Rate My Professor Emily Hall

Emily Hall serves as the Science Teaching Co-ordinator and Senior Professional Practice Fellow at the Otago University Advanced School Sciences Academy (OUASSA) in the Division of Sciences at the University of Otago. OUASSA targets Year 13 students with strong potential in science, especially from rural, provincial, small, Kura, and formerly lower decile schools. Under her coordination, the programme delivers two residential science camps on campus—one in January and one in July—alongside small-team science communication projects, online tutorials in NCEA and scholarship-level physics, chemistry, and biology, and annual teacher workshops open to educators supporting enrolled students. These efforts aim to enhance exam performance, develop communication and research skills, facilitate peer networking, and provide access to university-level science experiences.

Hall's academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Computer Science, a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Postgraduate Bachelor of Secondary Teaching, and a Master of Science Communication (MSciComm) from the University of Otago, awarded in 2015. Her thesis, 'Fight like a Physicist: Teaching Basic Physics Through the Medium of Karate,' examines using martial arts demonstrations to convey core physics concepts. Professionally, she previously worked in the sawmilling industry, creating software to laser scan log shapes for precise sawmill positioning. She teaches physics part-time at a local high school, runs a community karate dojo, and has competed at national and international levels in karate. Hall's commitment to innovative physics education is showcased in presentations, such as at the 2017 Australasian Science Communication Conference, where she discussed karate-based physics teaching. Her multifaceted background uniquely positions her to inspire student engagement and excellence in science.