Get to know our team of over 70 Nexus Fellows, Education Developers and professional colleagues driving the Nexus Program. These passionate and dedicated professionals are committed to enhancing teaching and learning at UNSW.
More bios coming soon!
Business
Dr Andrew Dymock is a highly experienced business educator, practitioner, and researcher with a background in teaching at the Secondary and Tertiary levels. He also has worked as an accountant and auditor. Andrew has been involved in providing professional development training and education to new educators in the Secondary and Tertiary Education sectors.
Andrew has a Master's in Teaching and a Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting, with a focus on financial accounting and asset impairment. He has lectured and tutored in a range of undergraduate and postgraduate business subjects at UNSW and UTS and is highly regarded by fellow staff and students as an excellent communicator and a highly engaging, innovative and empathetic educator. He has a passion for seeing students use accounting knowledge and skills to understand and run successful businesses and have a positive impact on society.
Andrew also enjoys collaborating with other educators and undertaking educational research to continue developing cutting-edge best practice techniques to boost the quality of students' learning and enhance the skillset of educators, both within Accounting and across a range of disciplines.
Science
Dr Caitlin Healy is the Materials Science and Engineering Nexus fellow for 2024 and an education-focused lecturer. Dr Healy is undertaking a curriculum mapping project that will result in a detailed interactive student-facing map of the Materials degrees for the students to follow throughout their time at university. Students will be able to see the links between courses and how the key areas of Materials Science and Engineering are developed. Dr Healy is also assessing the use of digital technologies within the degree to boost the coding and industrial software skills of the undergraduate program.
Medicine and Health
Dr Cherie Lucas, PhD (USYD), BPharm, Grad Cert Edu Stud (Higher Educ), FPS, MPS, is the Nexus Fellow (educational change agent) for the School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of NSW (UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
Dr Lucas is the recipient of the Australian Awards for University Teaching Citation (Individual Category) and the recipient of six other teaching related awards: four Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching and Learning Citations as team leader (2018, 2019, 2020, 2023) the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation (2020) and the recipient of The Teaching Innovation Award (International Pharmacy Education Symposium, 2017 Italy).
Dr Lucas has been a licensed pharmacist for over 34 years and appointed as the Deputy President of the Pharmacy Council of NSW (The Regulator). Dr Lucas has published over 90 manuscripts, 2 book chapters with more than 55 publications as First or Senior author. She is an Associate Editor for two international based journals and resides on five Q1 Editorial Boards. Her educational research interests include pharmacy and health education, interprofessional education, curriculum design and instruction, artificial intelligence use and impact, assessment and actionable feedback.
Learn more about Cherie:
UNSW Canberra
Dr Chris Campbell is the Nexus Fellow at UNSW Canberra working across the city and Australian Defence Force Academy campuses. Chris engages with staff in innovative learning and teaching and has projects on assessment best practice and staff and student wellbeing. Her research area is in educational technologies to improve student learning and engagement, particularly in online learning. As a mid-career researcher Chris has a substantive research track record and expertise in digital technologies and pedagogies as well as in evaluating new and emerging technologies in the online space. Chris was the President of ASCILITE from 2019-2023, on the Executive for nine years and began a Life Member in 2023.
Learn more about Chris:
Medicine and Health
Dr Daniela Castro de Jong is an occupational therapist from Chile, who came to Australia via Sweden (where she conducted her doctoral studies). Her PhD thesis explored the intersections between culture and occupational therapy practices and education in Latin America. Since moving to Canberra initially (to work as an education focussed academic) and then to Sydney, Daniela has been an active member of Occupational Therapy Australia (OTAus) and became an Associate Fellow of the Australian & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators (ANZAHPE). In both organisations, she is part of the diversity, equity and inclusion committee/working group. During this period, Daniela has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education and attained HEA Fellowship. As an educational researcher, she is interested in aspects of assessment & feedback processes, interprofessional practices, and the inclusion of arts and humanities as part of healthcare professionals' training. Daniela's research around humanities has included community singing, craftivism, and the use of fiction books as case scenarios for teaching. At UNSW, Daniela is the Nexus Fellow for the School of Health Sciences, one of the co-leads of the Evaluation of Teaching & e-portfolio Community of Practice, and a member of the Programmatic Assessment Working Group, among other activities. Besides work, you will find her at some stage of travelling, connecting with my friends and family around the world, and engaging in creative writing.
