Personal profile
Research interests
I am a proud Njikena Jawuru woman from the West Kimberley, WA. I am the Director of the Molly Wardaguga Research Centre, Faculty of Health at Charles Darwin University and an emerging nationally and internationally known leader on Indigenous health with novel ideas on ensuring that First Nations Australia’s a leading the research that that sustainable impacts that improve the health and wellbeing of my people. This is supported by more than 30 years experiences working in the Indigenous health sector. I have devoted myself to be a two-way interpreter of research between the academy and First Nations people and to use research as a mechanism for social, cultural and political change.
My research is co-designed with families, communities and service providers and aims to improve health for First Nations Australians. My current research has a specific focus on ensuring that maternal and infant services are mother-child focused and are informed by an Indigenous epistemology and ontology. This involves describing and assessing the impact of community investment by empowering First Nation communities to actively be involved to redesign health services which are cultural safe, underpinned by First Nation values and provides an operational framework of First Nation relationality and connectedness to place, people, ceremony and improved health and wellbeing outcomes.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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2020 Rainmaker Readiness - Pregnant During the Pandemic: Does Midwifery Continuity-of-Care Buffer the Effects of COVID-19-related Stress on the Wellbeing of Mothers and Babies?
Kildea, S. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Gao, Y. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Roe, Y. (Chief Investigator C), Hartz, D. (Chief Investigator D), Lequertier, B. (Chief Investigator E), Dube, M. (Chief Investigator F) & Muir, L. (Other)
29/07/20 → 28/01/22
Project: Research
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2021 IAS Rainmaker Grant: CRE GNT1197110 Birthing on Country CRE: Redesigning maternal, newborn and child health services for the best start in life for First Nations families
Roe, Y. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Kildea, S. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Sherwood, J. (Chief Investigator C), Maypilama, E. Ḻ. (Chief Investigator D), Chamberlain, C. (Chief Investigator E), Kruske, S. (Chief Investigator F), Hartz, D. (Chief Investigator G), Lowell, A. (Chief Investigator H), Gao, Y. (Chief Investigator I), Clifford-Motopi, A. (Chief Investigator J), Moore, S. (Project Manager), Barclay, L. M. (Chief Investigator J), Hickey, S. (Chief Investigator J), Fardell, S. (Chief Investigator J) & Haora, P. (Chief Investigator J)
1/01/22 → 31/10/26
Project: Research
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2021 Rainmaker Co-investment - To Be Born Upon a Pandanus Mat (Yothuw gayatha dhäwal’ guyaŋa’nharaw)
Roe, Y. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Kildea, S. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Maypilama, E. Ḻ. (Chief Investigator C), Lowell, A. (Chief Investigator D), Gao, Y. (Chief Investigator E), Connors, C. (Chief Investigator F), Ireland, S. (Chief Investigator G) & Moore, S. (Chief Investigator H)
1/01/22 → 31/12/26
Project: Research
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2022 RART BOC TRC: 2022 Rainmaker Co-Investment Application: Birthing on Country Translational Research Centre
Roe, Y. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Kildea, S. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Kruske, S. (Chief Investigator C), Gao, Y. (Chief Investigator D), Campbell, S. (Chief Investigator E), West, R. (Chief Investigator F), Ireland, S. (Chief Investigator G), Maypilama, E. Ḻ. (Chief Investigator H), Hurst, C. (Chief Investigator I), Allen, J. (Chief Investigator J), Hartz, D. (Chief Investigator J), McCalman, R. (Chief Investigator J), Lindeman, M. (Chief Investigator J), Muir, L. (Other) & Tafe, A. E. (Other)
1/01/24 → 21/05/29
Project: Research
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2022 Rainmaker Start Up: True preterm birth rate for First Nations in Alice Springs: insights from a data linkage study
Gao, Y. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Kildea, S. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Roe, Y. (Chief Investigator C), Campbell, S. (Chief Investigator D), Hurst, C. (Chief Investigator E), Ireland, S. (Chief Investigator F), Kruske, S. (Chief Investigator G), Tafe, A. E. (Chief Investigator H) & Spring, B. (Chief Investigator I)
18/11/22 → 30/11/25
Project: Research
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RISE SAFELY: Birthing on Country: RISE SAFELY in rural, remote and very remote Australia
Roe, Y. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Kildea, S. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Maypilama, E. Ḻ. (Chief Investigator C), West, R. (Chief Investigator D), Ireland, S. (Chief Investigator E), Gao, Y. (Chief Investigator F), Kruske, S. (Chief Investigator G), Moore, S. (Chief Investigator H), Allen, J. (Chief Investigator I), Kowalenko, S. (Chief Investigator J), McCalman, R. (Chief Investigator J), Muir, L. (Other) & Garti, I. (Project Manager)
