Beyond bricks and mortar, the museums sector infrastructure brings together built environments, collections and knowledge systems that enable a diverse network of natural science and biodiversity work.
First Nations Undergraduate Student Research Program
Queensland Museum hosted the second First Nations Undergraduate Student Summer Research Program from 12 December 2025 – 20 February 2026. Five students participated in an eight-week placement designed to build research skills, provide hands-on experience, and explore career pathways in cultural heritage and museums.
Participants completed independent research projects and engaged in weekly research and cultural workshops, supported by Queensland Museum’s First Nations team and project supervisors. The program culminated in a public symposium, where students presented their work on topics including provenance, interpretation, policy, social impact, and repatriation.
Generously supported by the Maria Vasas Foundation, the First Nations Undergraduate Student
Research Program will be offered a third time in 2027.
Marine Biodiversity Research
A long-standing collaboration led by the Western Australian Museum has delivered one of Australia’s most significant long-term biodiversity research programs. Over 28 years, the program has surveyed more than 575,000 km² across 315 sites along Western Australia’s north-west coastline, contributing over 55,000 specimens representing over 8,500 species to the Museum’s collections.
This work has directly supported workforce development, engaging 147 researchers, seven PhD students and 29 trainees, and producing more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and over 700 species new to science. The research has also led to the Kimberley coast being recognised as a nationally significant coral biodiversity hotspot.
Importantly, this example highlights the need for policy settings that recognise museums as core components of Australia’s research infrastructure and enable more direct access to competitive research funding, including Australian Research Council (ARC) programs.
Now extended for a further five years to focus on the Gascoyne coastline, the program continues to demonstrate the unique role museums play in building Australia’s long-term research workforce.