Rate My Professor Zane Hughes

Zane Hughes serves as a Lecturer in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Curtin University. He holds the position of Research Fellow and acts as the Training and Capacity Development Manager for the Indigenous Stewardship, Biodiversity and Environment Group. As a proud Waanyi Traditional Custodian from Northwest Queensland, he leverages his extensive professional background in leadership positions within mining companies, major infrastructure projects, and Indigenous corporations to advance academic and research initiatives at the university.

In his role with the Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME), Zane Hughes is the Program 5 Leader for Education and Training, First Nation Ranger Programme Lead, and Course Coordinator for First Nation Rangers and Mine Closure. Key projects under his leadership include the First Nations VET Pathways (Stages 1 and 2), which aim to double the national average for First Nations participation in Higher Degree by Research programs. He contributes to the development of postgraduate qualifications in mine closure and transitions, and is involved in the Leadership in Sustainable Mine Closure program in collaboration with Rio Tinto and the University of British Columbia. His work integrates Indigenous perspectives into environmental management, biodiversity stewardship, and sustainable mine closure practices, promoting collaboration among industry, academia, and Indigenous communities. Zane Hughes chairs the mining Strategic Workforce Advisory Panel for the Australian Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance. He has presented at conferences including Future of Mining Australia 2025, Mines and Money at IMARC, and the Life of Mine and Mine Waste and Tailings Conference 2025. His publications include a scoping study of design and thermal performance in the desert built environment.