Dr Elizabeth Grant

Biography/ Background

Dr. Elizabeth Grant is the Program Coordinator of the Wilto Yerlo University Preparatory  Program, a researcher at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Wilto Yerlo and a researcher within the Centre for Housing, Urban Research and Planning (CHURP) at the University of Adelaide   She also guest lectures at the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide.

Elizabeth Grant is a researcher in the field of people-environments, which overlays a number of fields to understand the environment from an inter-disciplinary perspective. Elizabeth Grant's research interests include Aboriginal architecture and environments, Aboriginal housing and homelessness, prison, court and other design for the criminal justice arena and culturally sustainable design. She  is interested in ascertaining congruence or 'fit' between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' behaviours and the design of physical environments.

Her doctoral research in architecture examined Aboriginal men's preference for prison environments in South Australia and was the first empirical study of its type and examines prefernce and congruence as a mechanism to reduce suicide and self-harming behaviours in prison environments. It was completed jointly through the School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Adelaide and the Aboriginal Environments Research Centre at the University of Queensland.

Elizabeth has wide consultancy experience in the Aboriginal arena over several decades, in urban, rural and remote settings, ranging from consulting communities to achieve outcomes in the built environment, to advocacy roles acting for Aboriginal communities.

She is currently working on several research projects investigating various aspects of prison, court and other institutional environments as well as housing and homelessness research projects which  look at  the relationship between the built environment and the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander users.

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosphy, School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, the University of Adelaide. 

Dissertation Title: Towards safer and more congruent Prison Environments for Aboriginal Prisoners: A South Australian Study.

Master of Environmental Studies, Mawson Graduate Centre for Environmental Studies, the University of Adelaide.

Dissertation Title: Aboriginal Housing in South Australia, an Overview of Housing at Oak Valley, Maralinga Tjarutja.

Graduate Diploma Environmental Studies, Mawson Graduate Centre for Environmental Studies, the University of Adelaide.

Bachelor of Architectural Studies, School of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, the University of Adelaide. 

Awards & Achievements

2008 Winston Churchill Fellowship.

2008 Finalist, Excellence in Research to Business Development, ARIIA Impact Awards.

2004 Barbara Crase Bursary, Australian Federation of University Women.

2003 Australian Postgraduate Award.

2002 University of South Australia Postgraduate Scholarship.

2001 Teaching and Learning Award, The University of Adelaide.

Teaching Interests

Introduction to Tertiary Studies

Principles of Research

Foundation Social Sciences

Aboriginal People and the Criminal Justice System

Special Topic in Design - Aboriginal Architecture

Aboriginal Spaces and Places

Research Interests

People-environment studies,

Aboriginal architecture & environments,

Aboriginal housing,

Aboriginal homelessness,

Prison, court and other criminal justice design,

Custodial design to reduce suicide and self-harming,

Australian penal architectural history,

Cross-cultural design,

Indigenous Prisons.

Publications

BOOKS

N. Gillespie, G.Benzier, P Babie, D. Eszenyi, R. Foster, E. Grant and C. Williams (eds) (2007), Reflections: 40 Years on from the 1967 Referendum, Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement of South Australia, Adelaide.

BOOK CHAPTERS & ARTICLES

Grant E. (forthcoming), Softening the Aboriginal prison experience through architecture: emerging trends in restorative or ameliorative Aboriginal prison environments. in Moore, G., R. Lamb & D. Lu (Eds) People, Environment and Society Design for the 21st Century, Springerlink.

Davidson, J., P. Memmott, C. Go-Sam and E. Grant (2011), Remote Indigenous housing procurement and post-occupancy outcomes - a comparative study. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Peer Reviewed Final Report.

Grant, E. (2010), ‘Speaking from the Heart: Stories of Life, Family and Country’ (Book Review) Journal of Pacific Affairs October  83 (1) pp. 206 - 207

Grant, E. (2009), 'Port Augusta Courts', Architecture Australia, September/October 2009: pp. 86 - 90.

Grant E. (2009), ‘The Shelter of Law’,  (Book Review) Architecture Australia, September/October 2009: pp. 36.

Grant E. (2009), 'Prison Environments for Australian Aboriginal Prisoners: A South Australian Case Study' Australian Indigenous Law Review 12 (2): pp. 66 - 80.

Grant E. (2008), 'Gunyah, Goondie + Wurley: The Aboriginal Architecture of Australia' (Book Review), Architecture Australia, January/February 2008.

Grant E. & P. Memmott (2008), 'The Case for Single Cells and alternative ways of viewing Custodial Accommodation for Australian Aboriginal Peoples', The Flinders Journal of Law Reform 10 (3):  pp. 631 - 646.

Grant E. & P. Memmott (2007), 'The Journey so Far: Aboriginal Housing in South Australia', Place; Architecture, Design and Placemaking in South Australia 2 (7): pp. 6 - 12.

