Dr Kath O'Brien

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Lecturer, School of Exercise & Nutrition Sciences

PhD (University of Queensland)

Dr. Katherine (Kath) O’Brien is a sport-education-technology leader. She possesses a background in both the academic and sporting space for examining the operational environment and performance practices of sport officials. Kath's innovative, cutting-edge educational designs have been showcased nationally and internationally through the AIS-Sport Australia Sports Technology and Applied Research (STARS) Symposium, Exercise Science Symposiums, keynote presentation at the International Congress of French Sport Psychology Conference, and International Federation of National Teaching Fellows (INNTF) event. Using digital tools such as 360-video and artificial intelligence (AI), Kath (re)thinks the relationship between technology and training to create new ways of facilitating how sport officials can improve their performance in and through their sport. Kath recently won the prestigious QUT Technology Innovation Pitching Competition and an Australian University Award for Teaching Excellence. Kath was also awarded the Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence, being named the QUT David Gardiner 'Teacher of the Year'. Aiming to create deeper discussion and research around how sport officials develop their craft, Kath created the Australian Sport Officiating Summit (ASOS) hosted online at QUT. Kath is also founder and co-developer of the QUT Women in Sport Leadership Conference in partnership with QUT Sport.

Kath’s current funded projects include examining the quality of educational pathways open to female sport officials, the creation of conversation profiles for high-performance sport referees’ performance improvement, and the impact of digital technology for learning hands-on practical course content remotely through online university settings. Her research higher degree students are examining the use of technology such as 360-video and bone stress related to the Female Athlete Triad. Kath teaches post-graduate and undergraduate students in the disciplines of exercise science and sport coaching, as well as teaching undergraduate pre-service health and physical education teachers in areas connected to curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment. Dr. Kath O'Brien is also a registered HPE teacher and previous international coach for both men’s and women’s teams in the sport of Touch Football.

Project/Publication Highlights:

  • Reimagining the role of technology in sport officiating: how AI supports the design of  ecologically dynamic learning environments
  • Seen but not heard: missing the mark in conceptualizing high performance officials
  • The development of craft in Australian National Rugby (NRL) league referees
  • The issue of unconscious bias in referee decisions in the National Rugby League

Award Highlights:

  • 2022 - QUT Research Innovation Grant - Pitching Competition
  • 2022 - Australian Universities Award for Teaching Excellence (AAUT) - ECR
  • 2021 - QUT Faculty of Health - Early/Mid Career Research Grant Scheme
  • 2020 - QUT Vice Chancellor Award - David Gardiner QUT Teacher of the Year

Additional information

  • Australian Coach - Men's & Women's Teams - Touch Football
  • Chair - Touch Football Queensland Coaching Panel
  • Member - National Touch Football Coaching Panel
  • Member - Womensport Toowoomba Panel
Type
Fellowship of a Learned Academy or Membership of AIATSIS
Reference year
2022
Details
Fellowship awarded to International Federation of National Teaching Fellows (IFNTF)
Type
Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
Reference year
2020
Details
VC Award for Excellence: David Gardiner Teacher of the Year
Type
Fellowship of a Learned Academy or Membership of AIATSIS
Reference year
2020
Details
Senior Fellowship Award (SFHEA)
Type
Funding Award
Reference year
2021
Details
QUT - Faculty of Health, ECR Award Grant ($20 000)
Type
Funding Award
Reference year
2022
Details
AAUT Award Grant, ECR Teaching Award Winner ($15 000)
Type
Reviewer for an Academic Journal
Reference year
2021
Details
Sport, Education and Society
Type
Reviewer for an Academic Journal
Reference year
2022
Details
International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching