Dr Kirsten Gray, First Nations Legal Researcher of the Year 2025

Muruwari woman and Associate Professor at the Indigenous Research and Policy Hub of the Jumbunna Indigenous Research Institute, Dr Kirsten Gray was named First Nations Legal Researcher of the Year at the 2025 Ngalaya Ball and First Nations Law Awards.

Kirsten was nominated by several of her colleagues at the University of Technology Sydney, who paid tribute to her career of leadership and advocacy spanning Royal Commissions and inquiries.

One nominee wrote:

Dr Kirsten Gray is a brilliant scholar and advocate, whose human rights work across child protection, juvenile justice and family law spans law reform, representing families in child protection matters, advocating for human rights within royal commissions including the Don Dale and Disability Royal Commissions, and producing groundbreaking research on the role and experience of First Nations judicial officers…. Dr Gray’s work is driven by the urgent need to reform, and ultimately transform, Australia’s colonial legal systems to recognise Indigenous peoples’ rights to participation and self-determination. Dr Gray’s research on First Nations judicial officers makes an immensely important and trail blazing contribution to this neglected but critical field of research.

Ngalaya's Executive Director, Jason O'Neil presented this award to Associate Professor Marcelle Burns to accept on Dr Gray's behalf, in recognition of her long-term work and advocacy.