Dr Kath O'Brien

Biography

Dr. Katherine (Kath) O’Brien explores the operational environment and working practices of both sport officials and coaches. Kath’s research interests cover a range of topics related to operating in high performance sport, but most notably focus upon understanding the qualities that foster the work and development of sport officials. 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. In 2022, Dr. O'Brien was awarded an Australian Award for university teaching (AAUT Early Career Teaching Excellence Award), and, in 2020, Kath won the prestigious Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence, being named the QUT David Gardiner 'Teacher of the Year'. Dr. O'Brien was also awarded a QUT Faculty of Health Early Career Research Grant in 2021 to study the impact of 360-video on student learning in online university settings. Kath teaches post-graduate and undergraduate students in the disciplines of exercise science and sport coaching, as well as teaching health and physical education pre-service teachers aspects of 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:

• 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 - 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