Project selection
KFA is underpinned by a Science Advisory Council (SAC) made up of a diverse group of scientists from tertiary institutions across Australia, who guide and shape KFA’s long term research program.
KFA projects pass through stages. Approved projects commence as first stage projects, typically funded to a limit of between $25-$30,000 to enable the senior research team to scope the research challenge, take stock of work already done, gain permission from traditional owners and their communities to undertake research in the areas for which they speak, review prior research findings, identify questions and gaps, and scope the subsequent stages of research work required.
Successful outcomes from first stage projects lead to a second stage, subject to the quality of proposal, availability of funds and Australia Research Council funding success. Second stage projects are larger in scope and time, more complex, typically involve more formal relationships with indigenous communities, universities and other partners and, ideally, are supported by KFA in association with others.
Effective communication of research findings via professional journals and to the wider public is critical and we anticipate that research results will inform both policies and practical measures leading to better protection and preservation of Kimberley rock art. Findings will also contribute to measures to find an optimum balance between access and conservation, which is increasingly becoming an issue.
