Rate My Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett

Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett is Professor of Early Childhood Education and Academic Director of the Early Years in the School of Education at the University of Wollongong. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Child Development from Macquarie University and has over 30 years of experience in early childhood education academia. Previously, she served as Senior Lecturer and Convenor of Early Years at the University of Wollongong and as Director of Learning and Teaching at the Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University. Recognized internationally as an educator and researcher, Neilsen-Hewett leads innovative teaching programs and professional learning initiatives that impact educator practices and child outcomes across the early childhood sector.

Her research specializes in early childhood development, quality early childhood education and care, workforce development, self-regulation, professional development for educators, transitions from childcare to school, and integrated early childhood service platforms. She has co-led large-scale translational research projects across three Australian states, involving more than 600 early childhood education services and over 4000 children. Notable publications include 'Measuring interactional quality in pre-school settings: introduction and validation of the Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Wellbeing (SSTEW) scale' (2020, cited by 88), 'Everyday practices and activities to improve pre-school self-regulation: Cluster RCT evaluation of the PRSIST program' (2020, cited by 87), 'The role of professional development in improving quality and supporting child outcomes in early education and care' (2019, cited by 79), 'Improving quality of teaching and child development: A randomised controlled trial of the leadership for learning intervention in preschools' (2023, cited by 58), and 'Mentoring to build early childhood teacher capacity across career stages: The early childhood elevate mentoring program' (2025). With 1267 citations on Google Scholar, her work advances evidence-informed practices in pedagogy, assessment, and child wellbeing. Neilsen-Hewett coordinates early years courses, supervises Masters and PhD students, and contributes to research centers like Early Start.