Erin came to study history circuitously, with a background in cultural anthropology and museum collections. Through these interests, Erin has recently completed a primarily archival-based PhD focusing on the history of Australian anthropology, Pacific studies, and gender relations in academia. This has resulted in a biography of Australian anthropologist Marie Reay, whose work was undervalued due to both her gender and queerness. Erin has previously assistant curated Piksa Inap Tok (Pictures Can Talk): Contemporary Art from Papua New Guinea which featured over 80 rarely seen artworks from a number of private collections. Currently, Erin is hoping to publish her thesis, a small excerpt of which was provided for a reading at the opening of the exhibition Marie Reay in Papua New Guinea: Exploring Cultures Through Objects.

Dr Erin Gates

Research Assistant / Office Administration