Scientists Michelle Hobbs and Stephanie Beaupark have been recognised for their outstanding research by the Australian Academy of Science through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Award for 2023.

The award recognised their research in physical and biological sciences, allowing interdisciplinary and sociocultural research straddling the social sciences and humanities.

Ms Hobbs is a Bidjara descendent, lecturer and PhD student at Griffith University.

She will use the award to look into the management of Australian freshwater ecosystems and freshwater mussels.

"Extinctions or population declines of mussels are likely to disproportionately affect Indigenous peoples who use them, yet relatively little has been published about mussels from Indigenous perspectives or regarding the cultural values of mussels," she said.

"Current risk assessment methods and natural resource management tend to limit Indigenous involvement to cultural heritage objects or artefacts, while cultural values or uses of biota or landscapes are not explicitly addressed, despite their clear importance to Indigenous peoples."

Ms Hobbs will travel to Canada later this year to meet with First Nations researchers to discuss Indigenous uses and management of mussels.

Ms Beaupark, a Ngugi woman from Quandamooka Country, will study eucalyptus dye to make artworks and how the compound interacts with dye mixture on fabric and wool.

Ms Beaupark said she was always drawn to science and art, and this was just one way of marrying the two together.

"Thinking about my own art making practice with natural dyes, I noticed there was a difference in colour for each species that I worked with particularly eucalyptus," she said.

"With natural dyes it changes the colour throughout the year and so I wanted to know the chemistry behind that and that led to my honours project.

"With my PhD I wanted to know other people's perspectives as well and how Indigenous knowledge can inform science and how creative practice can play a part as well."

In collecting the natural materials, Ms Beaupark said it fuelled her desire to connect to her culture.

"Sourcing materials from country kind of connects you more to your culture and to who you are," she said.

"What I found in my creative practice with natural dyes, going to collect the leaves and the bark and everything I use to make the dye is a really a key part of connecting to my sense of self and my ancestors."

The 2024 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scientist Award open for applications February 16.