Invited speakers Keynote presenters Claire Meaders, University of California San Diego Clara (Claire) Meaders received her Ph.D. from Harvard University in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology where she studied morphology and genetics of staminode development in the flowering plant Aquilegia. She then switched to biology education research for her postdoctoral work at Cornell University. She joined UC San Diego as an Assistant Teaching Professor in 2020 and is interested in how student experiences in introductory STEM courses can impact their motivation, learning, and retention within STEM majors. Claire’s biology education research broadly aims to understand faculty teaching practices and how they impact student experiences and learning. Tracey Kuit, University of Wollongong Tracey Kuit is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education in the School of Science and the Associate Dean (Education) in the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health at the University of Wollongong (UOW), Australia. Tracey’s practice focuses on partnerships with students, educators, researchers, industry and community members. As an example, Tracey embraces Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to support diverse students in groups to pose creative scientific solutions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) targets. Essential to this work is supporting student critical reflection of their skill gain, and importantly their professional identity, empowering students to take charge of their ongoing development and career futures. Tracey has received numerous teaching awards, including the 2018 Shimadzu Education award from the ASBMB, an OLT National Citation in 2013, and most recently the 2025 FAOBMB Education Award and the 2024 AAUT Teaching Excellence Award for Science. Tracey’s leadership extends beyond the University of Wollongong, currently serving as Education Special Interest Group Chair and Council Member of the ASBMB, a member on the Education Committee of FAOBMB, and IUBMB. Tracey is the co-editor of the Education section of the quarterly Australian Biochemist Magazine, editor for the international journal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education and reviewer for FEBS Open Bio. Tracey has been attending ACSME since 2011. Joe Sambono Queensland University of Technology Joe Sambono (Professor of Practice in Indigenous Australian Perspectives in the Academic Division, University of Queensland) is a proud Jingili man with Aboriginal family connections throughout NT, QLD, and WA. He is a curriculum specialist with extensive experience in the embedding of Australian First Nations histories and cultures in the primary, secondary, senior secondary and tertiary education sectors. Leveraging off his lifelong passion and experience with wildlife and conservation Joe enrolled in a BSc (Zoology) at James Cook University and spent his early career working as a zoologist. After receiving a BEd from the University of Queensland, Joe was able to merge his biology interests and cultural background with a new career in education. Joe started his education career 18 years ago as a senior secondary science teacher and was immediately involved in supporting his region with various cross-cultural education initiatives. Joe’s multi-faceted skill set, and experiences grounded in his First Nations Australian identity, science and education careers and lived experiences as a First Australian student continues to fuel his desire to work in the complex space of First Nations education.
