Adam joined the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) at The Australian National University (ANU) in late June 2020 as a PhD scholar and a temporary-contract staff co-editing a new book publication on global Indigenous governance. Previously, he coordinated the ANU’s National Centre for Indigenous Studies’s flagship Higher Degree by Research Lab. Adam is Indigenous Motu from his mother’s heritage in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and maintains close links with family and people in PNG. Adam grew up in PNG and has lived in the United States of America, Fiji and Australia.

Adam has a Master of Business Administration from the University of the South Pacific (Fiji) and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Papua New Guinea. He is a recipient of the 2019 Simon Fenwick Award at the ANU. His PhD research is on the indigenous Motu Koita government and its relationships in the complex governance architecture in PNG's National Capital District, the traditional home of the Motu Koita. His interests include Indigenous governance, law and politics. Prior to academia, Adam had a broad career experience over 35 years in international diplomacy, Pacific Islands regional cooperation, government and consultancy. His recent experience includes working for Australian Indigenous organisations and enterprises; QLD state-parliamentary office, PNG’s National Research Institute, and various investigations in PNG on land-owner matters and on Social and Environmental Safeguards related to climate change. As a Vice-Chairman/Rapporteur of the Bureau of the 4th UN session of the Commission on Sustainable Development, he played an extensive leadership role in the international review of outcomes from various global conferences and conventions. He was Lead Coordinator for the Group of 77 (Developing Countries) and the Alliance of the Small Island Developing States during United Nations negotiations.