Science
Professor Elizabeth Angstmann is an education focussed academic in the School of Physics at UNSW. She was First Year Director from 2011-2023 before moving into the role of Higher Year Director. Prior to this she obtained her PhD in theoretical atomic physics but decided to focus her career on education and obtained a master’s degree in teaching. Her educational background and experience as a high school teacher underpin her use of sound pedagogical bases in her courses. She has an interest in the appropriate use of technology in education and active learning methods. Elizabeth has focused on expanding physics education at the University of New South Wales, introducing both new subjects and degrees. In 2018 she launched an online graduate certificate in physics for science teachers. This exemplifies her passion about assisting school teachers to provide the best possible physics experience for their students. Elizabeth is the immediate past Chair of Physics Education Group of the Australian Institute of Physics. Her work has been recognised through the award of an Australian Award for University Teaching citation in 2018 and the prestigious Australian institute of Physics Education Medal in 2020.
UNSW Canberra
Dr Gavin Mount is a Nexus Fellow and Senior Lecturer at UNSW Canberra. Gavin's Nexus project focuses on program coherence and enhancing engagement and feedback practice. He has extensive experience providing education to defence personnel at ADFA and the Australian Command and Staff College. The recipient of several teaching awards for both classroom and online education, he has provided University and Faculty leadership on Online Engagement. Gavin teaches in the subjects of great power politics and conflict transformation and is currently leading an international team on the pedagogy of war crimes (ISSOTL23). He is part of an interdisciplinary writing group developing a paper on trans-disciplinary SOTL. Building on his disciplinary expertise in the international politics of ethnic conflict and conflict transformation, he has published works on hybrid peacebuilding (ANU Press, 2018) and nationalism (Cambridge University Press, 2024). His current research focuses primarily on the impact of disruptive technologies, including implications of AI, disinformation and the hermeneutics of thinking swarms (Springer, 2024). Gavin currently holds several editorial positions including as a commissioning editor of Australian Outlook since 2016.
View Gavin's work:
Engineering
Ghislain Bournival is an educator and researcher in the field of mineral processing, and brings a deep passion for learning to his role as a Nexus Fellow in the School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering. This is demonstrated through his academic journey spanning from two associate degrees in metallurgy (CEGEP de Trois-Rivières, Canada) to a BEng in Materials (McGill University, Canada), culminating in a PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of Newcastle, Australia). Beyond his formal education, Ghislain actively pursues avocational learning, currently exploring Biblical Greek. Committed to inspiring future engineers to learn, he is dedicated to advancing teaching practices and sharing innovative methods with his colleagues at UNSW.
Science
Dr Hayley Bates is an Education-Focused academic and researcher at UNSW, where she specialises in conservation biology. Holding a PhD in Zoology from UNSW, Dr Bates is at the forefront of research aimed at developing innovative strategies to protect species threatened by climate change.
As a Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences (BEES), Dr Bates combines her passion and expertise in conservation with a commitment to education. She serves as the Director of First Year Teaching and NEXUS Fellow for the School of BEES and is currently a 2024 UNSW STEMM Champion.
Dr Bates is deeply passionate about mentoring and inspiring the next generation of environmental scientists. Her contributions extend beyond the classroom, involving active collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, and industry partners to implement practical solutions with real-world impact. Through her multifaceted roles, Dr Bates continues to drive progress in both conservation research and education.
Law and Justice
Helen has taught in the fields of Criminology and Criminal Law since 2001, and at UNSW Law and Justice since 2010. She is a Fellow of the Scientia Education Academy and a 2024 Nexus Fellow for the School of Law, Society and Criminology. She is the Co-Chair of the UNSW Competency Assessment and Grading Working Group. Her research interests include legal education, homicide law and prosecutions, plea negotiations, and drug law reform.
