Dr Mitchell Rom
Lecturer
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education
Areas of expertise: indigenous education; decoloniality; epistemic delinking; standpoint theory; safety and wellbeing; philosophy of education; education policy; initial teacher education; pedagogy; educational equity; english; queensland history
Email: mitch.rom@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Brisbane Campus
HDR Supervisor accreditation status: HDR Supervisor (Provisional)
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7635-3916
Dr Mitchell Rom is a Quandamooka scholar who specialises in Indigenous education and Decolonial studies. Mitchell is descended from the Juno/Gonzales family. His work over the past 15 years has been dedicated to advancing Indigenous education. He is currently a Lecturer with the Institute for Positive Psychology and Education at Australian Catholic University (ACU).
Mitchell's work explores coloniality and decoloniality with a particular focus on education (including higher education). His research has attracted awards including the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Betty Watts Award and his PhD thesis was nominated for the AARE Ray Debus Award.
Mitchell initially trained as a secondary English and History teacher and was registered with the Queensland College of Teachers. He completed his PhD at The University of Queensland. He also holds a Master of Education (Research), Graduate Certificate in Education Studies and Bachelor of Education from Griffith University as well as a Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research from the University of Melbourne. His PhD, underpinned by the Cultural Interface, focused on the key learning, teaching, institutional and national education policy (Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1.4 and 2.4) challenges situated in Indigenous education at university. He is a previous Postdoctoral Research Fellow and has presented on topics such as "Decolonising the curriculum" for the Times Higher Education.
Mitchell is currently a Chief Investigator on Australian Research Council projects. He co-supervises PhD students/candidates. He is also a member of ACU's Indigenous Research Committee (Subcommittee of the University Research Committee), AARE and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. Mitchell currently coordinates/facilitates Indigenous education (Masters) at ACU.
Select publications
Journal articles (Peer-Reviewed)
- Rom, M. (2023). Indigenous education at university: Stepping into and navigating the classroom. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 52(1), 1-18.
- Madsen, B., Williams, L., Rom, M., Perkins, R., Purcell, S., Olssen, E., Simpson, A., Torepe, T., & Shay, M. (2021). Online Corroboree in Covid-19: The 'song and dance' of being an Indigenous researcher. Journal of Global Indigeneity, 5(1), 1-11.
Professional articles
- Rom, M. (2024, December 13). Completion: Deadly tips for students who have just finished a PhD. Australian Association for Research in Education. https://blog.aare.edu.au/completion-deadly-tips-for-students-who-have-just-finished-a-phd/
- Rom, M. (2024, December 12). Progress and persistence: Deadly tips for students who are navigating a PhD. Australian Association for Research in Education. https://blog.aare.edu.au/progress-and-persistence-deadly-tips-for-students-who-are-navigating-a-phd/
- Rom, M. (2024, December 11). Deadly tips for students who want to do a PhD. Australian Association for Research in Education. https://blog.aare.edu.au/deadly-tips-for-students-who-want-to-do-a-phd/
- Rom, M. (2022, October 10). 'My attitude COMPLETELY changed': Why universities should move new teachers from resentment to respect for Indigenous Australia as we vote on the Voice. Australian Association for Research in Education. https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=14559
Conference papers/posters
- Rom, M. (2022, November). "Just play the game": Some of the key learning and teaching challenges situated in Indigenous education at University. Australian Association for Research in Education, Adelaide.
- Madsen, B., Williams, L., Rom, M., Perkins, R., Olssen, E., Simpson, A., & Torepe, T. (2021, September). Online Corroboree in Covid-19: The 'song and dance' of being an Indigenous researcher. 2021 Postgraduate Research Community Online Conference. The University of Queensland.
- Rom, M. (2020, October). Navigating the Interface: A critical insight into some of the challenges with working, learning and contemporary policy in Indigenous education at University [Poster session]. UQ Postgraduate Research Community Conference: Navigating challenging terrain in education, UQ, Brisbane.
- Rom, M. (2019, July). An insight into the experiences of academics working with pre- service teachers in Indigenous Australian education. AIATSIS National Indigenous Research Conference: Research for the 21st Century, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane.
Projects
Australian Research Council (ARC)
- ARC Linkage | 2025-2029
Deadly Home Reading: Enabling Indigenous Children's Literacy & Wellbeing (LP240100286)
$1,005,058
Chief Investigator
- ARC Linkage | 2025-2029
Game Changers: Enablers of Indigenous University Students' Success (LP230201137)
$1,239,453
Chief Investigator
- ARC Linkage | 2025-2029
Deadly Teaching: Enhancing Indigenous School Attendance and Well-being (LP230200847)
$1,479,777
Chief Investigator
Awards
Awards and Honours
- 2022 AARE Betty Watts Indigenous Researcher Award
- 2022 UQ School of Education/Head of School nomination for AARE Ray Debus Award for Doctoral Research in Education
- 2022 PhD received a Distinction mark by a leading Professor in Indigenous studies
- 2022 Speaker, UQ Sashing Ceremony Graduation Address, Invited by UQ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (ATSIS) Unit
- 2020 University of Melbourne Scholarship Recipient for Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research. Awarded First Class Honours
- 2017 UQ Poche Scholar and PhD Scholarship Recipient (2017-2021)
- 2013, 2014 Griffith Award for Academic Excellence
Appointments, Affiliations, and Memberships
Appointments and Affiliations
- 2024 - Current: Lecturer, Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, ACU
- 2022 Affiliate Academic, School of Education, UQ
- 2022 - 2023 Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, UQ
- 2018 - 2021 Academic Tutor, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Unit, UQ
- 2017 Sessional Academic, School of Education, UQ
- 2016 - 2017 Sessional Academic, School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University
- 2014 - 2017 Academic Tutor, GUMURRII Student Success Unit, Griffith University
- 2013 - 2014 Teacher Aide, Indigenous Support Program, Alexandra Hills State High School
Service/Memberships
- 2025 - Current, Member, ACU Indigenous Research Committee
- 2024 - Current, Membership, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- 2022, 2025 - Current, Member of AARE
- 2022 Member, UQ Health and Behavioural Sciences (HABS) Early Career Researcher Committee
- 2022 Member, UQ HABS Indigenising Curriculum Working Group
- 2020 - 2024 Member, UQ Reading and Yarning Group
- 2020 Member, UQ HASS Indigenous Engagement Group
- 2017 - 2022 Member, UQ Education HDR Community
- 2017 - 2019 Member, UQ Poche Reading Group
- 2015, Registration with the Queensland College of Teachers
- 2014 Member, Griffith University Education Society
- 2011 - 2015 Member, Griffith Indigenous Student Association
International journal review panels
Reviewer (Journals)
- Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice (Taylor & Francis)
- The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education (ATSIS Unit, UQ)
- The Australian Educational Researcher (Springer)
