Dr Senka Henderson

PhD (Central Queensland University), Master of Science (Pharmacology) (University of Zagreb), Graduate Diploma Education (Queensland University of Technology), Bachelor of Science (Pharmacy) (University of Zagreb)

Dr Senka Henderson is a science educator who lectures in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership within the Faculty of Education at QUT. She teaches multiple science curriculum and pedagogy units in secondary studies across both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Senka began her career as a lecturer in Pharmacology, followed by lecturing in Biochemistry for 10 years where she developed her passion for teaching science.  After finishing her MSc and Ph.D. in Science she worked in a biopharmaceutical drug discovery company before becoming involved in developing Science laboratories in the school. In her second career as a science educator, she has worked on three Australian Research Council (ARC) science education research projects exploring the emotions of pre-service science teachers in university settings and students in high school science classrooms. She has been involved in other projects related to context-based science education and mindfulness. In 2018, she also contributed several chapters to a Brill volume “Eventful Learning: Learner Emotions" and a Routledge volume “Mindfulness in Education”. In 2019 Senka was the lead author on a paper published in Cultural Studies of Science Education (CSSE) that describes how using cogenerative dialogue can help to address heightened emotions with difficult students. Currently, she is one of the teaching team of the Australia Awards Graduate Certificate in STEM Education course for teachers from Papua New Guinea. Additionally, Senka became a reviewer and assistant editor of the international journal Research in Science Education. Senka is a Health and Safety Advisor for the Faculty of Education. Senka has been nominated four times for QUT Academic Learning and Teaching awards and awarded two Team Learning and Teaching awards.  She has been awarded two Health, Safety, and Environment Recognition Awards for helping to achieve excellence in the management of Health and Safety at QUT, and received a QUT Vice Chancellors award for performance. Senka was a key member of the organising committee for the 2019 HDR (Higher Degree Research) conference for four Universities (QUT, CQU, GU, and UQ).

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