National awards recognise Monash Indigenous space program

Monash University’s National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) has received national recognition at the 2026 Australian Space Awards, receiving two Group Category honours: Indigenous Space Initiative of the Year and Diversity Initiative Program of the Year.

The Australian Space Awards are regarded as the benchmark for excellence across Australia’s emerging space sector, recognising the individuals and organisations driving innovation and accelerating the nation’s space economy.

The first program of its kind in Australia, NISA creates pathways for First Nations STEM students to undertake immersive learning experiences at two of the world’s leading space research facilities – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the United States, and RAL Space STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the United Kingdom.

Sponsored by Boeing

Led by Professor Christopher Lawrence the NISA program combines education, research and mentorship in space and space robotics. Supported by the Australian Space Agency and CSIRO, the program is sponsored by industry partners The Andy Thomas Space Foundation and Boeing.

“This award truly recognises the incredible diverse talent among Australia’s Indigenous students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) degrees at Australian national universities,” Professor Lawrence said.

“This year marks twenty nine Indigenous STEM students who’ve been to NASA/JPL in the U.S or to RAL Space in the UK to intern and learn to be space explorers. NISA is life changing for them.”

Driving new discoveries

Professor Larry James, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret), Professor of Practice, Space Innovation at Monash Engineering, added:  “NISA is developing the next generation of Indigenous leaders who will impact our communities and drive new discoveries and capabilities across Australia.

“The experience they’ve gained goes beyond just these individuals to inspire our next generation to new heights…well done.”