Science
Dr Helena Pacitti is an award-winning EF Lecturer and Nexus Fellow in the School of Psychology. With over a decade of teaching experience, she specialises in innovative course and assessment design that emphasise the development of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) skills in undergraduates. Her evidence-based approach, rooted in cognitive and behavioural psychology, has significantly improved student engagement and academic performance, particularly in fully online courses. Dr Pacitti's passion for SRL stems from her personal journey as an alternate pathway, First-in-Family graduate who used these strategies to achieve academic success and a University Medal. Committed to creating inclusive learning environments, she empowers students to become effective, autonomous lifelong learners. Her research in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning space involves collaborations with various UNSW and national groups. Dr Pacitti contributes to educational leadership through curriculum design, mentoring new teaching staff, and involvement in university-wide education initiatives. Recognised for her innovative teaching methods, she fosters an environment where students develop crucial skills for their academic and professional futures. Dr Pacitti's work exemplifies the intersection of research, teaching, and practical application in higher education, creating empowering learning experiences that promote student success.
Science
Jeffery Black is an academic working in the School of Chemistry, focusing on how technology can be used to improve the learning and assessment experience of staff and students with a focus on providing meaningful feedback and varied learning opportunities.
Engineering
Dr May Lim is a Nexus Fellow, Scientia Education Fellow, and Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her teaching philosophy aligns with a quote from Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who said, “People protect what they love, they love what they understand, and they understand what they are taught”. Dr Lim sees education as an act that transforms our beliefs, values and purposes, with the potential to emancipate and empower its participants.
As the Nexus Fellow for the UNSW School of Chemical Engineering, Dr Lim work with others to foster environments that are conducive to learning and teaching at UNSW. Her contributions are multifaceted and include the development of procedures, resources, and toolkits aimed at creating assessments that are not only valid and reliable but also feasible and scalable. She is dedicated to advancing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). She achieves this by providing educators with essential opportunities for professional development, notably through the organization of conferences and symposia. Additionally, Dr. Lim is an active member of various working and advisory groups, where she contributes her expertise to areas such as innovation, e-Portfolio, artificial intelligence, and SCI-ENG first year students experience.
Dr Lim’s role is complemented by her expertise in the use of artificial intelligence for assessment and feedback practices. View Dr Lim's teaching portfolio.
Business
Minnie is a Nexus Fellow at AGSM @ UNSW Business School, with a focus on AI Strategy. She teaches and coordinates the GNAM AI Strategy course, uniting a global MBA cohort to explore AI's strategic impacts on business. Minnie brings a robust corporate finance background from significant roles at leading institutions like Deloitte and Commonwealth Bank, complemented by an MBA and accreditation as a Chartered Accountant. She also contributes to the UNSW AI Business Lab, the Nexus AI Advisory Group, and the Business School AI Education Taskforce. Minnie's academic credentials are further highlighted by a first-class honors by research from the University of Melbourne.
Medicine and Health
Professor Patsie Polly (SFHEA) is a Professor in Pathology and Nexus Fellow within the School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health as well as Director and Fellow of the UNSW Scientia Education Academy, UNSW Sydney. Patsie was an Inaugural UNSW Education Focussed (EF) Academic Champion who is recognised nationally and internationally as a scholar. Patsie is an invited international AAEEBL Board member, ePortfolios Australia committee member, a national ASCILITE mentor for Women in Academic Leadership and WATTLE NSW Lead.
Patsie’s medical research has focussed on the successful identification of biomarkers in muscle function and energy/metabolism using genomic and proteomic approaches to show how they are functionally networked in the pathophysiological setting of cancer cachexia in skeletal and cardiac muscle.
Patsie infuses her extensive medical research experience into educational practice by strategically integrating innovative adaptive lessons, ePortfolio pedagogy and collaborative communities of practice for students to learn career-relevant professional skills. Patsie has been recognised with multiple awards and has led multiple programs of activities in the capacity of fellowship awardee and project lead. Projects have included the development of institution-wide ePortfolio pedagogy and a novel method of skills recognition using badging developed within BadgeCop, a community of practice focused on data-rich badging at UNSW.
