At 18 years old Dr Charmaine Papertalk-Green (Yamaji - Wajarri/Badimaya) had told her self she will have her PhD before she was 40 and things seemed to be on track at University in Canberra.
But at the age of 26 life had other things in mind for her when her oldest son Mark was born in Port Hedland Regional Hospital Western Australia and then 4 years later her youngest and last child Tamati again in Port Hedland Regional Hospital.
It wouldn't be until her 40's that she would again tackle Academia and then at the age of 60, 40 years after she had told herself as a young 18 year old she would Achieve what she had planned.
Charmaine became the first Indigenous PhD student to come through Edith Cowan University - Kurongkurl Katitjin's Indigenous school under the watchful guidance of her support staff and mentors Dr Juli Coffin, Dr Sandra Thompson, Dr Mick Adams and Dr Niel Drew. She has also received the Kurongkurl Katitjin's research medal for 2022. The Indigenous school has existed since 1991 and in the 29 year history of the school Charmaine has become their first PhD student to come through and definitely not the last.
Love you mum and congratulations!