Grant E. & P. Memmott (2007), Forty Years of Aboriginal Housing: Public and Community Housing in South Australia from 1967 to 2007, In Reflections: 40 Years on from the 1967 Referendum Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement of South Australia, Adelaide pp. 79 - 98.

Grant E. (2006), 'Mobilong Independent Living Units: New Innovations in Australian Prison Architecture', Corrections Today 68 (3): pp. 58 - 61.

Grant, E. (2006), 'The Blackster Solution; Transient Aboriginal Camps', Place; Architecture, Design and Placemaking in South Australia 2 (2): pp. 6 - 11.  

Grant E. (2005), 'Duplex Jail', Place; Architecture, Design and Placemaking in South Australia 1 (4): pp. 12 - 15.

Wallis, J. and Grant, E. (2000), 'Indigenous Education for Future Design Professionals', Architectural Theory Review 2 (11): pp. 65 - 68.

COMMISSIONED REPORTS

Grant, E. (2011). Whyalla Aboriginal Children and Family Centre: Indigenous Design Considerations. Report to Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (South Australia), Department of Education and Children's Services. 86p.

Grant, E. (2011). Christies Beach Aboriginal Children and Family Centre: Indigenous Design Considerations. Report to Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (South Australia), Department of Education and Children's Services, 84p.

Grant, E. (2011). Ceduna Aboriginal Children and Family Centre: Indigenous Design Considerations. Report to Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (South Australia), Department of Education and Children's Services, 106p.

Grant, E. (2011). Indigenous design considerations in the design of the Northern Territory Secure Facilities PPP Project, Report to Capella Capital Group.

Williamson, T. , E. Grant, A Hansen, D. Pisaniello and M. Andamon (2009), An Investigation of Potential Health Benefits from increasing Energy Efficiency Stringency Requirements Building Code of Australia Volumes One & Two. Report to the Building Code Board of Australia.

Grant, E. (2009), Report on 2008 Churchill Fellowship to investigate correctional facilities for Indigenous prisoners New Zealand, Canada & Denmark. Canberra, Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

Grant, E. (2009), Indigenous considerations to the design of the Royal Adelaide Hospital Redevelopment Project, Report to Biflinger Pty Ltd.

Grant, E. (2008), Aboriginal Considerations pertinent to the Design Process of the Eastern Goldfields Regional Prison Project, Stage One Report to the Secure Environments Design Alliance Design Team, Perth.

Grant, E. & J. Paget (2008), South Australian Prison Project Early Test Fit Identification of 20 Key Issues, Report to the SAFE Consortia, Melbourne.

Grant, E. (2008), Indigenous Issues in the South Australian Prison Project: Preliminary Report to the SAFE Consortia, Melbourne.

Memmott, P. & E. Grant (2007), Report of the Proceedings of Masterplanning Workshops for Northern Territory Prison Facilities, Report to the Northern Territory Department of Planning and Infrastructure and Northern Territory Correctional Services, Darwin.

Payne, P. & E. Grant (2006), Scoping Study – Adelaide Gaol.  Report to the History Trust of South Australia, Adelaide.

Grant, E. (2003), Annotated Bibliography - Best practice models for effective consultation towards improving built environment outcomes for remote Indigenous communities. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Project, Canberra.

CONFERENCE + SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS

2011 (with  E. Rowden and M. Taitz). Evaluating the cultural responsiveness of the design of an Aboriginal Court Complex for Aboriginal Users: Post Occupancy Evaluation of the Port Augusta Court Complex. 24th Annual Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology (ANZSOC) Conference  “Crime and the regions: from the local to regional, national and international” 28th - 30th September 2011, Geelong, Australia.

2011 From Nagle to Now: Developments in Australian Prison Architecture. 24th Annual Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology (ANZSOC) Conference  “Crime and the regions: from the local to regional, national and international” 28th - 30th September 2011, Geelong, Australia.

2010 A prison system in crisis: Issues in South Australian prison accommodation, National Conference on Australian Prison Issues, The University of Western Sydney, 9th November, 2010, Sydney.

2010 Prison Accommodation for Aboriginal People in Australia: Designing prisons to support cultural needs. 23rd Annual Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology ANZSOC Conference: Crossborder and Transnational Crime: Risks and Responses. 28th - 30th September, 2010, Alice Springs.

2010 Custodial Accommodation for Australian Aboriginal Peoples: Designing prisons to support cultural needs. John Jay School of Criminology International Conference: Societies in Transition: Balancing Security, Social Justice and Tradition, 2nd - 5th June, 2010, Marrakech, Morocco.

2009   Development and Innovation in Australian Prison Architecture, 3rd Annual Prison Planning, Design and Construction Conference ‘Analysing prison developments across Australia’ 28th & 29th September, Brisbane.

2009  A Prison System in Crisis? The need to implement appropriate standards and  monitoring systems for the South Australian Prison System, South Australian Council of Social Services (SACOSS) Law & Justice Advocacy Day 11th September 2009, Adelaide.

