Doctor of Philosophy, Bachelor of Education (Primary), Graduate Diploma in Education, Graduate Certificate of Research Management
Dean – College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University
Dean – College of Education, Charles Darwin University
Director – Northern Institute
Professor Ruth Wallace is the Dean of the College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, and Director of the Northern Institute at Charles Darwin University. Her research interests relate to the links between social policy that addresses the concerns of people and systems remote from core decision making processes. Her research also relates to the identities of marginalised learners has impacted on the development of effective learning and workforce development pathways. This work is situated in regional and remote areas of Northern Australia and Indonesia, with a specific focus in research approaches to improve service delivery and adaptation, undertaken with Aboriginal people in remote and regional areas.
Ruth leads research that focuses on collaborative approaches to workforce development and engagement with community, governments and industry that are sustainable and scalable. Ruth was the social science technical advisor for the Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, with a focus on building resilience through community engagement and collaborative knowledge and management systems for biosecurity surveillance.
Ruth provides strong research leadership in a complex and multi-disciplinary setting, and for building the Institute’s profile among key stakeholders including government agencies, industry organisations, Indigenous communities and in the wider non-government sector. In 2016 Ruth became the first female Australian researcher to be awarded a Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Agriculture and Life Sciences (Sponsored by Kansas State University) building on her research engaging remote communities in biosecurity surveillance in regional communities.
Research Interests
Ruth has a strong relationship and working history with Vocational Education and Training – across regional and remote WA, QLD and NT in VET. Her PhD focuses on the needs of learners in regional areas in relation to education and education systems. Ruth's research interests relate to the links between identity, marginalised learners and the development of effective learning and workforce development pathways. This work is situated in regional and remote areas of Northern Australia and Indonesia, with a specific focus in research approaches to improve service delivery and adaptation, undertaken with Aboriginal people in remote and regional areas. Professor Wallace’s research connects to digital systematic learning pedagogies, literacy and numeracy learning and approaches to workforce development through remote based enterprises.
Her areas of expertise include:
- Workforce development in regional and marginalised areas
- Policy implementation in regional areas
- Regional development and growth in remote areas
- Mobile end technology based learning
- Learning identity
- Aboriginal enterprise development in remote areas
- Regional development and governance in Northern Australia and neighbouring regions
- Marginalised learners and access to knowledge systems
- Community engagement
Current Research Projects
2019-2021
> Female participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) NT Department of Trade, Business and Innovation $ 80,000 Principal investigator
> Aboriginal Participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Industry Development Operational Fund NT Department of Trade, Business and Innovation $ 80,000 Principal investigator
2019-2020
> CRCNA Northern Australian Communication Analysis CRCNA - Developing Northern Australia $ 2,500 Chief investigator
> CDU Innovator in Residence (Aboriginal Stem) Project Agreement NT Department of Trade, Business and Innovation $ 36,000 Principal investigator
2018-2019
> Provision of Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (FVPLS) Evaluation Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet $ 841,186 Project manager
2017-2020
> Knowledge network on mining encounters and Indigenous sustainable livelihoods: cross perspectives of the circumpolar north and Melanesia/Australia (MinERaL) Universite Laval $ 71,667 Principal investigator/Chief investigator
> Women in STEM - Catalysing women's science collaboration program Department of Industry, Innovation and Science $ 155,000 Chief investigator
2016-2020
> Cities of the North: Urbanisation, mobilities and new development opportunities for sparsely populated hinterlands The Swedish Research Council Formas $ 1,133,493 Researcher
Professional Positions, Memberships & Awards
- 2020 - Board Member, Sir Roland Wilson Foundation Board
- 2016 - President, Australian Vocational Education & Training Research Association (AVETRA)
- 2016 - Social Science Technical Advisor, Plant Biosecurity CRC Science Committee Advisory Panel
- 2015 - Program Leader, Education, Capacity Building and Workforce Development, ‘growNorth’ Collaborative Research & Development Program
- 2012-2016 - Former Program Leader, Secure Futures, Plant Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)
- 2014 - Member of Developing Northern Australia Conference Advisory Committee
- 2014 - Public Officer and Board Member of ATSI Women’s Fund Inc, ATSI Women’s Initiatives Inc.
