The Burunh Program
News
Krystal De Napoli joins The Burunh Program!
Krystal De Napoli - Gomeroi woman, astrophysicist, radio host, science communicator, and award-winning author - is permanently joining The Burunh Program for Cultural & Indigenous Astronomy in the School of Physics at University of Melbourne. She will be the first Indigenous staff member in the School of Physics. As an academic, she will teach Indigenous Astronomy (PHYC10010) starting next year and will contribute to research and outreach on an ongoing basis. She is also the new Coordinator for the Bachelor of Science (Extended) - a 3.5 year degree exclusively for talented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students interested in science.
Krystal completed her training in astrophysics at Monash University, where she studied star formation, and co-designed and taught into a course on Indigenous science. She co-authored the award-winning 2022 book "First Knowledges: Astronomy - Sky Country" (Thames & Hudson) and hosts the weekly radio show Indigenuity on Triple R 102.7FM. She is the recipient of Illumina's Women in Genomics Bracelet in 2018, the 2020 Monash University Science Communication Award, the 2021 Out for Australia Young Professional of the Year Award, the 2021 Out for Australia 30 under 30 Award, the 2023 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards People's Choice Award, the 2025 7-NEWS Young Achiever Award, and was named as a 2025 Science & Technology Australia Superstar of STEM.
Watch Panel Video: "Where to from here in Indigenous Education? Science and Sustainability"
Ngarrngga’s In Conversation Panel Series: ‘Where to from here in Indigenous education’ considers the role of science and sustainability. This panel explored how incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems into education can deepen students’ understanding of science and strengthen our ability to address Australia’s most urgent sustainability challenges. This panel was facilitated by Dr Emily Rochette, and featured expert panel members: Professor Marcia McKenzie, Professor Joe Sambono, and Associate Professor Duane Hamacher,
Watch the video of the panel discussion here.
Funding Secured for new Planetarium Show
We are thrilled that we have secured funding from the University of Melbourne, Deakin University, and Museums Victoria to develop a new planetarium production on Aboriginal astronomy. This will be part of Burunh PhD candidate Jamie Rooney's thesis research.
Stay tuned!
PhD Confirmation Passed!
PhD candidate Dwi Ocha Yuna passed her PhD confirmation with top marks across the board. Congratulations!
Ocha's work examines Dark Sky Tourism. She is pursuing a PhD in the School of Physics, working with A/Prof Duane Hamacher (Physics), Dr Martin Bush (HPS), and Dr Shea Esterling (U. Canturbury, NZ)
New Research Published
Two papers have been published in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the 24th Australian Space Research Conference by Dwi Ocha Yuna and Danton Prem Weil.
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Celestial Navigation as a Body of Knowledge: A critical review of Indigenous celestial navigation records from the Arctic, Austronesia, and Australia by Danton Prem Balan Weil and Duane Hamacher. Proceedings from the 24th Australian Space Research Conference.
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From High Emissions to High Impact: Astronomy, Dark Sky Tourism, and Sustainability by Dwi Yuna Ocha and Duane Hamacher. Proceedings of the 24th Australian Space Research Conference.
Magazine Article about Aurorae in First Nations Traditions
Danton Prem Weil penned a fantastic article for The Museum magazine for their special issue on Antarctica.
First Nations Connections to the Aurorae, by Danton Prem Balan Weil. The Museum, July 2026, pp. 75-79
Two books on Wardaman Astronomy now available!
We now have copies of two outstanding books on Wardaman astronomy by the late Hugh Cairns and Wardaman Elder Yidumduma Bill Harney available for purchase:
Dark Sparklers – $35
Four Circles – $45
These books will be available at upcoming Burunh events, with all proceeds supporting the Australian Association for Astronomy in Culture (AAAC). They are not available in shops.
New PhD candidate: Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting
We are thrilled to announce that Māori scholar, scientist, and 2025 Atlantic Fellow, Te Kahuratai Moko-Painting, will be joining us to commence a PhD with The Burunh Program. Te Kahuratai will complete his thesis on lunar–stellar-environmental systems and calendars across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa (Pacific Ocean) - particularly in Rarotonga, Tahiti, and Hawaiʻi. Te Kahuratai has an extensive academic background, with a degree in Biomedical Science, a Diploma in Te Reo Maori, a Graduate Diploma in Applied Mathematics, a Master of Marine Conservation, and a Master of Social Change Leadership. He was a 2025 member of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) at the University of Melbourne.
National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA)
We are excited to support the National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) at Monash University. This program paves the way for First Nations STEM students across Australia to learn at international space and jet laboratories in the US and UK. Led by Professor Christopher Lawrence and supported by the Australian Space Agency, the Academy provides a rich education and research in space and space robotics. Indigenous students selected from undergraduate and postgraduate programs in STEM disciplines at any university in Australia will be mentored by experts from world leading laboratories while working on unique projects such as space missions, rovers, robotics for unexplored ocean worlds, robot perception control, AI and path planning.
Learn more here: https://www.monash.edu/engineering/nisa
New Laby Research Scholars Join Us
We welcome Leisha Allen and Phoebe Keen as they undertake summer research projects as part of the School of Physics' Laby Scholars Program.
Leisha will examine historical accounts of transient astronomical and atmospheric phenomena, while Phoebe will study early modern apocalyptic visionaries of astronomical phenomena.
The Burunh Program for Cultural & Indigenous Astronomy is offering courses at the University of Melbourne in 2026, including Astronomy in World History, Indigenous Astronomy, Astronomy and Society in the Space Age, and Archaeoastronomy.
Our new Minor in Cultural Astronomy for the Bachelor of Arts degree will be available in 2027!
In a new article, published in The Conversation on Christmas Day, Burunh Director Duane Hamacher and USQ Astrophysicist Jonti Horner discussed some of the proposed explanations of the Christmas Star.
Image: Adoration of the Magi by Florentine painter Giotto di Bondone (1267–1337).
24th Australian Space Research Conference
The Burunh team made a significant contribution to the 24th ASRC meeting in Melbourne by delivering several papers and winning an award! Harriet Hurley, Casey Domingo, Danton Prem Balan Weil, Dwi Yuna, Jack Murray, and Dr Shea Esterling delivered amazing talks on topics ranging from space ethics to astrotourism to Indigenous astronomy.
The talk "Involving the Community in Space Education & Practices” won the award for best presentation. Well done Casey and Harriet!
We were saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Hugh Cairns, a theologian and scholar who published several papers on Aboriginal Astronomy in the 1990s, as well as co-authoring two groundbreaking books on Wardaman astronomy with Uncle Yidumduma Bill Harney: Dark Sparklers and Four Circles.
We send our deepest condolences.
We are thrilled to see Trevor Leaman graduate with his PhD at the University of New South Wales with a thesis on Wiradjuri astronomy. Supported by Palawa woman Tina Leaman, Trevor has been working on his doctorate since 2014. Trevor earned a degree in biology, diplomas in forestry and engineering, and a Masters degree in astronomy.
Congratulations Dr Leaman!