Dr Grace O'Brien

Biography

Grace is a lecturer/researcher in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice (CIESJ). She has worked in partnership with First Nations Communities throughout Queensland for many years. Grace's research addresses the need for urgent educational reform to support the engagement of young First Nations males at school and prevent their over-representation in the juvenile justice system. She was one of the first ten staff members to be awarded an AFHEA (Indigenous) through the Carumba Institute at QUT. Grace has worked across primary, secondary and tertiary education sectors to support an understanding and inclusion of First Nations perspectives and Knowledges within the education curriculum. She is an affiliate member of the QUT Centre for Justice and is the School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education representative for the CIESJ Faculty Academic Board. Grace is an Advisory Board member of (IN)Justice International - a Global Collective. Grace's areas of research include: Exclusion and the School to Prison Pipeline of First Nations young people Co-design with the Indigenous Community - Indigenous Education Programs; Prevention of Incarceration of Young First Nations Peoples; Lowering Suspension & Exclusion Rates from schools; School Equity; Cultural Safety; Social Justice; Inclusive Pedagogy; and Schooling for the 21st Century (Grace is available for Supervisions)