Rate My Professor Keryn Sturrock

Dr. Keryn Sturrock is a Lecturer in the School of Education within the Faculty of Humanities at Curtin University. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy from Murdoch University in 2021, with a thesis titled 'Science inquiry pedagogy in upper primary and lower secondary lessons.' Her academic qualifications also include a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Master of Science by Research, and a Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary). Prior to her academic career in education, Sturrock worked in arbovirus surveillance and vector biology, contributing to public health efforts in Western Australia through roles likely affiliated with the Department of Health. She has experience as a primary school teacher and transitioned into higher education research and teaching, joining Curtin University in September 2021. Currently, she serves as Course Coordinator for the Graduate Diploma and Master of Teaching programs in Early Childhood Education and Primary (postgraduate level), focusing on work-integrated learning and professional development for pre-service teachers.

Sturrock's research interests center on science education, initial teacher education, inquiry-based teaching and learning, and work-integrated learning. Her scholarship examines how science inquiry instruction and direct instruction are implemented in authentic primary and secondary classroom contexts. Notable publications include 'Science inquiry instruction and direct instruction in authentic primary and secondary classroom contexts' (International Journal of Science Education, 2025, co-authored with Amanda Woods-McConney and Dorit Maor); 'Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning in Primary STEM' (book chapter, 2020); 'Inquiry and groups: Student interactions in cooperative inquiry-based science' (2016); and her PhD thesis (2021). Earlier works in epidemiology and surveillance encompass 'Arbovirus and vector surveillance in Western Australia, 2004/05 to 2007/08' (2009), 'The Changing Epidemiology of Murray Valley Encephalitis Virus and West Nile Virus (Kunjin Strain) in Epizootic Regions of Western Australia' (book, 2010), 'An overview of the flavivirus surveillance program in Western Australia, 2001-2004' (2005), and papers on Murray Valley encephalitis virus activity (2001). With 95 citations on Google Scholar and 62 on ResearchGate, Sturrock's contributions advance understanding of effective science pedagogy and support teacher professional learning. She presented at the WAIER Forum 2024 on implementing science inquiry pedagogy.