2006 Media Releases
Tuesday, 16 May 2006
Dr Chris Sarra to give Hyllus Maris Annual Memorial Lecture
One of Australia’s best known Indigenous educators, Dr Chris Sarra, will present this year’s 2006 Hyllus Maris Annual Memorial Lecture on Wednesday 31 May 2006 at the Bundoora Campus of La Trobe University.
The free lecture, titled ‘Indigenous Education – The Future’, will start at 6:30 pm in the Union Hall (Melways ref: 19 G7).
Dr Sarra is the Director of the Institute for Indigenous Leadership in Education and Development in Cherbourg, Queensland. The Institute is designed to pursue improved student outcomes for Indigenous children beyond Cherbourg.
Dr Sarra has a Diploma of Teaching, a Bachelor of Education, a Master of Education and a PhD in Psychology. He is due to complete an Executive Master of Public Administration with the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.
The youngest of 10 children from Bundaberg, Dr Sarra has had an extensive career in education with particular focus on pursuing more positive and productive educational outcomes for Indigenous children.
He has held various positions throughout his career, ranging from PE Teacher for the Queensland Department of Education, Education Officer and Manager of Aboriginal Employment and Education programs for DEET, Administrative Services Officer for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Career and Guidance Counsellor for the Queensland Department of Education to lecturing at the University of Southern Queensland.
In 2003 he won the Australian of the Year, Regional Local Hero Award for Queensland. Dr Sarra was named in the 'Bulletin' magazine’s Smartest 100 people in Australia, which saw him recognised as one of the top 10 educators in the country.
In 2004 he was named the Suncorp Metway ‘Queenslander of the Year’ and was presented with a ‘Deadly’ Award for his contribution to Indigenous education. Dr Sarra also received the Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education Alumnus Award and the Vice Chancellor’s Outstanding Alumnus Award.
The annual lecture is named in honour of Ms Hyllus Maris, an Indigenous leader and visionary whose initiatives in Aboriginal education included the establishment in 1983 of Worawa College, the first registered secondary college for Aborigines in Victoria.
For further information:
Mr Gary Thomas, Director, Indigenous Education, La Trobe University, Tel.: 9479 3385.