Francis Bobongie-Harris

Associate Professor Francis Bobongie-Harris is a 3rd generation Australian South Sea Islander with family connections back to Malaita in the Solomon Islands. Her family includes the Bobongie, Fewquandie, Fatnowna, and Mooney families from Mackay. She is an Academic Researcher with the School of Education, at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. She has 25 years experience as an educator and practitioner. She is passionate about maintaining her cultural and family connections across the Pacific through teaching and working with schools in New Zealand, Australia, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Recently, Francis was awarded $1.53 million dollars over 5 years (2025-2029) from the Australian Research Council to lead research that will focus on writing Ethical Guidelines and Framework for research in Australian South Sea Islander Communities, Strengthening Academic capacity amongst Australian South Sea Islander professionals and academics, and Community Led Approaches to develop a framework to teach Australian South Sea Islander history and culture as part of the Australian Curriculum.