Indigenous Pathways to Earth Observation team wins communication prize

The Indigenous Pathways to Earth Observations team has been selected as the Australian winner of the 2026 Communication Prize of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences.

Congratulations to the Indigenous Pathways to Earth Observations team on their selection as the Australian winner of the 2026 Communication Prize of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS).

The award recognises the team’s video: Developing fuel moisture sensing satellites for fire management with Indigenous knowledge, highlighting the collaboration and calibration of Indigenous cultural fire knowledge and satellite observation technology for more effective bushfire preparedness strategies.

The project is co-led by Marta Yebra from the Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence at the Australian National University, with Indigenous leadership from Adrian (Ado) Webster (Yuin) from Ngubudji Ngurra, and by Katerina Pihera-Ridge (Māori) from the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute. The wider team includes Taiāwhio Bryers, Shana Gross and Nicolás Younes.

The CAETS Communication Prize is a long-running competition, collecting videos from around the world that explain engineering and technological innovations in an engaging way. Focusing on both the challenge being addressed and the innovations that form part of the solution, these videos showcase exciting and interesting teams of researchers building tangible technologies for the future.

Following this national selection, the team’s video will go up against 11 others from CAETS member Academies. The global winner will receive a cash prize and a free ticket to attend the CAETS Annual Symposium, which will be held this September in Germany.

The team’s work is co-creating two-way learning pathways between Indigenous Aboriginal and Māori communities and researchers, strengthening cultural leadership in science and land management. Supported by the SmartSat CRC and the New Zealand Space Agency, their project is developing new ways of enhancing technological science with the depth of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge.

ATSE’s Traditional Knowledge Innovation Award is continuing to celebrating just these kinds of innovations. With nominations open until 18 May, ATSE is looking forward to lifting up great innovators from around Australia.