Professor Pat Dudgeon AM, a pioneering Indigenous psychologist, has been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities, the highest honour in Australian humanities.
The Academy advances knowledge of, and the pursuit of, excellence in the humanities.
A Bardi woman from UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies and the first Aboriginal psychologist to graduate in Australia, Professor Dudgeon was among 41 Fellows elected to the Academy in 2024, reflecting Australia’s diverse learned humanities community.
Professor Dudgeon's work has profoundly impacted Indigenous mental health, social and emotional wellbeing, and suicide prevention.
Currently she serves as Director of UWA’s Centre of Best Practice in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention (CBPATSISP), funded under the Commonwealth Government’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program, and as lead Chief Investigator of the Transforming Indigenous Mental Health and Wellbeing research project.
Professor Dudgeon led the influential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Suicide Prevention Evaluation Project (ATSISPEP), which produced the landmark 2016 report Solutions that work: What the evidence and our people tell us.
The report documented the role of colonisation and trauma in Indigenous suicide and emphasised the necessity of Indigenous-led cultural responses in prevention efforts.
A former Commissioner of the Australian National Mental Health Commission, Professor Dudgeon is Deputy Chair of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association and a Board Member of Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia.
She is also the editor and author of the landmark Working Together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practices.
Image: Professor Pat Dudgeon, awarded the highest honour in Australian humanities.
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Head of UWA’s School of Indigenous Studies, Professor Jill Milroy, congratulated Professor Dudgeon on her achievement.
“Professor Dudgeon’s pioneering work and steadfast commitment to social justice have made a significant and lasting impact on Indigenous mental health and wellbeing,” Professor Milroy said.
“Her election to the Academy is a well-deserved recognition of her tireless efforts and groundbreaking contributions.”
UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma said the University was incredibly proud of Professor Dudgeon’s achievements.
“Her visionary leadership and dedication to empowering Indigenous communities have set new standards in the field of psychology and beyond, and her work continues to inspire and drive positive change,” Professor Chakma said.
Australian Academy of the Humanities Executive Director Inga Davis said Professor Dudgeon’s election was a significant achievement and was testament to the outstanding contribution she had made to her discipline.
“Professor Dudgeon will be invited to add her signature to the Academy’s Charter Book at a Ceremony in November 2025,” Ms Davis said.
The Australian Academy of the Humanities is one of Australia’s five Learned Academies – independent organisations established to encourage excellence in their respective fields and to provide expertise and advice at public, institutional and government levels.