ARC Centre of Excellence for Transforming Human Origins Research

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Transforming Human Origins Research aims to transform our understanding of why and how our species, Homo sapiens, is the only surviving human on our planet. The Centre mobilises Indigenous, Global South and Western expertise to examine under-researched regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia. This novel synthesis aims to address how we became a versatile, global species, resilient to profound environmental changes over the last 300,000 years. Outcomes will include new scientific models and revisions to public education and policies about our history, our biological, and cultural relationships to one another, and how we have reshaped ecosystems worldwide. Benefits include a transformed, ethically engaged study of human origins for the betterment of society.

Funding: $35 million over 7 years

Centre Director: Prof Michael Petraglia

Administering Organisation: Griffith University

Participating Organisations:

  • The Australian National University
  • Flinders University
  • La Trobe University
  • The University of Queensland
  • The University of Adelaide
  • The University of Western Australia
  • Monash University
  • University of Johannesburg
  • Ditsong National Museum
  • National Museums of Kenya
  • Saudi Heritage Commission
  • King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia
  • Banaras Hindu University, India
  • Anna University, Chennai
  • University of Sri Jayewardenepura 
  • Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology
  • National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
  • Bandung Institute of Technology
  • Western Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
  • NORTHERN LAND COUNCIL
  • The River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
  • Gunaikurnai Land & Waters Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
  • Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz
  • King's College London
  • National Research Center on Human Evolution, Spain
  • Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
  • Bioplatforms Australia Ltd
  • ROCK ART AUSTRALIA LIMITED
  • MurriMatters Pty Ltd
  • Takarangi Research
  • Queensland Museum
  • WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM
  • British Museum
  • Cleveland Museum of Natural History
  • MICROSOFT AUSTRALIA
  • Australian Research Data Commons Limited