Rate My Professor John Lester

Emeritus Professor John Lester is a distinguished Wonnarua Elder and leading authority in Indigenous education within the Education discipline at the University of Newcastle's Wollotuka Institute. He holds a Diploma in Teaching from Armidale College of Advanced Education, a Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University, a Master of Educational Administration, and a PhD from the University of Newcastle. His doctoral thesis, titled 'Why do Aboriginal kids switch off school?', received the Ray Debus Award for Doctoral Research in Education from the Australian Association for Research in Education in 2017, marking him as the first Indigenous academic from the university to win this accolade. Boasting over 40 years of operative and managerial leadership across school, TAFE, and university sectors, he pioneered as Australia's first Indigenous TAFE Principal, assumed the inaugural Aboriginal Studies Chair at the University of Newcastle, and served as Inaugural Director of Aboriginal Education and Training for the NSW Department of Education and Training (2005-2008). Additional roles include Acting Dean of Indigenous Education and Research, Director of the Umilliko Indigenous Higher Education Research Centre, and Elder in Residence at Adamstown Public School.

Professor Lester's academic interests encompass Indigenous teacher education, cross-cultural research in geography, Aboriginal careers aspiration programs, curriculum development, and strategies to address Aboriginal student disengagement through enhanced community involvement and inclusive teaching practices. Notable publications feature 'Creating and sustaining meaningful partnerships for supporting indigenous teacher education' (2013) and 'Indigenous Research: Whose Priority? Journeys and Possibilities of Cross-Cultural Research in Geography' (2006). His influence extends through significant committee contributions, including Life Membership and Vice Presidency of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, seats on the NSW Vocational Education and Training Board, the Premier-appointed Rural Communities Consultative Council, NSW Board of Secondary Education, National Aboriginal Education Committee, MCEETYA Racism in Schools Review, and the Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council. Professor Lester persists in supervising doctoral students, consulting on educational management, and advancing Indigenous education policy.