Since 2009, Sarah has obtained over $3.8 million dollars in research funding, all of which explores educational equity in the HE environment. In 2016, Sarah was awarded an ARC Discovery project exploring the persistence and retention of university students across Australia, UK and Ireland. This international study builds upon an Australian Government Teaching and Learning Fellowship (2015-2016) and consolidates a decade of work in the student retention field (www.firstinfamily.com.au) which has focussed on students from a diversity of backgrounds. This includes a five-year partnership with AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) which has involved over $520,000 in national funding (ARC: $211,000; Federal Gov: $310,000) and included research activities across Australia with Indigenous young people , university mentors as well as key staff and stakeholders. A recent national study (2018) explored the movement of regional and rural students from their communities into university, the Shifts in space and self: Moving from community to university project was funded by the National Centre of Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and is a collaboration between UOW (Lead), UON and UNSW. In 2019, Sarah took up a Research Fellowship with the NCSEHE to explore the post-graduation outcomes and employment mobility of individuals who are first in their family to complete a university degree.
During her career, Sarah has also received numerous awards for teaching excellence including a national Australian Award for University Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2012), her work has been recognised as one of UOW 40 Research Impacts and in 2016 she was recognised as one of UOW's Women of Impact. Sarah is also an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow, in 2017 she was both recognised as a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (AdvanceUK) and awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to engage in study internationally, details of the fellowship are here.
Year | Title |
---|---|
2015 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Teaching Fellowship |
2013 - 2015 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Seed Projects |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Competitive Research Grants | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Careers Institute Partnership Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Regional Transitions to University Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) | |
Funding Scheme: 2017 Research Grants | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program |
Degree | Research Title | Advisee | |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy | Partnerships in learning: Building a framework for collaboration | Austin, Kylie | |
Doctor of Education | Crossing the Threshold: What are the Experiences of Male Learners Transitioning into Higher Education from an Enabling Course? | McNamara, Jacinta | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Psychological barriers to participation in higher education | Parkinson, Bradley |
I am seeking to effect change within the higher education sector through research that focuses on the access and participation of students from identified equity groups. My institutional and nationally funded research studies advance understanding of how under-represented student cohorts enact success within university, navigate transition into this environment, manage competing identities and negotiate aspirations for self and others. My work is highly regarded for applying diverse conceptual and theoretical lenses to tertiary participation, which incorporate theories of social class, identity work, gender studies and poverty.
To this end I have worked across the sector implementing outreach activities and play an active role in community roles in this regard, these activities have been summarised below:
UStart@UOW: I initiated an orientation program for low SES students whilst at University of Newcastle and in partnership with the Dean of Students offered this at University of Wollongong across four faculties (Faculty of Education, Law, Science and Arts) in 2011 and then university-wide. I delivered training for all the student facilitators and also coordinated this program within Faculty of Education. I was also involved in introducing a similar program at Woolyungah Indigenous Centre (WIC) called IStart@Woolyungah and a program targeted at parents called UStart2@UOW
Board Member, Kiama Community College: I have volunteered as a Board Director for the Kiama and Shoalhaven Community Colleges since 2011. In this role, I assist in guiding the strategic direction of the Community College but also provide advice in regard to outreach programs
I have participated in a number of reviews concerning UOW's outreach programs (In2Uni) and published reports on both reviews:
O’Shea, S., Harwood, V., Howard, S., Cliff, K., & Delahunty, J (2016). Final Report: Investigating the effectiveness of the In2Uni Year 12 University Preparation Program (UPP).
Harwood, V., O'Shea, S., Howard, S. & Cliff, K (2014). Final Report: Evaluation of the In2Uni Program. Available from: http://ro.uow.edu.au/sspapers/2299/
I have worked with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) in both research projects and also consultation roles reviewing the impact of the program on Indigenous young people, details of this work follow:
2013-2016 Part of the research team that is conducting a 3-year evaluation that will evaluate the viability of the expansion of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. Department of Education and Training ($200,000)
2012-2013 Harwood, V., O'Shea, S., Clapham, K., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Wright, J., Kervin, L., & McMahon, S. (2013) Evaluation of the AIME Outreach Program, DEEWR and University of Wollongong: Australia. ($110,000)
2013-2016 Harwood, V., Chandler, P., & O’Shea, S. Mentoring and Indigenous higher education: Understanding how university students mentor Indigenous school students. Australian Research Council Discovery Project. ($211,000)
Since 2009, Sarah has obtained over $3.8 million dollars in research funding, all of which explores educational equity in the HE environment. In 2016, Sarah was awarded an ARC Discovery project exploring the persistence and retention of university students across Australia, UK and Ireland. This international study builds upon an Australian Government Teaching and Learning Fellowship (2015-2016) and consolidates a decade of work in the student retention field (www.firstinfamily.com.au) which has focussed on students from a diversity of backgrounds. This includes a five-year partnership with AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) which has involved over $520,000 in national funding (ARC: $211,000; Federal Gov: $310,000) and included research activities across Australia with Indigenous young people , university mentors as well as key staff and stakeholders. A recent national study (2018) explored the movement of regional and rural students from their communities into university, the Shifts in space and self: Moving from community to university project was funded by the National Centre of Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) and is a collaboration between UOW (Lead), UON and UNSW. In 2019, Sarah took up a Research Fellowship with the NCSEHE to explore the post-graduation outcomes and employment mobility of individuals who are first in their family to complete a university degree.
