Dr Teagan Shields
Research Fellow, Curtin University
E: teagan.shields@curtin.edu.au
Bio
Dr Teagan Shields is a proud Arabana woman. She grew up in Newcastle (Awabakal Country) and has worked in strategic policy reform, community engagement and biodiversity conservation across NSW, ACT and WA for the past 15 years. Teagan holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Education, a Master of Marine Science and Management, and a PhD doctorate.
Teagan believes the answer to the conservation issues facing Australia lies in the Indigenous-led use of Traditional Knowledge. In 2024, she completed a PhD with the University of Melbourne, investigating systemic changes to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land and sea managers in biodiversity conservation.
Currently serving as Deputy Chair of the federal Minister for the Environment’s Indigenous Advisory Committee, Teagan also serves on several committees and boards, including the Biodiversity Council, the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance and the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.
Research outputs linked to policy change and decision-making
Through the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC), Teagan has influenced Indigenous engagement and inclusion across major national environmental programs including National Environmental Standards, Regional Planning, National Environmental Science Program, State of the Environment, Indigenous Protected Areas and Indigenous land and sea rangers.
Highest qualifications
2024: PhD undertaken through the University of Melbourne. Teagan’s thesis was titled ‘Investigating systemic change to empower Indigenous Australians to manage culturally significant entities’.
2010: Master of Marine Science and Management, Southern Cross University.
Indigenous representation
2014–present: Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water – Deputy Chair/Acting Chair, Indigenous Advisory Committee (50D)
2021–present: North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance – Deputy Chair, Board
2022–present: Northern Indigenous Environmental Services Limited – Member, Board
2022–present: Biodiversity Council – Member, Board
2022–present: Speaking in Colour – Member, Advisory Board
2022–present: Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists – Member
2021–present: Conservation Futures – Member, Cultural Advisory Group.
Current project
Completed project
