Suzy Urbaniak

Last updated
Suzy Urbaniak
NationalityAustralian
EducationAustralian National University
Edith Cowan University
Occupation(s)Science teacher, former geologist
Known forFounder of the Centre of Resources Excellence (CoRE) program
Awards2016 Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching

Suzy Urbaniak, OAM is an Australian science teacher and former geologist known for her teaching methods and the establishment of the Centre of Resources Excellence (CoRE) program. She has been teaching Earth sciences at Kent Street Senior High School in Perth, Western Australia since 2004. Urbaniak received the 2016 Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching for her skills-based teaching program and contributions to the field of education. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Urbaniak attended the Australian National University from 1984 to 1988, where she studied geology and received several student accolades. She then graduated with a Diploma of Secondary Education from Edith Cowan University in 2003. [4]

Career

Following her graduation, Urbaniak worked as a geologist for Newcrest Mining. In 2004, she transitioned to a career in education, becoming a science teacher at Kent Street Senior High School in Perth. [5] [6] Her teaching approach focuses on developing young scientists by emphasizing hands-on learning, field trips, and real-world scientific practices. [7]

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Urbaniak has launched various initiatives to promote earth sciences and STEM principles in her curriculum. She introduced the bi-annual Kent Street Women in Mining Day, which provides female students with networking opportunities and hands-on activities related to the mining industry. Urbaniak also organized the Curtin University Mining Challenge at Kent Street SHS, which aims to introduce primary school students to careers in mining. [5]

Urbaniak's efforts to establish the Centre of Resources Excellence (CoRE) program have gained recognition from the Australian Geoscience Council, which applauded her vision in creating a foundation for students to develop the necessary skills and knowledge for careers in science and engineering. [8] [9]

Awards and recognition

Urbaniak has received numerous awards and recognition for her contributions to science education, most notably the 2016 Prime Minister's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching. [6] [3] She was also nominated for Western Australia's "Australian of the Year" award. [10] [8] [11] In 2018, she was included in the WA Women's Hall of Fame. [12] [13] Her story was featured in Cristy Burne's Aussie STEM Stars book series, titled "Suzy Urbaniak: Volcano Hunter and STEAM Warrior", published by the Wild Dingo Press in February 2023. [14] [15] 2024 awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) - for service to secondary education. [16]

Personal life

Urbaniak is a mother of three children.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perth</span> Capital city of Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.2 million within Greater Perth. It is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, with the majority of Perth's metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp. The city has expanded outward from the original British settlements on the Swan River, upon which its central business district and port of Fremantle are situated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curtin University</span> University in Perth, Western Australia

Curtin University, formerly known as Curtin University of Technology and Western Australian Institute of Technology (WAIT), is an Australian public research university based in Bentley, Perth, Western Australia. It is named after John Curtin, Prime Minister of Australia from 1941 to 1945, and is the largest university in Western Australia, with 58,607 students in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edith Cowan University</span> Public university in Perth, Western Australia

Edith Cowan University (ECU) is a public research university in Western Australia. It is named in honour of the first woman to be elected to an Australian parliament, Edith Cowan, and is the only Australian university named after a woman. Gaining university status in 1991, it was formed from an amalgamation of tertiary colleges with a history dating back to 1902 when the Claremont Teachers College was established, making it the modern descendant of the second tertiary institution in Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shenton College</span> School in Australia

Shenton College is a public co-educational senior high school, located in Shenton Park, an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Like many WA high schools, it is a partially selective school with out-of-area students accepted on a number of criteria. It is the largest school in Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willetton Senior High School</span> School in Perth, Western Australia

Willetton Senior High School (WSHS) is a public secondary school in Willetton, Western Australia, 12 kilometres south of the Perth central business district and 12.6 kilometres east of the port of Fremantle. The school opened in February 1977 with 77 students. As of 2022, it has an enrollment of 2,601 students, and employs 274 staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belmont City College</span> Public co-educational high school in Australia

Belmont City College is a comprehensive independent public co-educational high school, located in Belmont, 6 kilometres (4 mi) east of Perth, Western Australia. Opening in 1957, the school's catchment area covers most of the City of Belmont and the eastern part of the Town of Victoria Park. As of Semester 1, 2020 the college had an enrolment of 929 students between Year 7 and Year 12. In Semester 1, 2011, 69 students enrolled were Indigenous Australians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Curtin College of the Arts</span> School in Fremantle, Western Australia

John Curtin College of the Arts, originally John Curtin High School, is an independent, public co-educational, partially selective high school, located in East Street, Fremantle, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perth Modern School</span> School in Subiaco, Western Australia

Perth Modern School is a public co-educational academically selective high school, located in Subiaco, an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Perth Modern is Western Australia's only fully academically selective public school. Established in 1911, the school is both the oldest public high school and the oldest co-educational high school in Western Australia (WA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kent Street Senior High School</span> High school in East Victoria Park, Perth, Western Australia

Kent Street Senior High School is a public co-educational specialist high day and boarding school in the Town of Victoria Park, located on Kent Street in East Victoria Park, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.