15/06/22 → 15/05/27
Project: Research
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WIU: Birthing on Country Workforce Innovation Unit
Kildea, S. (Principal Investigator/Chief Investigator A), Roe, Y. (Co Investigator/Chief Investigator B), Allen, J. (Chief Investigator C), Maypilama, E. Ḻ. (Chief Investigator D), Ireland, S. (Chief Investigator E), Gao, Y. (Chief Investigator F), Muir, L. (Other) & Kowalenko, S. (Other)
1/04/22 → 30/06/26
Project: Research
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Effect of the implementation of a Birthing on Country service at a rural site, Waminda, compared to standard care for First Nations Australians: a prospective, non-randomised, interventional trial
Gao, Y., Kildea, S., Coddington, R., Briggs, M., Wellington, C., Worner, F., Hartz, D., Sherwood, J. & Roe, Y., Feb 2026, In: The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific. 67, p. 1-15 15 p., 101796.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile2 Downloads (Pure) -
Commissioning stronger evaluations of Indigenous health and wellbeing programs: A scoping review of government and non-government Indigenous evaluation commissioning practices
Finlay, S. M., Judd, J., Smith, J. A., Simpson, H., Fredericks, B., Boulton, A., Roe, Y., Pender, J., Kerrigan, S., Temby, A., Opozda, M. & Cargo, M., Oct 2025, In: First Nations Health and Wellbeing - The Lowitja Journal. 3, p. 1-26 26 p., 100089.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
O61 - Revolutionary Partnership: The Reclamation of Birthing on Country practices with the Alukura Midwifery Group Practice
Hollindale, K., Roe, Y., Kildea, S., Kruske, S., Gao, Y., Lin, A., Kahl, K., Austin, C. & Edward, T., Sept 2025, p. 1-1. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
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Reducing Methamphetamine Use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities With the “We Can Do This” Web App: Qualitative Evaluation of Acceptability and Feasibility
Sivak, L., Reilly, R., Crumpen, S., Treloar, C., McKetin, R., Butt, J., Roe, Y., Ezard, N., Quinn, B., Nagle, J., Longbottom, W., Warrior, C. & Ward, J., Jul 2025, In: JMIR Formative Research. 9, p. 1-9 9 p., e58369.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial
Reilly, R., McKetin, R., Barzi, F., Degan, T., Ezard, N., Conigrave, K., Butt, J., Roe, Y., Wand, H., Quinn, B., Longbottom, W., Treloar, C., Dunlop, A. & Ward, J., 2025, In: Journal of Medical Internet Research. 27, p. 1-13 13 p., e58341.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)19 Downloads (Pure) -
‘Activating Indigenous ways’ – perceptions of how Australian Indigenous health and wellbeing program evaluations are commissioned and future recommendations
Finlay, S. M., Boulton, A., Judd, J., Fredericks, B., Pender, J., Smith, J. A., Simpson, H., Roe, Y., Kerrigan, S., Temby, A. & Cargo, M., Nov 2025, In: International Journal for Equity in Health. 24, 1, p. 1-15 15 p., 303.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)1 Downloads (Pure) -
Breaking the cycle: Effect of a multi-agency maternity service redesign on reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander newborns in out-of-home care: A prospective, non-randomised, intervention study in urban Australia
O'Dea, B., Roe, Y., Gao, Y., Kruske, S., Nelson, C., Hickey, S., Carson, A., Watego, K., Currie, J., Blackman, R., Reynolds, M., Wilson, K., Costello, J. & Kildea, S., Mar 2024, In: Child Abuse and Neglect. 149, p. 1-11 11 p., 106664.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile11 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)100 Downloads (Pure)
Press/Media
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Maternity services redesigned for First Nations w
4/10/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Media alert: Indigenous leaders and AMA Queensland call for funded expansion of Brisbane based Indigenous-led birthing program
17/03/21
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Molly Wardaguga Research Centre secures $5 million to support First Nations maternal health
6/04/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Supporting Indigenous Australians to give birth on country
12/11/21 → 15/11/21
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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Birthing on Country services centre First Nations cultures and empower women in pregnancy and childbirth
Ireland, S., Maypilama, Ḻ. & Roe, Y.
23/03/22
7 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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$35 million for new Centres of Research Excellence to improve health outcomes
8/10/20 → 9/10/20
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
Prizes
Impacts
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Improving birthing outcomes for First Nations families in Brisbane
Hickey, S. (Participant), Roe, Y. (Participant), Kildea, S. (Participant) & Gao, Y. (Participant)
Impact: Cultural impacts, Health Impact