Ep 76. Spinifex, fires and Aboriginal languages with Boyd Wright

In Situ Science

SPECIAL GUEST: Boyd Wright (UNE)

Boyd Wright is an arid zone ecologist from the University of New England that studies the life history of the sturdy plants that make their homes in Australia’s dry deserts. Boyd has spent many years working with Indigenous communities in these areas and has made it his mission to find as many opportunities as he can to work in his true desert home. This includes finding odd jobs on farms, in aged health care and even as a Pintupi-Luritja language interpreter.

In this interview with In Situ Science we chat about how Boyd had learn the Pintupi-Luritja language from scratch by living amongst the community and is now a NAATI accredited language interpreter. By building relationships with Indigenous communities Boyd has been able to share his scientific knowledge and work alongside them to study the ecology of fire and its role in shaping the Australian landscape.

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Music: ‘Strange Stuff’ by Sonic Wallpaper - www.sonicwallpaper.bandcamp.com