Monday, November 3, 2025
By Michael Warren
Gurriny Yealamucka is proud to celebrate Katrina Connolly, whose hard work, insight and dedication played a key joint role alongside Associate Professor Azure Hermes in winning the ATSE Traditional Knowledge Innovation Award at a national gala dinner held in Adelaide on Thursday, October 30.
This prestigious national award recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led innovation that respectfully combines Traditional Knowledge with science, research and technology — creating real-world impact for communities across Australia.
For Katrina, this achievement marks years of collaboration, reflection and commitment.
From the very beginning, she has been deeply involved in shaping how research can work hand-in-hand with community, ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives remain at the centre.
As a Cert IV Indigenous Health Worker and research partner, Katrina has brought both lived experience and professional expertise to the project.
Her insights as a mother navigating the health system have influenced how information is shared with families and how culturally safe communication is built into every stage.
Katrina’s contributions span from joining the first community advisory group to co-presenting with Azure at national conferences and helping create culturally grounded educational resources.
Her recorded conversations, videos and voice work have helped make the project truly relatable for community audiences.
This award stands as a testament to the strength of collaboration, culture and community leadership — and a proud moment for Katrina, Gurriny Yealamucka and Yarrabah.