- 2013-2015 - Board Member and Program Director Australian Collaborative Research Network
- 2012-2015 - Member of the National Executive of the Australian Collaborative Education Network
- 2010-2015 - Editorial Board member for the International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning
- 2010 - Editorial Board member for the International Journal of ePortfolio
- 2010 - Member of anzMLearn
- 2010 - Member of the International Sociological Association
- 2009 - Member of the E-Portfolios Reference Group for the Australian Flexible Learning Framework
- 2009 - Member of the National Institute of Regional and Rural Australia
- 2008-2016 - Vice President and member of the Executive Committee, member of the International Journal of Training Research committee, Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA).
- 2008-2015 - Convener of the annual AVETRA – CDU OctoberVET Research Seminar
- 2007-2012 - Editor of the Learning Communities: International Journal of Learning in Social Contexts
- 2007-2012 - Referee for the following journals and conferences;
International Journal of Training Research
Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Conference
Adult Learning Australia
Australian Council of Adult Literacy
MLearn Conference - 2017 - Staff Mobility Erasmus Scholarship – CDU & University of Bergen, Norway
- 2016 - Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Agriculture and Life Sciences, sponsored by Kansas State University
- 2016 - AIM Leadership Excellence Award Leader/Manager of the Year for Northern Territory/ State Finalist National AIM Leadership Excellence Awards
- 2013 - Honourable mention IMS Global Learning Consortium Awards, San Diego
- 2012 - Vice Chancellor’s Award, New Researcher, Charles Darwin University
- 2012 - Bronze Medal, Australian Regional Finals IMS Global Learning Consortium
- 2009 - Research Commercialisation Training Scheme Scholarship, Commonwealth Government
- 2008 - New Researcher Scholarship, National Council of Vocational Education and Research
- 2008 - Best Early Career Researcher Paper, Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association, and the National Council of Vocational Education and Research
Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Supervision
Principal Supervision (Current) | Principal Supervision (Completed) | Associate Supervision (Current) | Associate Supervision (Completed) |
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Media Coverage
- Building trust for positive biosecurity outcomes - Robyn Williams interviews Professor Ruth Wallace, ABC RN, 7 October 2017
- Fulbright scholar brings home ideas to secure futures - CDU Enews, 14 August 2017
- Fulbright Scholar notes similarities in regional development in Kansas, Australia - High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal, 1 July 2017
- Fulbright scholar notes similarities in regional development between Kansas, Australia - Pat Melgares interviews Professor Ruth Wallace, K-State Research and Extension, 24 June 2017
- Fulbright study of community involvement in biosecurity surveillance - PBCRC News & Media, 29 May 2017
- Territorians to watch in 2017 - Sunday Territorian, 15 January 2017
- Fulbright award recognises biosecurity leadership - PBCRC News & Media, 9 March, 2016
- Fulbright honour for CDU academic - First Nations Telegraph, 29 February 2016
- Fulbright honour for CDU academic - CDU Newsroom, 26 February 2016
- Ruth is interviewed about the ‘Thriving Northern Communities’ conference and her keynote. This is from the daily news bulletin of the Västerbotten television station – which is the Swedish equivalent of Stateline. (at 9.10 minutes into the broadcas), 9 December 2015
- UST MoU with CDU Australia - Kedaulatan Rakyat (daily newspaper in Yogyakarta, Indonesia), 1 December 2015
- International Women’s Day event to celebrate Indigenous researchers - CDU Enews , 2 March 2015
- Researchers shed light on North Australian development - CDU Enews, 1 December 2014
Link to Research Publications
