The Long View on Environmental and Social Justice for Botany Bay: Interdisciplinary partnerships between UNSW and the community.
The Nancy Hillier lecture commemorates the life and work of Nancy Hillier OAM; a prominent figure in the Botany Community, an instigator of significant community services across many fields, and a life-time supporter of education and scholarship. In particular, Nancy was a tireless advocate on behalf of the interests of residents and the protection of the environment in the Botany Bay region, and a long-time partner of UNSW in education and research.
This year’s Hillier lecture will take place on 22 October, providing an opportunity to reflect on the past, present, and future of work on environmental and social justice issues in and around Botany Bay from the perspectives of researchers with the University of New South Wales. While UNSW and Bayside Council are partners in presenting the annual Hillier lecture, the interrelations between the communities of Botany Bay and the University are much deeper. This year’s lecture will take the form of a round-table reflecting upon the broader lessons we can learn from the work done at UNSW addressing environmental, social, policy, water, planning, legal and urban issues around Botany Bay, and what these lessons might mean for new and existing interdisciplinary partnerships with Botany Bay’s communities.
Dr John Carr from the School of Humanities & Languages at UNSW and convenor of the 2020 Hillier Lecture, said, "The Nancy Hillier lecture is a really essential reminder of how important it is to link our work at UNSW with our communities. Nancy was best known as a tireless advocate on behalf of the interests of residents and the protection of the environment in the Botany Bay region. But she was also a long-time partner of UNSW in education and research, recognising how important that link between advocacy and academia can be. I see our annual Hillier lecture as an opportunity for UNSW to actively reinforce links with one of the most important communities in the area, while enabling new connections between members of that community."
The panel for the 2020 lecture includes;
- Ian Tyrrell, Emeritus Professor, Environmental Historian. Author of “River Dreams: The people and landscape of the Cooks River” (2018)
- Sharyn Cullis – Georges River Environmental Alliance and Recent UNSW PhD Graduate. Expert in impacts of coal mining on the Georges River watershed. Author: “Fractured landscapes and narratives: Controversy in the Southern Coalfield, NSW, Australia”
- Emma Golledge - Director, Kingsford Legal Centre, UNSW Law - The Kingsford Legal Centre serves people in need in the Botany Bay community.
- James Weirick, Professor and Director of the Urban Development & Design Program, UNSW - Has researched and been involved in designing the built environment of the Botany foreshore.
- Anne Maree Kreller - Postgrad, Expert on planning for sea level rise in the Botany Bay Area, author: " Fair for whom? How residents and municipalities evaluate sea level rise policies in Botany Bay, Australia” (2018)
- Suhelen Egan, Associate Professor – Expert in environmental microbiology, marine ecology and biotechnology
The 2020 Hillier lecture will take place in webinar format from 7.00pm until 9.00pm on Thursday 22 October.
More information on how to register will be provided in the next UNSW-GWI newsletter.
