Our Work
Desert Knowledge Research Institute (DKRI)
Partnering with desert communities and researchers to create enduring benefit for remote and arid Australia.
Our Ambition
DKRI exists to ensure that desert research achieves maximum benefit for desert communities, with Central Australia as a core focus. We believe desert research must be more than knowledge for knowledge’s sake—it should improve the lives of people in desert places, driven by the needs, perspectives, and active participation of local communities.
What We Do
DKRI seeks to be a partner of choice for desert research in Australia. Rather than competing as a research provider, DKRI acts as a facilitator, connector, and accelerator:
- Facilitation and Coordination: We bring communities and researchers together, breaking down silos and enabling collaborative, participatory research.
- Supporting and Enabling: Our primary role is to support others—researchers, organisations, and communities—to conduct, deliver, and apply impactful research.
- Multiplying Impact: We leverage resources, networks, and systems to ensure research findings are translated into real-world action for the benefit of desert people.
How We Work
- Community-First Approach: DKRI listens to, consults with, and prioritises community-identified needs, working to ensure research is ethical, culturally respectful, and relevant.
- Aligning Capability to Need: We attract researchers to our network, invest in relationships, and shape research agendas to align with community priorities.
- Neutral and Collaborating: We do not compete for research funding, but convene and coordinate across the sector, fostering an environment of cooperation and trust.
- Translating Research to Action: We work with partners such as DKA and our research network to ensure research outcomes are adopted, scaled, and deliver long-term benefit for desert communities.
Our Capabilities and Systems
- Deep and trusted relationships with communities and researchers
- Mechanisms for ongoing engagement (community consultations, advisory groups, partnerships)
- Professional support systems, including CRM to track interactions and opportunity management
- Incentives and training for researchers engaging with desert communities
- Strategic partnerships with leading research organisations (via MoUs, consortia)
- Dedicated staff bridging community engagement and research expertise
Measuring Our Impact
DKRI evaluates its work by tracking:
- Increased engagement and participation of desert communities in research activities
- Alignment of research activity with community needs
- More researchers and organisations collaborating with DKRI and desert communities
- Improved living conditions and well-being for desert communities through research-informed action
Who We Work With
DKRI operates in partnership with Desert Knowledge Australia, and collaborates with an extensive network of research and service organisations, universities, governments, and community groups across desert Australia.
Our Current Priorities
- Deep community engagement and needs assessment across desert regions
- Building and supporting collaborative research projects that address real challenges—such as water, sustainable land management, climate adaptation, renewable energy, economic development, health, and Indigenous knowledges
- Investing in systems and processes that ensure research is designed, delivered, and translated in ways that empower desert communities and respect Indigenous voices
Our Invitation
DKRI welcomes collaboration with desert communities, researchers, research organisations, and partners who share our vision for impactful, community-first research in arid Australia.
Contact DKRI
Email: info@dkri.com.au
About DKRI
A registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status, DKRI is uniquely positioned to facilitate and broker impactful research collaborations, attract funding, and ensure the voices and needs of desert communities are central to the nation’s desert research agenda.
DKRI has supported research that includes:
- Alice Springs Future Grid https://alicespringsfuturegrid.com.au/
- Cybernetics https://cybernetics.anu.edu.au/news/2022/12/15/cybernetics-dignity-and-the-desert/
DKRI Board
Chair
- Dr Stephen Morton (CSIRO & Honorary Professorial Fellow; CDU)
Directors
- Dr Mark Stafford-Smith (Chief Coordinating Scientist — Adaptation; CSIRO)
- Prof Ruth Wallace (Dean of the College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society; CDU & Director of the Northern Institute; CDU)
- Associate Prof Kathryn Gilbey (Acting Executive Dean, Faculty Tertiary Education and Research, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education)
Links
Project Partners
