Martin Westwell

In his keynote presentation Martin explored how, as students progress through their education journey, their experiences and environments interact with the development of their brains to shape who they are and how they think and learn. He explained that this ongoing process profoundly influences the trajectory and educational outcomes of young people. The changing nature of the world, of education, of the use of technology, and of young people themselves all contribute to increasing uncertainty when we are trying to meet the needs of all of our students. The research evidence from neuroscience and the wider cognitive sciences can help to illuminate the way, but only when coupled with the experience and expertise of education professionals.

Martin Westwell is the first Director of the Flinders Centre for Science Education in the 21st Century (South Australia) supporting the decision making of policy makers, leaders in education, teachers, parents and young people themselves in science education.

After completing his degree and PhD at Cambridge University, Martin moved to Oxford University as a Research Fellow in Biological and Medical Sciences at Lincoln College. While at Oxford, Martin undertook a number of research projects, he also began a program of work in science education and public-engagement-with-science.

Martin left academia to work in the biotechnology industry and then with a number of science education organisations returning to Oxford in 2005 as the Deputy Director of the Institute for the Future of the Mind. Martin has won a number of awards for communicating science to non-scientists and in 1999 he was named as The Times "Scientist of the New Century".

Presentation slides (PDF - 2.8Mb)

Presentation video

Martin Westwell Profile - Educators' Guide to Innovation

Flinders Centre for Science Education in the 21st Century