The members of the project reference group provide a range of expertise and experience that helps inform the project activities and development of the network.
Professor John Rice, Executive Director, Australian Council of Deans of Science was Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering from 1993-2000 at Flinders University and Dean of the Faculty of Science at UTS from 2004-2008, taking up his current position upon his retirement. He holds an honorary position in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at Sydney University and is a member of the management committee of the University’s Institute for Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education. John continues his long career in promoting and supporting teaching excellence in Science.
Associate Professor Cristina Varsavsky, Deputy Dean for Science, Monash University, and previously Associate Dean (Education). Her interests in scholarship of learning and teaching include broad areas of mathematics and science education. She has over eighty publications in the areas of technology in maths education, curriculum development, science skills, teacher education and the interface of mathematics education between secondary school and university. She has been involved in several national projects, and is currently leading a national project on mathematics assessment (MathsAssess).
Professor Peter Adams, Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Science, University of Queensland has extensive experience through ALTC fellowships and projects and is a leading innovator in mathematics curricula. He has been involved in two past ALTC projects, A new enabling technology for learning and teaching quantitative skills and Quantitative skills in science: curriculum models for the future.
Associate Professor David Easdown, Director of First Year Studies, School of Mathematics and Statistics, taking care of a First Year Program with over 5,000 individual enrolments each semester in mathematics and statistics units of study, supported by a large network of lecturers, tutors and administrative staff. David has also coordinated the Mathematics and Statistics Summer School Program (7 years) and served as Deputy Head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics (5 years). He has been involved in a number of education focused research projects, including an ALTC project on professional development for tertiary mathematics teachers. He will advise on matters relating to the role of the first year coordinator, program leadership and teaching innovation.
Associate Professor Manjula Sharma, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney has some 100 peer reviewed publications and is an active researcher in physics education. The many facets of her work are underpinned by her research understandings. As Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences Learning and Teaching Strategy Group, she brings expertise in developing and implementing strategies for improving student learning at an institutional level. As founding Director of the Institute for Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, and Leader of the Science and Mathematics network of Australian university educators (SaMnet) she brings expertise on networks, team building and fostering collaboration in science contexts. She holds an OLT National Teaching Fellowship on more active lecture approaches in science and mathematics. She will advise on matters to do with strategising and leadership within the sciences in the academic community.
Professor John Hajek, University of Melbourne is Discipline Chair of Languages and Linguistics at the University of Melbourne. He was Project Leader for the ALTC funded project Leadership for future generations: A national network for university languages. He has received awards for excellence in learning and teaching. His insight into recent successful network development will be invaluable to the team. Mark Parry,Parryville Media has worked with a number of learning and teaching projects in recent years. Mark is providing design and communication expertise for the development of our website, network communication strategies and project resources. Mark has a background in science education and skills in developing teaching resources, instructional design and online communication strategies (to name a few).
