Dr Margaret Wegener is a Senior Lecturer in Physics and First-Year Teaching Director in the School of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Queensland. She earned her PhD in 1999 from the University of Queensland for her thesis on laser diagnostics of a Superorbital Expansion Tube using multiple holographic recordings, which involved holographic interferometry of high-speed gas flows and quantitative analysis of gas flow information. Her other qualifications include a Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), a Bachelor of Arts, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, all from the University of Queensland, along with further study in Tertiary Teaching. Throughout her career at the University of Queensland, Wegener has served as a lecturer and progressed to Senior Lecturer, teaching first- and third-year physics courses to aspiring physicists as well as service course students in engineering, health, and biomedical sciences. She currently holds the position of Deputy Director of the School of Mathematics and Physics Teaching and Learning Committee. Recognized as an award-winning teacher, she received the 2016 Australian Institute of Physics Education Medal for her outstanding contributions to university physics education in Australia.

Wegener's research specializations center on physics education, with a focus on contextualizing physics concepts to make fundamentals meaningful, supporting the transition from school to university physics, and developing innovative undergraduate experiments. She also investigates the interrelationships between science and the arts, promoting science communication through artistic collaborations. Her scholarly output encompasses 54 works from 1992 to 2025, including 21 journal articles, 29 conference papers, and 2 book chapters. Key publications include 'Precision optomechanical accelerometer via hybrid test-mass integration' (2025, Physical Review Applied), 'Corner cube reflectors' (2025, Physics Education), 'Dynamic e-learning modules for student lecture preparation' (2018, Teaching & Learning Inquiry), 'Developing a virtual physics world' (2012, Australasian Journal of Educational Technology), and 'Simultaneous two-wavelength holographic interferometry in a superorbital expansion tube facility' (1997, Applied Optics). Additional contributions feature editorial work, such as the ICPE 2022 Special Edition editorial (2024, International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education), and publications on active learning, interactive simulations, virtual reality for science learning, and dynamic visualizations of vector fields. Wegener's work has advanced physics pedagogy through immersive methods and integrated approaches to large-class teaching.

Professional Email: m.wegener@uq.edu.au