2019 Teacher Awards

2019 National Winner

Allan Alipio

CAPS Coolgardie , WA

Allan Alipio is a Science Coordinator at CAPS Coolgardie. He has a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and is currently studying his Master of Arts in Science Education. Allan has been teaching for 16 years and before coming to Australia, he taught science in the Philippines, the Bahamas, China, Japan, and USA. Across his entire teaching career has been involved in Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) as a coach and a judge. Allan has organised school wide science fair programs and had students compete in national and international competitions, including Western Australia’s only student finalists in the 2018 BHP Foundation Science and Engineering Awards. In 2017 and 2018, CAPS Coolgardie was named as the STAWA Secondary School of the year.

View Allan Alipio's video interview

Teacher finalists

Adrianne Telford

Yungaburra State School , QLD

Adrianne Telford is the STEM curriculum leader at Yungaburra State School in Far North Queensland. She has a Bachelor of Science (Zoology and Biochemistry) and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Queensland. She encourages her students to seek answers to their own questions and provides them with the opportunities to discover answers for themselves. Adrianne has supported teachers in developing inquiry and open-ended questioning into their lessons. In 2016, she won a Makerspace grant and set up a purpose built learning space for students to imagine, create, design, construct, collaborate, and reflect. Adrianne has also developed partnerships with James Cook University, Smithfield State High School and the Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre.

Annie Martin

Presbyterian Ladies' College , NSW

Annie Martin is the Junior School Science Coordinator at Presbyterian Ladies' College in Sydney, New South Wales. She has a Bachelor of Science and a Diploma in Education from the University of Sydney. Annie is passionate about making science accessible to all students and in 2015, led the school community to create the longest human electric circuit, setting a new Guinness World Record. Annie has also been actively involved in the Eureka Sleek Geeks Competition and the Science Teachers' Association of New South Wales (STANSW) Young Scientist Awards. In 2018, Annie was shortlisted in the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Primary School Science Teaching.

Kathleen Best

Clarendon Primary School , SA

Kathleen Best is a STEAM/Kitchen Garden Teacher at Clarendon Primary School in South Australia. She has a Masters of Teaching from Flinders University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Adelaide. She believes students learn best when exposed to real-world problems and incorporates this into her classroom programs. Through the Kitchen Garden Program, she has been able to connect STEAM to global issues such as food security, sustainability and biodiversity. In 2018, she presented at the South Australia Science Teachers Association (SASTA) Conference about STEAM assessment in open-ended investigations. Kathleen has also encouraged open inquiry through the Oliphant Science Awards and National Science Week events.

Mark Cooper

Queensland Academies – Health Sciences Campus, QLD

Mark Cooper is the Head of Department for Science and Enrichment at the Queensland Academies – Health Sciences Campus in Southport, Queensland. He has a Masters of Applied Science from the Queensland University of Technology and a Graduate Diploma of Education from James Cook University. Mark has been a secondary science teacher in Queensland for over 27 years. In 2006, he was seconded as a science consultant to the Supreme Education Council of Qatar to implement a new secondary science curriculum. He has been actively involved in the CSIRO CREST Awards program as well as the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, Chemistry Olympiad and the Science Teacher Association of Queensland (STAQ).

Paula Taylor

Centre for Innovation and Learning, ACT

Paula Taylor is an Executive Officer at the Centre for Innovation and Learning, an ACT Education Directorate STEM Centre in Canberra. She has a Master of Education, Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science and Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia. She has been an advocate of STEM and transformational change in schools for over 20 years in Canada and Australia. She currently works with teachers across the Australian Capital Territory to develop and teach lessons that provides students with complex problems and allows for open inquiry. She has been extensively involved in regional and national science fairs as well as the Science Educators’ Association of the Australian Capital Territory (SEAACT).

Perviz Marker

Hellyer College, TAS

Perviz Marker is an Advanced Skills Teacher at Hellyer College in Burnie, Tasmania. She has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and PhD (Biological Sciences) from the University of Tasmania. She has taught Biology and Environmental Science for over 20 years. She is passionate about ensuring students have the opportunity to develop real-life inquiries based on relevant, local environmental issues. She also encourages students to enter their investigations into the Cradle Coast Science Engineering and Investigation Awards and the Tasmanian Science Talent Search. Perviz has received multiple awards for her teaching including the Tasmanian Science Talent Search Cement Australia Award and ANZAS Teachers Award.

Simone Timms

Durack Primary School , NT

Simone Timms is a Lead Teacher at Durack Primary School in Durack, Northern Territory. She has a Bachelor of Teaching from Northern Territory University. Simone is passionate about developing teaching practices to improve student achievement and works across the school to program, plan and teach open inquiry units using real-world issues. She supports students in participating in the Solar Car Challenge, Skills 2021 and the Northern Territory Young Scientists Competition. She has also coordinated the school's Science Week activities including applying for grants, expos and competitions. In 2018, she was the recipient of an Australian Science Teacher Association grant to attend the STEM X Academy, a five-day residential teacher professional learning program.