Overview
Background
Susan is a research academic within the Human Centred Computing group in the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering (ITEE). She has a B.InfoTech, Data Comms and Info Systems (Honours) awarded 1st Class. She has just submitted her thesis, and when conferred will complete her PhD degree in Information Systems Theory at QUT. Her thesis explores the dyadic phenomenon of nodes in culturally different social media networks, with implications in the design of information systems. Her research centres on Aboriginal peoples' design methods in human computer interaction; specifically within cultural learning contexts, including languages.
Susan's thesis, which explores the dyadic phenomenon of culturally different network nodes, extends social media network theories. The impact of Susan's Indigenist research extends Eurocentric designed virtual, interactive and immersive spaces and process incl. AI, XR and emerging technologies. As Ngemba Wiradjuri and grown up on Country her lived experience of social, institutional and political dimensions that impact Aboriginal peoples lives in Australia enables Susan to critically analyse and reflect on all aspects, reflexively throughout her research.
Along with esteemed national and international Indigenous academics, Susan is a Chief Investigator on the $35,000,000 ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Futures and won a highly competitve Science & Technology Australia's #SuperstarsOfStem program. Susan is also a guest Academic Editor for Information Systems Journal (ISJ) and Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues (JAIIS).
Current research collaborations with Aboriginal peoples:
- explores technology as a networking tool for Ballardong/Whadjuk (urban WA) and Ngemba (very remote NSW) community members on Country and in the diaspora, including the design, build and embedding of community cultural hubs. These are Knowledge (Data) Centres that have a holistic view of ancestral and contemporary Knowledges. Cultural hubs contribute to continuing, developing, consolidating and teaching the protection rehabilitation and restoration of cultural Knowledges and artefacts. This relates to languages, environmental and ecological communities across our waters, lands and skies. Elders and Knowledge rangers connected through Drone, AI, XR technologies, identify and connect Cultural Knowledges with local, national and global initiatives, innovation and solutions. Critical to the design and development is the specific Kinship lore of each community to ensure Kinship Intellectual Property remains with the individual, family and/or community. Outcomes facilitate individual and community digital entrepreneurship centred on Aboriginal Knowledge sovereignty and economic independence for Aboriginal communities in Australia.
Availability
- Ms Susan Beetson is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours), Queensland University of Technology
- Member, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance
- Member, Australian Computer Society, Australian Computer Society
- Member, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- Member, Females in Information Technology and Telecommunications (FITT), Females in Information Technology and Telecommunications (FITT)
- Member, Indigenous Human Rights Network Australia (IHRNA), Indigenous Human Rights Network Australia (IHRNA)
- Member, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance (NATSIWA), National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA)
- Board Member, National Indigenous STEM Professional Network, National Indigenous STEM Professional Network
- Associate Fellow, Women in Information Technology, Queensland, Women in Information Technology, Queensland
Research interests
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Extending our understandings of upskilling and mentoring through social media and computer supported collaborative work environments
This Indigenist research explores dyads in social media network systems when resourcing and maintaining human and business services for Aboriginal community controlled non-profit organisations. To better analyse and understand culturally different social media network dyads, I extended Kane et al.’s (2014) Types of Dyadic Phenomena in social media network analysis with my Aboriginal lens (Beetson’s Types of Dyadic Phenomena). Beetson’s Types of Dyadic Phenomena has an additional tie category: contested space, and tie sub-categories: difference, intent, and power relation.
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Designing and Developing Knowledge Hubs
Alongside Ngemba and Ballardong and Whadjuk Aboriginal Remote and Urban Communities, our team project has four distinctly different and interconnected functions: (1) Design and implement a framework and components of a digitally functioning Entrepreneurship platform prototype. Components can include but not limited to: (a) Data management framework with database structure informed by Aboriginal Archival methods (b) Closed loop network system connectivity (c) Intelligent processing and computing like proprietary designed system using machine learning techniques and/or AI driven models (d) Built-in security framework drawn from each community’s Kinship system and security and develop verification tools that adhere to individual sovereign Indigenous cultural intellectual property rights and Indigenous integrity (2) The main component of the project will contribute toward to the larger entrepreneurial system that breaks down * language in relation to the document context * video and audio in relation to the video context and analyses the meaning alongside cultural validation with a community Elder and Indigenous Knowledge holder council. (3) The platform's functional role towards the community's entrepreneurial futures will consider generating individual asset value tokenisation. Prospective directions include integrating NFTs, digital tokens, cryptocurrency, or other methods of digital rights management. This will create a more willingness to share Knowledges as entrepreneur and facilitate royalties in perpetuity. This research builds digital entrepreneurial Knowledge hubs—a digital interactive e-commerce platform. These Knowledge hubs are designed and developed on Aboriginal archival systems with and for Aboriginal country and cultural Knowledge sovereignty. Each community project is led and owned by Aboriginal peoples in co-design and co-development with Aboriginal peoples. These proposed cultural hubs are a catalyst for community members to continue ancestral and develop contemporary knowledge consolidation in the protection, rehabilitation and restoration of cultural artefacts, environment and ecological communities. Further, this technology facilitates community and individual entrepreneurial opportunities from cultural and environmental artefacts and knowledges. Knowledge facilitators will make sense of such knowledges, through the technology, with the intention of collating and developing Knowledge capital, through reporting and productising for the purposes of national and international Governments and organisations including research needs.
