Rob Williams, a descendant of the Ngambri Ngunnawal peoples, is passionate about the preservation of Indigenous heritage and traces this back to going with his father, an Aboriginal Elder and Traditional Owner, to investigate Canberra's national parks for cultural materials.

Rob is a member of the Indigenous Archaeologists Association and ANU Indigenous Alumni Committee. He is currently assisting with developing a program that will see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth undergo training in archaeological methods and heritage management, and experience what it is like to study at ANU. He has taken on the responsibility to be a role model for Indigenous youth and wants to use his unique position to demonstrate the importance of education.

In 2014, Rob received the ANU Chancellor's Letter of Commendation and the Malcolm Stewart Scholarship. Rob was awarded a PhD scholarship to undertake research on Futuna in South Vanuatu. This research was part of the ARC funded South Vanuatu Archaeology Project, and forms the first substantive archaeological investigation of Futuna.