Rate My Professor Robert Shaw

Robert Shaw serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University, within the Faculty of Curtin Perth. He is concurrently a PhD Scholar at the National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy titled 'Breaking the cycle of reincarceration for First Nations Australian men who use illicit drugs: Understanding pathways that work.' With more than two decades in the education sector, Shaw has extensive experience across classroom teaching, TAFE, prison and adult education, university lecturing and tutoring, as well as in accounting, auditing, and financial advisory roles. His professional contributions include educational consultancy, unit coordination, course coordination, curriculum design and evaluation, and assessment planning, design, implementation, and evaluation. Specializing in Indigenous Education, Cultural Studies and languages, in addition to Finance and Business related subjects, Shaw has built a career focused on diverse educational environments.

Shaw's academic qualifications are comprehensive, encompassing a Professional Certificate in Indigenous Research from Melbourne with First Class Honours, a Master of Indigenous Languages Education from Sydney with High Distinction – Magna (Summa) Cum Laude, a Master of Education (Religious Education) from Notre Dame with Distinction, a Graduate Diploma of Education from Murdoch, a Bachelor of Asian Studies (Specialist) – 1st Class Honours from Murdoch with specializations in Business and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment from NSW TAFE Western, Certificate IV in Health Science Foundations from Challenger TAFE, and Certificates I and II in Aboriginal Languages – Wiradyuri from Yarradamarra Aboriginal Centre – NSW TAFE Western. His research interests include Indigenous Australian Languages, Indigenous Education, First Nations Peoples Incarceration, Languages and Language Acquisition, Philosophy, Religion and Spirituality, Health, Medicine and Traditional Medicines, Asian Philosophies and Religions, East Asian Studies, and Buddhist Studies. Notable publications comprise Miu, B. et al. (2025) 'Exploring fathers’ child and family support during Aboriginal mothers’ incarceration' in AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples; Heckenberg, R. et al. (2020) 'West of the wall: Reflections of lock down in delivery during COVID-19' in Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues 23(3-4); Shaw, R. (2017) 'The Venerable Monk Xuyun’s Thought on and Cultivation Practices of the Chan and Pure Land Dharma Doors' in Chen Chienhuang (Ed.), Zhòng lì zhuāngyán; and Shaw, R. (2016) 'The Venerable Monk Xuyun's Life as an Exemplar for Humanistic Buddhism' in Fayu China.