Rate My Professor Brenda Larsen

Ms. Brenda Larsen is an Associate Lecturer at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies, Curtin University, within the Office of the Provost. As a Noongar Elder, Balardong yok with ties to Whadjuk boodja, she was born in York, relocated with her family to Northam in 1975, and moved to Perth in 2005. She holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Indigenous Professional Practices awarded by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University. Larsen's professional career spans over 20 years as an Aboriginal Indigenous Education Officer. Her commitment to language preservation began in 1996 with an intensive course in Aboriginal languages, which led to teacher training specializing in Noongar. She has taught Noongar waangkaniny at both primary and high school levels, contributing significantly to Indigenous language education in Western Australia.

At Curtin University, Brenda Larsen serves as the instructor for the Noongar Language and Culture MOOC (CAS1x: Phase One), where she acts as a senior waangkaniny advisor and provides the female voice for audio recordings of Noongar words. She is recognized as Aunty Brenda Larsen in cultural study units and programs offered by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies. Additionally, she is the co-chair of the Noongar Institute of Western Australia, an independent Noongar centre dedicated to education, training, career transitions, and employment. In research, Larsen co-authored the 2026 publication 'Co-designing Noongar language and speech sound materials: Embracing a culturally responsive approach in speech pathology and education' in the Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, collaborating with Britta Biedermann, Karen Wylie, Matthew Cirocco, and Robyn Heckenberg. She is currently enrolled as a Master (MPhil) student supervised by Associate Professor Britta Biedermann. Larsen's work emphasizes culturally responsive practices in speech pathology, education, and Indigenous language revitalization, fostering greater awareness and proficiency in Noongar among students and the broader community.