2021 Teacher Awards

Alexandra Fowler

Woomera Area School, SA

Alexandra is the Foundation to Year 10 science/STEM teacher at Woomera Area School. As part of her STEM leadership, she has established a STEM Hub and integrated participation in the SA Oliphant Science Awards both in the curriculum and as an extra-curricular choice.

Anna Ritzema

Tambrey Primary School, WA

Anna has worked as a science and STEM specialist for the past 13 years, including working in the UK where she was Head of Department for both ICT and Science.

As the STEM team lead at Tambrey Primary School, Anna was also given the opportunity to set up the Rio Tinto and Graham (Polly) Farmer Foundation’s new STEM centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Karratha. Students in the program have made incredible progress, and student attendance on STEM Centre days is currently at 100% (for some students, school attendance has gone from 47% to 80%).

Heather Omant

St Mary’s College, TAS

Heather has been Science Coordinator at St Mary’s College, an inner city Catholic, K to 12 all girls college for the past 10 years. During her time at St Mary’s College, the school has achieved an enviable reputation at a state and national level, for the way in which the school teaches and incorporates science investigations and inquiry into the curriculum.

Ian Fairhurst

Knox Grammar Preparatory School, NSW

For most of his 15 year career, Ian has worked in roles focussed on Digital and Design Technologies, Science and Engineering, and more recently, the integration of STEM projects within an inquiry learning framework. Ian’s current role sees him leading a team of technology innovators within a primary school environment.

Janet Elliot

Farrer Primary School, ACT

Janet currently teaches kindergarten science at Farrer Primary School. She has taught since 1968, including teaching preschool to Year 6 as well as lecturing at the University of Canberra and the Australian Catholic University. She has developed a number of science resources and delivered professional learning programs for primary teachers.

Katie Gregory

Darwin High School, NT

Katie is a senior science teacher at Darwin High School, and teaches students having a broad range of learning abilities from those in a supported science program through to those in a Centre for Excellence cohort. She believes that all students should have equal access to learning and therefore provides a diverse range of activities inside the classroom, in the field and within the community.

Kylee Townsend

Hazel Glen College, VIC

Kylee is passionate about engaging young students in STEM careers, and uses teaching to demonstrate the importance of science, technology and engineering for human lives.

Kylie Waters

Ulverstone Secondary College, TAS

Kylie is passionate about the inquiry process and cares deeply about the ecology of the earth, sustainability and other 21st century challenges.

As Teacher in Charge of Science, Kylie has led and supported many teachers to include guided and open inquiry in their teaching practice to enable students to complete science and engineering projects. This resulted in three students from Ulverstone Secondary College being selected as national BHP Science and Engineering Award finalists in 2019 with their Ramped Wave Power Generator project.

Ross Bradford

Park Ridge State High School, QLD

Ross embarked on his teaching career in 1997 and has taught science and mathematics across various schools in Logan, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. For the past 15 years, he has worked as Head of Department Science and also as a Senior Project Officer developing the Curriculum into the Classroom resources for science. He is currently of Head of Department Teaching and Learning at Park Ridge State High School.

Teacher finalists