2008  Aboriginal Prisoners in Australian Correctional Centres: Increasing Cultural Identity and Placemaking in the Prison Built Environment, Space + Interaction + Discourse International Conference, 12th – 15th November, 2008, Aalborg, Denmark.

2008  Design Processes for Aboriginal Architecture in Prisons (with Professor Paul Memmott), 2nd Annual Prison Planning, Design and Construction Forum, Innovative Procurement Solutions, 6th & 7th November 2008, Melbourne.

2007  The Case for Single Cells and alternative ways of viewing Custodial Accommodation for Australian Aboriginal Peoples,  ‘Building Bridges’ 20th Annual Conference of Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology, 23rd  –  26th  September 2007, Adelaide.

2007  Towards Sustainable Design: Safe, Suitable and Appropriate Prisons for Aboriginal Peoples, 1st Annual Prison Planning, Design and Construction Conference, 23rd & 24th October 2007, Melbourne.

2007  The Impact of Prison Environments on Prisoners, Northern Territory Prison Master Planning Workshop, June, Darwin.

2007  Needs and Preferences of Male Aboriginal prisoners – the South Australian Experience, Northern Territory Prison Master Planning Workshop, June, Darwin.

2006 Prison Environments to reduce Aboriginal Deaths in Custody – Designing custodial environments from a people-environments approach Suicide Prevention Australia Conference, ‘Connecting Pathways: Big Country, Big Picture’, 2nd - 4th November 2006, Adelaide.

2006 'Softening’ the Aboriginal prison experience through architecture: emerging trends in restorative or ameliorative Aboriginal prison environments, ‘People in Place’ 1st International Symposium on Environment, Behaviour and Society, 9th – 11th February, Sydney.

2006 The right to ‘safe’ accommodation: rights and obligations to a prison accommodation standard The Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology, 19th Annual Conference of Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Conference, 7th – 9th  February 2006, Launceston.

2005 Looking Backwards, Moving Forward: Aboriginal Housing in Context Community Housing Ltd Victoria Aboriginal Housing Seminar, 2nd & 3rd November 2005, Melbourne.

2005  Safe, suitable, appropriate accommodation for Aboriginal prisoners in South Australian Prisons Presentation to Australian Federation of University Women, 23rd August, 2005, Adelaide.

2005 Victoria Square Tarndanyangga - A Contested Space in Adelaide Australia (with C, Lavorie) . in, Proceedings 46th Annual Conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, October 27th - 30th 2005, Kansas City, Missouri.

2005  Towards a Safe Model: the development of modern prison architectural types in South Australia Research Seminar Series, School of Architecture Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, The University of Adelaide 11th  May 2005, Adelaide.

2004  Doing it Hard- Aboriginal peoples in the Australian Prison System, Presentation to the Health Ministers’ Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Custodial Health Working Group, 29th July 2004, Adelaide.

2004  ‘No Tjilpis Here’ Report on Pilot Study at Yatala Labour Prison on determining preference of Aboriginal prisoners for correctional environments, Research Seminar Series, School of Architecture Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, The University of Adelaide, 16th July 2004, Adelaide.

2003 Stemming the Flow: Designing Prisons – ‘Correctional Facilities’ for the Future, National Indigenous Custody Conference, 14th & 15th October 2003, Adelaide.

2003 Moving from the ‘Muirhead Cell’- Safe, suitable appropriate accommodation for incarcerated Aboriginal peoples in South Australian Prisons, Aboriginal Environments Research Seminar Series, 20th August 2003, St Lucia.

2002  Incorporating Indigenous Australia into Design Education, ‘Sharing the Space’ Conference Flinders University Australian Studies Program and Yunggorendi First Nations Centre, January 2002, Adelaide.

2001  Guest Speaker: Workshop Indigenous Cultures and Design Education, National Wine Museum of Australia, 26th November 2001, Adelaide.

2001 A Piece of the Story – the process of accessing records from Catholic Organisations caring for Children separated from Families,  (with Vicky Walker) 2nd National Stolen Generations Conference ‘Healing the Pain’ 14th – 16th March 2001, Adelaide.

Expertise for Media Contact

Categories	Design, architecture and planning, Aboriginal & Indigenous issues
Expertise	People-environment studies, Aboriginal architecture & environments, Aboriginal Housing, Homelessness, Prison & Court Design, Custodial Design to reduce suicide, Penal Architectural History, Cross-cultural design, Prisons, Indigenous Prisons, Aboriginal Gaols,
Notes	Churchill Fellowship (2008), AIATSIS Research Grant (2005), Walter and Dorothy Duncan Trust Grant (2004), Australian Postgraduate Award (2003), Barbara Crase Bursary Australian Federation of University Women (2003), University of South Australia Scholarship (2002), University of Adelaide.Teaching Development Grant (2001), Riddle Scholarship (1999).
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Entry last updated: Sunday, 5 Feb 2012