Engineering
Dr Rita Prestigiacomo is a Lecturer (Nexus Fellow) at the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, where she previously worked as an academic developer and a post-doctoral fellow. With a PhD in Education from the University of Sydney, she brings a rich background in teaching. Dr Prestigiacomo areas of expertise include curriculum development, reflective teaching practices, student engagement, group work and co-design work. She currently leads a Nexus faculty-based engineering education project to both enhance students’ agency in providing feedback and improve teachers’ feedback literacy.
Business
Scott French joined UNSW in 2010 and has been education focussed since 2018. He has contributed to the development and delivery of large (1,000+ student) courses, scalable assessment, and student engagement, and recently led the program review and redesign process of the Bachelor of Economics.
Dr. French’s disciplinary research focuses on understanding how countries’ patterns of specialization in production interact with international trade barriers to determine countries’ levels of economic wellbeing. He has a keen interest in applying his expertise in economic models of decision making and rigorous identification of causal effects to the scholarship of learning and teaching. As a Nexus Fellow, he is seeking to identify effective ways to increase student belonging, engagement, and achievement; design scalable assessment that achieves desired learning outcomes; and free staff capacity to innovate and adopt effective teaching tools and practices.
Arts, Design and Architecture
Dr Sharon Aris is a sociologist interested in who succeeds in education, how and why. In her research, Sharon explores how different knowledges are produced and transmitted in secondary and tertiary education and through families. She has a passion for understanding how disciplinary knowledge is constructed in tertiary education and how this can be better constructed to make sense of students' experiences in educational development. As well as being a Nexus Fellow, Sharon is also the Program Director of the Bachelor of Social Sciences, and her particular education focus is teaching social research and analysis.
Medicine and Health
Dr Sharon Oberstein is a Senior Lecturer and Nexus Fellow in the UNSW Sydney School of Optometry and Vision Science, and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). She qualified as an optometrist in South Africa (Cum laude) and graduated with PhD at UNSW Sydney. As the program authority of the new Graduate Diploma in Orientation and Mobility, she developed the asynchronous online curriculum, coordinated the face to face practical and work integrated learning placements nationally, and chaired a national steering committee. As an optometrist and clinical teacher (with over 30 years of experience), she is academic lead of the UNSW Low Vision Clinic. Sharon has a special interest in working with individuals with vision impairment, her discipline related research area focusses on driving with central visual impairment and bioptic telescopes, for which she was awarded the Menzies Research Scholarship in Allied Health Sciences. Advanced skills in low vision have led to invitations to lecture at optometric and multi-disciplinary conferences and contribute to low vision rehabilitation planning committees. Higher education research and pedagogy interest has developed the expert simulated patient teaching tool for clinical teaching. She also has an interest in multidisciplinary teaching and work integrated learning.
Science
Dr Silvia Behar Harpaz is an education focussed (EF) Lecturer in the School of Physics at UNSW Sydney. She completed her PhD in Physics at the Technion -Israel Institute of Technology, specializing in High Energy Physics. As a member of the ATLAS collaboration at CERN, Geneva, Silvia contributed to the search for the Higgs Boson. Before her doctoral studies, she conducted research in biophysics and gained industry experience in semiconductors.
Silvia has a wealth of experience teaching large cohorts in Physics and Mathematics. She has held lecturer positions at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and GTIIT (Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology, China), where she received annual awards for excellence in teaching. Transitioning to Australia in 2020, Silvia enriched her academic journey as a research fellow at the Daffodil Centre, where she contributed to mathematical modelling in cancer research.
Currently serving as an Education Focussed Lecturer at UNSW, Silvia's focus remains on nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers. As a Nexus Fellow, she enhances the first-year student experience and engagement, showcasing her commitment to academic excellence and student success.