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Human Computer Interaction
How we, as humans, interact with the full context of technologies, Knowledges (data), and collaborate within community design environments that embrace the diversity of our distinct every day lived realities.
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Threshold Learning in Indigenous Engineering and Engineering Education
Supervision of PhD project Aurora Greene, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Melbourne. This research project aims to identify threshold learning (including threshold concepts and capabilities) in Indigenous engineering and engineering education.
Research impacts
Susan's research directly extends current technology design and development by centering Aboriginal peoples voices and perspectives in the design and development process. Her research has practical, tangible and relevant benefits as determined by the peoples and communities she works with. At the core of Susan's research is reciprocity, which facilitates true technology transfer and ensures two way symmetric exchange of expertise and Knowledges shared.
Works
Search Professor Susan Beetson’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Journal Article
Ready to Write
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Martin, Kathryn, Warner, Brian, Perkins, Ren, Combo, Troy, McConochie, Emily, Stajic, Janet, Thomson, Amy, Holland, Lorelle, Olssen, Emma, Thompson, Kate, Broderick, Trudi, Gilbert, Stephanie, Murphy, Lyndon, Lee, Natasha, Beetson, Susan, Fraser, Jed, Allan, Hannah and Bunda, Tracey (2022). Ready to Write. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, 25 (3-4), 1-10.
2020
Journal Article
Building a digital entrepreneurial platform through local community activity and digital skills with Ngemba First Nation, Australia
Beetson, Susan Joy, Pradhan, Sojen, Gordon, Grace and Ford, Jason (2020). Building a digital entrepreneurial platform through local community activity and digital skills with Ngemba First Nation, Australia. International Indigenous Policy Journal, 11 (1), 1-19. doi: 10.18584/iipj.2020.11.1.10211
2018
Conference Publication
Building Digital Entrepreneurial Platform through Local Community Activity and Digital Skills in Aboriginal Australia
Pradhan, Sojen, Beetson, Susan and Kutay, Cat (2018). Building Digital Entrepreneurial Platform through Local Community Activity and Digital Skills in Aboriginal Australia. ACIS2018, Sydney, Australia, 3-5 December 2018. Sydney, Australia: ACIS2018.org.
2008
Journal Article
Quality and efficacy of the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) for university students
Whatman, Sue, McLaughlin, Juliana, Willsteed, Susan, Tyhuis, Annie and Beetson, Susan (2008). Quality and efficacy of the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS) for university students. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 37 (S1), 118-130. doi: 10.1375/S1326011100000454
2007
Conference Publication
ITAS in a virtual environment – quality and efficacy in Indigenous tertiary student support
Beetson, Susan, Tyhuis, Annie, Willsteed, Susan, McLaughlin, Juliana and Whatman, Sue (2007). ITAS in a virtual environment – quality and efficacy in Indigenous tertiary student support. Indigenous Studies and Indigenous Knowledge ISIK Conference, Sydney NSW Australia, 11-13 July 2007. Brisbane, Qld, Australia: Oodgeroo Unit, Queensland University of Technology.
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Ms Susan Beetson is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
-
Design and Develop Knowledge Hubs
Alongside Ngemba and Ballardong and Whadjuk Aboriginal Remote and Urban Aboriginal Communities, our team project has four distinctly different and interconnected functions: (1) Design and implement a framework and components of a digitally functioning Entrepreneurship platform prototype. Components can include but not limited to: (a) Data management framework with database structure informed by Aboriginal Archival methods (b) Closed loop network system connectivity (c) Intelligent processing and computing like proprietary designed system using machine learning techniques and/or AI driven models (d) Built-in security framework drawn from each community’s Kinship system and security and develop verification tools that adhere to individual sovereign Indigenous cultural intellectual property rights and Indigenous integrity (2) The main component of the project will contribute toward to the larger entrepreneurial system that breaks down * language in relation to the document context * video and audio in relation to the video context and analyses the meaning alongside cultural validation with a community Elder and Indigenous Knowledge holder council. (3) The platform's functional role towards the community's entrepreneurial futures will consider generating individual asset value tokenisation. Prospective directions include integrating NFTs, digital tokens, cryptocurrency, or other methods of digital rights management. This will create a more willingness to share Knowledges as entrepreneur and facilitate royalties in perpetuity. This research builds digital entrepreneurial Knowledge hubs—a digital interactive e-commerce platform. These Knowledge hubs are designed and developed on Aboriginal archival systems with and for Aboriginal country and cultural Knowledge sovereignty. Each community project is led and owned by Aboriginal peoples in co-design and co-development with Aboriginal peoples. These proposed cultural hubs are a catalyst for community members to continue ancestral and develop contemporary knowledge consolidation in the protection, rehabilitation and restoration of cultural artefacts, environment and ecological communities. Further, this technology facilitates community and individual entrepreneurial opportunities from cultural and environmental artefacts and knowledges. Knowledge facilitators will make sense of such knowledges, through the technology, with the intention of collating and developing Knowledge capital, through reporting and productising for the purposes of national and international Governments and organisations including research needs.
Media
Enquiries
Contact Ms Susan Beetson directly for media enquiries about:
- Aboriginal Culture Technology
- Aboriginal Informatics
- Aboriginal Technology
- Beyond Human Computing
- Community Design
- Indigenous Culture Technology
- Indigenous Data Sovereignty
- Indigenous Informatics
- Indigenous Technology
- Information Systems Theory
- Social Media Network Analysis
- Social Media Networks
- Storying through Interactive Technologies
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