Rate My Professor Kate Jackson

Dr Kate Jackson serves as a Senior Lecturer (Education Focused) and Deputy First Year Director in the School of Physics within the Faculty of Science at the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney). She earned her PhD in theoretical astrophysics from Monash University in 2019 and a Bachelor of Applied Physics with a Diploma of Professional Practice from CQUniversity Australia in 2013. A member of the Physics Education Research for Evidence Centred (PERfECT) group, her research centers on physics education research for future students, exploring student experiences with physics concepts, especially for those transitioning from other disciplines. She is passionate about evidence-based teaching, active learning strategies, and designing online learning environments. Currently, she is redesigning the content and assessment for the School's large-scale online introductory astronomy course and leading the creation of a new first-year astrophysics course targeted at students contemplating a minor in astronomy.

In addition to her teaching and research roles, Dr Jackson develops and implements an evidence-based training program for undergraduate learning assistants to build their pedagogical knowledge and teaching skills. She actively contributes to the UNSW Education Focused community by co-leading the Sessional Academic Community of Practice, serving as a peer facilitator for the Pro Vice-Chancellor's Education and Student Experience (PVCESE) Course Design Institute portfolio, and mentoring participants in the Teaching Accelerator Program. As Deputy First Year Director, she oversees the first-year physics courses and the astronomy curriculum across first and upper years. Her doctoral work produced notable publications such as 'Thermohaline Mixing in Extremely Metal-poor Stars' in the Astrophysical Journal Letters (2018) and 'A phenomenological modification of thermohaline mixing in globular cluster red giants' in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2017). Collaborating with Associate Professor Elizabeth Angstmann and Dr Christine Lindstrom, she secured a grant to develop physics resources for the Australian Council of Deans of Science (ACDS) online repository. Dr Jackson was part of the First Year Directors Team honored in the 2024 UNSW Vice-Chancellor's Awards in the Respect category.