Medicine and Health
With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Diana specialises in academic course support services and project coordination. She has expanded her skills in developing innovative learning and teaching practices using online technologies. Her journey led her to the Nexus Program at UNSW, an initiative to enhance education through collaborative, streamlined, and agile changes within each Faculty and School. As an Educational Developer for the Faculty of Medicine & Health, she plays a pivotal role in translating university-wide initiatives into localised solutions to meet specific needs and challenges. She is dedicated to implementing a sustainable cross-faculty co-design process for educational innovation and improvement, ensuring a transformative impact on teaching and learning experiences. She is a team player who promotes collaboration, thrives on new ideas, actively listens to identify others’ needs, and persistently helps stakeholders meet their developmental goals. Passionate about professional growth, she engages in reflective practice, constantly seeking ways to improve and eagerly soliciting feedback. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in evidence-based practices, drawing from her understanding of curriculum development theory, teaching and learning theory, adult learning principles, and outcome-based learning. She excels in understanding organisational cultures and disciplinary differences, applying this knowledge effectively. Her skills extend to outreach, marketing, administration, research, and project management. Additionally, she facilitates team building, consults effectively with stakeholders, and strategically selects teaching and learning strategies based on needs assessments.
Engineering
Ellie is an Educational Developer (Nexus) in the Faculty of Engineering with a background in science education and experience in developing educational programs and resources. With a keen focus on creating inclusive, engaging and innovative learning experiences, Ellie is passionate about supporting academic to create authentic teaching and learning experiences that have real-world applications, incorporate digital technologies and ensure students gain valuable skills to prepare them for their professional careers.
UNSW Canberra
Janene is an educational development manager in the Nexus UNSW Canberra Faculty. Janene comes from a background in educational technology and learning design as well as Visual Arts and has been working in this space for over ten years. Janene holds a Bachelor of Visual Arts, A Post Graduate Diploma in Education and a Post Graduate Certificate in Online Learning, as well as a Certificate IV TAA. Janene’s previous roles include Senior Educational Designer and Technology Learning Management Specialist within the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CLT) at the Australian National University (ANU) for 7 years and at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) as an Instructional Designer for the AIS Learning Hub. In these roles, Janene facilitated academic training in teaching with learning technologies and course design and has developed online training and resources, including ANU Coffee Courses and the Teaching at ANU SharePoint site. Janene is passionate about designing courses and content in partnership with academics that is interactive and engaging and seeks to provide and enhance positive student focused learning experiences that align to pedagogically evidence-based practices.
Arts, Design and Architecture
Meredith MacAulay is an Educational Developer in Arts, Design and Architecture (ADA), as part of the Nexus Program. With a Master's in TESOL, she has over twenty years of experience as an English language teacher, TESOL teacher trainer and materials and curriculum designer. She is passionate about facilitating inclusive, engaging and goal-focused learning experiences and has an interest in innovative assessment, learner motivation and supporting academic literacy. She has published a resource book for Academic English language teachers and research on learning transfer. She was a co-recipient of the English Australia Action Research award for her project, ‘Making Connections: Student investigations of their future disciplines within a Direct Entry EAP course.’
She is thoroughly enjoying her Nexus role and has contributed to resources and workshops on oral assessment, the First Year support initiative, the SX project, embedding academic skills with GET and other professional training.
Law & Justice
Michael completed a Bachelor of Music (Education) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before commencing a career in Arts education (Sydney Children’s Choir Manager and NSW and Digital Products Manager at Musica Viva In Schools). Michael was then employed at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) as eLearning Manager. In this role Michael was responsible for overseeing digital learning projects in collaboration with a breadth of NIDA's business units including NIDA Open, NIDA Corporate, as well as with NIDA's primary, secondary, vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate programs. At UNSW Michael has been employed as a Teaching Support Officer within the School of Social Sciences, and in a number of roles focusing on education technology and design at the Faculty of Law & Justice.
Engineering
Morgan has been working in education technology at UNSW since 2008. In that time, he's worked on major initiatives like the transition to Moodle and lecture livestreaming, developed custom solutions like Team Builder and our custom Workshop plugin, and supported academics adopting bleeding edge techniques and technologies in the classroom and online.
