G'day
I'm Dr Rachael Gross and in order to trust me, and know that I am qualified and experienced - you will first need to know about me. It is critical to understand your position in relation to yourself and those around you to be good at working in this space. Below is my professional and academic experience, as well as my personal background and positionality in relation to my work.
My Story
Shalom! My name is Rachael Gross, I use she/her pronouns and I am an ecologist, a geographer and a decoloniser. I was born and raised in regional NSW, on Gundungurra Country. I grew up by the bush, with an inherited love of all the benefits that it comes with. I knew what I wanted to do since I was a kid, I wanted to save all the animals. There was a while where my plan was to be a vet during the week and run an ice cream van on the weekends. I'm still considering the van. Unfortunately, like most of us, I was not taught an honest, truthful or genuine recount of the colonisation of the country we call Australia and had the privilege to not experience it firsthand. I came to Canberra (Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country) to study at the Australian National University where I realised I was more passionate about environmental science instead of biology so I made the switch.
At the end of my undergraduate degree, I decided I wanted to try research because I didn't feel ready for work in an industry so I did an Honours year. I studied how African elephants are responding to a warming climate, and I lived in South Africa for 3 months among the elephants which was truly a highlight of my life. This was also the beginning of my journey into decolonising my mind. After taking some time off, I returned to do a Ph.D., I loved research and I loved elephants and I wanted to follow in my grandfathers footsteps. During my Ph.D., Covid-19 hit and without the opportunity to go to Africa for fieldwork, I threw myself into decolonial theory and Indigenous cultural and natural resource management while upskilling in Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing. I have endless gratitude for my Indigenous colleagues and friends for supporting the trials and tribulations of the journey to decolonise my mind and my work.
One thing that this journey gave to me was seeing the pride and connection to culture persevering through violence and hate inspired me to reconnect with my own culture, Judaism. My grandparents and their families were from eastern Europe and were victims of the Shoah/Holocaust. They escaped, my grandfather only just, and while so many countries fought - so many turned their back on Jewish refugees. In 1938, Indigenous people protested the persecution of Jews in Europe and in that act of solidarity stands my obligation to return it. We are all facing the same oppressors. My grandfather was a scientist, and I am eternally grateful that he passed on his passion, kindness and compassion as a cornerstone of his work. I have an obligation to continue my family's fight for justice and freedom for everyone.
I love research, I love making maps, I love teaching and I love community. My expertise is in decolonisation and community development and using them to inform Indigenous land and sea management, and teaching other non-Indigenous folk to decolonise their minds and their practices to create a better and safer future for mob in this space, as they should be at the forefront of it. I want to explore opportunities outside academia, and bring the skills I have with me. Having spent months applying for jobs, none of which seemed quite right, and hitting red tape, I decided that I wanted to do the work I love under my own terms so I started Tikkun Olam Environmental Consulting. I am always happy to tell you more about myself if you're curious, and I am even happier to hear more about you so we can find our common ground.
I will always be a "wildlife" person. Every sighting is exciting to me! As promised, my favourite birds are magpies, spotted pardalotes, black cockatoos and gang gangs. Don't get me started on the birds of Aotearoa...
My Experience
Education
2019 - 2023
Doctor of Philosophy in interdisciplinary sciences and environmental management
Australian National University
My Ph.D. thesis expanded on my Honours research but delved more into the effects of colonisation on communities and elephants, aiming to bridge the gap in Western and local knowledges using geographic information systems. You can read my thesis here. I was based at the Fenner School of Environment and Society.
2017
Honours in environmental management
Australian National University
My honours thesis looked at the behavioural and geospatial response of African elephants to a warming climate. You can read my thesis here. I was based at the Fenner School of Environment and Society.
2013 - 2016
Undergraduate Degree
Australian National University
Bachelor of Science
Major: Biology
Minors: Biodiversity conservation and management, ecology and evolution
kate harriden: wiradyuri woman, water scholar, ngunawal country
"Rachael actively promotes decolonial actions though her research and teaching activities and calls out inappropriate practices as required, even when power is in the room.
She also does deadly maps that while indicating where an important site may be, the specific location remains known only to those who need to know.
We have been active in decolonizing the research and teaching practices through an Indigenous-led yarning circle based at the ANU’s environmental school since about 2019. She has always sought to respect First Nation sovereignty and conscientiously develops her capacity to work respectfully with mob.
When Rachael presented her PhD research about African elephants in Africa, it was the Indigenous scientists and practitioners who were most impressed with it. And we all know mob’s say matters, no matter where they come from!
After many years active in the Fenner Circle, an Indigenous-led yarning circle I co-founded at the ANU’s environmental school, including convening the publications circle, Rachael understands the range of different social, political and geographical situations where decolonial research projects are conducted. And that this diversity requires guidance from the client about the thoughtful and respectful use of research, governance and project management skills."
oli leach,
Pending :)