal studies for teachers already working in schools
Visiting lecturer at University of British Columbia, Vancouver and the University of Nebraska, USA
Southern Cross University staff member for seven years
Evaluated and wrote report for Commonwealth Education on all Aboriginal Studies Courses and staff at Edith Cowan University, Perth
Lecturer, Education Faculty, University of New England

1982 - 1984

Research officer at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra, known then as CCAE
Research officer with Department of Aboriginal Affairs
Research Consultancy, Federal Department of Education, Canberra
Relief History Research Officer, The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Research Assistant, National Evaluation of Abstudy for the department of Education and Employment

1975-1981

Voluntary Welfare Work in Aboriginal community, Inverell, New South Wales

1973-1974

Teacher, Auckland New Zealand and Cairns, North Queensland

1958-1973

Class Teacher (Primary), Sydney Metropolitan Schools

1955 - 1957

Teacher in Charge, Torres Strait Islander Community School, North Queensland

1952-1953

Primary School Teacher, Aboriginal Community School, North Queensland

Published works

Duncan, P (1984) 'Shame ' in Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia, Aboriginal Studies Press
Duncan, P (1986) an Evaluation of the Aboriginal Study Grants Scheme Commonwealth Department of Education
Duncan, P (1985) 'A Teacher 's Life ' in Fighters and Singers, ed by Meehan B; Barwick D; and White I, George Allen and Unwin, Sydney.

Book reviews

Sutton, P-1988 Dreaming; The art of Aboriginal Australia. Viking Press, Vic
Edwards, C and Read, P (Eds) -1989 The Lost Children, Doubleday, Sydney
O 'Brien, M -1991 Wanambi the Water Snake Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra
Thomson, J (Ed) -1989 Reaching Back Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra
Wharton, H -1992 Unbranded UQ Press, Brisbane

NB: The royalties from books and courses published went to the provision of a scholarship for an Aboriginal woman at Southern Cross University, Lismore and a scholarship for an Indigenous male or female at QUT. The scholarship at SCU is in memory of close friend Dr Diane Barwick, historian and anthropologist.

Awards and honours

Honour of renaming the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teaching Scholarships the Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarships in 2004
Senior Australian of The Year for Qld - 2004
Recipient of the Centenary of Federation Medal for increasing Aboriginal participation in education
The first Aboriginal school teacher in Australia who was trained at a tertiary institution

Boards and committees - past

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Teacher Education (Board of Teacher Registration, Queensland)
Aboriginal Studies Curriculum Committee, New South Wales Education Queensland
Aboriginal Women 's Task Force (Prime Minister and Cabinet 1982-1985)
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (Councillor) Research committee of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra
Defence of Children International Committee
Land and Environment Court, New South Wales (Consultant)
National Aboriginal Education Committee
NSW Women 's Advisory Committee to the Premier of NSW Education Department, Land and Environment Court NSW Government
Queensland Board of Teacher Registration
Queensland Higher Education Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education
Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Education Course Committee; Reference Group Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Teacher Education
Queensland University of Technology Equity Board
Remote Area Practicum (coordinator)
Research Advisory Committee (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies)

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