Engineering
Nasrin is an Educational Developer with the Nexus team in the Engineering Faculty. She has extensive experience helping faculty members use Moodle and other educational technologies for their daily tasks. Over the years, she has worked on many projects across the faculty, showing her dedication to improving education through technology.
Nasrin is passionate about combining education and technology to help academics improve student engagement and feedback. She focuses on finding innovative solutions to make teaching and learning better. Her commitment to supporting educators is clear in her proactive approach to addressing the technological needs of the faculty.
In her role, Nasrin uses her expertise to provide valuable insights and practical solutions, ensuring that educational tools are effectively used to enhance teaching outcomes. She works closely with academics to customise technological applications for their specific teaching goals, creating an environment where technology and education work together smoothly. Through her efforts, Nasrin helps continuously improve educational practices within the Engineering Faculty.
Law & Justice
Sean Maloney is a forward-thinking Educational Developer within the Faculty of Law and Justice, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the realm of higher education. With over 15 years of dedicated service as a primary school teacher and assistant principal, Sean has honed their skills in pedagogy, leadership, and student support.
Sean's commitment to fostering inclusive learning environments is seen through their advocacy for effective communication strategies that cater to diverse learning needs. Recognising the importance of tailored approaches to education, they advocate for strategies and methods aimed at enhancing the student experience and achieving meaningful learning outcomes.
Drawing upon their extensive background in primary education, Sean brings a unique perspective to their role, infusing innovation and best practices into engaging students, supporting their learning and teacher instruction.
Director of Nexus Program
A/Prof. Anne Galea is a dedicated education-focused academic and the Director of the Nexus Program at UNSW. Through new ways of working, the Nexus Program drives a university-wide commitment to educational excellence while preserving discipline-specific strategies. Anne also serves as the Associate Director of Teaching, Education Strategy, in the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, where she teaches biochemistry and molecular biology to students across science, medicine, and optometry and vision science programs. With over 18 years of experience at UNSW, Anne's early research in DNA-damaging anti-tumour agents has significantly informed her teaching approach. She has been a passionate advocate for digital education technologies, enhancing the first-year student experience, and pioneering 'students as partners' initiatives. From 2021 to 2023, she also played a pivotal role as the Deputy and then Acting Director of Teaching Strategy, where she was instrumental in implementing UNSW’s centralised digital assessment platform, Inspera.
PVCE Nexus Fellow
Dr Benjamin Phipps is a musician turned academic (PVCE Nexus Fellow). A passionate educator, he has taught music and then in the academic development programs at UNSW. Since 2019, his educational and academic development work has focused on assessment, feedback, and student engagement, as well as university-wide educational transformation projects. He collaborates with staff to enhance their tertiary teaching practice and support student learning as well as mentoring scholarship of teaching and learning projects (SoTL). In addition, he provides expertise and pedagogical guidance to both Student Experience and Nexus projects. His current SoTL work includes a project exploring the interplay between AI, teaching and learning, staff capability and professional development opportunities and a project investigating awareness and promotion of wellbeing in teaching and learning communities.
Nexus Program Lead
Samadhi is a proud ‘third space’ professional who is deeply passionate about the transformative power of education. She holds over 15 years experience in leading strategy development, as well as program design and delivery, for cultural transformation. She started in community mental health, and later became a Lecturer and Learning Designer in Psychology and Social Sciences at ACAP. She then applied her passion for diversity, as well as expertise in education design and strategy, to lead the development of large transformation programs in higher education, government, community and corporate sectors. Since joining UNSW 5 years ago, Samadhi has led the design and development of UNSW’s Knowledge Exchange Academic Development Program to build capability in researchers to co-create and collaborate with external partners to achieve high social, economic, and environmental impact; managed teams and programs in the UNSW’s Strategic Alliances; and is now leading the Program Management of the Nexus Program.
Nexus Project Manager
Zainab is a Project Manager with extensive experience in the higher education sector, and is passionate about equity, diversity and inclusion. She is committed to widening access and participation and delivering better student outcomes.