During her career, Sarah has also received numerous awards for teaching excellence including a national Australian Award for University Teaching Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2012), her work has been recognised as one of UOW 40 Research Impacts and in 2016 she was recognised as one of UOW's Women of Impact. Sarah is also an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow, in 2017 she was both recognised as a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (AdvanceUK) and awarded a prestigious Churchill Fellowship to engage in study internationally, details of the fellowship are here.
Year | Title |
---|---|
2015 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Teaching Fellowship |
2013 - 2015 | Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Seed Projects |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Funding Scheme: Competitive Research Grants | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Discovery Projects | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Careers Institute Partnership Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Regional Transitions to University Grant | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) | |
Funding Scheme: 2017 Research Grants | |
Awarded by: Funding Scheme: Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program |
Degree | Research Title | Advisee | |
---|---|---|---|
Doctor of Philosophy | Partnerships in learning: Building a framework for collaboration | Austin, Kylie | |
Doctor of Education | Crossing the Threshold: What are the Experiences of Male Learners Transitioning into Higher Education from an Enabling Course? | McNamara, Jacinta | |
Doctor of Philosophy | Psychological barriers to participation in higher education | Parkinson, Bradley |
I am seeking to effect change within the higher education sector through research that focuses on the access and participation of students from identified equity groups. My institutional and nationally funded research studies advance understanding of how under-represented student cohorts enact success within university, navigate transition into this environment, manage competing identities and negotiate aspirations for self and others. My work is highly regarded for applying diverse conceptual and theoretical lenses to tertiary participation, which incorporate theories of social class, identity work, gender studies and poverty.
To this end I have worked across the sector implementing outreach activities and play an active role in community roles in this regard, these activities have been summarised below:
UStart@UOW: I initiated an orientation program for low SES students whilst at University of Newcastle and in partnership with the Dean of Students offered this at University of Wollongong across four faculties (Faculty of Education, Law, Science and Arts) in 2011 and then university-wide. I delivered training for all the student facilitators and also coordinated this program within Faculty of Education. I was also involved in introducing a similar program at Woolyungah Indigenous Centre (WIC) called IStart@Woolyungah and a program targeted at parents called UStart2@UOW
Board Member, Kiama Community College: I have volunteered as a Board Director for the Kiama and Shoalhaven Community Colleges since 2011. In this role, I assist in guiding the strategic direction of the Community College but also provide advice in regard to outreach programs
I have participated in a number of reviews concerning UOW's outreach programs (In2Uni) and published reports on both reviews:
O’Shea, S., Harwood, V., Howard, S., Cliff, K., & Delahunty, J (2016). Final Report: Investigating the effectiveness of the In2Uni Year 12 University Preparation Program (UPP).
Harwood, V., O'Shea, S., Howard, S. & Cliff, K (2014). Final Report: Evaluation of the In2Uni Program. Available from: http://ro.uow.edu.au/sspapers/2299/
I have worked with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) in both research projects and also consultation roles reviewing the impact of the program on Indigenous young people, details of this work follow:
2013-2016 Part of the research team that is conducting a 3-year evaluation that will evaluate the viability of the expansion of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience. Department of Education and Training ($200,000)
2012-2013 Harwood, V., O'Shea, S., Clapham, K., Bodkin-Andrews, G., Wright, J., Kervin, L., & McMahon, S. (2013) Evaluation of the AIME Outreach Program, DEEWR and University of Wollongong: Australia. ($110,000)
2013-2016 Harwood, V., Chandler, P., & O’Shea, S. Mentoring and Indigenous higher education: Understanding how university students mentor Indigenous school students. Australian Research Council Discovery Project. ($211,000)