Associate Professor Linda Payi Mae Ford is a local Territorian - a Rak Mak Mak Marranunggu from Kurrindju, Batchelor, Litchfield National Park, Delissaville, Wagait, Larrakia Aboriginal Land Trust and the Gurrudju Aboriginal Land Trust and affiliation with Marrithiyel (grandmothers country) on the Daly River Aboriginal Land Trust in the Northern Territory. She has cultural affiliations with the Warramiri Clan on Elcho Island NT, and a wide network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affiliations locally, nationally, and internationally.

Associate Professor Ford conducts research at the Northern Institute, College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society at Charles Darwin University. Her knowledge, expertise and research contributes significantly to new knowledge and innovation in the following areas: Indigenous research, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, teaching and learning, education, Teacher Education, philosophy, special education, ethnomusicology, language & literacy, culture, society, land and sea management, governance, Indigenous health, mental health & wellbeing in Indigenous knowledges and community engagement projects.

As the Principal Research Fellow she is recognised for her Australian Research Council (ARC) awards i.e. as Chief Investigator for 3 ARC Discovery Indigenous Awards:

Early Childhood 2007 - 2011

New Ways for Old Ceremonies - An Archival Research Project 2015 - 2018

Aboriginal Cosmology - What this means for Women and Gender Policy 2016 - 2019

ARC Special Research Initiative Project: National Indigenous Research and Knowledge Network (NIRAKN) 2012 - 2020

ARC Special Research Initiative Project: National Indigenous Research and Knowledge Network (NIRAKN) where she recently accepted the role as NIRAKN State Leader for NT & SA, 2020.

Collaborative Research Centre Plant Biosecurity:  Expanding Indigenous community’s biosecurity surveillance and monitoring capacity project. Expanding Indigenous community’s biosecurity surveillance and monitoring capacity to care for country and to protect country from pests and diseases.

This project aims to increase the capacity of Traditional Owners (TOs) to detect, monitor and report priority environmental exotic plant pest and disease threats in a World Heritage Area.  Additionally, this project will be used as a model to develop an environmental biosecurity awareness, surveillance and reporting training module that could be adopted nationally.

Associate Professor Ford was the Australian Indigenous representative on this international project working closely with Alby Marsh, (Maori) Plant and Food in New Zealand, Dr Penny Wurm, Indonesia (Rice Farmers) and Professor Ruth Wallace as the Theme Leader.

TNI89SM - FRDC: Identifying the key social and economic factors for successful engagement in aquaculture ventures by Indigenous communities. 

This project will identify the key factors needed to run a successful Indigenous aquaculture venture and work out the best way to engage with communities to ensure they get the best information.
This research will provide guidelines for people who faciliare Indigenous economic development. It poses the questions 'What is achievable for Indigenous people in the short term?' 'What factors are essential for success?' and 'Can models or frameworks be developed that adequately capture these factors?'

This project was undertaken at Warruwi on Goulburn Island 2009 - 2014 with black lipped oysters, giant fluted clams and sand fish (trepang).