Comet Bay College is a public co-educational high school, located in Secret Harbour, 56 kilometres (35 mi) south of Perth, Western Australia. Established in 2006 at the premises now occupied by Comet Bay Primary School, the College moved to its present location south of the primary school in 2007. In 2020 the school for the first time ranked academically within the top ten public secondary schools in the state.

Elizabeth Ann Byrski is an Australian writer and journalist.

Esperance Senior High School is a comprehensive public high day and boarding school, located in Esperance, a regional centre 780 kilometres (485 mi) southeast of Perth, Western Australia.

Central Institute of Technology was a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institution based in Perth, Western Australia until 2016 when it became a part of North Metropolitan TAFE. It was the equal oldest post-secondary educational institution in Western Australia and the largest TAFE institution in Perth. Historically it was also known by the names of Perth Technical College, Central Metropolitan College of TAFE (CMC) and Central TAFE. On April 11, 2016 following a reform of all TAFEWA colleges, Central Institute of Technology amalgamated with West Coast Institute of Training and became known as North Metropolitan TAFE.

Newman Senior High School is a government comprehensive secondary school located in Newman, a regional centre 1,186 kilometres (737 mi) north of Perth, Western Australia.

Sabine Elisabeth Winton is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since the 2017 state election, representing Wanneroo. She currently serves as a Minister for Early Childhood Education; Child Protection; Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence and Community Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Thomas (academic)</span>

Jan Thomas is a veterinary scientist and career academic. Thomas is currently the sixth vice-chancellor of Massey University, New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Solomon</span>

Julia Solomon was an Australian early-childhood educator, academic, literacy theorist and developer of the Solomon Method of Reading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Forrest Secondary College</span> School in Australia

John Forrest Secondary College is an Independent Public secondary school in the Perth suburb of Morley, Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byford Secondary College</span> School in Western Australia

Byford Secondary College is an Independent Public secondary school in Byford, a suburb 33 kilometres (21 mi) south-east of Perth, Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethel Stoneman</span> Australian psychologist (1890–1973)

Ethel Turner Stoneman was an Australian psychologist. She was the first person to graduate with a Master of Arts (Psychology) from the University of Western Australia and the first State Psychologist appointed in that State.

References

  1. ↑ "Mindset shift at core of STEAM". Business News. 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  2. ↑ "Women lead way trying to change the world". The West Australian. 2018-03-07. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  3. 1 2 "Perth teacher 'making kids scientists from word go' wins PM's gong". ABC News. 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  4. ↑ "Suzy Urbaniak | ANU Research School of Earth Sciences". earthsciences.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  5. 1 2 "Suzy Urbaniak – WIMWA Award for Outstanding Initiative in Promoting and Supporting Women in Mining | Women In Mining WA". womeninmining.com. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  6. 1 2 "Meet Suzy Urbaniak, who is turning school students into real scientists". Topics. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  7. ↑ "Passion for science wins out over books". The West Australian. 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  8. 1 2 Granger, Dale (2020-01-27). "Pioneering WA Geoscience teacher praised for key 'Australian of the Year' nomination". PESA - Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  9. ↑ "Geoscientist taking students to the field honoured". Mining. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  10. ↑ "2020 WA Australian of the Year Award recipients announced". Auspire - Australia Day Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  11. ↑ "Suzy Urbaniak". Australian of the Year. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  12. ↑ "Western Australia, is our next Australian of the Year someone you know?". Farm Weekly. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  13. ↑ "Suzy Urbaniak Recognised for Extraordinary Teaching". RTRFM / The Sound Alternative. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  14. ↑ Soup, Alphabet (2023-02-23). "Cristy Burne on Suzy Urbaniak: Volcano Hunter and STEAM Warrior" . Retrieved 2023-04-27.
  15. ↑ Admin (2023-04-16). "Suzi Urbaniak: Volcano Hunter and STEAM Warrior (Aussie STEM Stars)". Reading Time. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
  16. ↑ "86 Western Australians recognised in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List". Government House Western Australia. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.