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Collaborative Indigenous Research Initiative
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  1. UC Website
  2. Research
  3. Collaborative research networks
  4. Collaborative Indigenous Research Initiative
  5. About UC CIRI
  6. Executive Committee
  7. Erica Walls-Nichols

Erica Walls-Nichols

Erica Walls-NicholsErica currently works as Executive Officer to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise, and is also Project Manager for the EPIC CRC Bid led by University of Canberra. Erica’s qualifications are in cultural heritage management and business management, both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees completed here at University of Canberra (2006 and 2018).

Erica’s career has seen her in a number of student support positions, at ANU from 2006-2014 and here at UC from late 2104 until 2021 when she moved into a project management role with the Office of Office of Indigenous Leadership. At ANU she worked in Undergraduate Scholarships and Prizes, and in the College of Arts and Social Sciences in Student Advisor and Program Coordinator roles for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework and research students. It was during her time as HDR (Higher Degree by Research) Program Coordinator in the College of Arts and Social Sciences that Erica was exposed to world of research, and realised the positive contribution that researchers can make to communities and to society more broadly.

Erica moved into a policy role when she returned to UC at the end of 2014 as HDR Policy and Partnerships Officer, a role that eventually morphed into Manager of the Policy and Programs team, responsible for oversight of the UC Researcher Development program, as well as policy, compliance and projects for Graduate Research.

During her time at UC, Erica has been involved in projects that support reconciliation and Indigenous self-determination and economic participation, and has supported the establisment of several Indigenous focused scholarships for research students, but believes there is more to be done to support Indigenous researchers at the University, above and beyond what the University has committed to in the Reconciliation Action Plan. She hopes to contribute to the UC CIRI Executive Committee through her experience as a Student Advisor for students at all qualifications levels (undergraduate through to higher degree research), as well as through her understanding of University policy and governance, scholarship development and allocation, and student support and administration.